Reflecting on the 2015 Living Stones Partnership Meeting

            It has been two months since I departed San Antonio, Texas, and the 2015 annual meeting of the Living Stones Partnership meeting. It was a gathering of friends and colleagues involved in ministry development. Many of those gathered identify as ministry developers; others lack that identification. But each of us gathered believe that God calls each of us to different ministries and empowers us with the gifts that we need to live into those ministries and thus live into serving the Missio Dei—the Mission of God. What a beautiful gathering of people filled with the spirit and love for God, God’s Mission, and the ministry of each and all!

            Yet, there also are challenges, and one of those challenges is in informing others about our passion for this “thing” we call “ministry development” and assisting each other in companioning our colleagues in the discernment and nurturing of their gifts in accordance with God’s call and mission. In that vein, I recommend that people read an article on our time together in February 2015, whether at the International Symposium or the annual Living Stones Partnership meeting. Follow this link to read an article by Carole Bell, of the Diocese of Northern Michigan, on both events. And if you wish to engage in conversation and further exploration of your thoughts, please explore further the Living Stones Partnership website and the various resources referenced on that site.

 

Theresa+

The Many “Hats” of Ministry Development

It has been nearly a year since I last posted to my blog. Not out of a lack of interest: I do enjoy writing. But I would guess it is more a matter of my difficulty in determining which hat or hats I am now wearing and whether I can hold on to them long enough to post something before the winds of change blow them away. 

Over the past year in the picturesque mountains of rural Western Maryland, I have experienced the highs and lows of mountaintops and valleys. I have held hands with a dozen or so active parishioners as they decided that they no longer could continue to hold services as a viable independent parish. Exhausted of energy, time and a range of needed talents, the people needed to look elsewhere to develop new church community relationships. We grieved together, but we knew that we needed to say “goodbye” to that which no longer was viable to participate in something new and growing. It was a courageous faith-filled decision, and I was blessed to be one of their companions.

I mourned that change as their parish priest, but I rejoiced in their strength of faith and resilience as they moved on to other parish communities. They have since discovered new interests and activities in their new church homes. Some have explored other new interests now that they no longer have had to be the sole (and soul) sustaining force in their previous community.

And now I rejoice again as I wear my ministry developer and diocesan staff “hat” as I see other church communities look at those same tired buildings and envision new possibilities for those facilities. Imagination—God-centered imagination--is at work as these church communities tour the buildings and suggest new life to be born inside. Like a young butterfly emerging from a cocoon, the possibilities are yet to unfurl.

Yet, I also explore several of the other “hats” that I wear as well. I continue to visit the sick, the dying, the grieving. I listen to their stories. I sit quietly beside them. I coax them to see the possibilities. I invite them to acknowledge God’s presence with them in the times of struggle and of rejoicing. And sometimes—yes, sometimes—I hear them speak of new ways in which to direct their energy as they emerge from loss, sickness or grief. Those are very special moments. I witness new life, and I am invited to the most precious of invitations: to companion them in their grief, fears and sadness.

Ministry development requires many hats and many hat changes. I wonder which hat I will wear next?! I guess I will know better tomorrow.

 

Theresa+

 

Church and the Three-Ring Circus

I write this message while I am attending the third annual Living Stones Partnership meeting held at the Circus Circus resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. This is the annual meeting of the partnership of dioceses, seminaries, individuals, and communities of faith interested in mutual/shared ministry. Through the partnership, communities explore ways to assist and support persons in discerning their gifts and then empowering them to use those gifts as God and Christ are calling them to do. At its essence it is a matter of letting the light of Christ shine forth, much like the focus of the Epiphany season’s Sunday lectionary readings of recent weeks.

 

As I meet with colleagues and friends in this city of bright lights and overstated opulence, light and brightness surround me. Christ is right here, serving the thousands of people who work very hard in the entertainment and hospitality business, those who support those businesses, and the many who are suffering from financial or other adversities.

 

But Las Vegas also is a city of noise. The clamor of slot machines, as well as the voices of patrons and workers, surround me. I meander through the floors of smoke and noise, making my way to meetings and to quieter spaces where I can concentrate on what I am here to do. I attend these meetings not to bathe in opulence or escape the snow but instead to grow my gifts in empowering, guiding, and assisting ministers in the Church and world.

 

 But I cannot escape the three-ring circus motif of where I am staying. It reminds me greatly of the Lenten season that we enter in just a few short weeks. We leave the season of light and begin the more penitential season of Lent. On Palm Sunday, we read the Passion of Christ and begin our “red” Holy Week filled with emotion and sadness. We immerse ourselves in the sadness of the Good Friday wake, only to celebrate the Feast of the Resurrection three days later. Alleluia! The alleluias are jarring after 40 alleluia-less days of personal reflection and worship.

