• Respond in new ways to God and to your neighbors. Grow in ways that lead to greater capacity to act in transformative ways to the needs of the world around us. Alban can help you make the link between who you are as a congregation and what you are being called to do for the sake of others.

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  • BookStilling the StormStilling the Storm

    How should a congregation respond in worship when a crisis arises in the nation, the community, or the congregation itself? Kathleen Smith reminds us that helping the congregation to remember God’s love and trust in God’s purposes, even in the worst of times, is essential during a crisis.

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  • WebinarBasic Tools for Today’s Lay Leaders: Managing Conflict

    A webinar is for the new lay leader trying to deal with conflict in their congregation and feeling the need for basic information about healthy practices in congregations, the most common sources of conflict, and how societal changes have created new types of conflict for our churches.

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  • ArticleIs E-mail the New Parking Lot?Is E-mail the New ‘Parking Lot’?

    E-mail has become the communication tool of choice for many of us. But, like “parking lot meetings” that cause havoc with communication and decision-making, e-mail can cause misunderstandings and stir conflict. Susan Nienaber looks at how congregations can use this communication miracle constructively and productively.

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  • ArticleWorship and CommunityWorship and Community

    Be honest, now: Have you ever had trouble encountering God in worship? Sometimes we say the words and receive the benediction without ever connecting with God. Read Graham Standish’s story about transforming worship into a place of intentional, authentic encounter with God’s Spirit.

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  • ArticleMoney and Spiritual Life: A Jewish Approach to Obligatory Giving

    Jewish tradition views money as an expression of values and a commitment to godly action in the world. Money is a reflection of our priorities, including spiritual priorities. Bob Leventhal and Shawn Israel Zevit, discuss the dynamic tension between economics and spirituality within congregations.

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  • ArticleAre We Hospitable to the Stranger?Hospitality to the Stranger

    Imagine that you are a greeter – welcoming people to worship. A couple you do not recognize “strangers” comes to the door. How do view them? How do you offer them more than a cheery welcome? How do you offer these strangers the hospitality of God?

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  • ArticlePlanning for Social Ministry

    Do you feel like your social ministry efforts could be better – make more of difference, reach more folks in need, have a greater impact on unjust systems? Dan Hotchkiss suggests that the place to start is with the right people in the room, asking the right questions.

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  • BookA New and Right SpiritA New and Right Spirit

    In a postmodern culture shaped by baby boomer values and marked by a consumerist approach to nearly everything, it’s little wonder that there is so much confusion about who and what the church is supposed to be in the 21st century.

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  • WebinarJoy SkjegstadDoing Community Ministry

    Community ministry and outreach are critical to the future of your congregation. They will be a reason that many new members are drawn in, as well as a reason your congregation will remain relevant to active members. Joy Skjegstad will help you understand why community ministry is essential to the very future of your congregation and how to go about getting more involved in it.

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