Weekly Outlook - Confessions of a church-less pastor

Dear Outlook readers,  There is a growing number of church-less pastors. I'm married to one of them. I see him living into his ordination every day in the work he does as a seminary admissions counselor. And I see our friends and family turning to him to fill the role of pastor when they need advice or want to feel connected to God.  In "Confessions of a church-less pastor," Karie Charlton shares her experience rediscovering her ordination outside the confines of a traditional church building. It's liberating and raw — and connected to the journey of churches without installed pastors, she writes.  I received a letter to the editor this week asking why the Outlook is so focused on the downward spiral of the PC(USA). The writer referenced our recent articles on "church-less pastors" and "pastor-less churches." I noted in my reply that we also highlight the gift of traditional congregations, such as Scott Hagley's "In defense of the common congregation." As an independent publication, our role is not to simply play up the church's perceived success but to ask the hard questions.  My hard question today is why a future with church-less pastors and pastor-less churches is necessarily an omen of death. Our faith is not static. Do we need to fear change? I understand the grief of letting go, especially of traditions and ways of life that formed us. I'm not trying to bulldoze the need for lament. But maybe God is bigger than our rituals, than our traditions, than our expectations.  In Christ, Rose Schrott Taylor Outlook digital content editor

Confessions of a church-less pastor by Karie Charlton In defense of the common congregation by Scott Hagley Super Bowl LVIII: Inside Sin City’s Christian quarterback battle by Clemente Lisi PC(USA) response to Texas migrant tactics falls short by Robert Lowry In case you missed it... Taking a stand on unity "I held the conviction that if anything could unite us amidst our differences, it had to be Jesus," writes Doug Basler. Dr. Melva Costen and Dr. Cynthia Rigby selected for Excellence in Theological Education Awards Dr. Melva Costen and Dr. Cynthia Rigby will receive Excellence in Theological Education awards at the 226th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) this summer. Fuller Seminary senior director fired for refusal to sign non-LGBTQ affirming statement Her termination comes as the evangelical, multidenominational seminary is re-visiting its approach to human sexuality. — RNS Grieving Room: Making Space for all the Hard Things After Death and Loss Leanne Friesen is a “wounded healer,” writing from personal experience with enough distance to share both theological reflections and practical suggestions. — Amy Pagliarella Black Liturgies: Prayers, Poems and Meditations for Staying Human For anyone feeling hollowed out by the litany of grief that envelops our news cycles, family systems and church communities, there is plenty of grace to be gained from her bodily prayers ... invitations to contemplation ... and calls to an undivided life. — Emily McGinley Litany for the Long Civil Rights Movement This litany honors all those who have fought for equal rights beginning in the 1930s and continuing today. It incorporates history, gratitude and lament. — Rose Schrott Taylor The interim labyrinth Is your church going through a period of transition? Christian Shearer offers his favorite metaphor for congregational discernment: the labyrinth.