Senior Minister of Central Baptist Church, Chelmsford<br>and Chair of Ministry Today
I wish to acknowledge friends belonging to the Ministry Today Network, who made a number of helpful comments on the initial draft of this article. A day of grief Recently I went to the funeral of a great friend who died far too young, with still so much to offer. ...
I’ve been in full-time Christian ministry now for 26 years - a mere beginner compared to some. Along the way, I’ve taken my share of brickbats and bouquets - a few of the brickbats were thoroughly deserved and many of the bouquets belonged to others probably more than they did ...
The SPCK Book of Christian Prayer (SPCK London: first published in hardback in 1995, this paperback edition 2009; 490pp; ?14.99; ISBN 978 0 281 06151 8) brings together over 1,200 prayers, both classic and contemporary. It is a truly delightful compilation and is a great resource for all who lead ...
My church is doing a great work amongst ‘seniors’. Among other things we run, on a monthly basis, two luncheon clubs, a session on Christian basics followed by a lunch entitled ‘Food for Thought’, and a Sunday afternoon ‘seeker’ service. At a guess I would think that we must be ...
Editor’s note: in this article, Paul Beasley-Murray has sought to apply to a group of Christians in retirement from work insights gained from Four Seasons of Ministry: Gathering a Harvest of Righteousness (Alban Institute, Herndon, Virginia 2008; 193pp; $18; ISBN 978 1 56699 366 1) by Bruce and Katherine Epperley. ...
Christmas: The Original Story (SPCK, London 2008; 191pp; ?9.99; ISBN 978 0 281 06050 4), by biblical scholar Margaret Barker, sets the Christmas story in its original cultural and literary context. Sadly, although a Methodist preacher herself, the author does not offer ideas for the hard-pressed preacher at Christmas. Feasting ...
Hopes dashed on ‘Back to Church Sunday’ In common with many other churches, we decided to support this year’s ‘Back to Church’ Sunday. We ordered the T-shirts and the flyers, and from as early as May began to prepare the church for this nation-wide initiative. In the three Sundays running ...
The Spiritual Dimension of Childhood (Jessica Kingsley, London 2008; 160pp; £16.99; ISBN 978 1 84310 602 9), by Kate Adams, Brendan Hyde, and Richard Woolley, argues that “spirituality is an innate and natural predisposition of humankind. All people are spiritual - and children are of course no exception” (p.144). This ...
I recently read Size Transitions in Congregations (The Alban Institute, Virginia 2001), edited by Beth Ann Gaede. Many of the fifteen essays are based on the pioneering work of Arlin Rothauge, a professor of congregational studies at Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, who, a number of years ago, wrote a booklet, Sizing ...
I’ve just informed my church that I have no intention of retiring next Spring when I shall be 65 years of age, but rather have the strength, energy, and desire to continue to lead the church until I am 70. And the church members, God bless them, are delighted! When ...
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