{Chris Brown reflects on his time spent writing, his pastoral vocation and what makes them similar.}

Three days a week, from 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM, my calendar is marked with “Writing.” The reality is, though, that I don’t spend every minute of those two hours writing.  Before turning on my computer and beginning to write, I sit in silence with a candle lit in front of the icons on my desk. Then I pray through a liturgy for Matins or First Hour prayers.  The first words of the morning belong not to me or to my writing, but to the Lord.

I’m a pastor, ordained to “the ministry of Word and Sacrament.” At my ordination service four years ago, the pastor who gave the charge told me that “Ministry is what happens in the wake of the pursuit of God.” Just … Read More »

{for our Spaces Series, we’re asking writers to reflect on writing, revision, and the creative life, and where exactly that plays out. in this post, poet John James discusses the process and creation. his writing space is featured above. take note–it’s lived in. a place for books and papers. nothing glamorous–the real and rugged space of someone who loves to create. look anything like your house?}

The word that comes to mind when people ask about my writing process is “change.” Nothing stays the same for me, not my space, not my form, not my process or my style. In some senses, this has posed problems throughout my writing career. For one, having so many different kinds of poems has made it difficult to compile a cohesive book manuscript. More immediately, I never know when or how a poem is going to come about—and … Read More »

in april, we’ll be at the Festival of Faith and Writing in Grand Rapids, MI

we’ll have a booth, so be sure to stop by and say hello, pick up some free swag, and find out how to get involved.

also, we’re planning a killer event with Ruminate Magazine where folks can come, her from some stellar authors, pick up some practical tools, and practice a little bit of what’s been being preached.

hope to see you saturday’s lunch session!