Worship that Connects

Contents

IN FOCUS: Worship as a Vision-Building Work of God 
Brian Paulson, pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Libertyville, Illinois, explores the power of worship to shape, vision, generate change, and announce the activity of God in our midst.

Preaching as Practice
Heather Kirk-Davidoff and Nancy Wood-Lyczak, pastors and co-authors, explore ways they’ve found to inspire increased congregational involvement in worship

Restoring Our Contemplative Gaze
Linda Privitera, an artist, consultant, teacher, and priest without walls, tells how she and her congregation were transformed when they used the arts to explore their deepest feelings and attitudes, their differences, and their faith

God Wants You!
Sarah Drumond, director of field education and assistant professor of ministerial leadership at Andover Newton Theological School, and pastor Andrew Warner consider what the military can teach clergy about what to do—and not to do—when talking to people who feel called to ministry

Not Sure I Want to Be Back
Pastor John Hudson offers a candid look at the unexpected challenges and gifts of re-entering pastoral life after a sabbatical

The Sacred Responsibility
Bradley Hill, coordinator for Sustaining Pastoral Excellence, a program funded by Lilly Endowment, Inc., describes how pastoral relations committees can transform themselves from crisis management teams into care delivery systems for their pastors

Staying in Church
Pastor and author Martin Copenhaver responds to Barbara Brown Taylor’s Leaving Church, sharing the attitudes and experiences that keep him committed to the pastoral life when so many others are abandoning it

COLUMNS

THE LEADING EDGE
Alban Institute president James Wind urges us to break our collective silence on the issues of foremost importance in politics and the world today

ASK ALBAN
Alban senior consultant Susan Beaumont offers sage advice about what is appropriate to tell the congregation when a staff member is fired

DEPARTMENTS

FROM THE EDITOR

REVIEWS

LEARN MORE

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES

The Consent Agenda