How to recognize when a pastor and a congregation are misaligned
When the fit isn’t right, sometimes leaving is the next faithful step, writes a pastor. He offers four tips for finding alignment between pastor and congregation.
Vocation
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God’s call for us can be ever-changing
Vocation may not be a single, fixed thing. The location and context of ministry can change, writes a teacher and United Methodist lay leader.
Link to author Lindsay Pulido
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Lindsay Pulido
Teacher and writer
Why storytelling is a spiritual practice
Telling stories isn’t just about consuming them; it begins with reverence and listening, says a professional storyteller.
Link to author Elizabeth Le’anani Coffee
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Elizabeth Le’anani Coffee
Managing director, Lake Institute on Faith and Giving
Recovering a Spirit-led experience in the Wesleyan tradition
A Methodist pastor reflects on the legacy of John Wesley and on listening for the Spirit when it speaks.
Link to author Justin Coleman
By
Justin Coleman
Senior pastor, University United Methodist Church
Listening with our bodies for God’s voice
In a culture that often views decisions made with the head as most reliable, what insights might our bodies provide in the process of discerning God’s will?
Link to author Katie Bracy
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Katie Bracy
Communications Specialist
How to lead as a pastor when you’re uncertain of your own future
A Scottish pastor facing possible deportation because of a backlog in visas for religious workers reflects on leading a congregation amid deep personal uncertainty.
Link to author Gary D. Noonan
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Gary D. Noonan
Senior pastor, First Presbyterian Church, Kirkwood, Missouri
How a clergy respite helped spiritual leaders weather the storm of Hurricane Helene
When Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina in 2024, pastors were on the front lines of the recovery efforts. A retreat offered by the United Methodist Church helped them rest and recover.
Kenneth H. Carter Jr.
Kim Ingram
Rooted in Christ: Why Protestant clergy need the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola
Inspired by a recent retreat, a United Methodist pastor writes about his experience and how the value of Ignatian practices extends across faith traditions.
Link to author Justin Coleman
By
Justin Coleman
Senior pastor, University United Methodist Church
Caught up in this summer’s relentless heat, we should remember that seasons exist beyond the weather
Like the calendar and the church year, our lives and work have seasons. We are best served by recognizing them and adjusting accordingly, writes the director of communications for Leadership Education at Duke Divinity.
Link to author Emily Lund
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Emily Lund
Director of Communications, Leadership Education at Duke Divinity
Serving God in the national parks offers nature and nurture
For almost 75 years, A Christian Ministry in the National Parks has placed young people in some of America’s most beautiful settings to work seasonal jobs and offer faithful connection.
Link to author Edie Gross
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Edie Gross
Journalist
How itinerancy taught me to give up the illusion I’m in charge
The United Methodist Church’s system of itinerancy means accepting that I don’t have control over my life. But after all, nobody does, writes the wife of a UMC pastor.
Link to author Sarah Grace Thompson
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Sarah Grace Thompson
Writer, editor and chaplain
