Sue Arns: about me

This page is a work in progress, as am I.

I think the only constant on this page is that line above. It’s now 2023 and even more has changed. I’ve been through some physical challenges: rotator cuff surgery and a hip replacement. I’m now bionic (if you remember, you remember…”we can rebuild her, better than she was.” I have found family and community with my LGBTQIA+ friends. The world is more polarized that ever, and I ponder what I can do to contribute to healthy progressive change.

I’ve spent the last several years redefining myself. Although I still consider myself spiritual, I had stopped practicing spiritual direction and using my spiritual gifts since I resigned from Blue Ocean at the end of 2018. That doesn’t mean that I no longer have those abilities. It’s time to brush them off.

Beginning in January of 2024 I will once again be offering Spiritual Direction, although, with a difference. I recognize that there are many people processing their dissatisfaction with traditional Christianity, whether due to the insanity of MAGA Trumpism and its association with evangelicalism, the hatred of LGBTQIA+ people, or just general disillusionment with the failure of many, many churches to actually practice what Jesus preached. I have been on this journey and feel that I am to a point where I can once again be a traveling companion to those on a similar journey.

Previous updates:

It’s now November of 2021. There have been almost 2 full years of pandemic, buying a house, going to work for some friends. It’s been quite a lot. This year I came out publicly as a lesbian. It’s not completely new, I’ve been processing this for a long time. It was time to come out and it’s time to start writing again.

My update in 2019: Life has a funny way of interrupting what you thought was going to be.  As of 2019 I’m no longer working as a pastor in any formal sense of the word. I resigned from Blue Ocean Faith Columbus in December 2018.

I’ve been in a phase of what many call deconstruction for a number of years. I know I still believe in Jesus and I know we are beloved and called to love. Beyond this, I am agnostic.

For work, I became a REALTOR®️ in 2018.  Yep. It’s another form of pastoring.  Real Estate is a people business. The houses are incidental.

I’m going to leave my previous bio here below, so you can see where I’ve been.  Life goes on and we change. I intend to move on and continue to grow.

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During Lent of 2012 I asked the Lord to reaffirm the call on my life.  This is what I heard:  the call on my life is to be a radical follower of Jesus, the venue and role I play is subject to change at any time.   My venue and role at the time was at a mega church in the mid-west, where I was a pastor who oversaw the discipleship of newer followers of Jesus.  I was also part of a team of pastors who were charged with equipping the church in the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

In November 2014 I resigned from my role as a pastor.  The mega-church business model was killing my soul (and my writing!)  During the time that I was looking for new work, I shattered my wrist in a bicycle accident, leading to an unexpected Sabbatical year. Ultimately, I landed a “day job” as an assistant manger in a bookstore. But my real job is as  the lead pastor at Blue Ocean Faith Columbus a church plant in the new family of  Blue Ocean Faith Communities. 

I completed my training as a Spiritual Director through Christian Formation and Direction Ministries (http://CFDM.org) in October 2015.  I’m currently taking spiritual direction clients in the Central Ohio area.

On a personal note, my marriage ended in February 2017.  I’ll be writing about this as I feel it is appropriate and needed for my sake and yours!