From the President

Serving Leadership

By Michael Readinger | January 13, 2020

There are so many great Serving Leadership quotes out in the world of our religious, spiritual and lay texts. They are all inspirational in their own ways. You may have noticed that each issue of Diakonie has a featured quote from someone in the CHHSM family. We recently requested more of these reflections on leadership…

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Life is a Gift

By Michael Readinger | December 10, 2019

As we progress through Advent and enter the Christmas season, let’s focus on all the gifts that life, living and love bring instead of thinking about the gifts we may give and receive. These gifts cannot be bought, put in a box, wrapped and given. These gifts are beautiful presents with far greater meaning and…

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Give Thanks! Every Day

By Michael Readinger | November 15, 2019

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, I am moved to express gratitude for all the good that has been happening in my world. Granted, life is not perfect and many things in our society need to be healed/fixed/corrected/abolished. But, being grateful and expressing gratitude are known to make everyone feel better. A five-minute-a-day gratitude journal can…

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Autumn Harvest

By Michael Readinger | October 11, 2019

As summer slowly gives way to autumn (it’s in the 90s on October 1!), the CHHSM Board and staff are harvesting much of the work that has been in process for the last several months. It has been a busy and exciting season of planting and tending to the fruits of our labors. First and…

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From Resolution to Resolve

By Michael Readinger | September 13, 2019

The lack of affordable housing (2013), gun violence as a health issue (2017), the opioid crisis (2019). All of these are critical issues that the CHHSM Board, membership and staff have addressed via the UCC General Synod resolution process. Well, it is time to put the pedal to the metal, to walk the talk, and…

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‘With Such Hope, We Can Be Bold’

By Rev. Elyse Berry, DMin | September 13, 2019

In her poem, “The Summer Day,” Mary Oliver asks, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do/with your one wild and precious life?” I hear in Mary’s words an invitation to lean into that which gives life, energy, and wonder. For me, supporting others along their paths to healing and flourishing — personally and…

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Never Forget that You are Amazing

By Michael Readinger | August 16, 2019

An open pastoral letter to those seeking employment, to those seeking degrees, to those in discernment mode, to those seeking a path to fulfill their vocation and call and to anyone else looking to make a change in their lives: Never forget that you are amazing!  Let me tell you why . . . In…

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Beyond Cowardice

By Michael Readinger | July 12, 2019

Earlier this month, the Rev. Kenneth Samuel’s UCC Daily Devotion titled “Beyond Bravery” was published. The scripture verse from Matthew 10 is one I am familiar with and have heard in church and as the subject of more than one sermon. “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. You will be handed over…

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Be A Voice

By Michael Readinger | June 15, 2019

With each new class of the Nollau Leadership Institute, we focus on empowering members of the class to “Be A Voice” — for their vocation and call, for their ministry setting, for their family, for their friends, and for those they serve. They gain the skills and confidence necessary to do this by writing and…

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Plans to Action

By Guest Contributor | June 15, 2019

By David Waltemeyer, Chair, CHHSM Board It says in James 1 to be doers of the word and not hearers only. Conversely, when questioned by the religious leaders of his day, Jesus himself replied that the two greatest commandments, if followed, would fulfill all the commandments: we are to love God and we are to…

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