If death isn’t your thing, re-think that. Because death and grief is all of our thing. In life and in death, we belong to God but in belonging to God, we belong to the realities of life and death. Those realities are present constantly, not just at bodily death, but death/grief of expectations, careers, ideas, understanding of society and one another. My time at the funeral home and other death experiences wasn’t just about death—they were about how we live, love, and have our being.
https://media.myworshiptimes31.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/55/2020/05/14154200/anton-darius-lQMtXKvBmuw-unsplash-scaled.jpg17072560Layton Williams/wp-content/uploads/sites/55/2016/01/NEXT-Logo-FINAL-Horizontal_lato-1030x229.pngLayton Williams2020-05-14 15:46:062020-05-14 15:46:06Death and the Life of Ministry
In light of God’s Grace, perhaps the question isn’t “what do you want to get out of this” or “how do you want to maximize on this opportunity”, as if a pandemic is something that we extract value and meaning out of. The Grace of God asks us instead “what is being revealed?” What do you see? What do you hear? What have you experienced? What are you going through?
There’s a very important distinction there, because there’s no wrong answer. The focus moves away from planning one’s way through a pandemic, and more on what God is doing right now, and bearing witness to it in the past tense- today has enough troubles, so how did you see God today?
This fall, in addition to sharing reflections on “what is saving your ministry right now?”, we are also bringing back some of our most popular posts over the last couple of years. We hope these “greatest hits” will allow you new insight in this busy time of year. We invite you to join the conversation here, on Facebook, or Twitter! […]
https://media.myworshiptimes31.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/55/2014/12/29175557/text-message.jpg375500Linda Kurtz/wp-content/uploads/sites/55/2016/01/NEXT-Logo-FINAL-Horizontal_lato-1030x229.pngLinda Kurtz2015-12-15 08:30:052016-09-02 08:47:32Greatest Hit: Prayer by Text Message?
This fall, in addition to sharing reflections on “what is saving your ministry right now?”, we are also bringing back some of our most popular posts over the last couple of years. We hope these “greatest hits” will allow you new insight in this busy time of year. We invite you to join the conversation here, on Facebook, or Twitter! […]
https://media.myworshiptimes31.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/55/2014/12/29180145/holding-hands.jpg480640Jessica Tate/wp-content/uploads/sites/55/2016/01/NEXT-Logo-FINAL-Horizontal_lato-1030x229.pngJessica Tate2015-12-08 07:48:032016-02-19 13:56:10Greatest Hit: Worship as Pastoral Care in an Intimate Church
Each month, we post a series of blogs around a common topic. This December, Anna Pinckney Straight is curating a month of reflections on pastoral care in the 21st century. Join the conversation here or on Facebook. By Milton Brasher-Cuningham saints of diminished capacity I only saw the words written,requiring me to infer tone;to assume either compassionor conceit; to decide if the […]
Each month, we post a series of blogs around a common topic. This December, Anna Pinckney Straight is curating a month of reflections on pastoral care in the 21st century. Join the conversation here or on Facebook. By Jenny McDevitt In elementary school, I had a brief but intense career as a Christmas criminal. My third grade class was scheduled for […]
Each month, we post a series of blogs around a common topic. This December, Anna Pinckney Straight is curating a month of reflections on pastoral care in the 21st century. Join the conversation here or on Facebook. By Anna Pinckney Straight In my current call, we are asked to write an annual self-evaluation in preparation for our annual review. I’ve written […]
Death and the Life of Ministry
/in Leadership, Pastoral Care, Theological Reflections /by Layton WilliamsIf death isn’t your thing, re-think that. Because death and grief is all of our thing. In life and in death, we belong to God but in belonging to God, we belong to the realities of life and death. Those realities are present constantly, not just at bodily death, but death/grief of expectations, careers, ideas, understanding of society and one another. My time at the funeral home and other death experiences wasn’t just about death—they were about how we live, love, and have our being.
The Grace of Achieving Nothing
/in COVID-19, Leadership, Pastoral Care /by Layton WilliamsIn light of God’s Grace, perhaps the question isn’t “what do you want to get out of this” or “how do you want to maximize on this opportunity”, as if a pandemic is something that we extract value and meaning out of. The Grace of God asks us instead “what is being revealed?” What do you see? What do you hear? What have you experienced? What are you going through?
There’s a very important distinction there, because there’s no wrong answer. The focus moves away from planning one’s way through a pandemic, and more on what God is doing right now, and bearing witness to it in the past tense- today has enough troubles, so how did you see God today?
Greatest Hit: Prayer by Text Message?
/in Contemporary Culture, Pastoral Care /by Linda KurtzThis fall, in addition to sharing reflections on “what is saving your ministry right now?”, we are also bringing back some of our most popular posts over the last couple of years. We hope these “greatest hits” will allow you new insight in this busy time of year. We invite you to join the conversation here, on Facebook, or Twitter! […]
Greatest Hit: Worship as Pastoral Care in an Intimate Church
/in Pastoral Care, Worship /by Jessica TateThis fall, in addition to sharing reflections on “what is saving your ministry right now?”, we are also bringing back some of our most popular posts over the last couple of years. We hope these “greatest hits” will allow you new insight in this busy time of year. We invite you to join the conversation here, on Facebook, or Twitter! […]
Saints of Diminished Capacity
/in Leadership, Pastoral Care /by Jessica TateEach month, we post a series of blogs around a common topic. This December, Anna Pinckney Straight is curating a month of reflections on pastoral care in the 21st century. Join the conversation here or on Facebook. By Milton Brasher-Cuningham saints of diminished capacity I only saw the words written,requiring me to infer tone;to assume either compassionor conceit; to decide if the […]
Giving Permission
/in Contemporary Culture, Pastoral Care /by Jessica TateEach month, we post a series of blogs around a common topic. This December, Anna Pinckney Straight is curating a month of reflections on pastoral care in the 21st century. Join the conversation here or on Facebook. By Jenny McDevitt In elementary school, I had a brief but intense career as a Christmas criminal. My third grade class was scheduled for […]
Pro-Active Pastoral Care
/in Contemporary Culture, Pastoral Care, Theological Reflections /by Jessica TateEach month, we post a series of blogs around a common topic. This December, Anna Pinckney Straight is curating a month of reflections on pastoral care in the 21st century. Join the conversation here or on Facebook. By Anna Pinckney Straight In my current call, we are asked to write an annual self-evaluation in preparation for our annual review. I’ve written […]