thoughts &
notes
Preachers,
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Many of you have commented in various places about the amount of energy it has taken to come back to life after this past season of Eastertide. It seems there are many contributors: Witnessing the resurrection of the Greatest Generation at a rapid pace, the task of tethering the gospel to current events and national discord, along with simply wanting to find hope in the purpose of both pastoring and preaching. Holding all of these things together are difficult - but possible.
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The pastoring life often borrows time from the preaching life. There is no reason to feel defensive or regretful about the demands. It simply is a large narrative of many pastors across the nation at present.
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I believe in peer preaching for the crafting of the art, of building formation in an effective space of listening and stretching, and even in sitting together sharing the difficulty of where we are as preachers in this day and time.
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As the mountains around me speak volumes of staying steady while being formed by the wind and the rain, I pray we all stand firm. God is among us and revealing new things; may our attention to this newness not be a strain but a place of hope and renewal.
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Monica
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Query: Has the preacher considered how forming the sermon possibly forms the listeners and the faith body in good news? In what way is there an explicit connection?
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This is a newly published booklet on preaching from the Calvin Institute. My blog post is published in it along with many other national preachers. Proud to be a part of this project.
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Preacher Quotes from peer preaching participants
I was asked what surprising or unexpected discovery I made through being involved in a preaching peer group? I think, many people have asked me why I became a pastor. But no one ever asked me until now - what has formed me as a preacher? To reflect upon ‘preacher formation’ and to share these reflections in the group was really an eye opener to me. For this, I am very grateful.
Reverend Pia Nordin Christensen, Church of Denmark
Would you recommend this program to others? "YES! It's a true time of accelerated learning with small group coaching and peer review. The best use of continuing education money yet."
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Reverend Ryan Jensen - First Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville, Georgia