Happy Tuesday! Each week on the blog I get to share some of what I have seen, read, and found interesting and thought provoking over the past week. To help make sense of all of these links, I have grouped them by the following categories: Church and Ministry Thought & Practice; Cross-Sector Collaboration; Leadership Thought & Practice; Millennials; Neighbor Love; Social Media & Blogging; Stewardship; Vocation; and Miscellaneous. I hope that you enjoy these links!

Church and Ministry Thought & Practice

I have a number of helpful links for those of you preparing for worship or writing a sermon this week. If you are following the revised common lectionary, Bishop Mike Rinehart shared some thoughts on this weekend’s assigned readings in “Epiphany 3C.” Rev. Dr. David Lose also shared thoughts about Epiphany 3C in reflecting about “A Peculiar Power.” Friend and professor Rev. Dr. Karoline Lewis digs particularly into the gospel passage from Luke 4:14-21 in writing about “A Life-Changing Epiphany.”

If you are following the narrative lectionary, check out this Commentary on Mark 5:21-43 from Karl Jacobson.

Are you looking for some great resources for Lent this year? Then check out these resources from LEAD featuring, “Five contemplative liturgies and accompanying coloring page for use during Lent.”

Sad news broke last week that “Trinity Lutheran College in downtown Everett will close.” The Board of Directors shared this “Open Letter to the Trinity Lutheran College Students, Faculty, and Staff.”

News also broke last week from Pennsylvania as “Pennsylvania Lutheran Seminaries declare intent to from ‘New School of Theology.'”

Josh Langhoff wrote a must read article in The Cresset for all worship planners, musicians, and pastors about “Copiers and Copyrights: Renewing Worship’s Music.”

Speaking of worship and music, Augsburg Fortress has released a new website featuring resources related to Evangelical Lutheran Worship. 

Glenn shared some thoughts about “What You (Probably) Don’t Know About Modern Worship.”

Friend and pastor Eric Worringer shared this post with data, perspectives and resources from David Zahl entitled, “The God of Tidying Up Hates Me.”

The Anglican Communion shared this news release from the Primates 2016 with particular news (which I find sad) related to The Episcopal Church.

Friend Hannah Heinzekehr shared this invitation from The Mennonite to “Nominate a Mennonite for our 20 under 40 issue.”

I am excited to share that the faith community I am serving as mission developer this year, Messiah Lutheran Church North County has a new dedicated website. What do you think of the work-in-progress site?

Church and Social Media (#ChSocM) shared a transcript of its weekly Twitter chat which last week focused on “The Psychology of Social Media (and how to use it better).” The chat was moderated by Carolyn Clement.

I am excited to share news that friend Megan Hansen “has accepted the position of Director of Operations for Worship Times.”

Cross-Sector Collaboration

KPLU shared an update about the “Save KPLU” campaign.

Bill Virgin shares an important reflection about some pieces that may have been underestimated in writing and explaining that “KPLU (is) not so insignificant to PLU.” What do you think?

Friend and professor Dr. Ron Byrnes shared some thoughts about “Why School Funding Matters.”

Leadership Thought & Practice

Steve Keating shared ideas about “How to Make a Decision-Maker.”

Anne Loehr looked back at 2015 in sharing about her “Top Five Women in the Workplace Posts of 2015.”

Bob Tiede shared a guest post by William Arruda about “Coaching Skills Every Leader Needs to Master.”

Croft Edwards wrote and shared, “Leadership 101: What Doesn’t Kill You Leads to ‘Flow.'”

Dan Rockwell shared a number of great leadership posts over the past week. These included reflections like: “The Question I’ve Never Asked“; “Success is Never about being Successful“; “Four Ways to Become a One Word Organization“; thoughts on “What Gratitude Really Means“; and a post inspired by Martin Luther King Jr., “The Real Truth About Dreams.”

Tanveer Naseer shared a guest post by David Amerland about “Transforming Leadership and Trust in the Organization.”

Sarah Goodall shared thoughts about “How to Fix Your Employee Advocacy Program.”

Seth Godin notes simply but profoundly, “Fear is easy, hope is real.”

Ted Bauer argued that, “Management is Not Actually Intuitive.”

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day yesterday, Justin Irving shared “20 Quotes from MLK.”

Last week after hearing the State of the Union address, I reflected on what it means “Being a Citizen” as a leader, steward, and person.

Shawn Murphy at Switch & Shift shared thoughts about, “Why You Shouldn’t Pursue Work-Life Balance.” Within this Shawn notes that, “The quest for work-life balance is leading too many people to burnout. Here’s what you should pursue instead.”

Jon Mertz at Thin Difference pondered about, “Is Showing Up 60 percent of the Time Good Enough?”

Millennials

Molly Page at Thin Difference profiled a motivated Millennial, “Julius Givens: Showing Up to Impact Our Future.”

