Kelly Fryer

Co-founder and executive director of A.R.E.: A Renewal Enterprise.

Why I Blog:

This blog got started because I needed an outlet for my frustration with the way mainstream denominations, including my own Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), have, through their confused and fearful silence, allowed the voice of the radical Christian Right to dominate in this culture.

My hope is that those who share my frustration will be inspired, motivated, and even equipped by something they read here to work with evangelical zeal for the renewal of a theologically grounded, biblically informed, progressive movement within their own mainstream faith communities, for the sake of God's loving mission to save and set free the whole creation.

If you're a church leader who wants even more practical advice and help doing that, you might want to visit the blog I co-write at http://reclaimingthefword.typepad.com/are which is the official blog of A.R.E.: A Renewal Enterprise. In other words, if Reclaiming The F Word is designed to encourage people to "do" something, the A.R.E. blog is written to help them actually do it.

OK, those are the socially acceptable reasons for why I blog. Most bloggers will tell you, though, that we do it because we have a screw loose...and it's cheaper than therapy.

Now, Here's My Story:

When Bobby Kennedy's campaign swung through my gritty Northwest Indiana town, shortly before his death in 1968, he made a whistle stop at my house in response to a letter I had written. I was 7. I've been a sort of hopeful cynic ever since. I know this world is a freakin’ mess. But I can't stop believing that, one day, everything will be new…and doing what I can to help make it so.

For a long time, I did that from within the institutional church, as an ordained Lutheran pastor and seminary professor. I guess you could say I'm a freelancer now. As the executive director of A.R.E.: A Renewal Enterprise, I still work with faith-based organizations as a consultant and coach, and I have a particular interest in helping renew progressive Christian communities. But the most fun I have is working with companies (for profit and not) who want help creating collaborative, innovative, and life giving cultures. Yeah, I love that.

I share this work - and my life - with my partner. Surrounded by our three kids, family and friends, we got married on Sept. 1, 2006. Neither our church nor our government recognizes that, of course, which is more irritating than I can say. But I don't believe for a second that, one day, both my church and government won’t figure out a way to do the right thing.

See what I mean.