Resources for “Stations of the Search”
In the March 8 Alban Weekly, “Stations of the Search,” John Vonhof asks readers how their church and church board would respond if the pastor announced that she or he would be leaving in two months. The remainder of the article outlines the “stations of the search,” from pastoral resignation to start-up of the new pastor: checking and following any denominational policies, forming the search committee, developing a church profile, conducting the search, making the decision and placing the call, planning for the installation (if the call is accepted), and managing the start-up.
A detailed discussion of these stations can be found in Vonhof’s recently published book, The Pastoral Search Journey: A Guide to Finding Your Next Pastor. We have reviewed this book in the Congregational Resource Guide, and have concluded that it offers a “one-stop” guide to the pastoral search process.
That being said, you might want to also consider the resources in the “Pastoral Search” section of the Congregational Resource Guide.
What stories do you have about pastoral searches? And what resources do you suggest? We look forward to hearing from you!
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Meet the Neighbors
In the second of her four webinars under the banner, “High Impact Community Ministry,” Joy Skjegstad yesterday led 81 participants on a journey through the myriad ways that it’s possible to discover and weave ourselves into the fabric of the community of neighbors around us.
Once again, there was a rich array of questions posed, and [...]
Resources in Response to “Failure to Thrive”
In the March 1 Alban Weekly, “Failure to Thrive,” Roy Oswald and Barry Johnson explain that a “polarity” is a set of interdependent and complementary truths. While the truths sometimes appear to be in conflict, in fact both sides (or “poles”) of a polarity must be honored for the whole truth to be known.
Oswald and Johnson’s [...]
High Impact Community Ministry
Yesterday afternoon I had quite a fulfilling time hosting AlbanLearning’s webinar, led by independent consultant Joy Skjegstad, entitled “Outreach Isn’t Optional: Why Community Ministry is Essential to Your Congregation’s Future.” We had a total of 96 computer connections for this first of four webinars on the theme, “High Impact Community Ministry.”
They asked Joy, who spoke [...]
Science, Faith, and Krista Tippett
Krista Tippett’s new book, Einstein’s God: Conversations About Science and the Human Spirit, has just been released. Today at 2 pm, she joins Congregational Resource Guide Director, Martin Davis, to discuss her work. More than yet another foray into the science-religion crucible, Tippett’s new work is aspirational: “My work moving forwards is … galvanized by [...]
Resources for “Simplicity Itself”
In the February 22, 2010 issue of Alban Weekly (“Simplicity Itself“), Bob Sitze recognizes that many people in congregations long to live more simply. The multi-tasked, fast-paced, and possession-obsessed culture in which we live is not spiritually or physically sustainable. Following the example of Jesus, we are called, in Sitze’s words, to “live simply and [...]
Resources in response to “Downward Mobility”
Ordained ministers are called upon to develop many skills and exhibit many gifts: preaching, teaching, pastoral care, administration, leadership, and more. Sooner or later, John Berntsen admits, we’ll be required to “do things we’re no good at.” Those things vary from one person to another, and yet there simply is no one who can be [...]
Resources for “The Power of Story in Local Congregations”
In the February 8 issue of Alban Weekly (“The Power of Story in Local Congregations“) Larry Golemon explains how the capacity to narrate life experiences in coherent and meaningful ways helps people—and congregations—to grow in faithfulness, spiritual maturity, and a sense of responsibility.
Golemon, editor of Alban’s recently published Narrative Leadership Collection, notes that individuals cannot [...]
Resources for “Faithful Finances: When to Adopt New Technology”
In the February 1, 2010 issue of Alban Weekly (“Faithful Finances: When to Adopt New Technology“), Dan Hotchkiss reflects on the challenges that inevitably arise when a process or product involving a technological shift is introduced into a congregation. He makes the important point that adapting to new technologies takes time and that particular technologies [...]
2010 Seminars from Alban
March 9-11 (Ed White)
Disciple Making Communities: Moving from Maintenance to Mission
Marywood Center for Spirituality, Jacksonville, FL
Tuition Cost: $449 ($499 nonmembers)
Room & Board: Single – $226, Double – $171, Commuter – $105
Join Alban consultant Ed White in this practical exploration of what it means for mainline churches to move out of the “membership business” and into [...]