Will Yakowicz notes that, “Half of Millennials Would Reject a Work Assignment that Clashed with Their Ethics.”

Chelsea Krost listed out “12 Things Millennials Won’t Spend Money On.”

Speaking of money and Millennials, Katie Lobosco noted that though, “Saddled with student debt, Millennials want to foot the bill for their kids.”

Clara Nevins provided “A Millennial’s Take on Climate Activism.”

David Masci at Pew Research Center took up and shared a Q & A about a relatively hot button discussion of late, “Why Millennials are less religious than older Americans.”

Neighbor Love

Friend Hannah Heinzekehr shared this post for The Mennonite by Sarah Thompson about, “Moving toward conflict and the Beloved Community.”

This past Sunday, Pope Francis shared a message “For the World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2016.”

Ed Stetzer shared a great parable with implications about “Black Lives Matter” and other social movements in writing and sharing, “#HellenistWidowsMatter: A Parable.” If the title doesn’t intrigue you, how about the question, “What might we learn from the Scriptures about advocating for those who feel wronged?”

Friend Margaret Ellsworth shared a reflection entitled, “Quantum Prayer,” by Eric Elnes.

In neighbor love and social justice news that matters, Connor Nikolic notes that, “Minnesota ranks dead last for racial integration.”

Friend, blogger, and artist Vonda Drees shared a number of beautiful posts, including: “love the moment“; “simply by listening“; “walk with us“; “on foot and on faith“; “soles to Soul“; “the art of travel“; and “quest-ions.”

Thinking about Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Rachel Held Evans wrote about, “Christians, MLK Day, and Historical Amnesia.”

Friend, pastor, and blogger Beth Wartick also shared some “thoughts on Martin Luther King Day.”

Yesterday on the blog I also offered some Martin Luther King Day inspired reflections, especially about “The Problem with thinking ‘that’s a problem over there, not here.”

Inspired by the “I Have a Dream Speech,” friend and pastor Kaitlyn Forster shared this short film project from 2013 from the Salt Project titled, “I Have a Dream.”

In honor of MLK Jr., friend and professor Dr. Mary Hess shared this arrangement of “Shed a Little Light” from “The Maccabeats and Naturally 7.”

Romal Tune shared about, “Richard Rohr on White Privilege.”

Friend, pastor, and blogger Aaron Fuller shared his sermon for the past weekend, “The Parable of the Sower, Lottery Tickets, Wrestlers, & the Kingdom of God.”

Marc Corbett wrote about, “Why I Will Protest a School I Love.”

Friend, pastor, and blogger Frank Johnson shared his sermon for this past weekend based on Mark 3 which he titled, “The Payoff: Why Jesus is better with parables than J.J. Abrams.” Frank also shared his sermon from the previous week based on Mark 2, “Forgiveness: The heart of health.”

My cousin Joren shared this post from John Pavlovitz unpacking, “10 Things This Christian Doesn’t Believe About the Bible.”

In response to the Anglican Primates’ decision last week, Rev. Susan Russell wrote, “One Becoming Second Class Anglicans for Treating LGBT People as First Class Christians.”

Friend, professor, and blogger, Rev. Dr. Karoline Lewis has been blogging and sharing reflections on her current Holy Land trip. So far she has reflected and shared thoughts in: “On the Shores of the Sea of Galilee“; “A Man from Galilee“; “A Place in History“; and “Angels We Have Heard on High.”

Social Media & Blogging

Dennis Owen shared some light from his work Cathay Pacific on “What’s It Like to Run Social Media at a Large Company.”

Stewardship

Erin at Young Adult Money shared about “7 Tax Moves to Lower Your Taxes This Year.”

Ben Olsen at Teens Got Cents shared some financial New Year’s goals that anyone could get behind.

Mike Slaughter shared some reflection about “Ultimate Values.”

Vocation

Friend, pastor, and blogger Diane Roth reflected about “Today,” with some inspiration from this upcoming weekend’s assigned scripture readings.

My friend and “sister” Megan Leibold continues to share on her blog about her fun European adventures with this reflection from Cologne.

Friend and blogger Julia Nelson shared her regular vocational and life installment of “Tuesday Tea Time.”

Blogger Rachel Held Evans shared some thoughts on “Why I’m making just one resolution as a new mom.”

Friend and professor Dr. Ron Byrnes shared some fun “Blasts From the Past.”

Miscellaneous

Tristan Baurick sheds light on “Our Big One,” with thoughts on how “A Seattle Fault earthquake could bring death and destruction far greater than anything ever seen in the Puget Sound region.”

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That concludes this edition of the links. I hope you have enjoyed them. As always, if you have particular questions or topics for me to think about on the blog, please share them. Also, if there are things you would like to see included in the links, please let me know that too. Thank you for reading and being a part of the conversation! Blessings on your week-TS

Image Credits: The Links and “soles to Soul.”