Agendaless, Oxford, Wesley, Catalyst
The time for a new year and a new trip has arrived. This year Oxford will be the destination. A place I hope to come to love.
Agendaless
Leading up to our advance I find myself filling with anxiety and overwhelm. I will be traveling far away from my family once again to a place that I have read about but never been. As we prepare for this trip I do the usual googling of what to take, how to dress, and even what must see places I should try to add to my list. Then for a moment I stopped, I decided to go without an agenda, with out multi tasking, well with less multi-tasking. I will be attending my final advance for a doctoral degree I never thought I would start, much lest reach my final year. I will be going to a place of deep history that deserves my attention. To go without an agenda and let the city take me where I need to go and teach me what I need to learn will be the most rewarding approach.
Wesley’s Influence
While trying to understand the depth of Oxford as a United Methodists it is impossible to ignore the start of the methodist movement by John Wesley that began in Oxford. I appreciated watching videos with walking tours of the city and snippets of history worth exploring. Wesley is considered the founder of the Methodist Movement that made its way to America and is the foundation of The United Methodist Church that I serve as pastor and will hopefully complete my ordination as an elder in the next year. It has been a part of my history and I am looking forward to standing in places where the history making began.
Catalyst
I will be missing part of my ordination requirements to attend this trip and in so doing will be sure to visit some important Wesley and Methodist sites so that I can share my learning with my Ordination Board. I am finding myself in a a place with many pivotal moments in history, amazing leaders and thinkers, and now me an average person with big dreams… Maybe this place will be my catalyst as it was for so many world changers before. It is with an open mind, an open heart, and hopefully some open doors that I step forward on this journey seeking to find a deeper understanding of history and of myself.
About the Author
Sara Taylor Lattimore
Sara is adopted, a wife of 17 years, a mother to 2 amazing children who give her opportunities to be a cheerleader, dress up like a princess, play soccer in the mud, and go on amazing adventures. With a Bachelors in political science and sociology, Sara worked for Child Protective Services as a legal caseworker before following a call into full-time ministry in 2008. During her time in full-time ministry Sara has served in medium to large size local congregations, as well as camp ministry. Sara has a passion for serving others, writing, and speaking. In 2016 Sara worked on a joint publication as a Curriculum Writer. Sara wrote the Intergenerational/Family & Day Camp Resources in “Beyond Belief” for InsideOut Christian Resources for Outdoor Ministry- Published by Chalice Press- Release Date 2018. Sara is looking forward to writing her own book next. Sara completed her MDiv from Iliff School of Theology in 2019 and is currently working on her Doctorate in Leadership and Global Perspectives from Portland Seminary. Sara currently serves as Lead Pastor of a local church in Southwestern Montana. She has previously served in ministry positions leading congregations in engaging globally in healthy mission and outreach partnerships, living life missionally, building innovative programs, and building relationships as the Director of Missions and Outreach, College Ministry Coordinator, Family and Children’s Ministry Director, Director of Christian Education, and Camp Program Director. She is an innovator and visionary who looks to find empowering and dignity restoring ways of building communities of belonging, while listening and partnering with others to find ways to also address the needs of the communities she is planted in. Beyond her work, Sara dreams of growing her family through adoption, kayaking with Orcas, going on pilgrimage on the Camino De Santiago in Spain, traveling in an RV across North America, and traveling internationally.2 responses to “Agendaless, Oxford, Wesley, Catalyst”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
It was fun seeing you experience the Wesley experience! What was your favorite spot of his influence in Oxford?
Alana, It was fun being on the journey with you as well! I think walking around Christ Church had me ponding the most. Seeing the stone noting his ordination in the chapel, his picture hanging in the dinning hall, and thinking that he walked those steps and as he did what was he thinking about, what was life like for him, how was he struggling… I actually thought that with all the steps we walked the walls we touched the depth of history and the struggle, the thoughts, the joy, and the world changers that passed those same places was deeply impactful.