When Jay+ Wright began serving at All Saints Dallas (Texas) he had church planting in mind. Over the past few years, he and his wife, Amy, and a group of laypeople have been cultivating community in East Dallas, leading to the establishment of All Saints East Dallas. In July this church plant will become an [...]
Jamie George, formerly with St. Andrews in Little Rock, shares his journey toward, and passion for, missionary church planting. After serving in multiple churches and as a church planter, I discovered that God has graced my wife and me with the gifts to serve as missionaries. I know that many people believe serving as a missionary means being called to work in another country—I thought that way myself once—but that’s not always the case, especially when you live in the third-largest mission field in the world, the United States. And God put a calling on our hearts for a particular group here in America. […]
As we look back on this month of “Mental Health Awareness” we find our hearts drawn with the compassion of Christ to individuals and families whose lives are turned upside down, not only by mental illnesses, but by the stigma and isolation that often follows. Here are 31 prayer prompts to help us continue to be aware of—and pray for—the needs of families in our congregations and neighborhoods who are dealing with the challenges of mental illnesses. […]
It’s a Thursday evening in Oak Cliff, an area in southwest Dallas. Members of The Well Community are gathering for their weekly worship service and fellowship dinner. For many, this will be their only hot meal of the week. For most, it is the only church service they feel they can attend, the only one where they feel welcomed. As individuals who struggle daily with severe mental health difficulties and the related challenges of poverty, isolation and other physical illnesses, members of The Well Community are thankful to gather to worship and pray for one another, safe from the starring eyes of stigma. Each week various area church groups, civic clubs and neighbors provide and serve the nutritious meal. This week it is a pastorate (small group) and others from All Saints Dallas. Ryan Flanagan, All Saint’s worship leader joins members of The Well to kick off the time of singing old, familiar hymns with gusto and joy. […]
May is “Mental Health Awareness Month” and to help you and your congregation to learn more, we asked Carol Dowsett, the AMiA Communications Coordinator and an author and advocate for families dealing with mental illnesses, to share some thoughts. Carol also taught a breakout session on the Ministry of Mental Health at the 2018 Winter [...]
One in five families are impacted by mental illness. How can churches minister to those who live with mental health challenges? How can we care for their families in loving and supportive ways? This month we'll look at some possibilities. +Philip Jones starts our series on mental health with his own thoughts.
+Philip Jones shares a bit about his upcoming sabbatical, which starts in mid-May and wraps up in late July.
Sabbatical provides a unique opportunity for clergy to reflect on deep questions in a way that often isn’t possible while serving in full-ministry. As Allen+ Hughes, Counselor General for Leadership Advancement and Mission Stewardship, shares, it’s a time when coaching can serve as a catalyst for breakthrough. As Allen+ looks ahead to taking a sabbatical [...]
It was during a talk by Reggie McNeal during the Anglican Mission in America’s Winter Conference in 2012 that Leslie Kingman first felt God put the burden on her heart. Reggie’s admonition that the church should be a community that shows the love of Jesus, coupled with learning about a program that provided food for [...]
By Robert+ Cook, Rector of St. Andrews Church, Little Rock, AR When I think of Good Friday, the word that most clearly comes to mind is surrender. I hear the echo of Jesus’ words as He prayed this most intimate prayer to His Father: “Abba, Father! All things are possible to you; take this cup away from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want.” (Mark 14:36) Every time I read this prayer, I cannot help but feel the tension of the call to surrender my will to God’s will. […]
