Six New Things – Week of October 24, 2022

We're playing catch-up after a week away - so this is a pile of great resources that cover several essential and current topics: LGBTQIA+ History Month; pop culture; digital ministry; transformational - and sustainable - leadership; a quick…

Pizza Ministries

Thanks to Christa Meland for sharing this Great Idea in the MN Annual Conference's MNConnect newsletter. Meland's intro states, "Every Wednesday from 4:30 to7 p.m. last summer, Alexandria UMC invited its community to purchase a pizza made…

Six New Things – Week of October 10, 2022

A few 'retroactive' practices to nurture spiritual maturing as we grow in faith; honor Indigenous Peoples' voices; share gratitude for our clergy; reflect with our Jewish siblings; explore Black men's spirituality; and rejoice in the stories…

Three Ideas for Digital Ministry

Thanks to Rev. Jim Keat, Digital Minister at The Riverside Church (NYC) and Director of Online Innovation at Convergence for sharing this three-ideas-in-one Great Idea! Rev. Jim Keat offers a 'booster shot of ideas' to meet the needs of congregations…

Pastor Appreciation Month: 10 Ideas for Celebrating

Thanks to Christa Meland and Diane Owen for writing up this Great Idea in the MN Annual Conference's MNConnect newsletter. Based on interviews with two MN UMC clergy, Meland and Owen put together a list of ten ways to show and share gratitude…

Community Garden = Community Gathering

Thanks to Christa Meland of the MN Annual Conference UMC for sharing this note in MNConnect. I am unable to link to the brief article, so here it is, verbatim: "This past summer and with the help of a grant, Willmar UMC started a community…

Six New Things – Week of October 03, 2022

It's Hispanic Heritage Month. Next month is Indigenous Peoples' Month and Thanksgiving (or not). We're moving toward All Saints Day - and the traditions of Advent and Christmas are just around the corner. It's a good time for a critical look…

WRITE THAT THANK-YOU NOTE!!

Thanks to Richard Gunderman of YES! Magazine for sharing this Great Idea. Gunderman writes, "Gratitude may be more beneficial than we commonly suppose. One recent study asked subjects to write a note of thanks to someone and then estimate…

Understanding Christian Nationalism

Thanks to Diana Butler Bass - and one of her readers - for sharing this most excellent Great Idea! Since July, Diana Butler Bass has written one new post per month on Christian Nationalism - without intending to be that organized about it.…

Gathering to Write – for Advent

Thanks to Lauren Graber for sharing this Great Idea in her Building Faith post. Lauren Graber writes, "Writing is a way of paying close attention to our lives. Finding just the right words to describe our thoughts, emotions, and experiences…