Marriage Prepartion, Same Sex Marriage, Divestment, Refugees, Ministry at Disney World and other items of note

 A recent conversation among an ecumenical clergy group generated a whole variety of tools for marriage preparation, so I thought I would pass the list along:

http://www.logosproductions.com/store/marriage-preparation/premarriage-awareness-inventory-form-r

http://talkpoints.com/

http://www.amazon.com/Making-Love-Last-Lifetime-Participants/dp/0687007267

https://www.prepare-enrich.com/

http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Married-Family-Pastoral-Perspective/dp/0664251269/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369766122&sr=8-1&keywords=herbert+anderson+becoming+married

http://www.amazon.com/Seven-Principles-Making-Marriage-Work/dp/0609805797

http://www.amazon.com/The-Marriage-Journey-Preparations-Provisions/dp/0898694329

http://www.amazon.com/The-Love-Languages-Secret-Lasts/dp/0802473156

And a reflection on marriage
Rhapsody in Realism - NYTimes.com

Religion in the Headlines 
Methodists Reinstate Pastor, Deepening Church’s Rift Over Gays - NYTimes.com

Rev. Cameron Partridge, Transgender Priest, Shares Message Of Acceptance At Washington National Cathedral

Four Spiritual Opportunities of Facebook
Presbyterians vote to divest in companies doing business in Israel-Palestine
The Gospel According to 'Game of Thrones' 
Rite of the Sitting Dead: Funeral Poses Mimic Life - NYTimes.com  
Presbyterian Church Votes To Allow Gay Marriage 

Sweden's first female archbishop sworn in - The Local

Meriam Ibrahim: Sudan 'apostasy' woman freed again

World Cup and Faith Can Conflict, Too
Inspiring LGBT Religious Leaders
 Creationism Banned From UK Schools
 In Face Of ISIS Advance, Many Iraqi Christians Insist On Staying Put

 

 

Items from around The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion

Presiding Bishop’s 2014 World Refugee Day message

Bible Society Malaysia tells authorities: "Bibles not subversive"Anglican priest takes environmental activism to the streetsSecond Church of England priest marries his same sex partnerEpiscopal parties file petition for review by U.S. Supreme CourtCelebrating World Refugee DayEngland’s Synod agenda built around women bishop questionThe Lead: War and Capitalism  
Monastic community at Walt Disney World 
Presbyterian Assembly allows pastors to perform same-gender marriage

 

Parenting and Family Life (and ministry with children)
It's not the family dinner that's important; it's the time together | The Splendid Table
 Pediatrics Group to Recommend Reading Aloud to Children From Birth - NYTimes.com
Why Free Play Is the Best Summer School - Atlantic Mobile

 Wherever You Are | Practicing Families

Storypath

Cool at 13, Adrift at 23 - NYTimes.com

7 things all American mothers should want right now | New York Post

What I Learned From My Daughter's Deadly Brain Tumor Diagnosis | St. Baldrick's Blog | Childhood Cancer Stories & Research 

 

Reflections on Church and MinistryAn excerpt from Cryptomnesia - NEXT Church
In the face of fear, God holds us while nudging us into the world | Round Maine with Bishop Lane
12 Steps for Clergy Recovery 
Corpus Christi 2014 | Saint Mark's Church 
The Seminary Class of 2014 | Trusted consultants for your congregation 
Compost? Secret Sauce to Cultivating New Leadership and Ministry | Hyepin Im | Red Letter Christians : Red Letter Christians 
Three things that pastors are not | The Christian Century 
revrachelrambles.wordpress.com/2014/06/20/thoughts-from-the-train/ 
m.thetimesnews.com/opinion/guest-columns/new-insights-into-the-same-world-1.335671 
When Hipsters Go to Church - Aleteia
www.ministrymatters.com/all/entry/5134/5-reasons-we-worship-in-the-afternoon
Jesus Is the Worst Thing to Happen to Christianity in Awhile
Seven Reasons the Pastor’s Salary Can Be a Source of Tension - ThomRainer.com 
Decently Writ, XVII: A Sermon by the Rt. Rev. Eugene Taylor Sutton | Sed Angli. 

 

Women in Ministry

For Women in Midlife, Career Gains Slip Away - NYTimes.com

Faithful Women and the Presence of Christ | The Sub-Dean's Stall

Independence Day resources

a litany for independence day | rick morley

 

Leadership and Work/Life Balance

25 Signs You’re Succeeding At Life (Even If It Doesn’t Feel Like It) |

Shawn Achor: The happy secret to better work | Talk Video | TED.com

www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2014/05/26/140526crbo_books_kolbert?currentPage=all&mobify=

Autopsy of a Burned Out Pastor: 13 Lessons - ThomRainer.com

https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140313205730-5711504-the-science-behind-ted-s-18-minute-rule?_mSplash=1 

 

 

 

 

Executive Council, Trinity Wall Street, Pope in the Holy Land, Beyond Seminary, New Tracts, reflections on leadership, parenting and losing a cross . . . oh and a bit of humor

Items from around the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion

Trinity Wall Street Names Next Rector | Trinity Church

Rev. Cameron Partridge Will Be First Openly Transgender Priest To Preach at Washington National Cathedral

