My ministerial resume can be summed up fairly well in three phrases: a suburban church, an inner-city church, and a small-town church. As dizzying as that varied list may sound, I feel fortunate to have had such a variety of…
Read MoreFaith and the Workplace: Making the Connection in Lenten Sermons
When Sharon Wilson, pastor of Windsor Park United Church in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, returned from a sabbatical exploring the relationship between work and faith (see page 27 of the Fall 2004 issue of CONGREGATIONS), she and her ministerial partner Rev….
Read MoreAsk Alban: When Not To Do a Congregational Survey
Q: Our church is experiencing conflict between the pastor and several lay members. Should we conduct a congregation-wide survey to evaluate the pastor? A: Now is probably not a good time for a congregation-wide survey to evaluate the pastor. Let…
Read MoreThe Leading Edge: Reading the People in the Pews
In my parish ministry days, preaching and leading worship were central elements in a weekly rhythm. I found that those leadership roles gave me a distinct vantage point from which to view the congregation. From pulpit or communion table I…
Read MoreExpressive Communalism: The Embodied Spirituality of the Post-Boomer Generations
Today we are bombarded with visual symbols virtually every minute of the day. Our relationship to technology is far more interactive than it once was, and the ease of access created by modern technology has created a global market culture….
Read MoreProclaiming Passion: The Theological Challenge of Youth Ministry in the 21st Century
Teenagers are heat-seeking missiles. They’re drawn to fire. They yearn for experiences that will channel their passions. And by and large they are not detecting many signs of life in the church. —Cuyler Black, youth pastor, in Fellowship Magazine, June…
Read MoreMaking Sundays Relevant to Mondays
When I asked my supervisor a question about funerals during my student ministry placement, he picked up the phone and arranged for me to spend a day with the local funeral director. As a new ordinand visiting a family a…
Read MoreSacred Journeys: A Lay-led Discovery of God through Spiritual Practice
It happened one morning during the sermon. Joe Duggan, a church leader participating in an initiative exploring ways to incorporate recent confirmands into the ongoing life of the parish, suddenly knew what he wanted to provide for them: a program…
Read MoreCalling All Believers: Celebrating the Gifts of Baptismal Ministry
The Border Parish comprises three small congregations—All Saints Anglican Church in Hereford, Quebec; St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Canaan, Vermont; and St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Colebrook, New Hampshire. The members have prayed and studied together for 30 years. Marilyn…
Read MoreLiving from the Inside Out: Lay Vocation in Principle and Practice
I enjoy nothing more than conducting retreats for church leadership teams, usually on a Friday evening and all day Saturday. Leaders who call to schedule such events typically want to renew and revitalize their congregations. They’re ready, they insist, to…
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