Each week on Tuesdays I share some of what I have seen, read, and found thought provoking over the past week. To help make sense of all of these links, I have grouped them by the following categories: Church and Ministry Thought & Practice; Cross-Sector Collaboration; Leadership Thought & Practice; Millennials; Neighbor Love; Social Media and Blogging; Stewardship; Vocation; and Miscellaneous. I hope that you enjoy these links!
Church and Ministry Thought & Practice
If you are preparing for worship, or writing a sermon for this weekend, I have a number of links for you. First of all, if you are following the revised common lectionary, spend some time with friend and professor Rev. Dr. Karoline Lewis‘ thoughts on how the “Resurrection is Companionship.” Karoline also joins friends and professors Rev. Dr.’s Matt Skinner and Rolf Jacobson in the Sermon Brainwave for the “Sixth Sunday of Easter.” Also, check out Bishop Michael Rinehart’s take on “Easter 6C.”
If you are following the narrative lectionary, spend some time with friends and professors Rev. Dr.’s Rolf Jacobson, Craig Koester, and Kathryn Schifferdecker who are the voices of the narrative podcast, “I Love to Tell the Story.” This week they share their perspectives on “Faith, Hope, and Love,” based on the narrative reading from 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. Also, spend some time with this “Commentary on 1 Corinthians 13:1-13,” from Dr. Shively Smith.
Friend, pastor, and blogger Diane Roth wrote about the church, ministry, and vocation in “Today.”
Blogger and pastor Timothy Brown articulated and shared, “An Immodest Proposal Regarding the Dissolution of Most Congregations As We Know Them.” Give this a read and see what you think.
My wife Allison Siburg (who is a pastoral intern) wrote and shared, “I’m Dreaming of a Church Budget: Not Like the Ones I Used to Know.”
Blogger and pastor Jan Edmiston wrote about clergy and gender in asking, “Would it Surprise You in 2016?”
Horrible and sad news came over the weekend from Seattle’s Curry Temple Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, as “After 66 years, Central District church wakes up to hate crime.”
Church and Social Media (#ChSocM) shared a transcript of its weekly chat from last week which focused on the question of, “How can we use social media to care for creation?” The chat was moderated by Carolyn Clement.
Pacific Lutheran University provided an update about the process of “Calling a New Pastor.”
In exciting news from my hometown, “Martha & Mary marks 125 years in North Kitsap.” Martha & Mary has a long history of serving young and old as a Lutheran social ministry, one of more than 300 under the umbrella of Lutheran Services in America.
Friend, professor, and mentor Dr. Terri Elton shared this look from Pew Research at “Religion in Everyday Life.”
Cross-Sector Collaboration
In news from Alaska Airlines, Tom Banse writes that “Alaska Air (is) upbeat after first Justice Department Meeting about Virgin Takeover.”
Social leadership theorist Julian Stodd shared a number of intriguing posts, including thoughts about: “The Intersection of Formal and Social“; “A Matter of Perspective“; and some “Words about Learning: Pace.”
Leadership Thought & Practice
Justin Irving wrote about “Team Leadership and a Collaborative Orientation.”
Dan Rockwell shared a number of great leadership posts over the past week, including “10 Questions to Ask when Choosing Leaders,” and “What to do When New Leaders Screw Up.”
Tanveer Naseer reflected about “Understanding the Power of Expectations.”
Brian Dodd shared a look at “The top 10 Leadership Posts” he read from last week, as well as “7 Practices of Leaders Who Build Healthy Workplace Cultures.”
Seth Godin reflected about “Processing feedback,” as well as how “The tidal wave is overrated.”
If you are looking for some Monday motivation to start your week with next week, consider this look at “5 Ways Successful People Tackle Monday Morning,” from William Vanderbloemen.
In contemplating life, vocation, and leadership, Lolly Daskal shares a list of “10 Reasons Why You Need to Quit Your Job Right Now.” Lolly’s reasons include: your body is telling you to go; you’re not able to excel; you’re unappreciated; you crave contentment; you have a bad boss; your values aren’t supported; you’re miserable; you’re suffering from stress; your reputation is at risk; and you feel in your heart it’s time for a change.
Monique Valcour writes importantly that, “People Won’t Grow If You Think They Can’t Change.”
Steve Keating wrote about, “Managing People.”
Ted Bauer wrote, shared, and pondered about “Transparency in business: What’s the value?” What do you think?
Anne Loehr shared a spring roundup of articles where she was featured or included in sharing thoughts about leadership, community, organizations, and more.
Jon Mertz at Thin Difference wrote about “Why Being a Good Observer Matters.”
Also at Thin Difference, Megan Dougherty wrote and asked, “Want a Different Outcome? Take a Mindful Moment.”
