A CHURCH BABY

How I understand God is shaped by a divine encounter as a pregnant 15-year-old. (Maybe that story seems familiar) My relationship with Creator, as a creator, has deepened and expanded through the birth of my daughter, a long season of “unexplained secondary infertility”, the birth of my son, multiple miscarriages, and the birth of my twins.

The language of gestation and birth related to the church is an act of resistance against the inherent white supremacy and patriarchy undergirding traditional church planting models. The Church Baby is a co-creation with God that honors the inherent wisdom of women of color’s bodies and souls, is honest about our limits, and is aware that new life needs a community to thrive.

My prayer is that the Church Baby will break generational curses and embody a new reality of faith and worship for our descendants. What would happen if folks didn’t have to heal from church?

Birth and mothering are not limited to people who have wombs or the desire for children. We all have the capacity to participate in acts of divine creativity. We all need care and nourishment as we make space in our bodies and souls for new life. We all need a community to tend to us after the labor required to bring something new into the world.

Much love,

Pastor Riana