Photo by Tove Carlson
Rev. Meta Herrick Carlson
Meta Herrick Carlson (she/her/hers) is a pastor and poet. Her ministry is rooted in a love for meaningful ritual, accessible language, and healthy communities. Meta’s theology is informed by the sacred wisdom of recovery groups that meet in church basements and the embodied stories of survivors of sexual violence.
Meta’s first book Ordinary Blessings: Prayers, Poems, and Meditations for Everyday Life (Fortress Press, February 2020) proves a worthy gift in these uncertain times. Her second book Speak It Plain: Words for Worship and Life Together (Fortress Press, December 2020) contains blessings and resources for church nerds and liturgical worship communities. Ordinary Blessings for Parents: Prayers, Poems, and Meditations for Family Life (Broadleaf Books, August 2022) is inspired by God’s delight in the ordinary lives of kids and those who love them. Her fourth book, Ordinary Blessings for the Christmas Season (Broadleaf Books, October 2023) offers blessings about what is holy and hard about the holiday season.
“I write because I want to amplify what is already and always good enough. I imagine a world in which we are liberated from fear and shame, where everyone honors their real selves. It is good soil for planting consent, mercy, and joy that grow and flourish. It begins at home, in neighborhoods, in nature, in the ordinary. It begins with blessing.”
Meta laughs at her own jokes, buys sweaters for her pit bull pup, and packs extra snacks just in case. She and her husband Matt have three kids who are funny and fiercely loved.
Meta writes and lives on Dakota land in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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