The pattern of worship, modified a bit from descriptions in Evangelical Lutheran Worship, and the like, is this: gathering together, offering, transformation, sending. I want to focus on the gathering together and the offering because, at least in terms of worship, those are our work. The transformation and the sending are all God’s work.
As we begin this new year we are certainly called to take the name of Jesus with us, to treasure it in our hearts and have it on our lips as Christians have done for centuries, this strong name that reminds us that God saves. And we are called to more than that. We ourselves are called by God in baptism to be living signs, icons of the truth that God saves. We not only take the name of Jesus with us, we are marked with the cross of Christ forever. We not only take the name of Jesus with us, we receive him into our bodies in the Eucharist…the Body of Christ, the Bread of Heaven…the Blood of Christ, the Cup of Salvation.
The past two Summers I have been delighted to participate in the Bexley Seabury Leadership Institute at the Kellogg School, a joint program between Bexley Seabury Seminary Federation and 
Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. This rich and robust program brings top level nonprofit management training to clergy and faith leaders. Shortly after the program this past June I was invited to be interviewed by Jessica Love, Editor in Chief of Kellogg Insight, for an article she was working on about Kellogg's programs with faith leaders and why they are important. Below is a link to the article in which I am honored to be extensively quoted. Jessica weaves together insights from Kellogg professors, including Dr. Nicholas Pierce, who taught in the program both times I participated in it. This program is invaluable for lay and clergy leaders in communities of faith and I encourage all faith leaders to consider participating in it.Here's the link to the article.