Colombia: Episcopal Church marks 50 years

Episcopal seminarians serve as summer chaplains at Hartsfield

Anglicans: ‘We vow to eradicate hate crimes, hate speech in Japan’

A summary of Executive Council resolutions

UTO grants $1.5 million for Episcopal, Anglican mission, ministry

Episcopal Relief & Development photo exhibit celebrates 75 years

Episcopal, ELCA Presiding Bishops issue statement on carbon emissions

Episcopal Church Foundation 2014 fellows announced

House of Deputies president’s opening remarks at Executive Council

Presiding Bishop’s opening remarks at Executive Council

Navajoland Area Mission continues to raise up native leaders

Video: Presiding Bishop preaches at Navajoland Convocation

Archbishop of Canterbury addresses Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast

Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music provides information on Indaba-style gathering | Episcopal Church 

Religion in the Headlines

Priest killed, another one hurt in Phoenix

Pope Francis Shakes Up Vatican Financial Watchdog Board By Firing... Everybody

BBC News - Pope Francis peace plea at Israel-Palestinian prayer meeting

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/08/pope-francis-peace-israel-palestine-_n_5468328.html

How to Determine If Your Religious Liberty Is Being Threatened in Just 10 Quick Questions

Different faiths, same witness: How Vatican explains prayers for peace

Festival Draws Stars of Christian Preaching (Not as Seen on Television) - NYTimes.com

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/17/100-religious-groups-doing-good_n_5460739.html

Mormons Say Critical Online Comments Draw Threats From Church - NYTimes.com

Iraqi Christians find refuge in ancient monastery | Al Jazeera America

Pope Francis says the split between the Catholic Church and the CofE is a 'scandal' | Mail Online

 

Making the transition from Seminary to Ministry
Home page - Clergy Into Action Study - Into Action – From Seminary into Ministry

 

Adult Education Resource

New Tracts for Our Times - The Scholar-Priest Initiative

 

Reflections on Church and Ministry

The Church Bully | NNE

Why I kiss my stole | The Christian Century

No church is exempt from the work of joining God’s Project | Round Maine with Bishop Lane

Developing a Moral Vision for Climate Change: Overview of the Planet | Odyssey Networks

How the Local Movement is Revitalizing the Church | RELEVANT Magazine

uuworld.org : spiritual innovators: into the beyond

We've Seen Megachurch. But How About Micro-Church?

Why Pastors Envy Pope Francis | The Living Church

Open Doors Save a Parish | The Living Church

Do we really believe in the Real Presence? | Inwardly Digest

Ask a Young Clergy Woman: Burnout Edition - The Young Clergy Women Project

We'll All Be Changed | Portico Collective

Jane Redmont: Summer session 2014: online retreats!

Unfolding Light | Daily Reflections by Steve Garnaas-Holmes

9 Fascinating Facts About People Who Attend Megachurches | Leadership Network

Maybe we should stop ‘doing outreach’ | fathercathie

Is Pulpit Plagiarism on the Rise? Some Blame the Internet - Sarah Pulliam Bailey | God's Politics Blog | Sojourners

Australia: Parishes urged to welcome men as anti-violence advocates

Things We Can All Learn From One Of America's Oldest Religious Communities

New Ministry, New Paths: How Did You Know?

The banality of clergy failure | The Christian Century

A Trio of Sonnets for Corpus Christi | Malcolm Guite

David Briggs: Silent Clergy Killers: 'Toxic' Congregations Lead to Widespread Job Loss

Let’s Move On | The Rt. Rev. Greg Rickel, 8th Bishop of Olympia

Unapologetic Theology: Pentecost Episcopalian: Why Responding to the Holy Spirit is Central to Christian Spirituality

 

Leadership

Busy isn’t always better | Faith & Leadership

It’s Time to Talk about Performance | Trusted consultants for your congregation

Ten essential skills the next generation of religious leaders will need | Insights into Religion

Unsolicited Leadership Advice | The Living Church

Training, intensive program offers skills for mission leadership

 

Technology

Schedule send emails in Gmail. Track emails. Set reminders for follow ups

Parenting

What Every Parent Needs To Know About Secondary Drowning 

The One Conversation That Could Save Your Teen’s Life (and Your Own) | Momastery

25 Books That Diversify Kids’ Reading Lists This Summer | MindShift

Sports Should Be Child’s Play - NYTimes.com

spiritual practices with newborns: a new series | mothering spirit

Dress codes and the fingertip rule: Schools should not be telling girls that their bodies are a distraction.

 

Women in Ministry

 Kate Kelly, Mormon Women's Group Founder, Faces Excommunication
Lean Out: The Dangers for Women Who Negotiate : The New Yorker

Inspiration

19-Year-Old Figured Out How To Clean Up The Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch In Just 10 YearsElite Daily
Descartes on Doubt | Words of Wisdom | Big Think

Dan Gilbert: The psychology of your future self | Talk Video | TED.com

 

And for a laugh . . .

 
Pastor’s wife sends body double to sit pleasantly on front pew - LarkNews.com - A Good Source for Christian News