Natasha Sistrunk Robinson IVP Books, 208 pages Reviewed by Rachel Cheney As a former Marine Corps officer, seminary graduate and founder of a nonprofit organization, Natasha Sistrunk Robinson provides a unique perspective on race and faith in “A Sojourner’s Truth.” Her theological background and career as an international speaker equip her to handle the multifaceted problem of racism in the U.S. With clarity and urgency, she weaves together her own lived-out experience as an African American woman in the South with passages from Scripture that speak to today’s racial climate. Sistrunk Robinson leans primarily on the exodus narrative in the Old Testament. She focuses on the story of ancient Israel’s journey from Egypt, noting how it both highlights God’s power and providence and illuminates a path forward for modern readers. Her story mirrors Moses’ journey of old and speaks to many who are also called to upset the cultural status quo. She challenges readers to raise … [Read more...]
What’s right about Green Acres Presbyterian Church?
Green Acres Presbyterian Church – Portsmouth, Virginia Danish and Devotions is our nursing home visitation project. Having five residents at a nearby retirement community, it seemed logical to find a way to visit with all five on pastoral visitation days. An alternative to visiting each resident was to somehow get them together to enjoy fellowship and create new friendships. Working with the church’s congregational care committee, we set up a day to meet in the activity room of the center. It was suggested that snacks be provided, and thus, the “Danish” part of the name. All five attended with the pastor and an elder of the committee. A time of catching up on each other’s lives was followed by a time of prayer. The pastor shared a devotional and fellowship time followed. The initial Danish and Devotions was seen as something of value and future dates were set for the gathering. Danish and Devotions is held about every six weeks and the gathering has grown as other residents, … [Read more...]
Health and growth: An assessment tool for churches in transition
Guest commentary by Nicole Farley In 2017 the Presbytery of Milwaukee received a grant, which made possible new ways of attending to church vitality within our congregations. One branch of this support has been to make Holy Cow! Consulting (an assessment tool for churches) affordable for any congregation in the presbytery. And one way that’s been done is to train leaders in the presbytery to serve as volunteer interpreters of the Congregation Assessment Tool (CAT) report. I was trained to be one of the presbytery’s team of Holy Cow! interpreters, and have since walked alongside six of the 18 churches who have engaged Holy Cow! so far to consider how they might make themselves more vital. Below are some reasons you might consider engaging in such an assessment, especially in a time of transition (but, really, any time is good to learn more about a congregation). One of the things I say in opening any interpretation is that knowing where you want to go, but not knowing where you … [Read more...]
Receive “Looking into the lectionary” for free
Jill Duffield crafts study aids based on the lectionary Scriptures for the coming Sunday. Join our mailing list to have this content delivered directly to your inbox every Monday afternoon. Looking into the lectionary explores some of the appointed texts with an eye toward preaching and teaching. There's the occasional prayer or litany. Sometimes there will be a story or a link to one. Parsing a Greek verb or lifting up a word study is a part of the journey, too. Books that resonate, newspaper articles that raise questions, current events that cause us to grieve and rejoice: all is fodder for honing our hearing and sharpening our vision as we look with curiosity and gratitude into God’s inspired and living Word. Join our mailing list . … [Read more...]
Transitional ministry and cultural proficiency
Guest commentary by Jihyun Oh Transitional ministry can happen at any time. It can happen in a 10-year pastoral call when key members of the congregation move away or die. It can happen in a 22-year pastoral call when the neighborhood around a congregation begins to change. It should happen when the congregation finds itself older and less energetic and unable to support the vision and mission that the members discerned 30 or 40 years ago. It can happen when the congregation experiences a transition in pastoral leadership. I want to focus on this last instance of transitional ministry and how it relates to something else I’ve been pondering a lot lately: cultural competence or cultural proficiency. Cultural proficiency is one of the competencies that call seekers can select on Personal Information Forms to describe the gifts they offer as church leaders. It is listed among the Organizational Leadership qualities, and is described as the competence of having a “solid … [Read more...]
A changing benefits structure for a changing church
It has become clear to us at the Board of Pensions that a one-size-fits-all benefits plan may have had a certain appeal to an egalitarian sentiment, but in reality such a plan meets the needs of some but excludes many more. For the last four years, the Board has been engaged with the denomination at all levels to find out what is needed and then worked to structure support within our legal and financial constraints. The Board has dramatically expanded its flexibility and has succeeded in increasing the number of active members in the Benefits Plan by nearly 25% over the last two years. For the first time, the plan serves more employees who are not ministers than ministers themselves. This is healthy growth. However, this article concerns the unique needs of, and support for, ministers and others who are leading congregations. Presbyterian ministers serving traditional congregations The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is disappearing, emerging and thriving — all at the same time. Our … [Read more...]
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