 

Yet, Lent is not a season of calm. In many ways, it is a “three ring circus” of another nature. Whether Lent begins in February or in March, we enter Lent in the midst of uncertain weather patterns, posing its many risks for our friends and neighbors. We devote additional time to shoveling, de-icing, and stoking wood, pellet and coal stoves. We devote additional time to checking on friends and neighbors to make sure that they are warm, safe and fed.

 

We exit our season of hibernation from regular educational, social, and fundraising activities. The flurry of other circles of activity begins, with ebbs and flows as the different activities draw our community members together. We now must make choices between immersing ourselves in one circle of activity, catching a glimpse of this event, or perhaps a glimpse of that. We foster the energy that surrounds us as we support and encourage one another. The simultaneous rings of action trigger laughter and new discoveries, as we learn and tap into each other’s stories and gifts. It is a glorious and energy-creating beauty to behold. And the greatest joy is in confirming once again that, with God’s help, we can do and be all that we are called to do and be.

 

Theresa+

 

Revolutionary Evolution

The laity are the heart and soul of the Church (note big “C” church), and the development of leaders has existed from day one of the Christian church’s existence. The early disciples—both named and unnamed, both female and male—led based on their faith, independent of whether or not Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit on them. The breath of the Holy Spirit offered a tangible reminder of their commissioning; however, formal commissioning was not involved. Yet, no one doubts that Jesus had 12 brave named male disciples and countless other named and unnamed disciples as well.

Over the past 2000-plus years, the number of Christian disciples has grown. Some are called to the more restrictive ministry of the ordained, with the bulk being called to lay service and ministry. Despite the fact that ordination restricts a person’s life and ministry (and subjects the person to greater scrutiny—just ask any cleric), there remains a hierarchy of lay and ordained in the minds of people and churches across the globe that is reverse of reality.

By and large, ministry development is the revolutionary work of developing the laity to eliminate this disconnect between the apparent and true hierarchical composition of our church communities. It also involves the revolutionary work of assisting the people in identifying accurately the gifts within its “membership” and particularly each person self-identifying his or her own gifts. Frankly, accurate identification is not easy. Our judgments are clouded by long-held perceptions, fears, and even rumor; consequently, the involvement of a fearless, objective ministry developer is critical to success.

Yes, fearless and objective, for most effective ministry developers are “outsiders.” Being an “outsider” in the isolated villages and hamlets within which many rural ministry developers live and work is in many ways a plus and a minus. Being an “outsider” offers the objective approach necessary to this task yet also means that the gifted developer must develop a level of trust before beginning to share his or her “revolutionary” insights. The developer also must be fearless in suggesting novel and often revolutionary ideas.

Authenticity, persistence, and humor also are important. I reflect on my sharing recently at a retreat that one of my spiritual gifts is my not taking myself too seriously. People chuckled, which I admit I found quite odd. Perhaps they really do not understand ministry development? Or perhaps the concept of ministry development is still too revolutionary for its evolution to be detected? I guess that remains to evolve. In the meantime, I will just continue to be the revolutionary in Western Maryland.

Theresa

The Development Cycle

If you were to “google” the word “development,” particularly in the context of church or the nonprofit world, you are likely to get numerous hits for discussions involving financial stewardship, endowments, and the like. But as a self-professed ministry developer, “development” has a different meaning to me. It means the development and empowerment of new ministers—ministers throughout the full spectrum of however that minister and the minister’s ministries might evolve.

For many years I have spoken to others in the financial planning sector of the empowerment of individuals as financial decision-makers and planners through education: empowerment through building the confidence of individuals in the ability to make wise decisions. A little education and knowledge can build highly empowered individuals who do not “freeze” when it comes to making a decision about their own financial situations and now have the confidence to make prudent decisions. I now translate that same concept to the ministry development world—my new world professionally for more than three years now and arguably much longer in truth.

I recently attended the 2013 Living Stones Partnership meeting, at which ministry developers join to discuss concerns, brainstorm about new ideas, and share ministry celebrations and “aha” moments. My greatest “aha” moment, however, was not in the midst of a formal meeting or presentation. Instead, it was the moment that I realized that, yes, I am a ministry developer in all that I do, regardless of my professional title, the function I am performing, etc.

On meeting me for the first time, another colleague asked me the simple question: “Are you a ministry developer?” It was a simple question, but oh so enlightening to me on so many levels. As I started to respond, I suddenly realized that I am a ministry developer in every way that I approach my callings, whether they be professional, personal, or otherwise. I get a “high” from empowering and developing the gifts of and in others. And, frankly, I cannot identify when that first was the case; it has been the case long before I “became one” professionally in the mountains and hamlets of Western Maryland.

So how did that come to be? I honestly don’t know. But I certainly have been spending quite a bit of time mulling over that question the past two weeks since my return. Not sure if I will find an answer, but I do know that it has led me to another realization: the self-empowerment of the ministry developer.