Thin Difference also shared a guest post by Kelly Olenski, “Practicing What I Preach: How a Trip to Target Made Me More Mindful.”
Millennials
I discovered a great podcast from last fall which took up the question, “Do You Really Know What Millennials Want from Events?” If you have an hour to listen, or an hour to fill while on the road in the commute, check this out and see what you think.
Neighbor Love
Friend, pastor, and blogger Frank Johnson shared his sermon from this past weekend based on 1 Corinthians 1:10-18, “Alien righteousness (it’s even stranger and more awesome than it sounds).”
Rev. Dr. Will Willimon shared about his new book, Fear of the Other: No Fear in Love, on his blog, as well as an interview with Shane Raynor on Ministry Matters.
Friend, blogger, and artist Vonda Drees shared a number of beautiful posts over the past week. These posts included: “the icon of intimacy“; “a living being“; “praying peace with the earth“; “twinkle, twinkle“; “holy hunches“; “la trinidad“; and “the soul’s think tank.”
Pastor and blogger Todd Buegler shared his sermon from this past weekend based on John 13:31-35, “Love, Thank, Repeat…”
Joshua Russell wrote about Oregon high school student, Olivia Dalke, a “Contest winner (who) explains the many dangers of global climate change,” in The Mennonite.
Friend, pastor, and blogger Emmy Kegler shared her first sermon as an ordained pastor based on Acts 11:1-18, “The Tie that Binds.”
Looking for insight on emotions, feelings, narrative, and story telling? Check out this post from “Brene Brown on How to Reckon with Emotion and Change Your Narrative.”
Friend Peggy Hahn shared this reflection from Dan Clendenin about “Taking the Long View.”
Bishop Michael Rinehart shared about “A Word About Disaster Response & Recovery.”
My wife Allison shared this great and thought provoking piece by Erik Olaf Thone, “Killing Lutefisk Lutheranism.”
With the sad news from Minnesota and the passing of Prince last week, pastor and blogger Karl Jacobson wrote and reflected about, “Prince, and the Theology of the Cross.”
Angela Zimmann wrote about equality and creative resistance in, “You Have Committed a Hate Crime.”
Pastor and blogger Clint Schnekloth wrote and shared, “Is thinking about Luther a waste of time? – Luther and Liberation.”
Social Media & Blogging
Friend and blogger J.W. Wartick shared his version of the links with his “Really Recommended Posts.”
Stewardship
Friend and stewardship director Adam Copeland shared a look at “The Top 10 Mistakes I’ve Made with Money in Ministry – Part 1,” from Rev. Ryan Baer.
Vocation
Friend and blogger Tyler Scott wrote about life and vocation in, “Boxes of memories, junk and everything in between,” and in pondering, “How much potential do we really have?”
Laura McCafferty asked, “What Is Your Good Life?”
Friend and blogger Julia Nelson shared her weekly dose of “Tuesday Tea Time,” for a moment of pause and reflection in the midst of life.
In a story about one long time leader and captain’s recent retirement, Britt Thorson wrote about how “Russell Wilson surprised favorite pilot, and celebrated the retirement,” of Captain Mike Swanigan. Alaska Airlines’ blog shared about this in “Swani Song: Captain Mike Swanigan to make his final flight,” as well as in this story by Glenn Farley about the “Well love pilot to retire from Alaska Airlines.”
Speaking of airplanes, here’s a great story about the Wartburg College Choir and how, “88 soaring voices thank United for saving a trip.”
Speaking of retirements, in Seattle, a number of leaders and long-time faces in front of and behind the cameras recently retired from KING5.
Friend and professor Dr. Ron Byrnes wrote about “Self Promotion- The New Normal.”
In a vocation themed article David Isay wrote about “How to Find Your True Calling in Life.” Definitely give this a read and see what you think.
Friend and professor Dr. Lynn Hunnicutt shared some life and vocational reflections in her continued detailing of her biking adventures in “Chipseal and Daffodils.”
Margaret Felice wrote about, “What every artist can learn from Prince.”
Miscellaneous
Troy Larson from Minnesota Connected wrote and shared, “Minnesota Icon Dies- The World Mourns the Loss of a Prince.”
Friend, blogger, and stewardship director Adam Copeland shared this piece by Sam Miller about “What Happens When Baseball-Stats Nerds Run a Pro Team?”
If you love to travel check out this list of “The 20 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2016” according to The Smithsonian. This year’s 20, are close to National Parks, and shared in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service.
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That concludes this edition of the links. I hope you have enjoyed them. As always, if you have particular questions or topics for me to think about on the blog, please share them. Also, if there are things you would like to see included in the links, please let me know that too. Thank you for reading and being a part of the conversation! Blessings on your week. -TS
Image Credits: The Links; Godin quote; “la trinidad“; and Captain Swanigan and Russell Wilson.
Timothy Siburg 