I will be in NYC this weekend for another gathering of the women in the RENEW program that launched in NYC this year. I had hoped that we could have a graduation this weekend but due to unforeseen circumstances, it will have to be done in 2007. Perhaps during March "Women’s History Month" when again CEFL will host Sisterhood Weekend in NY and for the 2nd time in FL.

We have a special guest coming this Saturday "it’s a surprise" but we will be focusing on two key disciplines. The discipline of Self-Management and Self-Development. As women in ministry (anyone in ministry really but this is geared to women) many leaders don’t have a clue about how to manage their feelings i.e. anger, hostility, fear, bitterness, grief and loss  and yes depression! These are real and spiritually healthy leaders have to call out their emotions, learn to deal with them and get help when necessary.  I look forward to the time together.

Although I was born and raised in NYC, I am mentally preparing for the cold. Listen…I walk around without stockings all year! I’ll also be witnessing my very close friend and my sister-in-law get credentialed on Sunday at my home church. That will be a special moment.

I absolutely loved this movie. Happyfeet made me happy. I even downloaded the entire album for my Ipod. I especially liked the movie rendition of Frank Sinatra’s “My Way”, it was awesome. There is a great message about “fitting in” in the movie and how we should do what we were born to do regardless of you know “those other voices”. Great message for all of us. If you haven’t seen it yet, go see it!

I did something today I’ve always wanted to do. I went to a local shelter with a few of the church members and some of their friends to serve others on Thanksgiving. So instead of cooking this a.m. I woke up early and by 8 am was fixing donated clothes, cutting up pies, and getting ready to serve others their Thanksgiving meal. Although it was a bit disorganized (yes I did think of how it could have been better organized and volunteers better utilized) yet it was a good experience. Next year we want to do this again maybe for Christmas or something. We even want to do our own thing eventually. Anyway, this is some of us after the event.

Do you think its ever the right thing to do to "can" "fire" someone two days before Thanksgiving? What’s your take? Inquiring minds want to know.

I haven’t been postin’, just haven’t felt like it. I am living a paradox. I feel overwhelmed yet a peace. Confused yet clear. I feel like David who says “I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God.” There is some comfort for me in telling the world that I am in my “going thru” period…yet again. The reason for this is simply that in life we will have troubles, all of us, and we need to know that we can make it. Sometimes it helps by hearing (in this case)reading the story of someone else. My story: In the last two months my faith has been challenged in my personal life, my work life, and in work in ministry. Personally, I just rec’d my home insurance bill that is 85% more than last year…yes, no typo…85% more. I don’t see how I can afford that. The issue is something that has been debated in various election seasons over here. A republican won again in FL and he was one of the ones that was in cohoots with the insurance companies. So I ask myself, is this a God problem or my problem? I think its a God problem because if he doesnt’ intervene that means I have to make decisions that will have a dominoe effect on the church we’ve planted. He’s knows what they are. So I said, “God you got a problem to solve by Dec 31st”. I now wait for him to show up and show off. If he doesn’t, to me that is a sign. More to come on that later. On church planting, boy is it rough out here. I mean people are fickle everywhere but we have faced some significant challenges, even as we prepare to launch the GCC in 2007 (if God intervenes in my personal situation). I post right now just to say shoot a prayer up to the mighty one in heaven for us, we could sure use it. In the “mean time” because that is where we are right now in some MEAN times, we’re going to go see Happy Feet. Paz

Jose has two posts on his blog that I think you should check out. One is about education and the other is about what’s the right move when we are not satisfied with our denomination. Good stuff.  I found it particularly interesting to me because: 1) I am currently ABD (all but dissertation) and expect to be finished with my dissertation and all its components by March and should graduate in June 2007. I will be Rev. Dr. Liz Rios. But the question in my mind is "and what?"  Sure, I "read" that more education equates to more financial success but the operative word is "eventually". I feel like I owe, I owe (although I had a few scholarships in my past for school, most of it was financed by Uncle Sam). Now comes the time to pay the piper but I am not making nearly as much money as I know I should be making. Most of my friends in academia tell me in order to really make it as an educator you need to move around. I need the gift of discernment to flow heavily because I am not just an Educator I am a pastor building a church in South Florida. All which again leads to what Ed Stetzer says is not just faith but "extraordinary faith" because God has to make a way if this was all ordained by Him. I’ll be able to use my education, talents and gifts to put food on the table while simulteanously pastoring. Again…its in His hands if this was His command.

