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Here you'll find food for thought, advice, and encouragement. You can search for articles by topic, author, and the publication or Web site they came from. Send us a comment. Our goal is keep this dialogue space constantly refreshed, while maintaining an extensive archive of resources, some of which is available exclusively to Alban members.
Vital and vibrant ministry depends on effective governance. And boards lie at the heart of good governance and leadership. Congregational boards go under various names, including the vestry, session, council, trustees, and directors.
With a financial crisis roiling the nation, there is even more uncertainty than usual about what the new year will bring. We've put together a list of resources to help you with mission and ministry in these uncertain times.
Hear from a variety of story-savvy leaders who help people and congregations face hardship with hope, and reframe their stories with promise. We invite you to these stories to consider again how you "tell the story" to your people, and how together you create a new one with God's hope and saving grace at the center.
No discussion ever has just two sides -- there are usually a variety of points of view all trying to be part of, and make sense, of any conversation. The challenge is about how good we are at Dealing With Difference.
To be a leader in a congregation means learning what gifts you have to offer, and what differences you can make, and then learning how to be effective with your own skills and supportive and encouraging of the contributions of others. Alban is serious about Investing in Leadership among laity and clergy alike.
Visioning and planning are essential parts of a congregation's ability to move faithfully into the future in ways that accomplish the mission of any community of faith. Whatever the scale of the project, or the time frame involved, an orderly process of Visioning and Planning pays large dividends for a congregation's life.
The Alban Institute is committed especially to addressing the needs of newly ordained clergy who are making the crucial transition from seminary life into congregational ministry. Working in collaboration with the ongoing programs of Lilly Endowment, we are developing our own contributions to the challenges of clergy Transition Into Ministry.
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Photo credits: (differences, visioning, leadership)