I recently posted about the the concept of narrative leadership – the interaction between individuals and the story that they find themselves in. I think that one concrete example of that is taking place within the United Methodist Church in Kansas. In both the Kansas East and Kansas West Conferences there has been significant work […]
Category: united methodist church
Yesterday I met with the Kansas West Conference Board of Ordained Ministry and received a recommendation to the clergy session of the Annual Conference for election to probationary membership and commissioning. This is great news and I am excited! As a United Methodist, this is an important step moving toward ordination as an elder within […]
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Future of Denominations?
In the final session of the Mainline Emergent/s gathering, Brian McLaren responded to a question about the purpose of middle level judicatories – for example, district superintendents and districts in the United Methodist Church. Some of his response: If we destroyed the denominational structure today, we would start rebuilding it tomorrow, but it might look […]
In the final morning of the Mainline Emergent/s gathering, Karen Ward spoke about some of the practices that they share as a community at Church of the Apostles. They are focused around three core questions, which they find people in their community to be asking: Who is God and does God matter? What is the […]
The worst thing you can do is take this home and try it out next Sunday. There is a process of leading people through change. —Brian McLaren – In reference to the Mainline Emergent/s gathering. Diana Butler Bass spoke in the plenary session this afternoon – translating emergent practices for mainline denominations. I found one […]
Nanette Sawyer, pastor at Wicker Park Grace, and Troy Bronsink responded to Doug Pagitt during the first session this morning. I found one of the particular interesting ideas presented was Doug’s view that: Church communities ought to be cauldrons of theological participation and imagination. Cauldrons – what a great word. He was referring to the […]
Day 1 at the Mainline Emergent/s event included hearing from, among others, Brian McLaren, Karen Ward, Tony Jones, Holly Rankin Zaher and Dixon Kinser. It is an interesting mix of being an event in which there is a main speaker for plenary sessions, but also conversation is encouraged as the primary means of learning and […]
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Connections in Ministry
I arrived this morning to sunny Atlanta, Georgia and made my way via MARTA to Columbia Theological Seminary. I checked in, moved into the room and headed off to eat lunch. I am rooming with Jay from Only Wonder Understands. I met Steven Blair, pastor at First Light Gardner, for lunch and we spent the […]
This past weekend, I had the opportunity to attend The Summit here at The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection. It is an event designed around the Annual Church Conference that celebrates the past year, looks forward to the year ahead and seeks to inspire living the vision of the church. In 2006, the Journey […]
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Mainline Emergent / S
I am looking forward to attending the following event next week: Mainline Emergent / S: Conversations in Theology, Practice, and Hope. The event is being held at Columbia Theological Seminary in Atlanta. It will be great to connect with other Methodists. To my knowledge Jay from Only Wonder Understands will be there. Are you planning […]
A recent article from the United Methodist News Service proposes to increase the collaboration among the denominations boards, agencies and commissions. I think that this is an excellent goal and will be important in the future effectiveness of the United Methodist Church. The article entitled, Proposals call for new collaboration among church agencies, also proposes […]
I am often questioned about how the church might be effective in reaching the 20-35 age demographic (of which I am currently a part) to make disciples of Jesus Christ. This is a question that I often consider. I found the following consideration by Lovett H. Weems, Jr. to be a very helpful and thoughtful […]
Rev. Andrew Conard 