5 Questions with John Wilkinson

We are launching a new series this month that highlights participants at the national gathering in Minneapolis on March 31st – April 2nd, 2014. Presenters, preachers, teachers, and leaders were asked the same five questions and their thoughtful responses may be found here every week. The goal is to introduce you to people you’ll hear from in Minneapolis and prime the pump for our time together. Hopefully, something here will spark an idea, thought, or question for you. We encourage you to reach out and initiate conversations that you can later continue in person. So without further ado …

5 questions 950x300John Wilkinson is Pastor of Third Presbyterian Church in Rochester NY. He came to Rochester in 2001 from Chicago. He has been active on the presbytery and national levels, and loves our connectional culture and confessional legacy. He’s leading a workshop (along with Tedd Pulano) on Urban Presbyterians Together, A Model for Missional and Relational Ministry.

1. Tell us about your ministry context.

Metropolitan congregation, interesting combinaiton of tradition and innovation, vibrant, serving, growing, seeking

2. Where have you seen glimpses of “the church that is becoming”?

Our collaborative urban ministry that is addressing the challenges of public education in the city of Rochester

3. What are your passions in ministry? (And/or what keeps you up at night?)

Worship, collegiality, collaboration, urban ministry, the confessions, connectionalism, hymns

4. What is one thing you are looking forward to at the NEXT Gathering?

Connecting with colleagues and friends and gleaning new ideas for ministry

5. Describe NEXT Church in seven words or less.

Connecting, transforming, adapting, confessing, serving, worshiping, hoping

1 reply
  1. Rev. Martha Moler
    Rev. Martha Moler says:

    At our Urban Presbyterians Together monthly clergy luncheon, Dr. William Wilkinson suggested for collaborative interfaith urban ministry efforts to be successful we should view our city as our one parish. If we can work together, rather than separately, so much can be accomplished. Maybe even shalom.

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