Rod+MacKenzie

What has Rod MacKenzie been up to since 1959? Greetings to my classmates from the 1959 graduating class at PSR. The following represents a brief sketch of, “my goins and doins” since graduation.

1) Ione Community Congregational Church, Ione Oregon; 1959-1963

Following graduation I accepted a Call to serve the Ione Church. Ione is a rural community (wheat and cattle country) in Eastern Oregon; population 350 the church was a community church consisting of mostly Congregationalists and Methodists and was affiliated with the Congregational Conference of Oregon. I was ordained there on Nov.4, 1959. My two oldest children, Kathryn and Andy were born there. I did a lot of youth work and Pastoral calling as I recall. One of my most pleasant memories, however, was bird hunting with the high school Coach and teacher and his dog Duffy.

2) Carmichael United Church of Christ: 1963-1970

The Carmichael UCC was founded by the E&R (Evangelical and Reformed) side of the UCC and their traditions were quite different than the ones I was used to. (No women on the official church board for example) The revolution of the 1960ies was swirling around us and I became involved with a lot of youth and college students. We founded the Kairos Coffee House and became a center of activity. (The Kairos (Carmichael) Traveling Street Band played at the Earl Lectures at PSR in 1969. I served as President of the Campus Ministry Board for Sacramento State College. Those folks who wanted their church to be a sanctuary left or withdrew. My two younger children were born in Sacramento: Holly and Scott. I began to participate in the “human potential “movement (marathons; group process and leadership labs and exposure to Transactional Analysis at the Sacramento TA Center). My support as well as companionship on this journey came from outside the Church. It became clear to me that “the parish ministry” was not the place for me at this stage of my life.

3) Campus Ministry: Western Washington State College, Bellingham WA

In 1970 I was called to be the staff coordinator of a Campus Ministry at Western WA. State College. I found myself working with different departments of the College and doing a lot of programming. We had Dan Berrigan and Sam Keen come for a great festival etc. I went through a divorce during this time, worked full time, was raising four children, teaching at the community college, doing my own therapy as well as more clinical training in Seattle and working for a master’s degree in social psychology at Western. In 1978 I took a half year sabbatical for more clinical training and supervision for Membership level in The American Association of Pastoral Counselors.

4) The American Association of Pastoral Counselors, Private Practice, and Community College teaching: 1978-1997

In 1978 I passed my exams and interview and became a clinical member of AAPC (American Association of Pastoral Counselors). I opened my private practice as a pastoral counselor doing marriage, family and group work. I was teaching two classes at the Community college as well (a philosophy course in ethics and a human relations course). I continued to receive clinical training and supervision, passed my exams and interviews for “Fellow” level in AAPC. I was active in the Northwest region of AAPC, served as chair of the theological and social concerns committee and served on the regional council. What a rare privilege to sit with so many different human beings and travel with them through the phases of their lives! I retired in December of 1997.

Westar Institute and the Jesus Seminar awakened once again in me an interest in critical historical scholarship and what being a follower of Jeshua is all about. I confess that I have never been interested in a post-mortem Jesus—the icon the early church made of an iconoclast. I am convinced that religion is not about God but rather us as human beings. At present I am leading two adult study groups that label themselves as the “Jesus Seminar Study Groups” at The First Congregational Church UCC in Bellingham.