Archive for Alban Weekly
Alban’s Response to The Economic Situation
Although we had been paying attention all year to worrying signs about the economy—especially the impact of high gas prices and the collapse of the housing market—we still weren’t sure what to expect when we began to construct our business plans this Fall. Enough uncertainty had been introduced to make us reluctant to continue to [...]
Vital Congregations as Communities of Practice
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by Wayne Whitson Floyd
What is a vital congregation? Is it simply a community of fervent conviction and shared belief about who we are, where we came from, why we’re here, and the direction the world is going? Or is congregational vitality to be measured by the emotional intensity of worship and songas evidence of [...]
Writing Your Way Home in Preaching, Teaching, and Soul Tending
by Kent Ira Groff
Do you ever think, “I’ve got to write this”? But other times, “I get to write this!” Sometimes duty takes over: Sunday’s sermon, newsletter deadline, persistent e-mails. How can we move through “got to” into “get to”?
During a writing funk, two things occurred to me.
First, if I find bits of grace in [...]
The Problem Trap
Alban Weekly, 2008-06-16
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by Larry Peers
To effect deep change, leaders must be able to stand outside the dominant story of whatever it is we are trying to change—rather than being so immersed in it that we cannot truly observe how to lead a particular group in a particular situation. Ron Heifetz, author of [...]
Technologies for Learning
Alban Weekly feature article, May 19, 2008
Wayne Whitson Floyd, Education Department Manager
At Alban we take seriously our educational mission to provide an independent center of learning that creates spaces where people from different denominations and faith traditions can work toward their goals and learn from one another in an atmosphere of respect and collegiality. Whatever [...]
New Assets for Educating Congregational Leaders
Alban Weekly feature article, March 17, 2008
Wayne Whitson Floyd, Education Department Manager
Depending on whom you ask, continuing-education for ministry is either flourishing, with assets that have never existed before, or struggling to survive.
Troubling symptoms include increasing costs amidst anecdotal reports of decreasing support for staff and programs sponsored both by seminaries and by national [...]