We’ve just moved through the collective jet lag we call Daylight Saving Time, and we’re all adjusting to life in exhaustion-overdrive. We know it’ll all be okay in a few days, but the question remains: Why do we do this anyway? We’ve all heard that farmers benefit the most, and the electricity savings are huge, and …
How Daylight Saving Time & Reconciliation Are Related Read More »
February is a dark, gray, slushy time of year in the Midwest. In my hometown Chicago, the days seem longer than they were in January, and the promise of more sunlight in March seems still-distant. In ministry it can feel like a “gray” time of the year as well. I’m a bookworm, so when the …
As someone who is sensitive to sunlight (especially its lack), and who lives in the Pacific Northwest where winter sunlight is rare, this time of year can be hard. My mood falls, I lose motivation and want to wrap up in a blanket and hide away until spring. Really, I long to escape the wet/cold/dark …
If you’ve ever been on a whitewater rafting adventure, you’ll remember that rafting guides know how to address unhelpful behavior right away—if they don’t, difficult people can ruin the experience for everyone, or even put their safety at risk. Likewise, when ministry leaders fail to address counterproductive behavior on their ministry teams, they jeopardize the …
In the thick of winter, when it’s nasty outside, it’s hard to resist the lure of Netflix, NFL playoffs, and a new season of shows streaming on TV. We can still hear the vows we made to ourselves at the beginning of the year, our good intentions for diet and fitness, but the couch (and …
Every repetitive thing we do in life is in danger of a dulling descent into rote. And our ministry rhythms are not immune. Week after week we plan worship. Year after year we start new ministries and add fuel to existing ones. It can feel like rinse and repeat; wax on/wax off. How do we …
By Denise UtterVibrant Faith Coaching Team As August tails off into September, I often reflect back to my teacher days. I loved the end of August and looked forward to new blank notebooks, clean 16-month calendars, new pens, sharpened pencils, and an array of colored highlighters (oh the color-coding)! It was a fresh start—a chance …
Transformational growth in your congregation heats up when every stakeholder is invited to make tangible contributions, every month, to the mission. To make meaningful contributions, people need to know the big picture, the plan for moving forward, and the personal contributions they can make in the next 30-90 days to help fulfill the mission. Most …
Transformational Growth- Positioning People for Maximum Impact Read More »
The last five years have exposed deep divisions, some festering for decades, in American culture. Political, racial, and moral disputes have boiled over the boundaries of civility into shattered relationships, warring families, violence, and even threats to our democracy. And last week’s Supreme Court decision striking down Roe v. Wade, returning the abortion rights debate …
In early May the Vibrant Faith team held a final meeting with representatives from the 24 churches who were a part of our Creating a Culture of Calling Grant. We’ve been working together since the Spring of 2017 working to build church vitality and unity through the culture of calling. We wanted one final “listening …
