I’ve raved about Jim Martin enough on this Blogs of the Week that most of you probably visit him regularly and don’t need my encouragement. With a new appearance, Jim’s got another great set of posts and this one on listening to what we are saying is a great reminder.
Now to the other side of pastoring. Brad Bergfalk, at NakedReligion, is doing some study on why young pastors are leaving the pastorate. Please go to that blog if this is your concern.
Yet another way of pastoring is the new monasticism. I have yet to figure out how to do Bloglines so blog reading means dipping here and there into favorite sites from my sidebars and links that happen to find my fancy. Well, a nice blog to visit is Mark Van Steenwyk. I hate to admit this, for fear it might excite the Vikings fans, but Minneapolis might be (I can’t bring myself to say “is”) a hub of emerging ministry and thinking. OK, some will be asking what’s so bad about Minneapolis? Think December, January and February.
And another side of pastoring is discouragement, and my former student and pastor, Fr. Rob Merola, out there in Virginia at a lovely Episcopal church is discouraged. Lots of us can identify with him. Send him a note of encouragement if you are led.
And now another pastor who blogs about such things as common decency (I agree with him here), about incredibly strange truths, and Alan’s got a wonderful blog about pastors handling holy things. Alan’s blog is worth keeping your eye on.
Now to an unpastoral thing: Did the male singers on the American Idol show have long shoes on, was I seeing things, or is this yet another style thing I’m unaware of?
1. Glad to see Stephen Shields back up and blogging. So, too, Mike Noakes.
2. Here’s a good one on the connection of labor and worship: Village Idiot.
3. Scott Berkheimer, in interaction with Steve McCoy, has a good series on the gospel and the suburbs. (This and the previous one come to me from Fr. Rob.)
4. Speaking of Steve McCoy, check out this picture of Mt. Ranier.
5. An early father’s day, and a good illustration of father’s day from Don Johnson.
6. Steve Taylor’s observations of DaVinci Code are unusually insightful — if a little deconstructive.
7. Family chat at Karen’s Sit and Spit; imagine what Frankie will have to say when they see one another next.
Now a sensitive matter: the Cubs. What in the world is going on here? We have some great players and we can’t beat the lowly Marlins. Three in a row they took from us. While we are off to Italy I’m hoping they find what they lost because if they don’t find it by then, I don’t want to have to stare each morning at a newspaper that is quickly losing its sense of humor.