Called - At the Intersection of Ministry and Life

Want to avoid dead air and awkward pauses in worship services? Planning for flow can help. Bill and I share how we plan for a smooth flow in worship services, plus the small steps we take that make a big difference. Our Reads of the Week Bless This Mess: A Modern Guide to Faith and Parenting in a Chaotic World - Rev. Molly Baskette and Ellen O'Donnell, PhDHow to Lead When You don't Know Where You're Going: Leading in a Liminal Season - Susan BeaumontWhen Moses Meets Aaron: Staffing and Supervision in Large Congregations - Gil Rendle and Susan Beaumont About Called - At the Intersection of Life and Ministry For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz and musician Sarah Bereza have survived and thrived in churches big and small, urban and rural, good and not so good. With generous hearts and healthy boundaries, they share practical advice for church staff about working smart, cutting out the bs, and embracing the good in ministry. New episodes on 1st and 3rd Tuesdays. Check out all t

Pre-planning funerals give you a chance to talk (and live) the Gospel. Here's how to help church members pre-plan, plus a bunch of advice on funerals and burial in general. Our Reads of the Week Raising a Screen-Smart Kid: Embrace the Good and Avoid the Bad in the Digital Age - Julianna Miner Verlyn Flieger About Called - At the Intersection of Life and Ministry For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz and musician Sarah Bereza have survived and thrived in churches big and small, urban and rural, good and not so good. With generous hearts and healthy boundaries, they share practical advice for church staff about working smart, cutting out the bs, and embracing the good in ministry. New episodes on 1st and 3rd Tuesdays. Check out all the Called podcast episodes here, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

How can you lead a great committee or staff meeting? And how can you influence a meeting for the good when you're not running it? Bill and I talk about purpose, organization, and most importantly, energy - with a side of fried chicken and social connection. (Plus the important question: should you forward this episode to your head of staff?) Remember, you can scroll down for a transcript if that's your style. About Called - At the Intersection of Life and Ministry For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz and musician Sarah Bereza have survived and thrived in churches big and small, urban and rural, good and not so good. With generous hearts and healthy boundaries, they share practical advice for church staff about working smart, cutting out the bs, and embracing the good in ministry. New episodes on 1st and 3rd Tuesdays. Check out all the Called podcast episodes here, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Our Read of the Week If you purchase through the following link, we m

Spoiler alert: it's flexibility! Why you need it, how to develop it, and how to encourage your congregation toward it - plus an ear toward the Holy Spirit's leading. Click on the player to listen to the conversation, or scroll down to read the transcript. Our Reads of the Week If you purchase through some of the following links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Thank you for supporting Called! Gossip - Rocky Supinger The Color of Life: A Journey Toward Love and Racial Justice - Cara Meredith About Called - At the Intersection of Life and Ministry For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz and musician Sarah Bereza have survived and thrived in churches big and small, urban and rural, good and not so good. With generous hearts and healthy boundaries, they share practical advice for church staff about working smart, cutting out the bs, and embracing the good in ministry. New episodes on 1st and 3rd Tuesdays. Check out all the Called podcast episodes here, or wherever yo

What should we DO with patriotic holidays in the church? Celebrate them? Mention the occasion in a pastoral prayer? Run for the hills? Bill and I talk about the challenges of patriotic holidays and offer healthy ways to approach them. Transcript of our conversation below! Our Read of the Week Preaching in the Purple Zone: Ministry in the Red-Blue Divide by Rev. Dr. Leah Schade (And here's the book's website) About Called - At the Intersection of Life and Ministry For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz and musician Sarah Bereza have survived and thrived in churches big and small, urban and rural, good and not so good. With generous hearts and healthy boundaries, they share practical advice for church staff about working smart, cutting out the bs, and embracing the good in ministry. New episodes on 1st and 3rd Tuesdays. Check out all the Called podcast episodes here, or wherever you listen to podcasts. New this episode! A transcript Bill: Welcome to Called, a podcast w

