An Unexpected Journey: Reflections on Pastoral Ministry

J. Philip Wogaman offers candid reflections on his service as Senior Minister at Foundry United Methodist Church in Washington, D.C., an unexpected journey that he began at the age of sixty following a full career as an ethics professor. Wogaman chronicles the tasks he faced as a new pastor, tasks with which every pastor deals—effective and faithful preaching, balancing pastoral and prophetic roles, presenting the church to the pubic media, dealing with prominent church members, and addressing stewardship. He also discusses the challenges of succeeding a long-loved pastor who departed under a cloud, the responsibilities of pastoring to a president, and his efforts to balance the roles of a pastor against such a dramatic backdrop. Identifying his own successes and mistakes, Wogaman provides fresh insights on parish ministry that are sure to become guideposts for all pastors.