Taking out the trash reminded me how transition and grief are messy and complicated I move four dusty pink vases, two glass candy dishes, and an old cigar box off the brown microwave cart. I check the drawer and cabinet.…
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3MMM | Episode 236: Unearthing Treasure
The last seven weeks of my life have been like no other, and they have included unearthing treasure among other things. On Good Friday we began the process of taking over finances, legalities, and material stuff to support my parents…
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3MMM | Episode 196: Appreciating Pamela Cooper-White
Last week I had the joy of appreciating Rev. Dr. Pamela Cooper-White, at her retirement dinner. A wonderful group came together May 4 at Union Theological Seminary to celebrate our friend and colleague. My task and honor was to reflect…
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3MMM | Episode 149: Teaching Pastoral Imagination
Perhaps you have been hearing about the concept of pastoral imagination for a while. We hope so! And maybe you are wondering: how would someone teach that? Today, let’s talk about teaching pastoral imagination, the concept, the book and the…
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3MMM | Episode 134: Pastoral Imagination and Care
What do pastoral imagination and pastoral care have to do with each other? I’ve been working on that question for a dozen years. And recently I received a question from a friend that inspired me to articulate the relationship between…
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3MMM | Episode 131: Five Ways to Celebrate Clergy
We are continuing to celebrate clergy this month. And we have five ways to inspire you to do the same. As I was thinking about Clergy Appreciation Month recently, I posted this question on Facebook. It seemed to resonate. A…
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3MMM | Episode 97: Pamela Cooper-White on Being There
This week I am so excited to welcome my friend and colleague in pastoral theology from Union Theological Seminary, Rev. Dr. Pamela Cooper-White as our featured author! In this episode Dr. Cooper-White, Vice-President of Academic Affairs and Dean, and the…
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3MMM | Closing 2020 Strong and Starting 2021 Ready
The end of 2020 and start of 2021 are full of news for Three Minute Ministry Mentor, Pastoral Imagination, and you! We could not be happier to share it all! Most popular article of 2020 at The Christian Century Let’s…
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3MMM | Trauma Healing and Recovery
Trauma inflicts its wounds in a moment, yet recovery may take a lifetime. With proper attention and care, however, healing is possible. +++++++ Earlier this week, I wrote about Trauma Informed Leadership. And I shared information that all spiritual, health…
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3MMM | Episode 77: Risking Care
This summer has been one of the hardest on record. What a gift to have the wisdom, insights, and pastoral presence of Rev. Dr. Stephanie Crumpton to guide and inspire us! This week, Dr. Crumpton, who is associate professor at …
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3MMM | Episode 76: Communal Healing & Care
This week we continue our conversation with Dr. Stephanie Crumpton about caring for girls and women who have experienced violence. Earlier we talked about the complexity and intentionality of care, particularly for Black women and girls. Our focus today is…
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3MMM | Episode 75: Sacred and Rigorous Care
How does giving love, attention, and care to women and girls who are Black reorient our sense of ministry… making it better everywhere and with everybody? I asked Dr. Stephanie Crumpton this question as a follow up in our recent…
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How To Survive Your Internship in a Pandemic by Kim McKay Allen
Please enjoy this post by my friend, recent graduate of Central Seminary, and chaplain, Kim McKay Allen. In today’s blog she tells us how she survived the onset of the global pandemic this spring while completing her internship and seminary…
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3MMM | Episode 70: Pastoral Questions
Not only has the world turned upside down in this long pandemic season, now it is also in flames. It burns with fires that seek change. It burns with holy calls for justice. Even as the world burns, even as…
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3MMM | Episode 69: Caring for Grief
Rev. Dr. Beverly Wallace has spent her life caring for grief. Although she is currently associate pastor of Congregational and Community Care at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, Dr. Wallace did not start out with any intention of being a…
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3MMM | Episode 65: Beauty and Joy
If we talk about joy all the time, are we ignoring the great needs and suffering of the world? ~ Mary Clark Moschella In the season of the Coronavirus Pandemic, this is a very important question. Can we indeed hold…
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3MMM | Episode 60: Prophetic Listening
We are in a new moment in the history of humanity. All aspects of life have been disrupted. No one is exempt from the impact of the world-wide coronavirus pandemic. Alongside that reality is another unchanging reality: no one is…
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3MMM | Episode 32: Learning Goals Part 3
Accountability. Without some accountability, learning goals can certainly fall flat. Learning practices as complex and subtle as ministry, does not work well in isolation or without good partners, mentors and friends. Being accountable to them requires trust and openness. Today’s…
Read MoreAdvent VI
But finding a book in the mail stack or on the front porch is nothing unusual. The surprise in this book today was the author. And the topic. The real surprise is that I had overlooked this book for so long.
It has been 11 years since I first sat down in silence and began the practice of centering prayer. It has been 20 years since I first sat down in a classroom with Dr. Wayne Oates to learn the tasks and the art of pastoral care. It has been more than 30 years since he wrote Nurturing Silence in a Noisy Heart. I was still in middle school.
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