Meet Melinda Dodge of Long Beach

Today we’d like to introduce you to Melinda Dodge

Hi Melinda, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am a United Methodist minister, but how I got here is a little unusual. My first professional career was in performing arts production. I worked behind the scenes as a stage manager and director in theatre and opera. I got to work with all sorts of people; all around the world. I loved it! And, in that career, I experienced a passionate connection to how the arts can bring community together and how the arts can challenge perceptions and beliefs. I witnessed first hand how it can provide an entryway into dialogue about difficult, yet very important and pressing topics. And through all of that work, I also started to feel a deepening spirituality in my professional and daily life.

So, as I travelled, I started to attend various worship services, and back home, I became part of a United Methodist faith congregation. One thing led to another, and here I am today … an ordained minister in that denomination. And in this role, I get to pursue the connection and -almost inherent- intertwining of spirituality and people every day; I get to cultivate spaces and communities where difficult, challenging conversations can and do happen. It’s what I get to do all the time; I get to form community as a spiritually grounding enterprise. And I am thankful that this is the work before me –

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Ha! Working with God is never a smooth road! I like to say that God nudges; and God certainly nudges me – all the time!

But often, I have experienced some immense blessings can partner with God’s nudges. Like for example – right around when I responded to the call of ministry and I started seminary, I met my (now) husband. We were blessed to find each other! And we knew early on that we were meant to be together forever. So, we got engaged … and after that, things moved quickly. We relocated for the church work that he was doing, and then we were blessed with our first child — all in the span of two years. Plus, hahahah …. somehow, I was still in seminary! It was a lot, but I learned to ask for help from our community, and people supported me in so many ways. In this time of my life, I learned how much people really long to help, and how much we actually need help. We are meant to be in community, and an essential piece of healthy community is that “helping” part. We don’t always know how to offer to help; we don’t always know how to ask for help. But, I realized early on that one thing that I personally needed to work on was asking and receiving help. All of this time period of challenge and blessing really taught me how important it is for people to have the opportunities both to help and be helped in life. It is really essential to our well being – serving and giving of ourselves and being humble enough to receive help from time to time.

Sometimes the work that I do is understood as unconventional, and that can be hard, too. I feel that my gifts center on building community where all persons experience a sense of deep belonging and purpose. For me? that is how God has called me, and I understand that form of community as Christ-like. But, I know that is not how everyone sees my work or my role as an ordained minister. I don’t preach from the pulpit very often these days. Instead, I lead a weekly dinner church with a lot of young children running around and older youth getting annoyed at me because I insist that they put their phones down at the dinner table. :0 We have about 45 minutes together where we eat, pray a little, sing a song or two, and read short scripture. But the focus is about building interpersonal and intergenerational relationships and community – it’s about bringing people together in the middle of the week to a simple place where they are valued and known by their first name. This understanding of “church” can be challenging for folx, and I get it.

I also offer similar community building practices through yoga in the park gatherings; camping outings; and monthly volunteer opportunities. My work is focused on opening and honoring space for people to experience the divine in community and in some non-traditional spaces. I work to make room for that in our tradition; and that can cause friction, for sure.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in building spiritually grounded, meaningful, relationship-driven intergenerational community. I am most proud that I help to foment community that welcomes all ages and all stages to participate and belong. I am known for being a creative and very active soul … at heart, I am still the “theatre rat” producer? from my theatre and opera days, and I really thrive in crafting authentic space where people can experience a sense of belonging and even joy, I think.

One thing that I am super proud of … is our intergenerational day camp called “Groundlings.” It has been a successful adventure for over a decade now that continues to provide fun-filled summer weeks of impactful learning, and adventure for children campers, high school volunteers and college-aged staff. Plus, a number of adult volunteers make it happen, too! Last year, the steering committee crafted an identity statement for the camp that reflects the camp’s spirit: “Groundlings provides children with an opportunity to build lasting relationships between all ages, rooted in service and Christian faith. We value our community and seek to plant the seeds of its future through fellowship and engagement. We do this by encouraging children to explore who they are as unique individuals, and empower them in their ability to impact one another and the world.” It’s such a great camp!! We have campers returning as volunteers, and even be on staff – summer after summer.

And, gosh, I think most of all that I find myself proud and grateful to work alongside an amazing cadre of human beings. The Being the Church Staff and volunteers are a fab group of smart, kind, welcoming, creative, committed and hard-working people. And, the wide community support of what we are doing together is phenomenal, and we would not be able to offer our ministries and community engagement in these ways if it were not all of these combined efforts.

Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Maybe also part of what inspires me is connecting our churches, as well as partnering with persons and organizations. We really are better together, and we don’t have to be 100% alike in order to be supportive of each other. When we come together, there is so much to learn from one another that helps us to grow as individuals and communities. Diversity and difference is a blessing in our world. So, I am grateful to have that understanding in my life and work, and for the partnerships in my work and life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.beingthechurchlb.org
• Instagram: @beingthechurchlb
• Facebook: @beingthechurchlb
• Youtube: @beingthechurchmovementlong6833