|
|
 |
|
The thing I love about ministry is that it is
collaborative. The pastor of a church is not "The Minister," but "a minister" among many. That conviction is at the heart of our Congregational tradition. That reality is the source of the greatest joy and consolation the Church has to offer.
Ministry is all about relationships: our relationships with God
and with each other. The life of a community of faith is about
nurturing those relationships in worship, in work and in joyous
fellowship. Though church life is about an intentional Christian
life in a particular congregation, we must always strive to
serve God in reaching out beyond our own familiar congregation.
|
In reaching out to the wider
church, to people of other faiths and no faith, we can enrich
our experience and our spiritual lives. At Second Church we take
this seriously without taking ourselves too seriously.
That is what I love about being the pastor of Second Church.
If I were to boil our shared ministry down to one element, it would be a biblical ethic of hospitality. In worship, we welcome the spirit of God into our midst. We welcome old friends and strangers alike. We welcome those who
come from other traditions of the wider church, those of different faiths, those who are searching or merely curious about what we do. God's
love calls us together and our purpose is to share that love.
I hope you will find a warm welcome should you choose to visit us. Please introduce yourself so that I may greet you
personally. I would also be happy to hear from you via email. Please
click here  .
May God's peace be with you,
The Reverend Richard E. Malmberg
Pastor
Bio:
Richard Malmberg was born in Wilmington, Delaware and grew up in Dallas, Texas. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies from Guilford College, in Greensboro, North Carolina in 1984, and earned a Master of Divinity from Andover Newton Theological School in 1988. Before
ordination, Malmberg spent five years working for a daily newspaper. In continuing education, Richard has pursued the study of Judaism, Hebrew, and Jewish/Christian dialogue.
Richard's journey to ministry has been a winding road, and he
continues to pursue a variety of interests. His preaching is
rooted in a passion for writing, and his own search for God
within the life of a faith community. He has published articles
and poetry in a variety of publications and pursued his interest
in music playing bass in two rock bands: The Vagrants and
Calvinist Anxiety. |
|
|
|
Richard lives with his wife Jane and sons Max and Oscar. He enjoys biking, golf, films, reading, music, cooking and collecting toys. He is active in interfaith community organizations in the Greater Boston Area, and has served on a variety of committees within the Metropolitan Boston Association Committee and Massachusetts Conference of the United Church of Christ.
|
|
|
Message from the July-August SPIRE
Dear Friends,
As much as I love to see the stars and stripes flapping in the breeze on Flag
Day, June 14 has other significance for me. On June 14, 1998 I gave my
candidating sermon here at Second Church, and you all voted to call me to be
your Pastor. It was a stormy Sunday morning, and the threat of flood meant
that the back-flow valve had to be closed, which meant that there was no running
water in the building. But we all soldiered on. Jane was nine-months pregnant
at the time. Oscar was born two days later.
The summer months are an excellent time to reflect on where we have been, as
well as an opportunity to contemplate the future. We live in a time of constant
change, perhaps a permanent condition. I particularly look forward to the
lay-led worship services of July and August in the Living Room. Not just
because they provide me a break from sermon preparation (for which I am
grateful), but because they give me an opportunity to hear your theological
reflections. I have always found them intriguing and often challenging.
I hope that the months of July and August are all that you need them to be:
restful, exciting, inspiring, adventurous and restoring. May God be with you
all until we meet again.
Yours in Christ,
Richard Malmberg |
|
