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…
Read MoreWhat Do I Owe You? The Nature of Exchange within Congregations
by Jeff Kunkel Not long ago, I officiated at the funeral of a young man I did not know well. After the funeral, his mother, whom I had never met, asked me, “What do I owe you?” This is the question…
Read MorePastoral Care as Healing Presence
A single parent, Deborah recalls that during her first month as pastor of a United Church of Christ congregation in Western Pennsylvania, she performed nine funerals, four of which related to a boating accident. Already weary from moving across country…
Read MoreCare-Full Listening: Ethnography as a Pastoral Practice
Most pastors are good listeners. They know how to open up a conversation and invite people to share the pain, struggles, and signs of growth in their lives. Many pastors stop there, and fail to help the members of the…
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