The Alban Institute

Creating the Future Together: Methods to Inspire Your Whole Faith Community
Loren B. Mead and Billie T. Alban

Congregations today face a multitude of challenges in trying to adapt to a quickly changing world. Balancing new concerns with core values is a complicated process that can leave too many members feeling that their voices and needs are not being met. Loren B. Mead and Billie T. Alban have developed Creating the Future Together to share their knowledge of how congregations can use large group methods to navigate these new waters. more

Called for Life: Finding Meaning in Retirement
Paul C. Clayton

Called for Life reflects on our calling to serve God and neighbor in the context of retirement. People facing retirement ask a variety of questions, each framed by a different perspective. “Will I ever be interested in retiring?” some baby boomers ask. “Who am I now?” newly retired clergy ask. “What, if anything, is God calling me to do and be after retirement?” all inquire. more

God's Tapestry: Understanding and Celebrating Differences
William M. Kondrath

Our differences are our greatest blessings and our greatest challenges, maintains William Kondrath, Episcopal priest and seminary professor. Theologically and ecologically, differences foster life and growth, but discord within denominations and congregations frequently have to do with the inability of individuals and groups to deeply understand and value differences. more

Leading from the Table
Paul Galbreath

The communion table stands as an intersection between Word and Sacrament, between memory and hope, between pastor and congregation, between receiving and serving, and between community and individual. Leading from the table, says Paul Galbreath, professor of preaching and worship, is a way of thinking, speaking, acting, and living that grows out of learning to recognize and embody these connections in our lives as a congregation and as individuals. more

Blessed Connections: Relationships that Sustain Vital Ministry
Judith Schwanz

No pastor sets out to fail, but statistics say 15 to 20 percent of pastors leave pastoral ministry within the first five years. One seminary administrator said that every person he had heard of leaving the ministry had done so because of a relationship failure. We cannot escape relationships in ministry, yet few seminaries offer courses in how to build healthy relationships. more

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Book Catalog

Fall 2007 catalog cover To receive the current book catalog or be put on our mailing list, call 1-800-486-1318, ext. 256 or e-mail cdevine@alban.org. You may also download an electronic version (PDF).

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