To help congregational leaders and members have the difficult conversations they sometimes need to have, I have developed a process called the Covenantal Caring Conversation, based on Dr. Marshall Rosenberg’s work in nonviolent communication (see www.cnvc.org). Covenantal caring is not servitude….
Read MoreBeyond “The Good War”
Growing up as a certifiable baby boomer in the ’50’s and ’60’s, I learned early on that my father was a “strong, silent type.” Strong because he had fought in World War II in the infantry in Europe. Silent because…
Read MoreMinistering to the Missing Generation
In my bedroom, I have a Gabbeh rug, woven in deep browns and greens. Not the typical elegant Persian rug, this one has thick choppy wool, rough edges, and crooked lines. Made with vegetable dyes, each row changes colors, leaving…
Read MorePretending to Be Equal
Reporting on a ravaged Mississippi town on the Gulf coast, the Associated Press said that “Katrina clobbered the rich and poor alike.” A cliché repeated often enough slips past the brain into the heart. We like the idea that in…
Read MoreConstructing Your Congregation’s Story
There are times when all congregations need to reflect upon who they are and where they have been to discern and understand where they are going. At such times, it is important for a congregation to research, create, and present…
Read MoreConstructing Your Congregation's Story
There are times when all congregations need to reflect upon who they are and where they have been to discern and understand where they are going. At such times, it is important for a congregation to research, create, and present…
Read MoreYour Emotional Intelligence Reading List
Bar-On, Reuven. Development of the Bar-On EQ-i: A Measure of Emotional Intelligence. A paper presented at the Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association in Chicago, 1997. Available from Multi-Health Systems, www.mhs.com. Bar-On, Reuven. Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory: Technical Manual….
Read MoreExploring Learning Narratives
Learning takes place in all aspects of our lives, but often we confine learning to formal institutional educational settings. As an avid adult educator, Pierre Domincé developed a method to encourage adult learners to reflect on how they have learned…
Read MoreBalancing Your Ministry, Renewing Your Life
Podcast The title of this seminar is very intentional. A ministry that’s in balance comes from and leads to a life that is renewed, and a renewed life leads to a balanced ministry. So the focus of this seminar is…
Read MoreA Summer Break
A former colleague of ours here at Alban looked forward to each summer as a time when he would be able to pursue some special projects and escape from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the year. It…
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