Millennial. Californian. Episcopalian. Introvert. Pastor. Pilgrim. Chaplain. Co-learner. &c.
Millennial
I came of age at the turn of the millennium. I remember what life was like before everyone had internet or cell phones, but I mostly up with technology and an interconnected world. I value authenticity, shun commercialization, and prize minimalism.
Californian
I grew up in California in a landscape of golden grass and stout oak trees. Living in Georgia for five years (for grad school, chaplaincy, and parish ministry) helped me to understand just how deeply engraved in my heart the California landscape is. I love my state.
Episcopalian
My religious language is distinctly Christian. Although I grew up and was even initially ordained in an evangelical tradition, I discovered this denomination was not an authentic expression of my spiritual identity. Embarking on a journey of discovery, I found a home in the liturgical and sacramental path of the Episcopal Church. In October, 2018, I was ordained a priest in the Episcopal Church. Sometimes I have interesting conversations around town because I’m wearing a collar.
Introvert
I’m an introvert. When I was a kid, my parents pulled me out of public school and made sacrifices to send me to a school that was better suited to helping me develop. In a world that obsesses with charisma and volume, I see introversion as a gift and a vital component of my life’s work.
Pastor
My path through life means living as a pastor. My spiritual practice finds fulfillment in supporting others along the way.
Pilgrim
I’ve made pilgrimage to Canterbury, the Navajo land, Black Rock City, and the Holy Lands. And I’ve made pilgrimage to boulevards and bars and hills and homes. When I was a kid, my mom always said the vacation starts when we leave our driveway, not just when we arrive. Pilgrims are people who make travel sacred–attributing spiritual value to places, and cultivating mindfulness of the sacred from the moment of setting out.
Chaplain
Along with seminary, my chaplaincy formation was a life changing experience. I spent 15 months in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) serving as a hospital chaplain, navigating others’ anxiety and grief, and learning how to do the same for myself with the support of a chaplain peer group. My work continues in the context of parish ministry as I visit people in the hospital and as I strive to bring healing into situations of tension and anxiety.
Co-learner
I think every experience is an opportunity to learn something. Wondering what I can learn is the doorway to managing stress as well as charting a course for growth and health.
&c.
Life is endless context. My family are the heart of that. Bob and Lana are my parents, Erin is my sister. They are my home. I’ve learned from many teachers–Kyle, Jason, Terence, Koo, Dan, Peter, David, Geoffrey, Keith, Lee, Allan, Dale, Rick, Beverly, Shelly, Don, and Liz. I am always listening, always exploring, always entering and celebrating the new contexts and continuations.
* Shouldn’t have to say this, but all my opinions are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of any institutions or organizations that I represent professionally.
Tom Gartin 