Steward of Stories
Reflecting on Tensions in Daily Discipleship
by JoAnn Post
Imprint: Resource Publications
172 Pages, 6.00 x 9.00 x 0.34 in
- Paperback
- 9781625646736
- Published: May 2014
$24.00 / £19.00 / AU$33.00
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Drawn from three decades of parish ministry experience, Steward of Stories opens the delightfully complex and nuanced world of the congregation to a wider audience beyond, but including, local parish pastors. Each chapter brings together dramatically different stories about ordinary ministry situations organized around a core thematic connection, including pastoral incidents focused on topics like "Paying Attention," "Marry Me," and "Time to Go." Linking these together is the interwoven wisdom of an experienced pastor who encourages readers to consider the theological and ministry challenges at stake for us all. Clearly written and highly accessible, these vignettes are meant for lay and clergy audiences alike, especially as they come together in their mutual life in Christian community. These are stories about real people drawn from actual events--accounts that will prompt thoughtful contemplation and conversation among the faithful about saints and sinners in everyday congregations and situations. Each chapter concludes with helpful questions for use in both educational settings and individual study. This book is ideal for personal reflection or group discussion and will stimulate a richer awareness of the challenges and opportunities we all face in the ministries we share.
JoAnn Post has been a Lutheran pastor and writer for three decades. Raised in rural north central Iowa, she attended Wartburg College and Wartburg Theological Seminary before serving diverse congregations and settings in Alaska, Georgia, Wisconsin, Connecticut, and Illinois. Her ministry has been committed to strong preaching and worship leadership, pastoral care, and community outreach. She lives with her husband in Chicago and is the mother of two grown daughters.
"Pastor Post, as she is known to many, has written a boldly transparent, 'experience near' book that connects the Christian story and the life of faith through real stories and wise reflection. Sometimes stories conceal. Not so here. These stories reveal a faithful presence, a compassionate heart, a rapier mind, and a ministry of imperfect excellence. These are encouraging words of grace for ministers young and old. Because Pastor Post is a consummate wordsmith, every reader will encounter common questions and familiar themes of life and faith in fresh ways."
--Herbert Anderson, co-author with Edward Foley of Mighty Stories, Dangerous Rituals
"A jewel of a book, each story shows another facet of our life together in Christ. With wisdom, honesty, and good humor, Post invites pastors, seminarians, and parishioners to see in their own discipleship the central paradox of the gospel: God comes to us in the real stuff--and stories--of our daily lives."
--Susan Briehl, editor of On Our Way