Every pastor faces the constant challenge of how to handle personal and congregational “secrets.” Because of the unique relational nature of our work, pastors probably wrestle with how to navigate secrets more than any other profession. Who among us has not wrestled with how to negotiate the blurred lines between those who are our members, parishioners, acquaintances, friends or even perceived adversaries in our faith communities? Most pastors have pondered: Should I even be friends with my church members? How do I handle that I enjoy the company of some of my flock more than others? How do I avoid the conflict of interest or the appearance of fostering favorites? How does being closer to some of my members affect my pastoral work and how others perceive me? What is it like for those who are not in my closest inner-circle? Further, how do pastors transition from meeting with a church member for a pastoral counseling appointment in the afternoon to sitting next to that same person in … [Read more...]
-
Outlook Features 3 hours ago
Managing secrets maturely: Family systems theory for church leaders
Every pastor faces the constant challenge of how to handle personal and congregational “secrets.” Because of the unique relational nature of our work, pastors probably wrestle with how to navigate secrets more than any other profession. Who among us has not wrestled with how to negotiate the blurred lines between those who are our members, parishioners, acquaintances, friends or even perceived adversaries in our faith communities? Most pastors have pondered: Should I even be friends with my church members? How do I handle that I enjoy the company of some… continue reading... -
Commentary 4 hours ago
Remembering
Where I left the car keys, the remote for the TV, that letter from the lawyer, my spectacles and pills. I must have left my gloves somewhere. And as for that umbrella that the kids gave me last Christmas… Lost objects occupy these latter days like an invading host, demand their dreary ransom of the hours spent in searching – pockets, drawers, desks, and sofas – to locate whatever’s missing. Might there be, somewhere, an eternal Lost and Found, a place where folk and missing things are reunited, where a… continue reading... -
Book Reviews 1 day ago
Mornings with Bonhoeffer
Donald K. McKim Abingdon Press, 240 pages “No priest, no theologian stood at the cradle of Bethlehem. And yet, all Christian theology finds its beginnings in the miracle of miracles, that God became human.” So said Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who remains a valuable teacher for our time. What makes this devotional different and most helpful is the commentary of Donald McKim. A generous sampling of Bonhoeffer’s writings are enhanced by Scripture and his thoughtful commentary in this format: Scripture, Bonhoeffer quote and commentary by McKim. It all sounds so similar —… continue reading...
Parties in Stamford case had tried to expedite process in order to get a ruling on the merits of the case January 1, 1995 Uncategorized67 views The General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission -- in sidestepping the question of exactly how deeply a session should be required to probe into the private life of a gay elder who has acknowledged being in a committed, life-long relationship but has declined to say whether he is sexually active -- has put the question off but has not put it to rest.- Ministering with the Earth January 1, 1998 Book Reviews57 views By Mary Elizabeth MooreChalice. 1998. 226 pp. Pb. $19.99. ISBN 0-8272-2323-4 Ministering with the Earth is a quiltwork, both the on-the-ground activity and Moore's book about so ministering. Moore, professor of theology and Christian education at Claremont School of Theology, is fond of the metaphor, suitably pastoral and feminist.
- Remembered Voice: Reclaiming the Legacy of 'Neo-Orthodoxy' January 1, 1998 Book Reviews55 views By Douglas John HallWJKP. 1998. 145 pp. Pb. $18. ISBN 0-664-25772-0 It was in this order. I first read Tillich's Dynamics of Faith. Riveting. Next came The Courage to Be. Gripping. Then I went back and read the first volume of the Systematic Theology. Things began to make sense. Next came Biblical Religion and the Search for Ultimate Reality. Positive.
Stony Point as laboratory? Presbyterian Mission Agency Board discusses center’s future September 28, 2018 Outlook Reporting1 comment LOUISVILLE – The question of how much money the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is willing to spend to support the Stony Point Center continues to be raised – with the leadership of the Presbyterian Mission Agency hoping to spend the next six months or so trying to get Stony Point on more solid financial ground and finding ways to integrate it with the broader work of the agency.
The Presbyterian Mission Agency Board has been struggling for years with the questions of how much to financially support Stony Point – with an underlying questio...
“This is going to be some heavy lifting" — Moving Forward Implementation Commission gets to work January 14, 2019 Outlook Reporting1 comment LOUISVILLE – The Moving Forward Implementation Commission is beginning to get a sense of the territory in which it’ll be working until the next General Assembly – somewhat familiar landscape, but with new challenges as well.
Some of this work involves monitoring to make sure that what the 2018 General Assembly instructed be done actually comes to pass – for example, to significantly expand translation of materials in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) into languages other than English.
“Access is power,” said Julie Cox, a mid council executive from South C...