At the same meeting, I also received one of the first two certificates in ministry development awarded by the Ministry Development Collaborative and the Living Stones Partnership. On receiving that certificate, in the midst of my friends and professional colleagues, I suddenly felt empowered—confident—in my gifts as a ministry developer. I was no more qualified then than I was five minutes earlier, but I felt different. I now found myself on multiple points on the ministry development spherical continuum, as it circled back to empower and support me once again in this ministry. And as it will continue to empower and support me as I continue in this great work. Wow! I cannot wait to see what’s next! This ministry development stuff sure is a powerful thing.

Theresa

Are Clergy Scared of Ministry Development?

Last week, I facilitated a workshop entitled “Ministry Development 101” during the diocese’s annual ministry fair. I had three individuals register for the workshop, and we had a wonderful hour discussing ideas and sharing information. I shared experiences from my time as a ministry developer and listened to their stories and their successes. Each of us expressed enthusiasm for what was shared, so I felt that it was a mutually rewarding event.

But as I trundled back to Western Maryland, I reflected further on that “still wonderful” hour. Each of the people who registered was a lay person. I had expected it to be mostly clergy interested in learning how to empower their lay leaders to discern their gifts and then assume responsibilities for assisting (or even spearheading) their churches’ ministries. Instead, I saw three very active lay leaders wanting to learn better how to empower their fellow parishioners. These leaders were not concerned about power or their loss thereof. They were concerned about encouraging and empowering others to help shoulder the load and also grow new or existing ministries. They understood the difference between power and authority. They understood the necessity for empowering others. They understood that gifts are sometimes hidden and need to be disclosed and discerned. They love their churches and want them to blossom and grow, as their gifts and energies allow.

So, why are the clergy not doing the same? Why did no clergy person register for this workshop, despite the large number of individuals attending who were ordained clergy? What are they so scared of losing? If it is power, then “tsk tsk” for them. If they have been burned in the past by the patriarchs and matriarchs of their current and past charges, how do I encourage them to take the risk of trying something new?

Growth requires letting go of control, for we all know that a clasped hand cannot accept and grab hold of something new. How do I encourage my clergy friends to take the risk of letting go so they can take hold of something new that may grow the parish and free the church to be a church of the people, not a church centered around them? I guess this is another one of my postings that will have to close with unanswered questions—unanswered questions for further pondering later.

Theresa

Emergent Church of the Village

The buzz word of the 21^st century church seems to be “emergent church,” meaning the new idea of envisioning church as a personal experience and gathering void of institutional trappings and hierarchies. Church is the gathering of people without labels and demarcations, but instead is a gathering of people who envision church with “both/and” eyes. Differences are celebrated and accepted.

Now, admittedly, this description sounds like anything but what I encounter in my ministry as a rural ministry developer. I am very cognizant that I work with and support people within contexts so overladden with traditions and mysterious expectations that I walk the proverbial landmine field as I make the ministry developer journey. Memories and traditions are held tight and dear. 

Ask any “member” and he or she can tell you how the psalms are always read and the tunes of the various service music, without deviation—or more accurately, how they are NOT, when you inadvertently cross the lines of traditions and expectations. The tradition may be so engrained in fact, that many members may even not realize that there are dozens of alternative service music tunes or even half a dozen ways a church might read its lectionary psalms. Traditions and memories provide the structures for gathering as if they were the official rubrics and canons of the church.

Sounds like anything but the “emergent” church of which the media and Christian church are discussing, doesn’t it? But is it really? Yes, the rural family church is filled with traditions and institutional trappings. It offers a needed certainty on which people can depend in this ever-changing world. The church serves as the “safe place” from the social, financial and political upset that seems to surround our fragile world. Go to church; find predictability. Go to church; find blessed assurance. Go to church; find respite in this world of change.

But the commonalities with the “emergent” church also are evident: simplicity; authenticity; community.

We are simple folk who appreciate simple pleasures. Family gatherings and church gatherings are at the core of our social and personal lives. Material wants and needs are low on our lists of priorities behind family and community well being. We function as part of the church community, not as individuals with individual wants and needs.

We also accept the person, just as he or she is, with all of his or her idiosyncrasies. In fact, if we thought about it more, that is why we may even love him or her so much: because of whom he or she is. Authentic acceptance and acceptance of authenticity are givens.

And there is no doubt about community. People may use the saying, “It takes a village” to indicate the need for a supportive community, but it also is a truth in its reverse. People in the village church know that they can rely on the village to support, nurture and companion them. The village is a given element in the world in which they live and worship. The village and the church are so intertwined, hey can be difficult, if not impossible, to separate.

Similarly, mission, outreach and church are overlapping circles of activity and energy that are indistinguishable from the others. The lines are blurred and they have little or no relevance. You do what you do, because that is who you are. You do what you do, because you care. You do what you do, because we are all members of the same community of Christ.

So is this emergent church or not? Time will tell, but if you notice, there is a cycle to religious and cultural history. Call it nostalgia if you want, but we just may be returning to the days of community and simplicity of 40 and 50 years ago. And the village church that never changed may be simply ahead of the curve.

 
Theresa