Reflections & Research:
Pastoral Transitions
February 18, 2020
Excerpt: ‘Planning Sabbaticals: A Guide for Congregations and Their Pastors’
Detail from the cover of “Planning Sabbaticals: A Guide for Congregations and Their Pastors.” In this excerpt from his recent book, author Robert C. Saler writes about pastoral sabbaticals as a time of reinvigoration and reflection for both church leaders and their congregations. Saler directs the Lilly Endowment Clergy Renewal Programs and the Center for […]
read moreabout Excerpt: ‘Planning Sabbaticals: A Guide for Congregations and Their Pastors’August 20, 2019
A multilingual priest connects her congregation and its community through language and listening
By Chris Karnadi, Assistant Editor, Faith & Leadership The Rev. Audra Abt started a Spanish-language Mass and a health access ministry, meeting neighbors’ needs and rejuvenating a small church in Greensboro, North Carolina. In an apartment in Greensboro, North Carolina, fresh fuchsia crepe myrtle flowers brightened the front left corner of a table serving […]
read moreabout A multilingual priest connects her congregation and its community through language and listeningFebruary 19, 2019
Midlife as a time of discovery, not a problem to be solved
Instead of sinking into the feeling of being stuck, a seminary professor set a goal of taking 40 walks to mark his 40th birthday. He then wrote essays about the experience, reflecting on the burdens and the surprises of the middle stage of life.
read moreabout Midlife as a time of discovery, not a problem to be solvedMay 15, 2018
A church isn’t a blank slate, and neither is a pastor
Leading change requires understanding a community’s system for relating and behaving — and understanding your own family system, too.
read moreabout A church isn’t a blank slate, and neither is a pastor