Recently, I’ve been in conversations with regional/conference ministers and bishops of varying denominations. Our conversations have flowed something like this: Regional/Conference Minister: “Most of my churches are declining and exhausted. …
So, Your Church Wants More Young Families?
By Rev. Dr. Anna Hall When I help churches through our Church Vitality Assessment, there is one comment that I see again and again. “We need more young families.” I …
Three Ideas for your Digital Ministry
Three years ago congregations and faith leaders everywhere were thrown into the deep end of digital ministry. There’s a good chance you’re one of them! You’ve started or improved your …
Three Year Slump
By Rev. Laura Robinson The Year-Three Slump. Or is it a readjustment? A disgruntlement? It’s a three year something. I was attending a virtual summit put on by the United Church …
When Strangers Seek Shelter
When I turned on the evening news to see the wonderful people of Saint Andrews Episcopal Church on Martha’s Vineyard in the middle of a political firestorm, I remembered that …
Losing Your Place to Find It
By Rev. Dr. Anna Mitchell Hall What is your latitude and longitude right now? What is your exact street location? Where does the water flow when rain falls where you …
A Black Belt In Aikido
In the practice of aikido, a form of martial arts intended only for defense and never for aggression, the practitioner begins their training with a white belt. Over time and …
Four Reasons for Hope
Over recent weeks we watched the invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces. We watched the death toll from Covid continue to be shockingly high. We watched the stock market drop …
A Civic Virus? New Study Explores People’s Struggles to Find Belonging And Hope
By Rev. Dr. Anna Hall We see it all around us: people are increasingly disconnected from the civic institutions, including churches, that fostered relationships and belonging in decades past. One …
We Are Made of Stardust
On her podcast, On Being, journalist Krista Tippett interviewed astronomer Dr. Jill Tarter about her work searching for life on other planets. Jill was the inspiration for the main character, …