Joan Tao Strugnell (Joanie)

While growing up, Joanie progressively drifted away from church because she was disappointed by narrow-mindedness in certain aspects of some church communities. In fact, she jokingly described herself as having become a "born again pagan." Being an attorney, her tendency is to search for answers, and she didn't feel that she was getting good ones from organized religion.

Then she and her husband, Stephen, had their first child, daughter Sophia. "Bringing another life into the world made us think more deeply about our interconnectedness with others, so we began wanting to participate in a religious community again. Even with our questions and doubts, we had a desire to gather with people in a spiritual setting outside the context of our work lives and commerce."

That desire eventually led Joanie and Stephen to have Sophia baptized at the church on the symbolic day of Easter Sunday (2003). Joanie, Stephen and Sophia have also been attending a weekly dinner and discussion group at Pastor Beatty's home. "College Avenue isn't afraid to tackle tough questions about Christian doctrine in light of modern-day challenges. The dinner discussion provides a place to freely explore the bigger picture with others and figure out where we are spiritually."

Joanie is indeed beginning to grow spiritually. "Pastor Bill has a gift for getting past the trappings of literal interpretations and dogma and brings into focus the message of compassion and love that is at the heart of Christianity. I am striving not so much to get 'answers' anymore as to discover insights, to listen without preconceptions and discover the deeper truth behind words and symbolism."

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