This Week’s Links

It’s Tuesday.  That means its time to share a sampling of things I have read and found interesting and thought provoking over the past week.  This week’s topic categories are: Church and Ministry Thought & Practice; Cross-Sector Collaboration; Leadership Thought & Practice; Neighbor Love; and Worship.  I entrust these to you now for your reading and thought. Church and Ministry Thought & Practice Karl Vaters … Continue reading This Week’s Links

Strange…

I have never claimed to be a poet or a good writer.  I enjoy writing though, so thus I blog.  A strange thing happened to me after attending a worship service yesterday though, I sat down and I started writing with a pencil on a scratch piece of paper.  What came from that strange experience kind of looks like a poem (admittedly it doesn’t really … Continue reading Strange…

The Baptism of Our Lord

Today many Christian congregations celebrate the First Sunday after Epiphany.  On this day, these congregations usually remember the “Baptism of Our Lord.” This is the day we remember Jesus’ baptism in the River Jordan.  Many congregations will incorporate this into their worship through possibly the “Thanksgiving for Baptism” liturgy and other possibly unique baptism practices that congregations have (such as lighting candles to remember the … Continue reading The Baptism of Our Lord

This Week’s Links

It’s Tuesday.  That means its time for the weekly sampling of some of the things I have read and found interesting in the past week.  This week’s topic categories are:  Church and Ministry Thought & Practice; Cross-Sector Collaboration; Leadership Thought & Practice; Neighbor Love; Stewardship; Vocation; Worship; and Miscellaneous. I entrust these to you now and hope that you find them thought provoking and helpful. … Continue reading This Week’s Links

Epiphany

Happy Epiphany! Today is January 6th. This is the day many in the Christian faith observe and celebrate Epiphany.  Epiphany is the day that we observe the coming and visit of the Magi, Wise Men, or Wise Guys, depending on your interpretation.  Though nativity sets usually depict them as part of the scene, it is quite likely that they probably did not visit baby Jesus … Continue reading Epiphany

This Week’s Links- The last of the links for 2013

Happy New Year’s Eve!  Also, Happy Seventh Day of Christmas!  As this is Tuesday, its time to provide you with a sampling of some of the things I have been reading or thinking about in the past week.  This week’s topic categories are:  Church and Ministry Thought & Practice; Leadership Thought & Practice; Neighbor Love; Social Media & Blogging; and Stewardship. I entrust these to … Continue reading This Week’s Links- The last of the links for 2013

In Gratitude

This week has been a great week.  This week has also been a hard week.  Today was my final Sunday at the church I have served on staff for a little over the past 3 years.  I started there as Music Ministry Coordinator and within a year was the Worship Coordinator.  This was the fourth Advent and Christmas season I helped guide the congregation through. … Continue reading In Gratitude

The Learning Leader

One of the most discouraging things I have heard from different leaders in the past year is that “I don’t have enough time to read all of these things.” There is truth to this.  Time is precious, and its a gift.  That’s why it is important to prioritize what one does in their work and as a leader. Whether its reports, blogs, articles, publications, newest … Continue reading The Learning Leader

And so this is Christmas…

Merry Christmas!  As we begin the actual “Twelve Days” of Christmas, we remember what it can mean for God to literally break into the world in new and unexpected ways.  One of the best quotes that I have seen shared this year comes from Michael Spencer.  He writes: “The incarnation is the complete refutation of every human system and institution that claims to control, possess … Continue reading And so this is Christmas…