God couldn't be everywhere...

...so She created coxswains!

This was on the T shirt I wore to practice this morning. I actually love wearing God shirts of all kinds to the boathouse because they are always commented upon: "the Rev is wearing another one of those shirts!" This particular shirt causes people to say "God is a SHE?? That's a good one!" and that opens a door to a wonderful theological conversation. I also get to extol the virtues of the coxswain, which, as I've said in previous posts, I would LOVE to do if only I weighed about fifty pounds less.

The other shirt I wear that people comment on is my Episcopal Women's Caucus shirt that says "God is not a boy's name." This shirt once actually provoked someone into saying, "you are picking a fight by wearing that shirt." I found that to be an interesting reaction and wish the person who said it could have engaged me in a conversation about that . Mostly people say "Great shirt!" or "huh? I don't get it!"

Wearing a God shirt to rowing is kind of like wearing a clerical collar to the supermarket. It causes a lot of comment. I am not sure that male clergy colleagues have the same experience that women do. I have come to realize over the years that if I don't want comments, I should not wear the collar. Or the God shirt to rowing. Lately, I've been wearing my collar more and more as an evangelism tool. I enjoy talking to people about the fact that women can be priests. And that priests can also be rowers!