It's hot outside, and the church has left the building. How can we learn from the downsides of summer, and lean into the positives? Bill and I share how we make summer a productive season of the church year, starting with the big one: enjoy the breathing room. Our Reads of the Week, Plus Resources We Mentioned The Four TendenciesBecoming a Pastor: Forming Self and Soul for Ministry - Jaco J. HammanSplintered Light: Logos and Language in Tolkein’s World - Verlyn Flieger About Called - At the Intersection of Life and Ministry For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz and musician Sarah Bereza have survived and thrived in churches big and small, urban and rural, good and not so good. With generous hearts and healthy boundaries, they share practical advice for church staff about working smart, cutting out the bs, and embracing the good in ministry. New episodes on 1st and 3rd Tuesdays. Check out all the Called podcast episodes here, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Change is one of the great constants of the world - right up there with death, taxes, and the love of God. But even though it's inevitable, we're often reluctant to change, and get anxious when change happens. On this episode, Bill and I share strategies for how we've cultivated our own openness to change and why we think that openness is vital to ministry. Our Reads of the Week (And Other Resources We Mention in the Episode) A Brightness Long Ago by Guy Gavriel KayStatus, Ambition and the Way of Jesus by Craig C. Hill "The Regular Kind" (on Neophiles and Neophobes) by Seth GodinResearch on being a different person in 10 years: NPR summary, "The End of History Illusion" in Science Magazine About Called - At the Intersection of Life and Ministry For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz and musician Sarah Bereza have survived and thrived in churches big and small, urban and rural, good and not so good. With generous hearts and healthy boundaries, they share practical advice for church st

Where should you start when you move to a new ministry? Here are six strategies to help you settle in: People are #1.Get to know the landscape. Literally.Find out what's normative.Seek out the sacred cows.Figure out what to do now - and what to postpone.Give yourself some grace. Our Reads of the Week Educated by Tara Westover"Five Pitfalls to Avoid When Evaluating the Senior Minister" by Susan Beaumont About Called - At the Intersection of Life and Ministry For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz and musician Sarah Bereza have survived and thrived in churches big and small, urban and rural, good and not so good. With generous hearts and healthy boundaries, they share practical advice for church staff about working smart, cutting out the bs, and embracing the good in ministry. New episodes on 1st and 3rd Tuesdays. Check out all the Called podcast episodes here, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Weekends can be really tricky for church workers. They're busy for us, but often, that's when our families and friends have time to spend together. Bill and I share how we've navigated the challenges—and opportunities—of working on the weekends. Our Reads of the Week I Miss You When I Blink by Mary Laura Philpott"Desire" by Rocky Supinger About Called - At the Intersection of Life and Ministry For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz and musician Sarah Bereza have survived and thrived in churches big and small, urban and rural, good and not so good. With generous hearts and healthy boundaries, they share practical advice for church staff about working smart, cutting out the bs, and embracing the good in ministry. New episodes on 1st and 3rd Tuesdays. Check out all the Called podcast episodes here, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

It's that time of the year! On this episode of the Called podcast, Bill and I talk all things wrapping up the program year. Celebrating the good things, learning from what didn't work so well, and thinking about where to go next. (Plus the important question, "When should the next program year begin?") Our Reads of the Week The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya ParkerLamentation by C. J. Samsom Resources We Mentioned 20 Anthems By Women Composers that My Church Choir Sang This Season About Called - At the Intersection of Life and Ministry For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz and musician Sarah Bereza have survived and thrived in churches big and small, urban and rural, good and not so good. With generous hearts and healthy boundaries, they share practical advice for church staff about working smart, cutting out the bs, and embracing the good in ministry. New episodes on 1st and 3rd Tuesdays. Check out all the Called podcast episodes here, or wherever y

What does "calling" mean? In the inaugural episode of Called - At the Intersection of Life and Ministry, Pastor Bill Smutz and I talk about what calling can mean in all areas of our lives. The call to ministry is an important one, but it’s not the only one. Our Reads of the Week Is Your Wellness Practice Just a Diet in Disguise? by Melissa Fabello About Called - At the Intersection of Life and Ministry For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz and musician Sarah Bereza have survived and thrived in churches big and small, urban and rural, good and not so good. With generous hearts and healthy boundaries, they share practical advice for church staff about working smart, cutting out the bs, and embracing the good in ministry. New episodes on 1st and 3rd Tuesdays. Check out all the Called podcast episodes here, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Y'all, I am so excited to announce this new podcast! My colleague Bill Smutz and I have been working on a ministry related podcast since the winter and now it's ready for the world! Here's what the show is: practical advice for church workers, based on our experiences of over 50 (!) years. We're talking about wrapping up the program year, helping church members pre-plan their funeral services, taking care of old buildings, maintaining healthy boundaries.... Basically, if it relates to our lives as church staff, then it's fair game. Who we are: a church musician and a Presbyterian pastor. I've ministered across the denominational spectrum—mainline, Evangelical, Catholic. Basically if they hire organists, I've probably worked there. Bill has pastored primarily in the PCUSA tradition. And for the last several years, he has been an intentional interim pastor in the United Church of Christ. We're releasing new episodes on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month. The first one launches on May 7th. Until