Welcome to the newest Paid Subscriber benefit, a weekly catch-all called Beverages with Bruce. Beverages with Bruce was born out of an online gathering that I held while pastoring a church during the pandemic, when a group of us met online with a beverage in hand to check in and share what was happening in life and the world.
As I was thinking about what I could do to offset no longer being part of the subscriber referral ecosystem and entice more folks to upgrade, I realized that whenever I write, I am usually surrounded by a ridiculous number of drinking vessels. Case in point (pictured above), the bulk of this post was written at my local WeWork where the drinks are always free and flowing. The tap this day had my cups filled with kombucha, hibiscus tea, and cold brew. Yes, I know I'm hella bougie. Leave me alone 😊
While The Amalgamation will still offer plenty of free content, my first priority each week will be to Paid Subscribers. So, in addition to more personal updates and early access to podcast episodes, I will now offer Beverages with Bruce a weekly update that will not be a single long-form read but will include images from the past week as well as random thoughts ideas that have popped into my head that may or may not turn into longer writings, a few links of interest, a pop-culture reference or two, a couple of personal updates, and a response to an Ask Me Anything.
I'll share a content teaser with everyone, and then expand it for paid subscribers. This first edition is free for everyone; next week, it'll be for Paid Subscribers only.
Note: I know, money is tight, but this newsletter, along with 4-5 other income sources, is how I contribute to the household, so I hope the fun will be worth it. I also hope that I have made it as accessible by having a $1/month subscription. That said, please do not let $$ be a barrier. Just email us and we can comp you six months at a time.
In this week's Beverages with Bruce
- In my cup
- Rainbows
- Deadline anxiety
- Meds updates
- Three weeks at the lake
- Canceled
- Reel Preview: Signal
- Post Preview: Three things the church should invest in
- Post Preview: AI thoughts and rants
- Reading: Water, Mirror, Echo
- Disappointed, sad, and angry
- Happy Ordiversary
- Ask me Anything Answered
Again, in future Beverages with Bruce posts, everything below will be visible only to Paid Subscribers.
In my cup: As mentioned before, surprisingly NOT a sugar-free iced vanilla latte, but a WeWork-supplied kombucha, hibiscus tea, and cold brew.
Rainbows: While driving this past week, I saw a rainbow. Yes, I took a picture through the dash, but then I had to pull over and snap a few because if you look closely, there is a complete double rainbow. I'm not sure I have ever seen one before, and, not to be overly schmaltzy, but with the world feeling so terrible right now, it was lovely to see some unexpected beauty in the sky above.
Book: I am definitely feeling some deadline pressure as I am just two months away from turning in the manuscript for the next book, Prophets, Priests, Pastors, & Poets: Being and Becoming the Resurrected Christ. I am making good progress. Probably behind a bit, but what's new? The anxiety is real and normal, but it has arrived.
Meds: I think I mentioned this in my last big update, but my new medication regimen is going well. I have lost another 5 pounds and am feeling pretty good. I have about 5 more pounds to go, so hopefully my next blood test will show some improvements.
Zephyr Point: I just got back from spending three weeks at Zephyr Point Conference Center on the Shores of Lake Tahoe. I do some contract work with them, but this month I was there one week as an event participant, one week leading a continuing education event, and one week with some colleagues for our annual gathering. While it was difficult being away for that long while the Bay Area was being threatened with military deployment, the time was renewing. I hope everyone can find time to tag out a bit and rejuvenate with colleagues and friends because we all need it. Plus, the holy cinnamon rolls heal the soul.
I
Cancelled: For the first time in a while, I have had an invitation withdrawn for political reasons. I had a book pulled from a group a few months ago for the same reason. I have also had to block people again. Situations are highly contextual, but I do think people and churches are having to make different decisions about how they are (or are not) addressing what is going on in the world these days. This is troubling, not only because it impacts my own earnings, but because it means that some places are choosing NOT to directly address events of the world. That old adage, "saying nothing is saying something," has never rung more true.
Reel Preview: I am working on my next reel on how folks can use Signal better. I love that more and more folks are using it for their organizing work, but golly, we need some orientation on how to keep those threads clean and tight. I'm going to cover why you should not "reply all," the beauty of reactions, the importance of the @ and DMs, how to avoid taking up space, and more.
Post Preview: I've been thinking a great deal about the future of the church. People ask me all the time, and I do not think there is. magic answer. That said, if pressed, I do believe there are three areas the church should invest in if it/we are serious about the future—and not about numbers, but about impact. The three areas are youth ministry, campus/college-age ministry, and camp & conference ministry. The three investments that we believe we should make are sustained financial resources, committed physical presence, and embodied joyful sacrifice.
Post Preview: I have been part of so many conversations about AI lately, some frustrating, some challenging, and some hopeful. There so much I want to write about as I have many thoughts. Here are just a few.
Because generative AI uses other peoples work, if you use AI to write your sermon, you should atribute AI just as you would any other source, "Approximately 50% of this sermon was written using AI."
Just because you have been an early adopter of technology in the past, does not mean you cannot be an early adopter to the resistance to AI in the future.
We must be nuanced in our conversation about AI: accessibility, generative, and other forms. We have all been using AI to some extent. All have environmental impacts. We all have to find our own ethical limits.
I know that at least one of my books has been scraped, so my work is out there for someone to use without crediting or compensating me. AI does not create anything new, so we should not pretend it does.
Book Reccomendation: If you need a book to listen to or read consider, Water Mirror Echo: Bruce Lee and the Making of Asian America by Jeff Chang. Here is my Libro.fm referral code if you are an audio book person.
Dissappointed and Angry: This week I have learned about colleagues being reprimanded for actions and choices they have made. Both were very different and highly contextual, but both made me angry, sad, and disappointed for everyone involved.
Ordiversay: Somehow I missed the 30th anniversary of my ordination to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Wowza. It is hard to believe that it has been that long. So much has happened in my life and in the world since that day, October 29, 1995 at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Stockton, CA. I am so grateful for all of the individuals and communities who have been part of the revealing of my call from then to today.
Ask Me Anything: Okay, what do you want me to answer? Feel free to ask me anything, and be as serious or silly as you want. While I will not publish the name of the person who asked the question, these are not anonymous. ASK AWAY.
Thank you again for your support,
As a full-time itinerant speaker and writer, I rely on the generosity of friends, family, and strangers to support my work. Your financial gifts help me to engage in projects and actions that would not be possible if I were entirely tied to a congregation or organization. If you find what I share in the world meaningful, please consider becoming a paid subscriber.
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