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“Your church has a message. A message of truth, hope and purpose. But, before people in your congregation or community encounter that message, they encounter your church. “Your job, as…

Twelve bold congregations welcomed secret visitors into their midst, instigated by a training held earlier this year as our synod tries in 2011 to “See Ourselves As Others Do.” With 25…

Just because I go to church every Sunday doesn’t mean everyone does. How might it feel to be someone new crossing the church’s threshold? Clips shown during the Fall Session of the…

The phrase “spiritual but not religious” must strike a chord, because when the Rev. Amy Thompson Sevimli wrote about it for a Duke Divinity School blog, comments flew and the United Methodist…

“This is the U.S. Army Chaplain Center and School at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, where the Army trains clergy of all faiths how to survive in combat.” A CNN piece on…

Washington, D.C. – July 8, 2011:    On Sunday, July 31, 2011, Resurrection Lutheran Church will hold a special service concluding their ministry in the Kensington, Md. area. The congregation voted…

Washington, D.C. – July 6, 2011:    Personal testimony of Oromo members of Lutheran churches in the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) prompted a…

A number of pastors have moved here from other states over the last few years. It is important to remember that this synod encompasses three different legal jurisdictions: the District of…

Are posters explaining certain laws displayed in your church building for staff? Federal laws require that places of employment display posters explaining employee and employer rights and obligations. These describe…

Miss the “Secret Visitor Training” last month?* Bummer. Many congregations are on their way to expanding their understanding of what it’s like for a newcomer in their midst. HOWEVER, feedback…