Sometimes when I attend ministry related workshops, I end up thinking more about home and family than I do about the local church. You see, right now, I am in a pretty intense season of parenting. Bill and I have one adult child who is out of the house and finding her own way inContinue reading “On Being Resilient”
Author Archives: Kris
BREATHE
I’m an eternal optimist and recovering overdoer. I like to think I can do more than I can in the time that I have. I also like to believe things will go “right” with minimal snags. Life doesn’t always go as I want it to. So even though I set ambitious goals each year, IContinue reading “BREATHE”
Book Review: Simplify the Message
Even though I’m not preaching every Sunday, I still want to improve my preaching skills. As I guest preach, I have the perfect opportunity to hone a message, try new things, and gauge how different approaches with the same scripture are received. A couple of years ago, I attended a preaching workshop with colleague TalbotContinue reading “Book Review: Simplify the Message”
2 Years of Lent
It has been two years since this COVIC-19 pandemic began. At the time, I was pastoring a local church and we were in the middle of the season of Lent. In many Christian traditions, Lent is the 40 day (plus Sundays) period before Easter. It is a time of reflection, confession, and a focus onContinue reading “2 Years of Lent”
Book Review: A Spirituality of Fundraising
In short, how do we move from perceiving fundraising as an unpleasant but unavoidable activity to recognizing fundraising as a life-giving, hope-filled expression of ministry? A Spirituality of Fundraising, pg. 55 That is the question A Spirituality of Fundraising attempts to answer. Although not originally written down, the transcript of an impromptu talk on fundraisingContinue reading “Book Review: A Spirituality of Fundraising”
Book Review: Life Together
Sometimes I pick up books from random places and don’t even remember picking the books up. Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer is one of those books. I’m sure it was the author’s name that caught my eye. An important theologian with quite a story, it seems odd that I haven’t read any of his writings.Continue reading “Book Review: Life Together”
Ideas for Taking Your Own Retreat
Recently, I was able to get away for a personal weekend retreat. For some, it seems like such a luxury (and I fully recognize that it is). Especially when you have small children, or are a single parent, the thought of spending 2 nights alone, in a quiet place seems like an unattainable dream. IContinue reading “Ideas for Taking Your Own Retreat”
Walking While I’m Waiting
We are a busy family and we are on the go a LOT! Since the youngest 5 aren’t driving yet, that means that I am driving from here to there and everywhere. I spend a lot of time in the car. Since I also have a more sedentary job, I spend a lot of timeContinue reading “Walking While I’m Waiting”
My Winter Retreat
Last weekend, I had a chance to getaway for a couple of nights. There is a little place in the mountains that I have come to love. The Awakenings Center for Inner Healing and Empowerment is a non-profit retreat and healing center, with a main log cabin, garden, walking trails, and acres of woods. DeborahContinue reading “My Winter Retreat”
Just My Ashes
Today, my mood seems to match the mood of Ash Wednesday. It is in sharp contrast from how I felt at the start of the week – settled, full, certain. Today I feel full of doubt, uncertainty, dread. I feel as if I am swirling downward and am not sure how much longer I canContinue reading “Just My Ashes”
Rev. Kris Mares 