Best Practice #5:  Heart of the Core Leadership Team

The heart of the leader:

​None of this transformation will be possible without the commitment of the leaders to their own discipleship, including clarity of belief, dedication to spiritual practice, and service in the world. Leaders can’t give what they don’t have. RenewalWorks seeks to support leaders in this journey and help them stay connected to the reasons they got into ministry in the first place, again, to their first love. 

Mark 12:30
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.
 
Discuss Spiritual Leadership.

Engage lay leadership, especially Vestry members, in the question of what it means to be a spiritual leader. Enter into the conversation of what it means that a Vestry member is a minister. Encourage prayer and biblical reflection as a standing item in the agenda for the meetings.  At one Vestry retreat, held early in the year, the session concluded with a challenge to all members, that they identify one way they would seek to grow spiritually in the coming year and to be held accountable for that by naming that in front of the group. Vestry members can be paired as prayer partners throughout the year.

Vestry Covenant.

Articulate covenantal commitments for Vestry members. A sample of a Vestry Covenant can be found here (see appendix), and there are many models available. The covenant helps to elevate expectations about participation in leadership groups and allows for both clarity of purpose and accountability.

Personal Spiritual Practices.

Challenge clergy to reflect on their own spiritual growth. The lay leadership should take it as their responsibility to see that clergy are afforded time for retreat, for reflection, for study, for contemplative time away. Many clergy now communicate with congregations on a weekly basis, sharing insights into their own spiritual journeys. These kinds of communications can build relationship between clergy and congregation, and can offer a window for parishioners to see the joys and challenges of the spiritual journey of the leaders.

Compelling Vision.

​Clergy and vestry lead a process of articulating a vision statement, describing what the church will look like in five years if spiritual growth continues to unfold with energy. Such a vision statement weaves into the community the expectation that spiritual growth will indeed happen, and invites members of the congregation to think about what that will look like. Share publicly and remember to revisit periodically.

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Diocesan Resources

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Healing from Internalized Oppression

“We are going to emancipate ourselves from mental slavery, for though others may free the body, none but ourselves can free the mind. Mind is our only ruler; sovereign.” –Marcus Garvey
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“Who told you, you were naked?” Internalized Oppression (IO) Curriculum

Through a series of modules, this internalized oppression curriculum educates participants about institutional, interpersonal, and internal oppression to facilitate a healing process that empowers people for transformational ministry in the name of Jesus. 

Among the topics covered:

·         Shame = Silence + Secrecy + Judgment
·         The lies we’ve told and the new narratives we’re creating
·         Historical, theological, and social constructs of oppression

​Participants are challenged to personally explore their life experiences through a didactic group process that invites them on a journey toward wholeness.

​To learn more go here: https://episcopalchurch.org/OBM/internalized-oppression

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​Revive is a discipleship program to help active lay leaders—wardens, property and finance officers, committee chairs, vestry members, church school teachers, youth ministers, pastoral visitors, and liturgical ministers—grow in confidence as spiritual leaders.

Revive is about transformation through spiritual formation. In just 10 months, this small-group program transforms leaders of practical church ministry into confident spiritual leaders who love God and participate in Christ’s ministry. It is also a powerful resource to assist people in creating ownership of their own spiritual growth and ministry.
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This program is offered as a gift of thanks for the dedicated service of those lay people who work so hard for their church. To learn more go to:
http://renewalworks.org/revive/ 

A "Media Kit" to help you promote "Revive"

Ciick on the Download File link below for the Revive Media kit, which includes a Press Release and a selection of 9 photos for your use.  The kit is in a "zip" file.  Save that file on your computer, then extract (unzip) the file to see the Press Release and photos.

revive_media_kit.zip
File Size:	17635 kb
File Type:	zip

Download File

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COACHING PROGRAM FOR CLERGY

(Need Photo of Coaching Group)
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Coaching for Clergy: Growth and Change: 

​Designed to assist Rectors and Priests in Charge undertaking the RenewalWorks or another adaptive change process, these private, personal coaches will be available to clergy as they lead their congregations forward in their plans. Knowing that the adaptive learning and changes necessary to develop congregations in our time will stretch our clergy, the coaches are allies to help clergy achieve their personal best as congregational leaders. The Coaching program is free and covers 16 sessions. In person, by phone, or Skype, the coaches will meet with clergy as needed. Trained by Tribeca Leadership LLC our Coaches represent some of the best learning and experience among clergy in the Diocese of Long Island.

To obtain a coach, contact Canon Claire Woodley:  cwoodley@dioceseli.org or (516) 248-4800 ext. 134

Need a picture!

> Click here for the roster of Diocese of Long Island Clergy Coaches

​FIRST TUESDAYS AT THE MERCER SCHOOL

Skill building for clergy to empower adaptive change in your congregation
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For many clergy, what we were trained for, and what we have used in the past, is no longer speaking to the many people who pass by our church doors daily. When what we have used no longer works, it points to the necessity of learning new things.

Through a variety of speakers and preachers we will learn essentials of adaptive change processes, how to find and formulate the important questions that need to be pursued, and to build adaptive change strength and conversations in your congregation. 

You will have the opportunity to join in a monthly to share with and learn from your peers, discuss findings and build strategies.

First Tuesday meetings will take place at the Mercer School of Theology.

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QUICK LINKS

> Welcome Page

> The Path

> Get People Moving

> Embed the Bible

> Create Ownership

> Pastor the Community
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> Leaders Heart

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