Grounded in Faith, Formed in Community
Since graduating from seminary in 2011, one of the biggest challenges I’ve faced as the pastor of a small, rural congregation is recruiting, retaining, and replacing leaders within the church. At Nixon United Methodist Church, we have a practice of rotating new leaders out of leadership after three years. This policy has been challenging to…
When you think of disability inclusion in the church, what comes to mind? Is it a row of occupied wheelchairs in the back of the sanctuary? Is it a youth volunteer with Down syndrome? Is it a ramp or an elevator? Disability inclusion can look like a lot of different things. And while the specifics…
Just as she reached retirement, Wendy Farone, Ph.D., discovered a call to something new. She hesitated to pursue it at first, thinking to herself, “I’m retired! I’m 65; many pastors are retiring from ministry at this age, and I’d be just moving in.” Wendy’s pastor, however, reminded her that “God doesn’t call you because you’re…