Learning Pastoral Imagination

08/25/2023

We are so excited for our first in-person Henderson Leadership Conference since 2019! In celebration of this chance to gather, we've reduced the registration costs to increase access to these great speakers and quality content. For those not able to join us in person – you can also attend online.

Join us for “Looking Forward: Church, Hope, and the Future of Congregations” Sept. 24-26, and hear presenters who have been listening to pastors and congregations in hundreds of American churches and have a hopeful, Christ-centered word for small churches and their leaders! The presenters are: the Rev. Dr. Will Willimon, author, Bishop of The United Methodist Church, and professor at Duke Divinity School; the Rev. Dr. Eileen Campbell-Reed, visiting associate professor of pastoral theology and care at Union Theological Seminary and co-director of Learning Pastoral Imagination; and the Rev. Dr. Christian Scharen, pastor of St. Lydia’s Dinner Church and co-director of Learning Pastoral Imagination.

Register now! https://www.pts.edu/henderson-2324

05/11/2022

Would you like to learn more about ?
This summer Faith+Lead and Three Minute Ministry Mentor are partnering and Eileen Campbell-Reed will teach a four-week course in July.

Today is the book birthday.
Here is a fun way to celebrate the milestone!🎇🙌🏾🎉
The registration includes your choice of book or journal.
Space is limited. Register today!

It’s possible to spend a lifetime in ministry and miss every opportunity to actually minister – even to the people in your congregation or faith community. Harness the power of pastoral imagination, along with practical steps for growth, reflection, and leadership.

02/28/2022

How do you picture pastoral imagination?
This Lenten season we want to invite you to reflect on your ministry. Learn more at: https://eileencampbellreed.org/2022/02/25/picturing-pastoral-imagination/

We believe ministry IS a spiritual practice. And it is also an embodiment of pastoral imagination. And we want to invite you to show your friends, family, church members, and the world what that practice looks like through your eyes. With your camera lens. From your perspective.

Friends, you can let go of adding something to your “Lenten to do list.” Instead, focus your Lenten reflections on how your ministry is a spiritual practice. Simply lift your phone or camera and capture the themes of pastoral imagination. One each day. Or any day in Lent. And to make it easy we have added topics that you will recognize.

Download a PDF that offers daily themes for your photo-a-day in Lent. Share each day or share just once. We want to honor and acknowledge your practice of ministry.

https://eileencampbellreed.org/2022/02/25/picturing-pastoral-imagination/

Learning Pastoral Imagination: A Five-Year Report on How New Ministers Learn in Practice. To lead with courage and pastoral wisdom in the twenty-first century requires ministers to make a transition from simply imagining ministry to embodying pastoral imagination. For 25 years, Auburn Studies hav...

02/08/2022

One of our co-directors, Christian Scharen released a new book recently. We thought you might like to take a look.

It is a story of The Roots, successful and enduring hip-hop band of the last 30 years, the story of the the history of hip-hop as a genre, and the story of what God has to do with hip-hop. Prophetic calling takes many forms. What form does it take for you?

Someone Has to Care: The Roots and Hip-Hop's Prophetic Calling (Short Theological Engagements with Popular Music)

01/29/2022

Because you have been wondering… what is pastoral imagination? Why does it matter for ministers and other religious leaders? In November of 2021 a group of scholar-practioners gathered at Union Theological Seminary (on zoom of course). And together, we talked about pastoral imagination.

Now the video is available. And you can watch the Pastoral Imagination Union @ Home Event recap! During the event, panelists addressed key questions about the concept and the related research. They explored implications of the pastoral imagination for their own teaching and leadership.

On November 18, 2021 scholar-practioners gathered at Union Theological Seminary to explore the concept of pastoral imagination.

11/18/2021

Still time to register for the Pastoral Imagination event tonight!
Join us!

Pastoral Imagination: Cultivating Leadership and Shaping Theological EducationThursday, November 18, 7:00pm ET R E G I S T R A T I O N L I N K What is pastoral imagination and why do ministers and theological educators need it right now? Pastoral imagination is an embodied, relational, spiritual, an...

11/03/2021

SAVE THE DATE!
“Pastoral Imagination: Cultivating Leadership and Shaping Theological Education”

This online event will be on Thursday, November 18 at 7 PM Eastern time
as a part of Union Seminary at Home.

Registration link coming soon! The panel will feature Dr. Timothy Atkins-Jones, Dr. Su Yon Pak, Dr. Christian Scharen, with a response from Dr. EIleen Campbell-Reed, and will be moderated by Dr. Pamela Cooper-White.

Learning Pastoral Imagination: A Five-Year Report on How New Ministers Learn in Practice. To lead with courage and pastoral wisdom in the twenty-first century requires ministers to make a transition from simply imagining ministry to embodying pastoral imagination. For 25 years, Auburn Studies hav...

08/21/2021

Innovation or imagination?
What is most needed at this very moment in the life and work of ministry?
Listen to this 3-minute conversation between Catrina Ciccone and Eileen Campbell-Reed.

3MMM | Episode 122: Innovation and Imagination https://3mmm.us/Episode122 Subscribe for more episodes to inform and inspire your practice of ministry -- https://3mmm.us/welcome Which…

07/25/2021

“When we take time to pay attention patiently and deeply, we can discover that there is much more going on, much more to discover about the person or situation, much more to notice about the presence of the holy.”
- Eileen Campbell-Reed
🌳
Want to read more of this excerpt from the ? The Lewis Center for Church Leadership shared part of the chapter “Cultivating questions“ this month.
🌳
How are you cultivating good questions for your ministry?


https://www.churchleadership.com/leading-ideas/cultivating-good-questions/

07/13/2021

In describing "pastoral imagination," we talk about "seeing the holy depths of a situation," something first named by Craig Dykstra.

The examen is a pathway to paying careful attention to the holy depths of our lives and ministries.

Presence. Attention. Sacredness. Gift. We need these in our lives - forms of prayer that connect us to the holy.

3MMM | Episode 117
The Gifts of Examen
https://eileencampbellreed.org/2021/07/11/3mmm-episode-117-the-many-gifts-of-examen

This week we are thrilled to share with you an abundance of gifts for your practices with the voices of Jerusalem Jackson Greer, Stina Kielsmeier-Cook, Catherine McNiel, Kaya Oakes, Rev Rachel Twigg, Shemaiah Gonzalez and Erin Robinson Hall.

Have a look at how comes to life for these authors and ministers.

07/06/2021

Pastor James is a participant in the LPI Project. His story of learning to transform injustices is a powerful one.

LPI codirector EIleen Campbell-Reed also recommends the documentary “Summer of Soul” this week. Have you been to see it? What did you think?

Transforming Injustice. In this week’s video, Eileen Campbell-Reed tells about Pastor James, from Learning Pastoral Imagination Project. Have a listen to his experiences of bussing, playing sports, and the traumas of growing up Black in the South.

3MMM | Transforming Injustice
https://eileencampbellreed.org/2021/07/05/3mmm-episode-116-summer-of-soul-transforming-injustice