The United Methodist Clergy Book of Firsts

Cultivate community and discernment to nurture the soul

Discover a path to true belonging and spiritual growth within your congregation with this groundbreaking book. Lead others through group spiritual direction for friendship and group spiritual direction for communal discernment. Help them experience the power of authentic connections with others and God, leading to fruitful ministry and transformation into faithful followers of Christ.

By embracing the rich tradition of early Methodist class meetings, early monasticism, and Ignatian and Quaker traditions, this book offers practical guidance on spiritual direction for your community. Learn how to navigate conflicts with grace and create a space for genuine community and spiritual wholeness. An appendix with guidelines, schedules, and more provides helps for implementation, is available online with purchase.

In a world filled with loneliness and division, sow seeds of belonging with group spiritual practices that foster unity and consensus. Journey towards God’s preferred future, where connection brings us together as one in faith and love.

F. Belton Joyner Jr. is a retired United Methodist pastor and author of The Unofficial UM Handbooks and Being Methodist in the Bible Belt: A Theological Survival Guide for Youth, Parents, and Other Confused Methodists and many other books. Currently, he is a visiting lecturer at Duke Divinity School and member of Judicial Council of The United Methodist Church. He lives in Bahama, North Carolina.