Faith communities play a vital role in responding to the mental health crises that impact our communities. This was true before the COVID pandemic, but it is especially true now. In this week’s Weekly, we begin with an article by…
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How do we care for congregational leaders?
In recent years, a particular focus of Alban has been the health and wellbeing of congregational leaders. In this edition of the Weekly, Jessica Young Brown offers us suggestions for how to care for pastors who are experiencing secondary trauma because of…
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Creative community-based ministries
Happy Tuesday – and welcome to a new design for the Alban Weekly! In this week’s edition, we’ll find inspiration in the stories of three congregations that have developed enterprising ministries to meet the evolving needs of their communities. We’ll…
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Dorie Jones: Ministry in Times of Crisis
The church has an invaluable role to play in times of crisis, writes an expert in crisis response.
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Lynne Baab: Why Listening Matters for Mission and Ministry Today
Listening as a part of caring ministries matters now as much as ever, because personal needs are as complex, if not more complex, than in years past.
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Self-care is not selfish
On the long list of items that must be done every day, pastors often put themselves last.
Read MoreBecoming an Affectively Competent Congregation
I am an educated white clergyman of European descent (half Hungarian with some Transylvanian and Irish thrown in). When I grew up, we didn’t talk at all about feelings in our family, and the patterns of emotional expression were pretty…
Read MoreTransforming the Spirit of Communities
One fall CiRCLe M (Centre for Rural Community Leadership and Ministry), a nonprofit I direct, organized a conference on the church and community development. In workshops, worship, and conversation, one church leader after another shared stories of how their congregations…
Read MorePaging God: Working with Chaplains in Healthcare
by Wendy Cadge Meg, an interfaith chaplain, agreed to let me shadow her to learn about her work in a large academic medical center. By 9:00 a.m. on a Friday morning, we were sitting in a conference room filled with dirty…
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Neighbors and Covenant Relationships
Stu was one of the first people to help me see that the patient work of discernment was a big part of what I was called to do. I was right out of seminary at the time. I thought that…
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