The Stories of Our Lives: The Theological Exploration of Vocation in Colleges and Universities where VanZanten discusses how the telling of personal stories about one’s life has been a key element of the powerful impact that the Program for the Theological Exploration of Vocation (PTEV) has had on students and faculty. The PTEV has sought to help students examine the relationship between faith and work, encourage talented students to explore a call to Christian ministry, and prepare faculty and staff to assist students in thinking about vocation, work, and ministry in new ways.

In ARTICLES ON CLERGY SABBATICALS, see article by Dorisanne Cooper Bread and Breath for the Breadth of the Journey: Reflections Three Years Out where Cooper describes her exploration of spiritual and physical practices that would provide a nurturing rhythm to her ministry now and into the future.

In ESSAYS, see the analysis by Karen Marie Yust.

Transforming Practices: Emerging Literature on Children, Youth and Christian Formation where Yust reviews the books and edited volumes of twenty-four scholars or scholarly collaborations, highlighting shared themes and commitments in the major literature on children, youth and Christian formation that has emerged since 2000.

In INTERVIEWS, see the interview with William C. Placher.

on College Students Discerning Their Calling where Placher discusses the potential and challenges for college students in discerning their calling in contemporary American society.

In ARTICLES ON CLERGY SABBATICALS, see the articles by

James E. Wolff, A Lifelong Pull into an Unlikely Dance, where Wolff recounts a remarkable event when the Holy Spirit connected the “word read” with the “word lived” in the life of a man who drew Wolff himself into a dance set to the rhythms of grace.

Amy McCreath, The Ministry of Mentoring in the 21st Century Church, where McCreath considers the historic and present needs and challenges for Christian mentoring especially with what she calls the present “open source” generation in a post-modern society of increasing complexity. She also discusses the unique requirements of mentoring to the three particularly critical seasons of life, college/young adulthood, early professional life, and early retirement.

Robert Kyte, Ministry Relearned , where Kyte asks whether there is a future for the traditional “name brand” (Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Lutheran, UCC) American Protestant churches. What do adults aged 45 and under look for in a church? Do they look for a church at all? What are some mainline churches doing differently that causes them to thrive, and what do pastors need to learn and practice now?