Cultural conflicts about the family - including those surrounding women's social roles, abortion, same-sex marriage, and contraception - have intensified over the last few decades among Catholics, as well as among Americans generally. In fact, they are the source of much of the political polarization we see. But how do individuals in local settings and cultures - especially religious ones - experience and participate in these conflicts? Why are they so resonant? By exploring how religion and family life are intertwined in local parish settings, Mary Ellen Konieczny seeks to explain how and why Catholics are divided about the family. The Spirit's Tether presents a detailed comparative ethnographic analysis of the families and local religious cultures in two Catholic parishes, one conservative and one progressive. Through an examination of the activities of parish life and the faith stories of parishioners, this book reveals how parishes support and shape the ways in which Catholics work out the routines of marriage, childrearing, and work-family balance, as well as how they connect these everyday challenges to public politics. Local parishes, Konieczny argues, promote polarization through practices that unintentionally fragment the Catholic tradition.

The Spirit's Tether: Eight Lives in Ministry tells the stories of eight men and women from their days as students at Union Theological Seminary in New York through their work today as pastors in local congregations over thirty years later. Since 1976 when they entered Union, Malcolm L. Warford has documented their experiences, first in theological education and then through their ministries. Finally, he has asked them to reflect on their vocational journeys and express what their calling has meant to them personally and professionally. The book reveals eight richly textured narratives full of the insight, heartache, and delight that go hand in hand with the practice of ministry--unvarnished truths from eight who have been formed by this work and calling. The Spirit's Tether is a distinctive resource for ministers, congregational leaders, and those in theological education whose role it is to prepare women and men for their sojourns into ordained ministry.

Through detailed ethnographic analysis of one conservative and one progressive parish, this book reveals how church metaphors and religious identities matter to parishioners' marriages, childrearing, and work-family balance; connect everyday life with public politics; and unintentionally fragment the Catholic tradition.

It's 2015. Tony and Rachel's son Jacob is coming to Baltimore to start graduate school at the world famous Peabody Conservatory of Music. He will live at Godfather Jim and Uncle Joe's Baltimore house. The sequel to Dialogues on the Beach, Spirit's Tether traces a year of growth and of mourning, the complexities of families of origin and of choice, the joys and torments of first love and coming out, and the spirit's tether binding love, sex, and romance throughout a life span.

Three questing strangers, one desperate chase, and a magical mystery that will push them to the edge. Tethered Spirits is a YA fantasy novel full of magic and memorable characters.

A revised and expanded version of this classic text for church musicians and other worship planners. A planning guide for church musicians and clergy for selecting hymns, songs, and anthems, for the three-year liturgical cycle following the Revised Common Lectionary. Hymns and songs keyed to the appropriate liturgical occasion for Sundays in the Revised Common Lectionary for the three-year cycle. Revised in 2021, this first volume of the three-book series (Years A, B, and C) Includes selections from The Hymnal 1982, Lift Every Voice and Sing, Wonder, Love,andPraise, Voices Found, My Heart Sings Out alongwith Evangelical Lutheran Worship (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America), Moravian Book of Worship (Moravian Church), Common Praise (Anglican Church of Canada). Selections are listed by their relationship to the texts appointed for the day with indications which texts are direct quotes or paraphrases of the appointed scripture. First lines of hymns and songs include their page number and book location. Anthems are coded with their source when they are part of collection Choral selections are categorized as anthems or solos and voice parts are indicated.