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Continue reading →: We Rest Because God RestedMonths ago, the worship committee at Bethel Mennonite Church in Winnipeg, Manitoba, thought about planning a four-week worship series on self-care. Then with the stress and restrictions of the pandemic, the series took on “a new urgency,” says committee chair Erwin Warkentin. So for the month of June, the church…
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Continue reading →: Do Not Be AfraidDo not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. “For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one’s foes will…
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Continue reading →: Black Lives Matter in CanadaLast week I received a phone call from a church member. “I want you to know Black lives matter,” he said, “And Asian lives matter.” I’ve written elsewhere on Naming Anti-Asian Racism in response to increasing verbal harassment, physical assault, and other acts of discrimination against Asian people. And for…
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Continue reading →: To Sing or Not to Sing?It’s been 11 weeks since my church has met in person for worship. Instead, we’ve been receiving the Sunday liturgy and homily by email or delivered to our homes. Some have been recording the worship music at home and sending out audio files, so we’ve been treated to piano and…
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Continue reading →: Part-Time is PlentyWhen I tell people that I serve as resident author with a local church that doesn’t have a full-time salaried pastor, I usually get one of two responses, and sometimes both: Resident author? That sounds cool—what is it? How can you have a church without a paid pastor? To the…
When You Work for the Church
Hello,
I’m April Yamasaki
Welcome to When You Work for the Church. I’ve been a church volunteer and a full-time pastor. I’ve led small groups and served on denominational committees. When I resigned from pastoral ministry to focus on my writing, I knew that I wanted to be—needed to be—grounded in a local congregation. I love the church!
But I also know that churches and church organizations have not always lived up to their calling, have brought harm instead of healing. So I started this website to share resources for doing ministry better, and pray that together we might serve more faithfully and effectively.
For a healthy rhythm of work and rest, I’d love to send you my ebook.
When You Work for the Church 