Gordon Street will be entering into a 3-way covenant with First Church Phoenix UCC and the Southwest Conference on Friday, April 5, during the Conference’s Annual Meeting. Gordon has given this title to his ministry: A Ministry of Making Spiritual Connection.

Gordon shares a brief reflection as to how he perceives his roles, mission, and ministry among us.

Have you ever wondered what the difference between religion and spirituality is? You are not alone. One definition of religion is human efforts to outline and define God, the individual, and the relationship between them. Religion is generally someone else’s idea of what your own experience ought to be. Spirituality, on the other hand is about your personal experience. God is not only a mental process. God is an experience.

Most people, including those steeped in their own religious tradition, have never been nurtured into having a spiritual experience. I have been called as a commission minister to help people perceive and participate in their own unique spiritual experience with God. A commission minister is an individual that focuses on a specific area of ministry versus an ordained minister. My thirty years of recovery have shown me that the 12 steps of recovery can be an effective way for anyone seeking an experience with God.

I have begun my ministry with a four-part series at First Church, focusing on a deep understanding of the difference between religion and spirituality and offering the first, simple tools for beginning a new spiritual journey. In the future I will be available for one-on-one meetings, additional group meetings, and I will work with other churches in the Southwest Conference.

A spiritual tool for contemplating: God is the answer, now what is the question?