Formation and Ministry Resources: News

Showing posts with label News. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Looking Ahead to General Convention

As we approach our 78th General Convention in a few weeks time, I wanted to be sure that you have some resources with which to prepare and follow the action!

Our Canon for Communications and Media, Karin Hamilton, does a fabulous job of keeping the folks in CT informed about the happenings at General Convention. Be sure to sign up for the ECCT General Convention E-News: https://www.episcopalct.org/News-and-Events/Electronic-Newsletters/

Karin also maintains a great page of resources on the ECCT website: https://www.episcopalct.org/GeneralConvention2015/

Some other sites that may be useful:

The central clearing house of all things GC:
http://www.generalconvention.org/

Hashtag to follow on Twitter: #GC78

Episcopal News Service: http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/

Updates from Episcopal Church Public Affairs: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/blog/PublicAffairs

Some Sites and Blogs to watch:

Memorial to the Church mentioned in recent E-News:
http://www.episcopalresurrection.org/memorial/

Scott Gunn (Forward Movement) blogs the Blue Book:
http://www.sevenwholedays.org/category/general-convention/

Tom Furgeson on the Memorial:
http://crustyoldean.blogspot.com/

Keith Voets (member of COM) on Marriage:
http://theyoungcurmudgeonpriest.blogspot.com/

On Marriage:
http://fullyalive.squarespace.com/

Blog from Deputy Don Reed:
http://opensourcetheology.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Staying Connected

View image | gettyimages.com

A few thoughts on staying connected . . .

Note on the image: I chose this image because it shows people (not just a graphic of connecting wires or puzzle pieces) and because it shows the virtual connection of a video conference. I think both kinds of connecting are important - incarnate and virtual - and both have their place. Often times the virtual method makes connections possible that would not otherwise be possible, and we also need to be sure that our connections are not only virtual.

Bishop Ian recently passed along this article on the value of bi-vocational clergy: http://thomrainer.com/2015/01/19/eight-reasons-fulltime-pastors-staff-go-bivocational/
While it makes a number of excellent points about the gifts bi-vocational clergy bring to the church, what I'd like to reflect on here is the broader theme of staying connected. Thom Rainer argues that one of the main gifts bi-vocational clergy bring are a connectedness to the outside world. It is so easy in life generally, and somehow in the church particularly, to become inwardly focused and insulated from the world. We can become so concerned about maintaining the status quo and responding to our own needs and desires that we can miss what is going on in the world around us. By necessity bi-vocational clergy are back and forth between church and world. They are bridges. Sounds a bit like a deacon. Perhaps we could refer to deacons as "the original bi-vocational clergy." :)

While I do think this is a gift of bi-vocational clergy, I also think it touches on a point that is relevant to all of us who work in the church (lay and ordained). It would behoove all of us to note the value of staying connected to the world. If the church exists as to serve God's mission in the world, then we always need to be communicating the needs of the world to the church and forming and supporting the members of the church to help meet those needs. So all of us need to stay connected to the world. Not to mention, it is also just good for one's sense of self and for self-care to be connected more broadly than the institution of the church. So, here are 5 tips for staying connected to the world.

1. Read the Newspaper
Okay, well maybe not the literal newspaper. Perhaps it is an app on your smartphone or a or the start page in your browser. Maybe you get email alerts of breaking news from your local newspaper, or at least the biggest paper in your state. Maybe you scan the headlines on the BBC, The New York Times or CNN. Maybe you listen to NPR when driving in your car. However you access it, there is great value in keeping track of the news in your town and around the world. Our sermons are better, our relationships stronger because we are connected to our communities and the needs of the world.

2. Shop Local
Get to know the business in your local area. Whether you are in an urban setting with lots around you or a small rural setting with miles between you and "civilization," try to build relationships with those around you. You never know what opportunities for service or evangelism might arise because of a conversation you had with the proprietor of a local restaurant or the post office employee.

