Every denomination has one – and UCC Minister Lillian Daniel says our particular faith traditions are the gold mines we need to invigorate our churches.
I first heard about Lillian when her book on reclaiming the practice of Testimony came out, called Tell It Like It Is. In this interview Lillian talks about her work to reclaim not only testimony, but Bible knowledge and intellectualism that is helping enliven her congregation.
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Synopsis
One of the ways mainline churches have lost their way is by paying too little attention to their rich heritage. In this interview Lillian Daniel talks about ‘re-traditioning’ – and the ways churches can move forward by looking backward. Here are my notes from the interview:
Recovering Testimony
Finding ways for church members, not just clergy, to share what God has done in peoples’ lives is an important source of encouragement for tired congregations. What might this look like at your church?
Rediscovering Scripture
Are lectionaries all they’re cracked up to be? Lillian talks about why she’s giving it the boot in exchange for a deeper, richer Sunday experience with the Scriptures.
Canning Social Media?
Never having a thought we don’t hit ‘send’ on may be turning us into narcissists. Lillian tells us why she quit Facebook, and why she’s raising the caution flag over social media.
Books Lillian Recommends:
The Beauty of the Word - James Howell
Still – Lauren Winner
About Lillian Daniel
Lillian Daniel has served as the Senior Minister of the First Congregational Church of Glen Ellyn since 2004. Before that she spent fourteen years in Connecticut, growing up, going to grad school, raising a family and leading two churches, most recently the Church of the Redeemer in New Haven from 1996-2004. Her newest book, This Odd and Wondrous Calling: The Public and Private Lives of Two Ministers, co-authored by Martin B. Copenhaver, is a humorous and honest look at the ministry. Lillian also hosts the Chicago-based public television program, “30 Good Minutes,” which airs on Sundays at 5:00pm on WTTW Channel 11. She is an editor at large for the Christian Century Magazine and a contributing editor at Leadership, her work has also appeared in The Huffington Post, Christianity Today, Leadership Journal, Books and Culture,The Journal for Preachers and in the daily email devotionals available at ucc.org. She serves on the Board of Trustees of Chicago Theological Seminary and the Board of Advisors at Yale Divinity School. In October 2010 she received the distinguished alumni award from Yale Divinity School for “Distinction in Congregational Ministry.”
