Gearing up for the Holidays in Ministry
As ministry leaders gear up for the busy seasons of Advent and Christmas, it’s important to have resources that support both practical planning and spiritual nourishment. Here are some tools, guides, and ideas to help you prepare for a meaningful and engaging holiday season.
Bible in a Minute - Riverside Church NYC
1,189 daily videos, all 1 minute in length detailing each chapter of the Bible… one day at a time!
16 Things to Consider When Creating a New Members Class
Creating a new members class or program is essential for helping newcomers feel welcome, understand the church's mission and values, and become active participants in the community. Here are key considerations based on insights from the provided resources
Marking Transitions with Meaning: Worship Resources from the United Church of Canada
In my journey of ministry, transitions have always been significant moments, both personally and for the congregations I’ve served. To navigate these changes with grace and intentionality, I’ve often turned to the rich worship resources offered by the United Church of Canada. Their comprehensive materials for milestones and transitions, particularly the Covenanting Service and DeCovenanting Service, have been invaluable tools in creating meaningful experiences for beginnings and endings in ministry.
10 Books for Taking the Gospel Beyond the Church Walls to the Streets.
A round-up of thought-provoking books that encourage us to step outside the traditional church building and engage more deeply with our communities.
Featured Resource: STUCK
Could it be that the congregational model as it has evolved over the decades is contributing to ordained ministers (and I’d also wonder about paid staff, volunteers, and lay leaders too) feeling constrained or hindered, even fed up with the structure of Church while at the same time not losing their love for the Gospel?
Well, you’ll need to read the book to draw your own conclusions.
Featured Resource: Growing Young
An overview of Growing Young: Six Essential Strategies to Help Young People Discover and Love Your Church
Children Ministry: Resources and Curriculum
A round up of Children and Youth ministry curriculums and resources for all different contexts.
Ministry Forum + CHURCHx Coming Soon
We are getting closer to launching our first offerings on CHURCHx (our learning platform for Ministry Forum that joins an ecumenical community of lifelong learners that numbers over 5000). In anticipation of our launch in the coming months, we’d love for you to check out the platform itself - become a member and maybe even try out some of the offerings that are available already from various partners.
Featured Resource: CHURCHx
An overview of CHURCHx, an online learning platform built to support mission and ministry.
Featured Resource: Dandelion Marketplace
An overview of a helpful resource: Dandelion Marketplace - a platform that provides progressive spiritual formation content for families and communities.
Last Minute Easter Ideas
It’s OKAY, last minute HAPPENS and for that reason, we’ve got you covered! Here are a few resources to help you put together services, activities and events for Holy Week and Easter.
17 Podcasts for Church, Care, Leadership & Learning
…I’m often listening to a variety of podcasts. It seems that the Ministry Forum community listens to them too - since they often share recommendations with me.
So if you are looking to fill up your podcast catalog… this post is for you!
Renewal and Resources for Ministry in 2024
Tools and insights for ministry leaders to navigate the complexities of faith transmission and renewal, drawing from recent research, conferences, and collaborative events.
Resources for Helping Professionals in Ministry
Caring for those who care is so very important to us. We believe that any ministry leader can benefit from learning from various practitioners and fields how best to support oneself in the helping professions. Here are a few resources…
Featured Resource: Faith Expressions - Small Church Week
The content shared by Fresh Expressions US hosted a series of webinars for what they called “Small Church Week”. There are some good insights here. Check it out for yourself and see if it sparks something creative in your ministry today.
Black History Month 2024
This month is referred to as Black History Month and sometimes Black Heritage or Black Futures Month.
If you are looking for resources to enhance your congregation’s worship life or to engage in learning more about black history, anti-racism, white supremacy, or intercultural ministry, we’ve got a round up of resources on our website this week.
The Best Books of 2023
A round up of the best books from 2023 to help you lead and grow in your ministry context
Worship Resources - PWS&D + Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2024
Looking for some additional engaging resources for worship? Consider highlighting the Week of Christian Prayer and Unity and PWS&D Sunday. Resources here.