Articles on Frederick Buechner, the UMC, and more.

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** Different types of death and grief
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Something you don’t necessarily think about on your first day of seminary, a gleam of future sermons and weddings in your eye, is how big a role death will play in your ministry. It is one of the most difficult and sacred responsibilities of clergy to come alongside and minister to those who are grieving, often as they mourn a lost loved one.

Last week many mourned the loss of Frederick Buechner, one of the most beloved Christian writers of our lifetime. The Century featured a moving tribute ([link removed]) by one of Buechner’s personal friends, Martin Copenhaver. If you’re interested in reading some of Buechner’s own words, here are a 2006 poem ([link removed]) and a 2002 interview ([link removed]) from the pages of our magazine.

But physical death is not the only kind of loss. We have recent articles about the painful breakup ([link removed]) tearing apart the United Methodist Church and the art of ministering ([link removed]) to others amid our own grief.

Our video of the week is a substantive and fascinating chat ([link removed]) with Jewish theologian Malka Simkovich, who talks about depictions of God as mother in the Hebrew Bible and Jewish history. Plus more thoughtful content below.

Email me: What are you mourning now? What helps you grieve well?
Jon Mathieu
[email protected] (mailto:[email protected]?subject=Re%3A%20Editors%E2%80%99%20Picks)
This week’s top articles:
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** Frederick Buechner’s many benedictions ([link removed])
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“As wide as Frederick Buechner’s circle of friends was, he was willing to widen it further to include someone like me, a young pastor who was almost 30 years his junior.”
by Martin Copenhaver
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** The United Methodist divorce is a mistake ([link removed])
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“Unable to resolve arguments about same-sex marriage, the United Methodists began to talk separation, deluding ourselves that we’d have a friendly divorce. By now we’ve lawyered up, and things are getting ugly.”
by William H. Willimon
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** Malka Simkovich on God as the mother of Israel ([link removed])
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Jon chats with Malka Simkovich, director of the Catholic-Jewish studies program at the Catholic Theological Union.
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** Living by the Word for August 28 (Ordinary 22C) ([link removed])
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While he has everyone’s attention, Jesus challenges the conventional dinner seating practices.

by Craig S. Keener

Ordinary 22C archives ([link removed])
Get even more lectionary resources with Sunday’s Coming Premium, an email newsletter from the editors of the Christian Century. Learn more ([link removed]) .


** Ministry with the grieving ([link removed])
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“Too many folks suppose that a pastor’s job is quiet and contemplative, away from the action. But no, in the house he visited that night it was all wailing and gun smoke.”
by Cornelius Plantinga Jr.


** Concretizing the word ([link removed])
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“Like the Bible, the Constitution doesn’t provide a method for interpreting itself. And yet, we have no choice but to interpret.”
by Peter W. Marty
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