How itinerancy taught me to give up the illusion I’m in charge
The United Methodist Church’s system of itinerancy means accepting that I don’t have control over my life. But after all, nobody does, writes the wife of a UMC pastor.
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Spiritual health
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Healing America’s broken heart, one neighborhood at a time
After a church member’s murder, a Massachusetts pastor developed a strategy to help communities deal with collective trauma. It can also be applied within our national landscape of division and anxiety.
Link to author Liz Walker
By
Liz Walker
Founding Director, Cory Johnson Program for Post-Traumatic Healing
How gathering at the table helped renew church leaders in South Texas
At a series of in-person gatherings, United Methodist Church leaders shared celebrations, challenges, resources and values — with transformative results, writes a director in the UMC’s Rio Texas Conference.
Link to author Tanya Campen
By
Tanya Campen
Director of intergenerational ministries, UMC Rio Texas Conference
How to preach the good news when you are suffering
It’s difficult to preach a message of hope when you feel hopeless. But there are ways to revitalize your preaching while still being honest, says a pastor at Reservoir Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Link to author Lydia Shiu
By
Lydia Shiu
Pastor and co-founder, Progressive Asian American Christians
Cultivating a practice of awe reinforces our reverence for God
Research shows that embracing awe can make us better people, writes an associate director of the Thriving Congregations Coordination Program.
Link to author Angel Eaglin
By
Angel Eaglin
Associate Director, Thriving Congregations Coordination Program
With repentance for its past, a retreat center and hub for social justice builds a new future
Almost 40 years ago, an ecumenical group of faith leaders rallied to save a historic property in Richmond, Virginia. They have continued its prayerful tradition while creating a place for refuge and education.
Link to author Edie Gross
By
Edie Gross
Journalist
A new lens can ease the strain of ministry
A bivocational pastor draws from her career as a therapist to suggest that viewing ministry through the lens of unconditional positive regard can help clergy focus on what is thriving.
Link to author Meagan Manas
By
Meagan Manas
Pastor and licensed mental health counselor
Sweeping the labyrinth and inviting others into our lonely questions
Spiritual practices may not always provide the answers we seek, but they can encourage us to keep asking questions.
Link to author Laura M. Fabrycky
By
Laura M. Fabrycky
Author and essayist
Are young people still interested in religion and spirituality?
The answer is yes, but if churches want young folks to return, they must repair the harm done by the religious right, says the woman who gave the Young People’s Address to the UMC.
Link to author Alejandra Salemi
By
Alejandra Salemi
Doctoral student, population health sciences
Could slowing down help us both recharge and build endurance?
When runners train for a race, they are told to spend most of their time preparing at a slower pace to help them speed up when needed. The strategy offers important lessons for how we approach our work and life, writes the director of communications for Leadership Education at Duke Divinity.
Link to author Emily Lund
By
Emily Lund
Director of Communications, Leadership Education at Duke Divinity
‘From Weary to Wholehearted: A Restorative Resource for Overcoming Clergy Burnout’
In this excerpt from her new book addressing clergy and lay leader burnout, a Philadelphia priest raises a “scandalous question” about choosing whether to say yes or no.
Link to author Callie Swanlund
By
Callie Swanlund
Priest and retreat leader