3. Colleagues
A great way to remember that the church and the world are bigger than whatever little corner of it we might be serving, is to develop colleague relationships across the wider church. Whether this is through seminary classmates, people you meet at CREDO or another professional education event or even a local colleague group, there is much to be said for hearing what others are up to in their ministry. There is much support and great idea sharing that can happen in this groups, so be sure they are a part of your ministry!

4. Old Friends and some new
While it is great to have those with whom you can "talk shop," it is also essential to stay connected to people who are not in the church. Be sure that you keep a few friends who knew you before you ever went to seminary or started working for the church. They are essential for keeping us humble. Particularly for us clergy, if we are not careful the power of our office can easily go to our heads. We also need people who help us remember that there is more to who we are than our job titles. We need people with whom we do not have any professional obligations. People with whom we can laugh, cry and be ourselves. If you don't have old friends nearby or that you can connect with regularly, it can definitely be worthwhile to work on making some new ones.

5. Sabbath - Practices of Prayer and Refreshment
And of course there is another connection that needs to be maintained for us to flourish in our ministry - the connected to God. While it can be tempting to get lost in or become beholden to our "To Do" List, practices of prayer and refreshment are essential for keeping us well - in all senses. This should perhaps be number one, for without this connection, without a regular rhythm of prayer and relaxation built into our lives we run the risk of being overwhelmed by the needs of the world or become mired in the minutia of daily life in the church. May our spiritual disciplines and practices be the foundation from which we build the rest of our connections to each other and to the world.

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

A New Way Forward

Dear Blog Readers,

I had a brainstorm the other day, and so I am going to be trying something new. I realized I was frequently posting a lot of links from the same sites. Rather than continuing that I am going to offer a list below of my favorite Church/Ministry related news sites and blogs. Then going forward, I will still post resources that I think would be particularly useful to you all in your ministry. I also hope that the blog will become more of a forum for conversation and a place to offer some reflections on life, ministry and the Church.

As always I welcome your feedback. Thank you!

Blessings,

Molly

As promised, here is my list of favorite news sources and blogs:

NEWS
If you want to keep up with what is happening in the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion, I highly recommend subscribing to email alerts or following any (or all!) of the following organizations on Social Media:

http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/
The news service of The Episcopal Church. A great source of churchwide happenings, particularly around large events like General Convention. They also are good about publicizing grant opportunities.

http://www.anglicannews.org/
A great way to find out what is happening with our brothers and sisters around the Anglican Communion and to know when the Archbishop of Canterbury speaks publicly on a topic.

http://www.religionnews.com/
A resource to help us stay current on religion more broadly - ecumenical and interfaith.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/religion/
Another broad, ecumenical and interfaith resource that can be closer to a blog (more reflections and opinion pieces).

http://episcopalcafe.com/
Part news and part blog this is a great collection of news items, sermons and reflections from around The Episcopal Church. For instance, when the current crisis started unfolding at GTS, Episcopal Cafe had the most up to date information.

BLOGS

At present these are my favorite blogs to go to hear reactions to churchwide events, such as a new TREC letter or the questions on the GOEs.

These two blogs are from priest I have been privileged to work with (in the past and currently) in CT. I respect them as colleagues and priests, and I appreciate their wisdom and insights. Even if we don't agree on everything!

http://theyoungcurmudgeonpriest.blogspot.com/
http://thesubdeansstall.org/

I am on the Board of The Young Clergy Women Project, and while as our name suggests, we are particularly focused on the ministry of young women, our Magazine (blog), Fidelia's Sisters has many pieces and resources that would be applicable to all of us in ministry.

http://youngclergywomen.org/blog/

If, like me, you are a fan of Lent Maddness, then the names Scott Gunn and Tim Schneck will be familiar to you. They each maintain blogs and often have timely and insightful reflections on the Church and ministry, in addition to Lent Maddness fun!

http://www.sevenwholedays.org/
http://clergyconfidential.blogspot.com/

If you want a sometimes snarky, but equally insightful reflection on life in the Episcopal Church, I recommend reading the blog of Tom Ferguson, Dean of Bexley Hall who blogs at: http://crustyoldean.blogspot.com/

Another blog I enjoy reading because it contains a mix of Scripture reflections and reflections on broader themes/events in The Episcopal Church is that of Evan Garner, a priest and deputy to General Convention from the Diocese of Alabama. I have been following Evan's blog for over a year and enjoy what he has to say. His blog is: http://evandgarner.blogspot.com/

Finally, if you want something a bit broader on religion more generally, I recommend CNN's belief blog. CT's Danielle Tumminio Hansen (who is on the COM) has been featured on it.
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/

Those are my favorites for now. I will add more as I find them, and I look forward to hearing some of yours!

