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TagsWhat happens when an ‘Old First Church’ needs to change?
Eight years ago, First United Methodist Church of Miami faced the fact that its history and prestige weren’t going to keep it alive forever. It has found a way to honor its past and grow into the future.
An underserved neighborhood needed a community center, not another church
After a satellite campus of a large church struggled, a pastor decided to reformat his church into a community center to address needs in his hometown of Blue Island, Illinois.

Long-term adoption of hybrid services represents a major shift from the traditional church model
The pandemic has drastically changed congregational leaders’ attitudes about virtual services, experts say.

Why deep listening matters for congregations and disciples
Listening — really listening — is the first step for participants in a program to build relationships between people on university campuses and the congregations near them, writes the program director of The Vinery.

Hurting and healing: What my church did after a mass shooting
After the recent tragedy at Michigan State University, a nearby congregation moved quickly and strategically to contact faculty, staff and students, provide comfort dogs to the grieving, and gather and pray, writes the pastor.

Research-based guidelines for leading the church in a new era of ministry
How can Christian leaders adapt to the changes the pandemic has brought? A scholar who has studied pastors and volunteers during the past three years offers suggestions for adjusting to a new reality.

10 ways to avoid inadvertent antisemitism during Holy Week
An expert in Jewish-Christian relations offers guidelines for avoiding the implicit and explicit expression of hatred toward Jews in Easter liturgies and practices.

Communication and the congregational leader
The underlying goal of church communication is to foster relationships, and its strategies should be developed with that in mind. A communications professional shares some best practices for improving church communication.

The gospel lived out in the company of friends
Do we make church more complicated than it needs to be? A social entrepreneur revisits her hometown friends and reflects on friendship and what is holy and enduring about life in community.

Declining volunteerism is changing the church experience
Congregations struggle to maintain educational programs without volunteer support.
