Coffee with Cathie Caimano

Hello, friends. I'm Father Cathie.  I'm an Episcopal priest
in North Carolina, serving congregations and people with the
freedom to go where I am called. That's why my ministry is called
Free Range Priest — instead of serving one church or group, I
serve in many places and many ways. Through teaching and
discussing Christian practice in everyday life, I help clergy and
congregations re-imagine relationships and connect with audiences
through digital evangelism.


I became a Free Range Priest after a decade serving in Episcopal
congregations in New York City, Durham, NC and Wichita,
KS, then another five years serving regionally on a bishop's
staff, where I worked with clergy and congregations through
mission and ministry development. Today I consult and teach for
Backstory Preaching, an online preaching program, as part of my
Free Range Priest Ministry, along with blogging, speaking, 
coaching, and leading worship.


I’m married to the love of my life, and together we raise my two
dogs and his three kids (but don't call me a stepmom). I’m an
avid runner, a pretty committed vegan, and a champion
coffee-drinker.


Jay: Coffee drinker!?!? Well then, Cathie, you've come to the
right place! Welcome to the show and thank you for the
introduction.  As most of you know, I'm your host at
Coffeepot Fellowship and a bit of a free range priest myself.


If you were to browse the web pages for Free Range Priest and
United Faith Leaders you would quickly understand why I am so
excited to get to know Father Cathie.  Cathie brings great
experience and expertise to her ministries. One of the areas of
expertise that has caught my attention has to do with her
conceptualization and language. Her bachelor of science degree
from Georgetown University is in Linguistics and her master of
divinity is from The General Theological Seminary in NYC.


What does a pastor with a linguistics degree - a degree in the
study of language - feel or say when she is holding The Word of
God in her hands, called to transfer, teach or communicate that
holy body of words? Does it feel possible? Is it a burden? Does
it feel futile? Or, rather, is it an easy joy? Jesus is the
Living Word; is that even more marvelous to a Christian with a
linguistics degree?


Father Cathie shares that we each carry that Word - Jesus Christ
- in us, that the Word is alive. The beauty is that we have
been reading and communicating the Word, this Love, to one
another for centuries. It is infinitely creative and
mysterious. Each one of us is "translating" it and adding to that
conversation all the time.


This linguist is also a Biblical literalist, "a real one," she
declares! You'll have to listen to this podcast episode to
hear her make her case.


Last but not least, Cathie also shared that she is at the
beginning of this magnificent, risky, and exciting endeavor. Find
ways to stay tuned and stay involved while the brainstorming and
development take place. Father Cathie, with others, is
facilitating a better, more creative future for God's beautiful
Church and world. Let her know that you are interested in
becoming certified as an official Free Range Priest. (By the way,
you cannot simply start calling yourself a Free
Range Priest without the certification. The name is actually
Cathie's property.) To stay tuned in you can: follow her on
Twitter and like the Free Range Priest Facebook Page.


Links:


United Faith Leaders


United Church of Christ (UCC)


Free Range Priest (the book!) by Fr. Cathie Caimano


Free Range Priest Website


Free Range Priest on Facebook


Father Cathie's Blog


(subscribe in right margin)


Twitter: @frcathie


RomanTEC on Facebook


Presiding Bishop Michael Curry


George Lakoff


Backstory Preaching
(don't forget to subscribe!)


Backstory Preaching on Facebook