Monday, August 18, 2014

Reflections on Suicide, Racism, Justice and other items of note from around the internet this week

Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion

The Lead: On Talking to Strangers

The Lead: A Mother reflects on White Privilege

On The Table: "...and the child will be healed." -- A sermon for the 10th Sunday after Pentecost

The Lead

Speaking to the Soul: Impediments to Transformation

Crusty Old Dean: On the Media: 40th Anniversary of Women's "Ordination"

Speaking to the Soul: At the Center of the Heart

Daily Episcopalian: Signs of HR troubles in your church

New Ministry, New Paths: Suicide, Addiction, Shame and Grace

The World is About to Turn | cowtown theology

The Lead: Future of Episcopal Cafe

Ferguson Faith Leaders Take To The Streets, March With Protestors | ThinkProgress

» The Racist Soil of Ferguson MO The Rev. Wil Gafney, Ph.D.

The tragic death of Michael Brown and ensuing events

The Lead: Responses to Ferguson, MO

Church questionnaire requests info for 2015 UNCSW

Presiding Bishop calls for prayer for Iraq on Sunday, August 17

The Young Curmudgeon Priest: If I Ran the Church: My List for the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music

Faith leaders attempt to bring Ferguson community together : Lifestyles

Three Episcopal Campus Ministry awards presented

Robin Williams: The death of our captain

Anglican priest says her appointment shows barriers can be dismantled

Archbishop of Canterbury interviewed about Iraq crisis

YouTube: Robin Williams on Being Episcopalian

Hartford church collects cleaning supplies for West Africa - WFSB 3 Connecticut

Episcopal Diocese of Texas

Daily Episcopalian: New Church Planting Part 2

Joint Nominating Committee issues Call for Discernment and Profile for 27th Episcopal Presiding Bishop | Episcopal Church

Ferguson, Missouri: Church leaders aim to help rebuild community trust

Church groups mobilize to address West Africa Ebola outbreak

Anglicans tell Eco-bishops: “Be prophetic, encourage ecological witness”

Maui’s ‘A Cup of Cold Water’ pours hope into homeless community

Presiding Bishop, faith leaders welcome Israel-Hamas ceasefire

Video: Escaping persecution, Iraqi Christians find new lives in Paris

Reflections on Ministry

Despite a Turbulent Work Life, a Minister Doesn’t Question Her Calling - NYTimes.com

Before Robin Williams Shows Up in Your Sermon, Think Again

Beauty Tips For Ministers – This Sunday, August 17

Let the Main Thing be the Main Thing | Liturgy

That ONE Church Member | Rev. Dr. Olivia Bryan Updegrove

Preaching Reflections on Michael Brown and Ferguson - Odyssey Networks

Chasin' Jesus: Vatican, Air Strikes, Jesus

Clint Smith: The danger of silence | Talk Video | TED.com

Author: More teens becoming 'fake' Christians - CNN.com

Ministry Resources

Ministry Matters™ | Backpack Blessings

www.pray-as-you-go.org/home/

Suicide

Suicide and Choice: An Open Letter to Matt Walsh Pastor Jean-Daniel

Resting in the Light: Thoughts on Faith & Suicide | Ordaining Sarah: Reflections on the Journey

Hydrate Your Soul — Drinking from the Fire Hose: Robin Williams and Suicide

Peace Babe: Choiceless...

Barefoot Priest: On Robin Williams and Depression

Friday, June 27, 2014

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