The poet Donald Hall once told the story of a New Hampshire hermit, a man who passed away leaving behind sheds full of stuff. His friends and neighbors helped sort through the avalanche of … well, everything under the sun … that had been accumulated...
It’s a natural reflex, when confronted with something momentous, to think there is something big we need to do – something grand, great, dramatic – to meet the moment. And there are many times – and many courageous people - who have risen to meet...
Ministry Collaborative program staff (Beth Daniel, Amy Valdez Barker, Jennifer Watley Maxell, and Mark Ramsey) discuss strength and weakness in Christ, the price of discipleship, and what they would preach to the world today. ...
This seems to be the season of “more” in many churches. Either folks want more, need more, or lament they don’t have more. What we really need to thrive are more young people. Or young families. Or more babies and kids (especially the kind that don’t make noise...
Ministry Collaborative program staff (Mark Ramsey, Beth Daniel, Amy Valdez Barker, and Jennifer Watley Maxell) discuss the lovely surprise of optimism, the importance of looking out for community and support, and why we need to continue to root ourselves in Scripture. ...
According to a recent poll, 61% of Americans admit to "self-silencing" — keeping their true opinions on sensitive topics to themselves. When asked if “a college degree is not worth it,” 29% of Americans publicly agree it’s not. In private, however, only 3% agree. “We live in...
Executive Director Mark Ramsey wraps up our “When Politics Is Upstream of Faith” series, speaking with the Rev. Carol Patterson (Setting the Captives Free) and the Rev. Rebecca Gurney (Reems Creek-Beech Presbyterian, Weaverville, NC) about Jesus' gift for bringing "news from another network, the challenge...
Well, we may be getting a bit ahead of ourselves. But this summer, Pope Francis did publish a remarkable Letter on the Role of Literature In Formation, in which he made a provocative case (indeed, in his own words, proposed “a radical course”) for the...
Executive Director Mark Ramsey continues our “When Politics Is Upstream of Faith” series, speaking with the Rev. Leon Stevenson (Mack Avenue Community Church, Detroit) and the Rev. Dr. Barry Jones (Irving Bible Church, TX) about their advice for younger pastors, what we can learn from...
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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