It’s summer. Which means, among other things, that school is out. Summer means different things to different people, of course. For some it’s about family vacation, for others it’s time at the beach or lake, for others – especially in the Northern Hemisphere – it means warm weather and longer days. But given that I have spent the overwhelming bulk of my life as a student, teacher, and/or parent of school-aged kids, summer has almost always been defined primarily as the time between the end of one school year and the beginning of another. This summer – prompted in part, I’m sure, by my impending transition – rather than take a...

Dear Partner in Preaching, If there was ever a parable that helped make the faith we preach on Sunday useful to our people Monday through Saturday, this is probably it. Before jumping into the parable itself, though, I should probably say a word about what I mean by “useful.” Some, I know, may object to such a pragmatic, even utilitarian word to talk about the faith. After all, shouldn’t we believe just because, well, we should, without seeking any tangible benefit and outcome? Maybe, at least in an ideal world. But one of things I’ve learned both through parish ministry and, more recently, through research on congregational vibrancy...