"Love does not resolve conflict. It accepts conflict as the arena in which the work of love is to be done."
                                       ~ Daniel Day Williams

Transforming Conflict

How do you approach conflict? Click here.

A quarter of my DNA comes to me through Mennonites, who have stood up for pacifism for more than 400 years. They have learned to transform conflict.

The Lombard Mennonite Peace Center offers resources and training for transforming conflict ... click here.

Eastern Mennonite University houses the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding and teaches "restorative justice."

And their message is spreading ...

JUSTPEACE Center for Mediation and Conflict Transformation comes out of the United Methodist tradition. Visit their Resource Page.

Sanctuary ~ A Safe Place

Rev. Dr. Dayl Hufford of the New England Pastoral Institute gives guidance for making churches places of refuge and protection. Click here to read her eye-opening introduction to the biblical and theological mandates for safe churches.

The Church Law Today website features a free article by United Methodist pastor Jeff Hanna. Click here to read the article.

The Presbyterian Church (USA) offers resources for raising awareness, creating policies, reporting misconduct and restoring broken trust. Click here to read more.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America provides comprehensive resources on the “Called to be a Safe Place” area of its website. Click here to visit the site.

The United Church of Christ offers a "starting point" for churches. Click here.

How Healthy Is Your Congregation?

bulletIs it faithful?
bulletIs it welcoming?
bulletIs it generous?

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America offers tools for assessing these three dimensions of health. Learn more ...

Spiritual Discernment

Planning and discernment require time. Alban Institute authors Gil Rendel and Alice Mann call the process a “Holy Conversation” that involves three critical questions:

bulletWho are we?
bulletWhat has God called us to do or be?
bulletWho is our neighbor?

Preview Holy Conversations: Strategic Planning as a Spiritual Practice for Congregations.

Online Resource Centers

Several Presbyteries maintain significant online resources for revitalization.

bullet Albany Presbytery Congregational Health and Transformation Task Force
bullet Hudson River Resource Center
bullet John Calvin Presbytery's Online Resources focus on congregational health
bullet Kiskiminetas Presbytery Resource Center
bullet Muskingum Valley Presbytery highlights small strong church websites.
bullet Northumberland Presbytery Congregational Resource Page

The Alban Institute features a Tutorial for Congregational Redevelopment at their website.

bulletEmbark on the Spiritual Strategic Journey.

Family Systems

Congregations are extended family systems. Denominations act like extended families. Clergy come from families and participate in families.

Transitional ministers use family systems theory to guide congregations and families to spiritual and emotional health.

The late Rabbi Edwin Friedman wrote the most profound book on the subject - Generation to Generation: Family Process in Church and Synagogue. Learn more about the book.

Find Continuing Education

Faith and Wisdom compiles events and programs throughout the world offered by some of the most distinguished organizations in North America and worldwide. The site is for all who wish to pursue education as Christians.

Transitional Ministry

Congregations of many stripes rely on intentional interim ministers to guide them through transitions. These professionals share their knowledge and expertise through the Interim Ministry Network.

Presbyterian interim ministers have a network, too. Visit APIMS.

The Greening of the Church

God calls us as stewards of God's creation. Making our churches a more environmentally friendly place can provide a healthy, toxic-free sacred space as well as help us protect God's creation for current and future generations. Click here to visit the National Council of Churches Green Church page.