Congregational Life

The Ministry Lab is here to invigorate the life of your congregation.

Resources on Emerging from Covid-19, Vision & Mission, Developing Leadership, Volunteers & Teams, Stewardship, Pastoral Care, Congregational Health, Care for Pastoral Leaders, and Spiritual Direction are suggested below.

Please see our new Engaging the World page for resources on Vision & Mission, Outreach & Hospitality, and Social Justice.

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Emerging from Covid-19

It’s on everyone’s mind and is presenting both opportunities and challenges. We’re here to help:

We’re constantly updating our Re-Imagining Church: Post-Covid Church lib guide with the latest books, blogs, and webinars for inspiration and how-to’s.

Numerous webinars are offering leading ideas. Find your best options in our Blue Whirl Webinar list.

Vision & Mission

Constantly shifting realities can be an opportunity to rethink who we are and discover anew where God is leading. Find resources for the journey of:

• Embracing the Community’s Identity
• Casting a New Vision
• Living into Your Mission
• Reimagining Church
• Post-Covid Church

Developing Leadership

Identifying and developing capable, joyful leaders is an essential part of congregational sustainability.

Learn from other leaders and consultants in our regularly updated Blue Whirl Webinars and Continuing Education lists.

Or, find frequently updates hard-copy and online resources in our curated lib guides:

• Developing Young Leaders
• Leadership Development
• Leading through Change/Conflict

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Moving from online to in-person worship and meetings will be another shift in congregational life. What can we learn? What do we keep? What can we discard? New forms of hospitality will be needed to let folks feel welcome, involved and engaged in whatever becomes the “new normal”. We’ll regularly update our Worship: Covid Considerations lib guides for suggestions and encouragement.

Volunteers & Teams

God’s work requires all God’s people! Support your community workers—both individuals and groups—with resources for encouraging:

• Effective Volunteers and Teams
• Leadership Development
• Developing Young Leaders
• Leading through Change/Conflict

Congregations are proving exceptionally resilient and creative in meeting the needs of individuals, families and their communities. Sharing these Great Ideas is part of The Ministry Lab’s work.

Stewardship & Giving

Stewardship can be a challenging topic in the best of times—in times of transition and uncertainty, even more so. Lean on the wisdom of others to guide your conversations and stewardship decisions. Access our stewardship and giving resources for tips on:

• Individual adult stewardship
• Talking with children and youth about stewardship
• Congregational stewardship

Pastoral Care

Pastoral care is a unique role for church leaders. It can be isolating with its necessary boundaries, protocols and cautions, yet also highly gratifying when one is able to help a struggling soul. This dichotomy can take its toll on the caregiver’s body, heart and soul.

Congregational Health & Wellbeing

Our congregational health and well-being resources include:

• State and regional mental health resource centers
• Talking about grief and trauma with:
  • children and parents
  • tweens and teens
  • differently abled persons
  • young adults and adults
• Contemplative and mental health practices to share with children and youth
• Supporting In-Reach and Congregational Care Teams

Personal Care for Leaders

Join The Ministry Lab’s Round Tables, meeting monthly for collegial support, idea-sharing, and accountability.

Check out The Ministry Lab’s many resources for self-care and renewal, guidance for best practices and tools for offering pastoral care in evolving realities Personal Care for Leaders.

Find additional self-enrichment opportunities on our Continuing Education page.

Group Spiritual Direction

Take care of yourself – personally and professionally – with the guidance of a Spiritual Director.

We recommend: Shalem Institute’s Nurturing the Call: Spiritual Guidance Program and Leader Wise’s Spiritual Direction Groups.