This Week’s Links

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

Words in Our Mouths- An Introduction

Have you ever thought that there are words that the church and congregations use which aren’t helpful? Perhaps they are misunderstood?  Perhaps over time they have lost their meaning, or their meaning has been drastically altered? There was a helpful post in the Washington Post last week by Addie Zierman.  She offered, “5 churchy phrases that are scaring off millennials.”  I encourage you to please … Continue reading Words in Our Mouths- An Introduction

This Week’s Links

It’s Tuesday.  By now you know that Tuesday means links here on this blog.  This week’s categories are:  Church and Ministry Thought and Practice; Cross-Sector Collaboration; Leadership Thought and Practice; Neighbor Love; Social Media and Blogging; Stewardship; Worship; and Miscellaneous.  I entrust these stories and links to you, and hope that they will be interesting topics to read and reflect upon. Enjoy! Church and Ministry … Continue reading This Week’s Links

Leading in the Midst of Transition

I never set out to be a “temporary” leader.  Who really does?  But perhaps that’s really a core insight about leadership.  All leadership is by its nature transitory and temporary.  By extension, all leadership is in some way an example and part of transition. I wonder if what makes a good leader perhaps in part is that they recognize this- the temporary and transition that … Continue reading Leading in the Midst of Transition

This Week’s Links

As is the normal practice on this blog, Tuesday means its time to share what I have been reading and thinking about in the past week.  I entrust these links to you for your reading and hopefully thought-provoking joy.  This week’s categories in order are:  Church and Ministry Thought and Leadership; Leadership Thought and Practice; Neighbor Love; Stewardship; Worship; and Miscellaneous. Enjoy! Church and Ministry … Continue reading This Week’s Links

All Saints Day

Blogger’s Note:  On this blog I occasionally offer brief reflections on particular days within the church year.  Today’s post is one such reflection.  Today in many churches across the world we observed All Saints Sunday.  For some general context and background, All Saints Day is the day following All Hallows Eve.  So November 1st is the proper time to celebrate All Saints, but in recent years … Continue reading All Saints Day

This Week’s Links

Tuesday means, its time for the links.  As always the case, I entrust to you different things I have read or found in the past week for your reading, thinking, and reflecting pleasure.  This week’s categories are:  Church and Ministry Thought and Leadership; Cross-Sector Collaboration; Leadership Thought, Practice and Theory; Neighbor Love; and Miscellaneous Thoughts and Reads. Church and Ministry Thought and Leadership Pastor Keith Anderson … Continue reading This Week’s Links

This Year’s Reformation

Tomorrow the Lutheran Church observes Reformation Sunday, the only date on the church calendar year really unique to Lutherans. October 31 is the anniversary of Martin Luther posting his ninety-five theses for debate concerning the sale of indulgences.  He nailed his proposal to the church door in Wittenberg, Germany on the Eve of All Saints Day knowing that in the morning, people coming to worship … Continue reading This Year’s Reformation

A response to “Hello, My Name is Church” with more thoughts on the congregation as a place of welcome, sought, and accompaniment

Following up on yesterday’s discussion and pondering about the implications on the congregation, a friend of mine shared this poem from the Huffington Post on Sunday. Here is an excerpt: My name is church.  I welcome the: Hypocrite Dry Self-Righteous Shallow I welcome the: Sincere Passionate Forgiving Selfless I cannot shut my doors to the people who make you: Angry Uncomfortable Impatient Self-conscious I encourage … Continue reading A response to “Hello, My Name is Church” with more thoughts on the congregation as a place of welcome, sought, and accompaniment

This Week’s Links

Tuesday means its time again for an offering of some of the things I have been reading and thinking about from the past week.  This week’s categories are, in alphabetical order:  Church and Ministry Things; Leadership and Leadership Thought; Neighbor Love; Stewardship; and Vocation. I entrust these to you now in the hope that you find some of these helpful, interesting, and perhaps even provocative. … Continue reading This Week’s Links