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Rev. Emily C. Heath
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The Rev. Emily C. Heath is a United Church of Christ (UCC) minister serving as a pastor in southern Vermont. She also serves as the chaplain of a local fire department, and as a speaker and writer on Christian faith and social justice.

After growing up nominally Christian, and "spiritual but not religious", she began to explore Christianity as a young adult. After earning degrees from Emory University and Columbia Theological Seminary she was ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA).

In 2010, after eight years of hospital, hospice, and trauma chaplaincy, Rev. Heath transferred her ordination to the UCC in protest of the PCUSA's continued exclusion of LGBTQ people. As a result, she believes a strong part of her pastoral call involves reaching out to the unchurched, and the de-churched, including those who have become disillusioned by religion.

A displaced Southerner, Rev. Heath lives in southern Vermont with her wife Heidi, a UCC seminarian.

Her personal website can be found here: here.

Blog Entries by Rev. Emily C. Heath

Jason Collins, Chris Broussard and the Faith of the Guy in the Arena

(47) Comments | Posted May 1, 2013 | 11:13 AM

On Monday NBA player Jason Collins made history by being the first gay man to come out while actively playing in a major American professional sports league. Collins' statement was courageous and historic, and it will change things in ways we can't imagine yet. And most importantly, whether he knows...

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Live Into the Gospel: Stand Up Against Anti-Muslim Hatred

(92) Comments | Posted April 19, 2013 | 12:04 PM

Today I am praying for my Muslim friends and extended family. Because I know they are afraid.

We don't have any official confirmation yet whether or not the two brothers who Boston Marathon bombers are Muslim. There are many reports, though, and already anti-Muslim statements are being made.

It doesn't...

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God's Love Wins: Reflections on Boston Marathon Bombing

(307) Comments | Posted April 15, 2013 | 8:03 PM

I often park on the finish line of the Boston Marathon. 364 days a year it's just a paint-worn line on the pavement on Boylston Street. It's right in front of Old South Church, my wife's home congregation, and I sometimes joke that it is the closest I will ever...

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What Growing Up 'None' Taught Me About Church

(211) Comments | Posted April 5, 2013 | 11:36 AM

I was raised a "none." That is, I was raised outside of organized religion, in a spiritual-but-not-religious home. I hear that "nones" are all the rage now, so I just want to point out for the record that for once in my life I was ahead of the fashionable curve.

...
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Maundy Thursday and the Love Mandate

(13) Comments | Posted March 28, 2013 | 2:30 AM

The most common question I get asked during Holy Week is about this night, the Thursday before Easter. People get Palm Sunday, and Good Friday, and Easter, but tonight, Maundy Thursday, is unclear. And the one thing people want to know the most, is this: What does "Maundy" mean?

It's...

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The Religious Liberty to Support Gay Marriage

(1227) Comments | Posted March 26, 2013 | 5:56 PM

"Religious liberty" is the buzzword of those who are trying to stop the now nearly inevitable legal recognition of same-sex marriage. Recognition of same-sex marriages, they argue, will constitute a real and immediate threat to the religious liberty of people and churches who oppose it.

I'm not sure what...

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St. Francis, Pope Francis and Being 'Right Sized'

(7) Comments | Posted March 20, 2013 | 11:22 AM

The cardinals appeared on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica on Wednesday, and announced that they had chosen Jorge Bergoglio to be the next pope of the Roman Catholic Church. And then they announced his newly chosen name: Francis.

The symbolism was not lost on those of us...

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Claiming The Name of Jesus in Lent: Why One Progressive Christian Does It

(28) Comments | Posted March 6, 2013 | 2:50 AM

Lent note: HuffPost Religion invites you to share your Lent reflections, experiences, stories and photos with us. Send them to religion@huffingtonpost.com and check out our Lent liveblog.

This morning I was talking to a friend who, like me, is a Southern expat now living in New...

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The Onion, the "C" Word and Lent

(36) Comments | Posted February 25, 2013 | 1:16 PM

Lent note: HuffPost Religion invites you to share your Lent reflections, experiences, stories and photos with us. Send them to religion@huffingtonpost.com and check out our Lent liveblog.

