New Book Series: Conversations in Ministry

Nov. 15, 2011 - PRLog -- Energion Publications and the Academy of Parish Clergy have come together in partnership to produce a series of books, titled Conversations in Ministry, on some of the important issues facing clergy today. The series title emphasizes the hope that the books will encourage clergy to engage with each other in conversations about their ministries. The hope of the writers and editors is not to birth superficial or theoretical discussions on or about ministry, but conversations in – within the context of –  ministry.  Topics will be focused on the point to keep the books brief at under 100 pages.  It is the expectation of the publisher that there will be three volumes in the series per year.

The first book in this series, Clergy Table Talk: Eavesdropping on Ministry Issues in the 21st Century (http://energionpubs.com/books/PR20120301/), will appear in the Spring of 2012. The author is Kent Ira Groff, who takes 15 topics about ministry that are often considered distractions and provides ideas about how to transform them into a means of spiritual growth. He then provides spiritual practices to help readers put these transformations into practice.

The Academy of Parish Clergy is providing the editorial team led by Dr. Robert D. Cornwall and will include Lolly Dominski, William Tuck, Tim Bonney, David Moffett Moore, and Kent Ira Groff. Energion Publications Editor, Henry Neufeld, will guide the series for the publishing partner.

The Academy of Parish Clergy (http://apclergy.org) is an organization which assists clergy in enhancing their professional skills after initial entry into the profession and to require its members to undertake, supervise, and reflect upon their work in a lifelong commitment to continuing competence and skill development.

About the Editors:

Robert D. Cornwall, APC, is currently the Pastor of Central Woodward Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Troy, Michigan and the editor of Sharing the Practice, the journal of the Academy of Parish Clergy. He holds a M.Div. and a Ph.D. in Historical Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary.  He is also a graduate of Northwest Christian University in Eugene, OR and did graduate work in American History at the University of Oregon.  Dr. Cornwall has also served as Associate Professor of Theology of Manhattan Christian College (Manhattan, KS) and Visiting Assistant Professor of Church History at Fuller Theological Seminary.   The author/editor of several books,  contributing articles to a number of books, encyclopedias, and journals, and Bob writes for several blogs including Ponderings on a Faith Journey (personal blog), Theolog, and [D]mergent. In addition to his ministry and writing responsibilities, Bob Cornwall has long been active in ecumenical and interfaith activities.  Currently he serves as chair of the leadership team of the Troy-area Interfaith Group, Chairs the Ecumenism Commission of the Michigan Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and is an active member of the Troy Clergy Group. Before coming to Michigan, Pastor Bob served as President of the Greater Santa Barbara Clergy Association, the University Religious Conference at UCSB, and was founding convener of the Lompoc Interfaith Group.

Tim Bonney, APC served most of his ministry in American Baptist Churches, but has recently had his orders recognized by the Iowa Conference of the United Methodist Church and now serves as associate pastor at First United Methodist Church in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Lolly Dominski, APC, is pastor of Morton Grove Community Church (Presbyterian Church [USA]). She working on a Ph.D. in liturgical studies at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, having received her Masters of Divinity degree at McCormick Theological Seminary in 1999.  She also holds an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago, and previously worked in marketing management.  She is President-Elect of the Academy of Parish Clergy.

Kent Ira Groff, APC - is a pilgrim of East and West who loves to connect with fellow journeyers, learn from them, hear their stories, and experience a deeper purpose for life on this out-of-balance planet. After serving congregations for two decades, his retreat ministry now takes him to conference centers, campuses, congregations, prisons, and health-related institutions across the United States and abroad. He has a passion to connect with spiritual seekers and find common ground. He is the author of a number of books on spirituality.

David Moffett Moore, APC is the pastor of St. Peter's United Church of Christ in Frankfort, IL. He has an MDiv degree from United Theological Seminary, a DMin from  Chicago Theological Seminary, and a PhD from Graduate Theological Foundation.

William Powell Tuck, FAPC - is a native of Virginia and has served as a pastor in Virginia, Kentucky, Louisiana and North Carolina. He has also been a professor at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky and has taught adjunctively at several colleges and at the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond. He is the author of eighteen books. He received the Parish Pastor of the Year award from the Academy of Parish Clergy in 1997. He is married to Emily Campbell and is the father of two children and has four grandchildren, and resides in Midlothian, Virginia.

For more information on the Conversations in Ministry series and its editors, see http://energionpubs.com/academy-of-parish-clergy-conversa....

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Energion Publications publishes challenging, educational, and spiritually uplifting material for the broad Christian center. We look for books that present strong views presented in such a way as to invite dialog.