Posts Tagged: ministry

Hopeful Church

What did we expect? Expectations can sabotage ourselves and ministry by N. Graham Standish She was disappointed and deflated as she reflected on three years of pastoring her church: This isn’t what I thought ministry would be like. Trying to be as gentle as possible, I asked, “What did you expect?” “I don’t know,” she replied,… Read more »

Hopeful Church

Pastoring in viral times Are we harried or hopeful? by N. Graham Standish I met by video with a pastor the other day who told me how exhausted and overwhelmed ministering during this virus crisis has been. He’s struggled with figuring out what to do with worship and how to deal with new technologies of… Read more »

Gospel and Inclusivity

Reforming our churches: Becoming intercultural communities From “Chosen People-Promised Land Model” to expansive covenant by Andrew Davis   When I think of multicultural churches, I do not necessarily think of my own — I picture congregations that reflect many different races and ethnicities. Like most PC(USA) churches, Union Presbyterian Church of Saint Peter, Minnesota, is… Read more »

The Church for Today

Going backwards How church entryways have changed   by Richard Hong    In March 2016, our historic sanctuary was destroyed in a three-alarm fire. After five months of worshiping in “portable” locations, we returned to our gym, which we outfitted for use as a worship space until our sanctuary can be rebuilt. Last month we took… Read more »

We need more shepherds to walk these dark valleys

An essay on how to care for the victims of shootings—by someone who has counseled more than 90 families in 10 years Joy comes in the morning for trauma survivors. We need more shepherds to walk these dark valleysAn essay on how to care for the victims of shootings—by someone who has counseled more than… Read more »

Living In Between

Adventures of a Presbyterian pastor on a Jesuit campus How I found resurrection in the Holy LandLessons from a trip to Israel and Palestine by Abby King-Kaiser When an olive tree reaches a certain age, it develops a weathered and gnarly bark full of wrinkles that I hope my face will carry some day, wrinkles… Read more »

Rough Drafts

Towards vulnerability and transformation in the church   The parable of the 1 percent churchWhat might Jesus say about our churches’ process of selecting a pastor? by Mihee Kim-Kort And the disciples came to Jesus each asking: “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus told them another parable: “There was a church that sought a pastor to… Read more »

PresbyHonest

Relevant truth telling with a queer twist   Crying my way through my first year of ministryIt sounds obvious, but few talk about it without the noble veneer of self-sacrifice: ministry is hard. by Layton E. Williams On August 1st, I will celebrate my one-year anniversary of working in ministry. When people ask how my… Read more »