Let’s focus for a few sessions on what a Pastoral Nominating Committee (PNC) should do in preparation for the new…

Yesterday, we reflected on theological doctrines that spoke to your spiritual journey. Now, on New Year’s Eve, I invite you…

Yesterday we made use of a color to guide your reflections as you drew to the close of the year.…

Sometimes it is helpful to approach a subject from a completely different perspective. As you end 2010, I want to…

I recently had the privilege of charging a congregation at the installation of their new pastor. Since it was Advent,…

I have worked with CSS publishing Company to produce three volumes of reflections on the lectionary passages, one for each…

As we approach the end of Advent and the celebration of Christmas, let me suggest that you overcome your guilt…

Within the Presbyterian tradition, an elder remains an elder even when they are not involved in actively serving on the…

Like the clergy, family members can also be affected positively or negatively by the elder’s ministry. An awareness of these…

Paying attention to the spiritual, emotional journey of our elders is an important way to build the body. By doing…

A first step in building Elder Leadership might begin in caring for each others physical health. What if as a…

There has been much written about church leadership lately but it is usually focused on the clergy. In the Presbyterian…

It is a current criticism of the contemporary church that there is very little prophetic preaching occurring in our churches.…

The pressure to prepare a sermon is so relentless that it often robs us of the time to do some…

Yesterday I suggested that you schedule some planning time to identify some major directions in your preaching schedule. Today, I…

Few lay people understand the emotional pressure of the weekly sermon. If you feel a sermon went badly, it puts…

I’m sharing with you a meditation I recently prepared as a devotional for a session that I moderate. Think of…

I have been receiving help on my development of comedy from Judy Carter who wrote the Comedy Bible. Recently she…

Al and Carla had parked at the end of the parking lot. It was mostly empty as they walked to…

The moderator of the meeting spoke up. “Could you summarize what you want from us at this time?” “Sure,” said…