What would change in our formation programs if we thought of ourselves as forming people who practice the way of Jesus? … More What is the ‘way of Jesus,’ you ask? We’re asking too.
What follows are recommendations for great things, crowd-sourced at this week’s Clergy Conference! TV SHOWS The Last Man on Earth Atlanta NOVELS Lincoln in the Bardo – George Saunders Ordinary Grace – William Kent Krueger Homegoing – Yaa Gyasi THEOLOGY, POLITICAL, & LIFE BOOKS Wait, What? and Life’s Other Essential Questions – James E. Ryan … More What You’re Reading: Testimonials from Clergy Conference
All are welcome to join us for this free one-day workshop. … More Asking Big Questions: Adult Faith Formation
A guest post from the field: Steve Johnson of St. David’s Minnetonka sends this testimonial about Peter Rollins’ series, Atheism for Lent. … More Notes from the Field: Atheism for Lent
This is evangelism: Speaking clearly about why Jesus is good news, about your experience of faith, and – perhaps most importantly – about how you live because of it. … More This is what (good) evangelism looks like
Check out this course and see more offerings, available to members of ECMN for free. … More Bridging the political divide in your faith community
We have this strength in our DNA: the willingness to be present in relationships where issues of the deepest import create life-or-death conflict. … More Change the conversation
Four resources here for you as you consider how to speak publicly about gun violence: Wondering how to crack open the gun policy conversation in a polarized environment? Gun Reform: Speaking Truth to Bullshit, Practicing Civility, and Effecting Change by Brené Brown will challenge you to get beyond the all-or-nothing frame that has dominated our national … More What we talk about when we talk about guns
Delusions of heroism can lead to isolation and spiraling disconnection from God, self, and others. … More The promise, and peril, of wilderness
The call to fasting, prayer, and silence in Lent isn’t a Christian cover on secular anxiety and DIY happiness. It’s about returning to God, who we meet in Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, who offers us rest, grace, and belovedness. … More Lent 2018: Resources for your Practice
In mid-January, those in formation for Holy Orders gathered for a weekend of integration and prayerful reflection, supported by clergy from across ECMN. On Saturday afternoon, all participants gathered for an intensive workshop, in which they were asked to imagine themselves serving faith communities in Charlottesville, VA, in advance of the white supremacist rallies that … More Sharing the Wisdom of the Crisis Leadership Workshop
As we prepare for Lent in 2018, the School for Formation is making two of its one-day workshops available to clergy seeking a pre-Lent retreat day. Join us on Saturday, February 3, at the ECMN Retreat Center in Faribault, for a day of prayer and learning. We’re excited to share both of these workshops: passionate, … More Pre-Lent Clergy Retreat 2018
As ECMN continues to make the School for Formation a resource that serves all our faith communities, we’re excited to offer this opportunity! If you’ve never taken a course in the School for Formation before, try one of these for free in Spring 2018. Upon completion, receive a voucher to take half off the cost of … More Take your first course free in Spring 2018.
“Christians are not optimists. No. Rather, we choose to see hope where there is no hope.” On a pilgrimage to Israel and Palestine in 2010, I heard these words from a former bishop of the Diocese of Jerusalem, the Rt. Rev. Riah Hanna Abu El-Assal. He had earned the right to speak boldly about ‘where … More Hope where there is no hope
Excited about ECMN’s mission opportunity of Beloved Community this year? Here’s one way you can lean into that effort. We’re making a limited number of free spaces in the Building Bridges Across Culture and Race course available to members of ECMN. This seven-week course gives each participant the chance to work one-on-one with an experienced Intercultural … More Take the Building Bridges course for free
We can be hubs for courageous innovation when we trust that God has given us the freedom and the will to do something new. … More Even now, creativity and freedom
“This deepened my body, mind, and spirit regarding racism on personal and theoretical levels.” “I loved how it was broken up into sections and allowed me to return where I left off. The speakers and videos were very engaging.” Friends, we’re excited to tell you that the School for Formation is continuing our partnership with … More Three steps to take advantage of our partnership with ChurchNext
Our Homiletics course, offered by Lisa Cressman and Cathie Caimano of Backstory Preaching, consistently gets rave reviews from all kinds of participants who are learning (or re-learning) to preach Good News. A side benefit: You will become much more fluent in some online tech skills! Interested? Take a peek at this welcome video to find … More Using online tools to learn to preach
Friends, here are three key questions for your faith community to wrestle with in the wake of the recent events in Virginia. We’ve offered some resources that we hope will support you as you pray through these issues together. 1) What’s the long work your faith community is doing to build beloved community in your … More White Supremacy and Your Faith Community: Three Questions to Consider
Guest blogger: The Rev. Marcus Halley, Rector at St. Paul’s, Lake of the Isles In the wake of the horrific attacks by White Supremacists that have devastated the local community in Charlottesville, Virginia, cost the lives of the 3 Americans (1 counter-protestor and 2 law enforcement officers), and stunned the nation, many have issued clarion … More Preaching after Charlottesville