“We need clarity of vision” – Way Forward Committee takes action on 2020 Vision Team report June 18, 2018 Outlook Reporting1 comment ST. LOUIS – The Way Forward Committee took action on the 2020 Vision Team report June 17 – but along the way struggled with some of the same difficulties the Vision Team encountered in drafting its report.
The Vision Team – which is supposed to complete its work in 2020 – had sent a recommendation asking the 2018 General Assembly to forward a proposed draft of its guiding statement to the church for study and comment. That draft statement says that “God calls the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to be Prayerful, Courageous, United, Serving, Alive” – with first ...
Managing secrets maturely: Family systems theory for church leaders
Tagged With: family systems theory
Remembering
Where I left the car keys, the remote for the TV, that letter from the lawyer, my spectacles and pills. I must have left my gloves somewhere. And as for that umbrella that the kids gave me last Christmas… Lost objects occupy these latter days like an invading host, demand their dreary ransom of the hours spent in searching – pockets, drawers, desks, and sofas – to locate whatever’s missing. Might there be, somewhere, an eternal Lost and Found, a place where folk and missing things are reunited, where a sympathetic clerk roams miles of shelves and cubby holes until he finds just what it is you’re looking for and sets it on the counter with a smile? And if such a place existed, what would I ask for first? – J. Barrie Shepherd … [Read more...]
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Stated Clerk recalls Poor People’s Campaign, other King legacies
(PNS) The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spent his last weeks on Earth in 1968 fighting to gain traction for the Poor People’s Campaign, the Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II reminded a sellout crowd Monday attending the Hope Breakfast commemorating King’s life and legacy. But even a cursory glance of the nation’s big cities confirms that “we have gone back to business as usual all over this nation,” said Nelson, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and keynoter for the event, held at the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville. Government at levels including the White House have used “benign neglect over what it means to govern fairly and look out for all people,” Nelson said, “not just the wealthy, not just ‘our kind’ but for all people to receive the love that God intends.” Nelson called King a 20th century prophet “who gave most of his life trying to redeem the United States of America from the harshness of racial segregation, degradation and … [Read more...]
Alabama Presbyterian church suffers major tornado damage Saturday
(PNS) The almost two-century-old sanctuary of First Presbyterian Church in Wetumpka, Alabama was destroyed Saturday when a tornado struck the town, which is northeast of Montgomery. The sanctuary of First Presbyterian Church in Wetumpka, Alabama was destroyed Saturday by a tornado. (Photo from Facebook.com/FirstPresbyterianWetumpka) Wetumpka’s First Baptist Church also sustained major damage from the tornado, which struck when a severe thunderstorm rolled through the area at approximately 2:45 p.m. CT, according to the Montgomery Advertiser. The newspaper reported that in addition to the churches, the Wetumpka Police Department and 25 homes sustained major damage in the EF-2 tornado (winds of 111 to 135 mph) that cut a 300-yard path through the city’s downtown. Those homes included that of the Rev. Jonathan Yarboro, First Presbyterian’s pastor, according to the Advertiser. The paper said he was away at a meeting at the time of the storm, but the family rode out the storm in a … [Read more...]
Mornings with Bonhoeffer
Donald K. McKim Abingdon Press, 240 pages “No priest, no theologian stood at the cradle of Bethlehem. And yet, all Christian theology finds its beginnings in the miracle of miracles, that God became human.” So said Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who remains a valuable teacher for our time. What makes this devotional different and most helpful is the commentary of Donald McKim. A generous sampling of Bonhoeffer’s writings are enhanced by Scripture and his thoughtful commentary in this format: Scripture, Bonhoeffer quote and commentary by McKim. It all sounds so similar — just another devotional. Alas! Yet, dear Christian reader, imagine what might happen if you invited your pastor, your elders and deacons – not to mention the full congregation – to spend 15 minutes with you for 100 days reflecting upon Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Seriously. What can go wrong? Each year I give a Christmas gift to my elders and deacons to encourage their spiritual practice. This year I gave this book. These are … [Read more...]
Our 200th year of ministry
We are excited to welcome 2019 as it marks the 200th anniversary of our ministry. Our first ancestor publication, The Missionary, began in 1819 in Mt. Zion, Georgia, with the expansive mission to be “a means of raising the political, literary and educational level of the people of Georgia.” Other predecessors include The Presbyterian of the South and The Presbyterian Standard. In 1944, those two publications merged and became The Presbyterian Outlook, so named because “its outreach would be as broad as the cross. Its prayer is that it may be led to the outlook of Christ as it views and interprets the changing scenes of our discordant world.” We continue that audacious mission today. Throughout this year we will have several special issues that will look back at how important topics were presented and discussed in our pages. Some of the articles we will share with thanksgiving, others with lament. We intend to look honestly at our past in order to better discern the outlook of Christ … [Read more...]
- 1
- 2
- 3
- …
- 2562
- Next Page »
Tweet With Us
Be A Facebook Fan
Our World in Photos
Pin With Us