Hi, I’m Alissa.
Preaching and Speaking
I am a lay preacher who is discerning with fear and trembling a call to ordained ministry within The Episcopal Church. I've preached on weekly readings from the Revised Common Lectionary in almost every liturgical season. Preaching is something I truly love, and I'd love additional opportunities to tell people about the God who loves them. If you're looking for a speaker or preacher for your next conference / retreat / random Sunday or service, etc., write me a note.
Some samplings of some recent sermons I have written and preached can be found on my preaching and speaking page. My preaching style tends to be confessional, honest, and vulnerable, combined with exegetical teaching elements and dry, observational humor (it’s the autism).
Photography
I discovered my love for photography nearly 20 years ago when I started editing books about photography straight out of college. Although I am primarily a hobbyist, I did at one time have a photography side hustle and have experience photographing families, babies, kids, couples, and one wedding. My style tends towards the photojournalistic and candid, capturing organic moments of joy and emotion as they happen. My goal in photography is to capture the unexpected, unscripted beauty of who you are so you can behold it and more fully become it.
You can see a sampling of my photography as well as my current offerings on my photography page.
I'd love to hear from you!
I live in Indianapolis, Indiana. When I'm not working or spending time with family and beloved community at The Table Episcopal Church, I can be found in bed (I love my bed), outside on a long walk, reading non-fiction about my latest hyperfixation, taking photos, trying to think about a poem, or overthinking about hypothetical disasters (I'm an ennegram 6w5). Write me a note and say hi.
I'm a neurodivergent (auDHD) wife, mom of two teenage boys, a speaker and preacher, a photographer, a process nerd, and a writer of poems, creative non-fiction, liturgies, and prayers.
Faith
The center of who I am is that I'm an apprentice of Jesus Christ, which, according to Dallas Willard, makes me someone who is trying to learn how to do what Jesus would do if he were me, living my life, in my marriage, motherhood, preaching, writing, all through the lens of my neurodivergent, auDHD, perimenopausal brain. I don't love the term "Christian" in today's political climate, but I want to make it clear that I bring a "billionaires shouldn't exist / dismantle oppressive systems and systematic racism / God loves everyone with no exceptions / listen to women preach / ACAB" kind of vibe that MAGA evangelicals don't really like. Central to my faith is the belief that God is always present and at work, and part of our work here on earth is to learn to pay attention to notice how God is present in our lives and the lives of those whom we interact with every day: relatives, friends, coworkers, etc.
Writing
I graduated with a degree in English from Ball State University. Flannery O'Connor described her reason for writing as "to discover what she knows" and that thought has always resonated with me. I write to make sense of the world, my neuro-sparkly brain, and to connect and communicate with others.
As a self-proclaimed "liturgy nerd" I have discovered I enjoy designing and writing liturgies, prayers, and collects to be used in corporate worship. If you need a liturgy written for a special occasion, event, grief ritual, I'd be happy to work with you to develop what you have in mind. Write me a note and we’ll talk.
My creative writing can be found on my creative & liturgical writing page.
Neurodivergence (auDHD)
As an apprentice of Jesus, I am curious to know how neurodivergence has an impact on the experience of faith and worship. How can we make worship more accessible for neurodivergent folks? How can we create community and belonging for autistic and ADHD adults? Why has perimenopause made everything fall apart? What nutritional and physical support can I give to myself to best support the needs of neurodivergent folks? I’m interested in reflecting on and writing about what it means to be an auDHD woman in a world that rewards patriarchy and neurotypicality, and how can we work together to change that and make a more just and inclusive place of human flourishing.