Jose’s other post on denominational blues is another thing we’ve been pondering because we are wondering should we stay AG. The issues are not that simple. For example, it is true that any denomination you affiliate with has their own issues and eventually they will find you. However, the difference between other denominations and my present AG reality is that AG doesn’t do anything for church plants as far as financial resources are concerned. Sure they have a ‘boot camp’ training and yes they’ve had some conferences but what about real help like

1) allowing church planters to give 100% of their income to THEIR church not the denomination

2) giving their church planters a mentor even if they ‘cant’ attend a boot camp because they are bi-vocational

3) giving their church planters money for a set # of years between 1-3 years so that they have a better chance of survival  as 75% of all church plants fail within the first two years.

While we do live in a post-denominational world and most churches that do have denominational ties don’t even public promote them, it’s still hard to decide which one is best or even if you should be independent. For all intensive purposes, we ARE independent but are covered by our home church in NYC as a sounding board and a small stipend to cover one necessary equipment. Otherwise, our little church has raised all of its support on its own and we’re very close to beating the stats having survived in January 2007 to our year 2. Praise God. 

Pizza Hut + Hiram’s Cafe con Leche + Dessert = Late night think tank as we plan Black/Brown gathering for 2007. In the house…Rudy C, Jose Figueroa of Miami, Ronnie Harris of Chicago River City Church and I.

re…could it be that another top Evangelical leader falls. If allegations prove to be true, my heart will be saddened but more importantly the faith of the faithful and the shattered faith of the dechurched will be further challenged. Read this and pray.

I returned from the Women in Ministry Int’l Conference yesterday after midnight having arrived at LAX at 1 pm…exhausted to say the least. As I comtemplate what awaits me in my office when I return on Monday, I take a moment to reflect on the highlights of the journey.

First, pushing a black/brown connection is not as simple as anyone may think it may be. Although much lip service is given to "we love everybody" there ARE times when one race may not necessarily be very enthusiastic with your presence. Given that reality, I appreciate Dr. Suzan Johnson Cooke’s continual attempt to push the issue of truly being "international". Here is a picture of her and I with Pastor Henrietta Carter of Mariner’s Baptist Church in NY (Chinatown area at that! –yes the community has changed). This pic is meaningful because while I was molded in a Latino church, my home church ain’t a typical Latino church–it has a black gospel mix in the preaching (at least with Pastor E preaches) and definitely in worship. Add to that fact that I was raised in the Jacob Riis Projects of the Lower East Side a mixture of Black/Latino folk and it will then come to no surprise really that when I finally vocalized in public my call to the pastorate, it was a black female pastor, Rev. Henrietta Carter (L) that God nudged to tell me to declare it in public at the end of taking my class to her church during a seminary field trip!  Fast forward 4 years later, I meet Dr. Suzan Johnson Cooke (R), an international known women of God who in many ways has taken an interest in me and my blatina style and has exposed me through her conferences to another world. We talk about further collaborations which has blown my mind…don’t want to let the cat out of the bag but I’ll keep you posted as they come to fruition.

Also as mentioned previously, I met Bishop Ulmer and was inspired by his faith journey. Here I am with him and his lovely wife.

Pictures also include me with Dr. Gloria Morrow who wrote the book "Keeping it Real" and was so wonderfully embracing and down to earth. She also co-pastors a church with her husband in CA and has a private practice in clincal psychology.  Here you also find me with Dr. Dennis Proctor an AME pastor who also was just wondeful and anointed!