Recently, my friend, Rev. Traci Blackmon, posted on Facebook: “Concerning matters of racial justice… ‘An institution or congregation moves only as fast as the most fragile white person in their midst.’ - Dr. Jemar Tisby” From what I’ve experienced and observed, there is a lot of...
What the world needs now Is love, sweet love It's the only thing that there's just too little of What the world needs now Is love, sweet love No, not just for some, but for everyone Lord, we don't need another mountain There are mountains and hillsides enough to climb There are oceans...
…we are each other’s Harvest: We are each other’s Business: We are each other’s Magnitude and bond. ~Gwendolyn Brooks, “Paul Robeson,” 1970 These concluding words of Gwendolyn Brooks’ poem, “Paul Robeson,” hit me like a ton of bricks. Of course, we are each other’s harvest. WE collectively are what we communally and...
Program Staff Amy Valdez Barker and Jennifer Watley Maxell speak with the Andy Hendren (Wespath) about the overall frustrating trends in clergy health, places where positive impact is happening, and what it might look like to redeploy church assets for communal well-being. Listen here....
Program Staff Jennifer Watley Maxell and Amy Valdez Barker speak with the Rev. Dr. Danielle Buhuro (Sankofa CPE) about the difference between hurt and trauma, the importance of clinical pastoral education, and what the Japanese practice of Ikigai can teach us about differentiating our call/s...
Program Staff Amy Valdez Barker and Jennifer Watley Maxell speak with the Rev. Matthew Watley (Kingdom Global, Calverton, MD; TKN Leadership Summit) about doing ministry at a high level, the challenge and barrier of pleasing stakeholders, and the gift of rising to meet the crisis. Listen...
Program Staff Jennifer Watley Maxell and Amy Valdez Barker speak with Rev. Dustin Mailman (Deep Time, Asheville) about the power of ministry through social enterprise, his own call to working alongside folks impacted by incarceration, and Deep Time's approach to ministry - including their coffee...
Program Staff Jennifer Watley Maxell and Amy Valdez Barker speak with Dr. Thema Bryant about the importance of intergenerational coalitions for wisdom and innovative courage; the need for people of faith to offer continuity of care; and her upcoming book on healing, Matters of the...
Program Staff Jennifer Watley Maxell and Amy Valdez Barker speak with the Rev. Carla Jones Brown about the importance of language, finding hope in the every day, and what kind of preaching is needed. Listen here....
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I was the Facilitator for the first New York City cohort, and at the time, I was working in theological education on Christian leadership formation, so it seemed like a natural fit. What I discovered, though, was something quite different from my “day job.” While the content and topics of the curriculum was a crucial part of our gatherings, it was the community of mutual care and support that made the content relevant, not the other way around. And second, having three years of strong bonding created an extraordinarily resilient community that, in turn, was able to build up resilience in our leaders. I think every member of my cohort went through significant seasons of both joy and heartache, professionally and vocationally, during our time. And the cohort, in turn, lived out the exhortation of Romans 12:15, “rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep,” with a depth and integrity that I have rarely experienced, and often doing both in the same gathering. It was a privilege and a blessing to me and my own faith and ministry to be their facilitator, and I am eternally grateful to the Ministry Collaborative for calling me to that work!”
“It was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. It was unique to my particular situation. It was needed, appreciated and healing. It was affirming. Most valuable was the unspoken understanding of what we all were facing in our ministry context. There was a sense that we could finish each other’s sentences. Solidarity and empathy.”
Graduation Date:
May 23, 2021
“It was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. It was unique to my particular situation. It was needed, appreciated and healing. It was affirming. Most valuable was the unspoken understanding of what we all were facing in our ministry context. There was a sense that we could finish each other’s sentences. Solidarity and empathy.”
Graduation Date:
May 23, 2021
“I truly looked forward to this every week. The discussion topics, activities, and small group conversations were all very rich and meaningful. This experience gave me space to reflect on what’s happening right now in my congregation and community. It helped me to think about what might be next in my own ministry. It offered some very concrete ways I might work on equipping leaders in my congregation. I really enjoyed meeting colleagues from different places, denominations, and contexts–and learning from their experiences and reflections. I also appreciated hearing further conversation and reinforcement in the podcasts.”
Graduation Date:
July 14, 2021
“The experience was, in one word, enriching. It was timely as well. I was at a critical point in my own ministry and this literally breathed life back into me. The time went by so fast that I didn’t even realize two months had passed. To be able to share that type of camaraderie with other preachers, and realize that my struggles are not isolated, was liberating.”
Graduation Date:
March 18, 2021
“It was great to find confirmation and affirmation of my ministry through the voices of other pastors. I particularly enjoyed the focused time on talking about each of us as individuals and pastors, and not so much on what our churches look like.”
Graduation Date:
January 31st, 2020