The Parish Paper
The Parish Paper
The Parish Paper offers "ideas and insights for active congregations" and is co-edited monthly by Dana Horrell and Cynthia Woolever. Go to The Parish Paper page for other editions and information on reprinting.
Published Articles
6/1/2022 - Small Groups are the Church's Past and Future
5/1/2022 - Reaching Out to Low-Income Neighbors
4/1/2022 - New Life for Older Buildings
3/1/2022 - Bringing a Community Project into Focus
2/1/2022 - Prepare for Community Engagement through Study
1/1/2022 - Planning the Future by Appreciating the Past
12/1/2021 - How to Plan a Community Project
11/1/2021 - Thinking Flexibility about Our Buildings
10/1/2021 - Get to Know the Neighborhood with a Community Tour
9/1/2021 - Bringing the Power of Groups to Prison Ministry
8/1/2021 - Build Lasting Strength through Community Development
7/1/2021 - Is Drive-In Church a Good Idea?
6/1/2021 - Is it Time to Relocate?
5/24/2021 - The Parish Paper announces campaign to mobilize church leaders to increase number of COVID vaccinations
5/1/2021 - How Can We Overcome Barriers to Vaccination?
4/1/2021 - Readiness Is the Key to Congregational Change
3/1/2021 - How Can We Build Trust in a Vaccine?
2/1/2021 - Connect with Spiritual Seekers through the Arts
1/1/2021 - Build A Robust Network
12/1/2020 - Using Surveys to Guide Decision Making
11/1/2020 - Building Relationships in Livestream Worship
10/1/2020 - How to Foster Deep Listening Amid Political Difference
9/1/2020 - Getting Started with Livestreaming
8/1/2020 - Hospitality: Offering a Third Place to Gather
7/1/2020 - Care, Leadership, and Self-Renewal in Uncertain Times
6/1/2020 - Six Tools for Managing Volunteers
5/1/2020 - Yes, Congregations Can Learn New Habits
4/1/2020 - Enlist Specialists to Improve Outreach Ministry
3/1/2020 - What is the Emerging Church?
2/1/2020 - Get to Know the Community through Mapping
1/1/2020 - Repurpose Worship Space, Don’t Rebuild
12/1/2019 - Writing as a Tool for Community Engagement
11/1/2019 - Learning to Love Variety in Worship Song Selection
10/1/2019 - Let's Take a Walk: The Ministry of Accompaniment
9/1/2019 - A Team Approach to Worship Design
8/1/2019 - Learn More about Your Congregation through Focus Groups
7/1/2019 - Team Talk Can Strengthen Volunteer Ministry
6/1/2019 - Overcome Volunteer Burnout by Building Capacity
5/1/2019 - Tips for Starting and Managing a Worship Band
4/1/2019 - Building Your Community Ties with a Block Party
3/1/2019 - Media Technology for Worship
2/1/2019 - What is Contemporary Worship
1/1/2019 - Defining Church Vitality - Let Me Count the Ways
12/1/2018 - Getting to Know Our Neighbors
11/1/2018 - How to Develop Habits for Well-Being
10/1/2018 - Don’t Disagree, Deliberate: How to Lead Community Conversations in Your Church
9/1/2018 - Checking Up on Clergy Health: Assessing the Cost of Sacred Work
8/1/2018 - How to Raise Money for your Community Projects
7/1/2018 - Inviting, Informing, and Including Newcomers
6/1/2018 - Making the Nursery a Place of Belonging
5/1/2018 - How to Balance Hospitality and Church Security
4/1/2018 - Church Energy Use: Can We Harness Hope?
3/1/2018 - Finding Significance as a Small Church
2/1/2018 - Best Practices for Church Members Serving as Staff
1/1/2018 - 18 Questions for 2018
12/1/2017 - Does Our Pastor Need a Job Description?
11/1/2017 - Mistakes Churches Make During an Interim Ministry
10/1/2017 - Short-Term Mission Trips that Yield Long-Term Success
9/1/2017 - Equipping Volunteers Builds a Strong Community Church
8/1/2017 - What Promotes Hope?
7/1/2017 - How Can We Help Immigrants?
6/1/2017 - Ministry in the Midst of Tragedy
5/1/2017 - Financing the Local Church
4/1/2017 - Small is Big Again: Reclaiming Small Church Ministry
3/1/2017 - Guide to Good Governance
2/1/2017 - How Do Congregations Respond to Interfaith Couples?
1/1/2017 - Conquering the Cutback Syndrome
12/1/2016 - Can We Wait for God's Spark?
11/1/2016 - Does Your Congregation Suffer from Anxiety?
10/1/2016 - Keeping UP with the Pastor's Pay: Trends Behind Clergy Wages
9/1/2016 - What Keeps Congregations from Implementing New Ideas?
7/11/2016 - Multiple Roads to a Multicultural Congregation
7/1/2016 - When Charity Brings Anything But Relief
5/10/2016 - Making Congregations Greener
5/1/2016 - How Do New People Hear About Your Church?
4/1/2016 - How to Deal with Church Conflict
2/1/2016 - The Payday Lending Crisis: What Can Congregations Do?
1/1/2016 - How Ministry Teams Get Things Done