Last night I stayed up watching the Oscars with my wife, and following along on Twitter. One of the...

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It's Not About Me: A Lenten Challenge

(15) Comments | Posted February 13, 2013 | 6:47 AM

When it comes down to it, Jesus only needed two sentences to sum the law up for his followers. First, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength." And second, "you shall...

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An Undesirable Role Model Prays for the Boy Scouts

(60) Comments | Posted January 28, 2013 | 4:49 PM

Today it was reported that the Boy Scouts of America are considering a change to their long-held policy which bans gay boys from serving as Scouts, and which bans LGBT adults from serving as Scout leaders. As the Scouts have faced increased public pressure after denying an openly gay Scout...

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Mark Driscoll, Barack Obama and the Jealous Disciples

(247) Comments | Posted January 22, 2013 | 10:23 AM

I pastor a church of strong political opinions, both Republican and Democrat. I have parishioners who support the Tea Party, and parishioners for whom the Democrats are far too conservative. But every Sunday morning, when we pass the peace of Christ in worship, they cross the aisles, shake hands, hug,...

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Scarier Than Westboro Baptist: Confronting Quiet Anti-Gay Rhetoric at Church

(535) Comments | Posted December 28, 2012 | 10:24 AM

In the wake of the recent shooting in Newtown, the Westboro Baptist Church, perennial anti-gay provocateurs, reached a new low. The group announced their intention to picket at the funerals of the children who had been killed, and blamed their deaths on Connecticut's legalization of same-sex marriages.

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Gaudete Sunday: How Can You Feel Joy After Newtown Shooting?

(78) Comments | Posted December 16, 2012 | 11:30 AM

The third Sunday of Advent, today, like all the other Sundays in Advent, has a traditional theme. The first week we focused on hope, the second on peace, and next week on love. But the focus today, just as it has been for generation after generation on the third Sunday...

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Dealing With Grief: Five Things NOT To Say And Five Things To Say In A Trauma Involving Children

(1492) Comments | Posted December 14, 2012 | 4:58 PM

We often have no idea what to say in the face of senseless loss. That is especially true when children are the victims of tragedy. Today's shooting in Connecticut is heartbreaking in so many ways, not the least of which is the staggering loss of children.

My first two years...

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Another Road to Bethlehem

(3) Comments | Posted November 30, 2012 | 8:44 AM

December is fast approaching, which means Christians are about to enter one of the most special seasons of the church year.

No, not that one. Christmas can wait. I'm talking about Advent.

Of course, Christmas isn't waiting. It started its arrival just after Halloween and, bolstered by its commercial handlers,...

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When Wearing Purple Isn't Enough: How I'm Learning To Tell The Truth About Bullying

(38) Comments | Posted October 19, 2012 | 11:35 AM

I'm wearing purple today. I'm sitting at the counter of my small town's diner in Vermont, wearing a purple and white checked shirt, and ordering an omelette. I'm wearing purple as a sign to the LGBTQ youth who are being bullied that someone cares, and that someone is on their...

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Of Maine and Two Marriages: Lessons from a Grandmother I Never Met

(11) Comments | Posted October 10, 2012 | 12:26 PM

My grandmother was born in Portland, Maine, the daughter of Italian immigrants. She grew up in a Roman Catholic parish there that ministered to the immigrants and their families. The church was the center of my grandmother's community, and a foundation of the family.

As a young woman she met...

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How to Determine If Your Religious Liberty Is Being Threatened in Just 10 Quick Questions

(2794) Comments | Posted September 5, 2012 | 10:14 AM

It seems like this election season "religious liberty" is a hot topic. Rumors of its demise are all around, as are politicians who want to make sure that you know they will never do anything to intrude upon it.

I'm a religious person with a lifelong passion for civil...

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Hurricanes and Judgement: Reflections a Year After Hurricane Irene

(5) Comments | Posted August 28, 2012 | 5:00 PM

WEST DOVER, Vermont -- Tonight I'm watching Hurricane Isaac as it bears down on the Gulf Coast. Seven years after Katrina, Isaac has the potential to re-devastate an area that's still recovering, and still will be for years.

I'm watching these developments as I read the results of a...

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