From Phil Tom, the Associate in the Small Church and Community Ministry Office of the Presbyterian Church (USA):

The Presbyterian News Service published a story today about Rev. Robert Hattle, a tentmaker in Topeka, Kansas.  You can read the story about Rev Hattle at
http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/2009/09400.htm.

During the past few months, I have met tentmakers in Northern California, South Dakota, Iowa, South Carolina and other places across the United States.   In addition to doing a great job in ministering with their congregations, these tentmakers also serve as farmers, accountants, doctors, and ranchers. As the Rev. Marcia Clark Myers, director of the PC(USA)’s Office of Vocation says in the above article, tentmaking is not only a viable model of pastoral ministry, it is also becoming a model of choice for more clergy serving smaller membership churches.

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-From Byron Wade, the Vice Moderator of the Presbyterian Church (USA):

I know for myself I tend to worry a lot about the church – that is my particular congregation I serve. I think the saying is true that the church is a “jealous mistress.” Hardly a day goes by that I am not thinking about the hopes, failures, and dreams for this congregation. I worry about a lot of things – older congregants that statistically don’t have much longer to live; how to introduce others to Christ and bring them in to our community of faith, analyzing long-standing barriers to growth in ministry, etc. Always something to think about. However when it comes to the larger catholic church, I really believe that we have some real things to worry about, especially through the eyes of those who are newly trained and ordained into ministry. 
As mentioned before, I was at a Lilly-funded Pastoral Resident consultation which you can read here with pastoral residents from a variety of denominations. As one of thier assignments before the consultation each of them had the opportunity to answer three questions on reflections of ministry. The one question that was asked was “Name one thing that worries you about the church.” I took the liberty to quote directly from some participants that will give you some insight as to where their worries are:

“I worrry that the church can easily become self-absorbed and curved in on itself.”

“The church has to nurture its malleability and its ability to accomodate (instead of assimilate) new members . . . I do not mean that the church should reject its traditional practices (as those are also desired and needed) but be more willing to be a “both/and” instead of an “either/or” church.”

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Gordon Stewart, the pastor of Shepherd of the Hill in Chaska wrote this op-ed in the MinnPost, the an online newspaper.  Please note, that the views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect the views Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area.

Empathy and law, life experience and the judge’s bench. Are they oil and water, or are they the necessary complements that make for a greater approximation of justice?

The question has been raised whether Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s experience and a sense of empathy will impair her ability to render judicial decisions based solely on the law. Those who insist on keeping her Latina experience out of judicial considerations learned well what law-school professors tell their first-year students to dampen any idealistic expectations: that the law is about the law, not about justice. 

Continue reading at MinnPost.