Ministry Development and Social Justice

As noted in my earlier posting, I recently attended a four-day retreat at Sandscrest Conference and Retreat Center , Wheeling, WV, as part of my continuing education as a ministry developer. During our time together, we used Brian McLaren’s book, Naked Spirituality: A Life with God in 12 Simple Words to guide the theme for our community worship times. I found it helpful as we journeyed through the word “seasons;” others expressed the same comment.

More critically, however, it was informative of who I am and of the character of ministry developers. My conclusion was that ministry developers have a common passion for social justice issues. We are compassionate persons who work with the marginalized and misunderstood. We live in the trenches. We work in the trenches.

Traditional clergy and lay persons involved in church ministry do not understand our work and thus we are in many senses marginalized. We are misunderstood in that there is a view that working with small churches we are “less than,” and that we are promoted to larger churches if we are capable. We are marginalized in that small church work is just as hard, generally with much greater demands for the personal element, such as pastoral care.

Our people are names and personalities that we know well—they are not numbers. We have no staff to assist us and we are expected to juggle many tasks and demands with grace and excellence. I admit that I fail at both much of the time, but I certainly try. And thankfully the people whom I serve are very forgiving, gracious and caring.

So what was the “simple word” that was so informative? It was “no.” “No” was the word we spoke the loudest and with the greatest urgency in the midst of the silences. Not “no” as in “no” I cannot help you or “no” I don’t want to, but “no” as in “no, stop, this is unjust.”

“No” is the word for effecting justice and fairness, and advocating for the same in the world. Apparently social justice advocacy is a common gift and passion for each of us as ministry developers. We understand it and we do it well.

Theresa

Circles and More Circles

Last week, I attended a four-day retreat at Sandscrest Conference and Retreat Center, Wheeling, WV, with 14 others involved in ministry development. Each of us had different stories, came from different regions, and approached ministry development from differing vantages of experience as either ministry developers or persons “forming” ministry developers. I expected it to be a rewarding and informative experience. I prayed that it also would be a much needed retreat from the distractions that impact my formal development work.

My expectations and prayers were well rewarded, but in ways only God might have planned. Good thing I am pretty good at “letting go and letting God” as they say! And thank God for providing me with two parishes who allowed me the time to attend to listening to the “inner voice.”

I spent much of my time in individual reflection or in the larger or smaller circles of developers who quickly became new friends and colleagues. The Quaker-based Circles of Trust® approach formulated by Parker Palmer served as a model for our reflection and discernment work. I found the experience an astonishing lesson on the power of God and allowing God to work through us individually and as a group when we allow that to happen.

As we provided for silence in the room and in our hearts, God spoke loudly to each of us individually and collectively. When silence was provided for us to read something as we felt so moved, I never once heard two persons begin to speak at the same moment. If I detected a “pull” to speak that would not let go, I knew that it was my time to speak. The silences might have been long or short, it did not seem to matter, but the need to speak became real to only one person at a time, without the overlap of voices or false starts.

During the silences, the imagery provoked by my brain provided informative insights and lessons that were helpful to me as a developer, a coach, a companion in ministry. I noted that, when I shared my thoughts, they were well-received within this safe “Circle of Trust.” The response by others indicated that sometimes my thoughts were new ones that made sense but had not risen to the top of their conscious until shared. Other times, it was astounding how often our discussions of concerns and celebrations were common to many around the circle.

The essence of ministry development is allowing that development to begin with each of us, spurred by our own inner voices, which will inform us as we then branch out to companion others to do the same. Only God can tell us where and what that might mean. And the lack of knowing and understanding by me and each of us is okay. It is more than okay. It is all part of the plan. God’s plan. And I am still listening as that plan evolves and becomes clear.

Theresa