Rev. Dr. Robert R. LaRochelle is pastor of the Congregational Church of Union, Connecticut, UCC. He also serves as a counselor at South Windsor High School where he has also served as Varsity Baseball Coach.
Bob has worked in education for thirty five years. He is a former Roman Catholic Permanent Deacon and also served as a Diocesan official in the area of Adolescent Religious Education.
He has done extensive writing and speaking in the area of part time and bivocational ministry. His written work includes his recent book, Part Time Pastor, Full Time Church (Pilgrim Press, 2010) and articles in The Living Pulpit, Still Speaking, Sharing the Practice and Congregations. He holds degrees in Religious Studies, Religious Education and in Counseling as well as the Doctor of Ministry in Preaching from Chicago Theological Seminary.
In a few weeks, my new book So Much Older Then (Energion Publications) will be released. While I did my doctoral work in the area of preaching, this is the first time I have attempted a book on this topic. In it, I reflect upon an approach to preaching I have used upon occasion in my local congregation. In writing this, I am hopeful that others might consider it and if not willing to implement it as such, might nonetheless continue to reflect upon the interaction between preacher and congregation that has traditionally gone by the name 'sermon.'
Read full article...One of the main points I attempt to make in my recent book Crossing the Street is a simple one: In spite of a turbulent and tumultuous history, Roman Catholics and Protestants share a common core of Christian faith. This core is something that must be affirmed and built upon. Recognition of this core, I would argue, has significant implications for how we do Christian Education, Youth Ministry and for the ways in which we approach both worship and sacramental sharing.
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