Pastor's Life - Good stories

The power of a good story by Erin Dunigan We all love a good story, don't we? A well-crafted narrative with a satisfying arc, leading us from darkness to light, despair to hope. As pastors, we're often drawn to these kinds of stories, especially during Advent. The promise of a Savior, the birth of a child who would change the world — it's a beautiful and inspiring tale. Recently I was preparing a sermon on a familiar passage. I was to be a guest preacher for a congregation and I had chosen the text based on the lectionary. It seemed like the perfect text to foreshadow the season of Advent — a tale of hope rising from despair whose ending will lead the way to the birth of the messiah to come. This is the perfect text. I could already imagine the flow of the narrative, and the power of the conclusion that would usher in the upcoming advent season. Let me just read the larger context again, to refresh my memory. Continue Reading... Erin Dunigan is an ordained evangelist and teaching elder in the PC(USA). She is a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary. She serves as a photographer, writer and communications consultant and lives near the border in Baja California, Mexico. In her free time, she is an avid gardener and leads horseback riding tours along one of the most pristine stretches of beach in Northern Baja. Featured Resources Giving during Christmas services is our response to God “An invitation rooted in the promise of Christmas and connected to the work of the church might be the very thing that folks need to hear this Christmas season." Rev. Joseph Moore shares in a stewardship reflection about giving during the Christmas season. Read blog Year-End Giving As we approach the end of the year, the Presbyterian Foundation has resources available to help encourage year-end giving within your congregation. Find bulletin inserts and more at the link below. View Resources

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