Speaking and Consulting
Contact Sarah directly with inquiries related to preaching, speaking, workshop leadership, and consulting. Her topics of interest are change leadership, United Church of Christ Polity, and developing leaders for mission-motivated institutions. Previous clients have included:
Graduate theological schools attempting new forms of partnership
Divinity and theological school faculty members learning about their roles in student learning assessment
Churches living into new governance structures
Institutional leaders weathering crises
Publications
Books
Cultivating Competence: the Ministry of Leadership Development. Fortress Press, 2025
Intentional Leadership In-Between Times. The Pilgrim Press, 2022
Sharing Leadership: A United Church of Christ Way of Being in Community. The Pilgrim Press, 2021
Dynamic Discernment: Reason, Emotion, and Power in Faith Community Change Leadership. The Pilgrim Press, 2019
Leading Change in Campus Religious Life. Scholars’ Press, 2015
Holy Clarity: The Practice of Planning and Evaluation. The Alban Institute, 2009
Articles, Book Chapters, and other Resources
Weekly ‘blog since 2018, https://sbdrummond.medium.com/
“The Spiritual Practice of Honoring Urgency.” Chapter in Experience: Spiritual Formation in Theological Field Education. Matthew Floding and Dawn Davis, eds. Rowman & Littlefield, 2025.
“The Case for Grace.” Chapter in Creating Space for Grace: Engaging Intergenerational Faith. Jeffrey Haggray, Cheryl Price, and Rachael B. Lawrence, eds. Judson Press, 2025.
“A Hardworking Protestant’s Unease with ‘Ease’.” Reflections, the Yale Divinity School Magazine. May, 2024.
“Emmaus Encounters: Building Community on the Road, 2022; a Case Study on Teaching Seminary Students to Build Community.” The Wabash Center Journal on Teaching. February, 2024.
“Imagining Social Justice Ministerial Leadership Education.” Co-authored with research assistant Omena McCoy. Reflective Practice. March 6, 2023
Thriving Congregations Workbook and Leaders’ Guide. Created for Yale Divinity School for use among student consultants participating in Lilly-Endowment funded initiative. August 2021
“Please Go Around.” The Christian Citizen Weekly. March 25, 2021
“Supply Chains,” in We Shall Be Changed: Questions for the Post-Pandemic Church, Mark D.W. Edington, ed. Church Publishing, Inc. 2020
“Masks, Freedom, and the Power of Covenant.” Reflections, the Yale Divinity School magazine, fall 2020.
“Why Andover Newton requires seminarians to take a course from the Yale School of Management.” The Christian Century, February 4, 2020
“Changing the Rules of the Game.” Reflections, the Yale Divinity School magazine, fall 2019
Book review on Safe Spaces, Brave Spaces: Diversity and Free Expression in Education, and Free Speech on Campus, The Christian Century, May 9, 2018
Lectionary essays on II Corinthians 5:20b-6:10; Romans 5:12-19; and Romans 4:1-5, 13-17. Connections: A Lectionary Commentary. Westminster John Knox Press, publication pending
“Leadership Amidst ‘Institutional Pain.’” The Journal of Religious Leadership, spring 2017
“Lead Time” Web log on leadership in a seminary in transition, with Martin B. Copenhaver, www.medium.com/@lead_time, 2016-2018
“The In-Ministry MDiv.” The Journal of Religious Leadership, spring 2016
“A Dean’s Perspective on Shared Governance,” In Trust, New Year 2016
Devotion series on “Everyday Resurrection,” These Days, Westminster John Knox Press, 2016
Book review on Mothers in Academia. Teaching Theology and Religion, October 2014
Devotion on “Respite and Compassion,” These Times, Westminster John Knox Press, January-March 2013
“Surfing the Sea Change: Academic Leaders Pool Their Knowledge on Building Assessment Programs.” Colloquy, spring 2012
United Church of Christ bulletin insert, Easter Sunday, 2012, viewed by over 1,000 worshipers
“Assessing Student Learning,” in Welcome to Theological Field Education! Matthew Floding, ed. The Alban Institute, 2011
“Attracting Younger Adults to Congregational Life: Three Tensions.” Congregations Magazine, summer 2010.
Lectionary essays on II Timothy 4: 6-8, 16-18; II Thessalonians 1: 1-4, 11-12; and Ephesians 1: 11-23. Feasting on the Word: Year C, Volume 4. Westminster John Knox Press, 2010
“The Integrative Seminar: A National Perspective on Field Education On-Campus Courses.” Co-authored with Rev. Dr. Henrietta Aiello. Reflective Practice, Volume 29, 2009
“The Integrative Seminar: Field Education On-Campus Courses.” Conference presentation and published abstract, Association of Theological Field Education. Atlanta, January 2009
“Making the Connection: A Case Study on Bridging Classroom and Experiential Learning.” Christian Education Journal (Series 3, 6:1). Spring 2009
“Theoretical Foundations for Integrative Learning in Theological Field Education.” Theological Education (43:2). Spring 2008
Faith Practices in Context. Edited anthology of student essays, published internally, Andover Newton Theological School, 2007
“Learning, Leadership, and Rapid Change.” The Journal of Religious Leadership (6:1), spring 2007
“Key Findings from a Case Study on the Programs for the Theological Exploration of Vocation.” Religion and Education (34:2), fall 2007
“Assessing a Field Education Program.” Conference presentation and published abstract, Association of Theological Field Education. Dallas, January 2007
“God Wants You! Ministerial and Military Recruitment,” co-authored with Andrew Warner, Congregations, winter 2007
“Online Learning in Secondary Education: A New Frontier.” Co-authored with Simone Conceiçao Educational Considerations, fall 2005
“The work” includes:
differentiating ourselves from the communities we lead, rather than fusing with them emotionally, riding their every up and down like a roller-coaster;
learning good leadership theories to guide us;
reflecting deeply on our leadership successes and failures;
trying all kinds of new experiences so as to become and remain accustomed to the discomfort that comes with unfamiliarity;
becoming more attuned to our contexts through showing up and building relationships; and
delving into the stories of other leaders and communities so we might learn through their experiences.
