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

Discernment

As a ministry developer, my vocabulary often centers around the words “call” and “discern” or variations on either term. I prod the people in the pews on Sundays and the people whom I counsel throughout the week to consider God’s call on them and their lives. I companion them, with pokes and prods, to discern what those calls might be. I suggest—with puzzled looks from my strongly extroverted companions—that they listen with full hearts and minds. Their quizzical expressions become even more so as I speak of the differences between listening and hearing, and as I speak of listening for the nonverbal clues to what is “really” being said.

Perhaps it is my “sensory” nature, but collecting information is a parallel activity to all that I do. Perhaps it also is natural that discernment is a constant activity for me as well. Recently, at least, it seems to be something that I am doing more proactively as well. Like the biblical prophets, I ask God repeatedly for “whats” and “hows” and sometimes even some “whys.”  The “whys” particularly coming when I find God is stretching me or showing a sense of humor.

But in the current midst of the flurry of activity, I sense a strong need for some peace—a brief respite for me to collect my thoughts and to shield me from the distractions of service. In essence, I am seeking a respite to allow time for discernment.

Although not well timed—they never are I realize—I got such an opportunity over the weekend. A spiritual retreat of silence, spiritual direction and scripture for three hours in a neighboring state. Three hours that I desperately needed. Three hours that I could devote to listening and being silent so I might hear God’s voice and feel God’s touch on my heart and soul. It was during that brief retreat that I wrote the following haiku, which I share now as I realize it speaks to my own need for continued discernment.

And, yes, God, I am listening. I await your direction.

Beauty surrounds me

In the leaves and in the mountains

The wonderous colors.

But the real beauty

Is in the faces of friends

Their smiles, tears and eyes.

Eyes that twinkle bright

Aware of the love of God

In all that I see.

A hand that is held

An arm embracing another

Empathetic love.

Being a pastor

Allows beauty to enter the soul.

Oh what a blessing!

I am so thankful

God gifted me this present

Of serving others.

I in creation

All part of the Father’s world

Let me see the joy.

Immerse me, oh God

In the beauty of service

Planting grace and love.

Allow me to serve

How you so intend me to

And to hear your voice.

Do I hear clearly?

Do I discern your great call?

Or hear my own will?

Weed out distractions

So I might hear you clearly

And bravely obey.

Theresa

Rural Life and Ministry—the Global View

The 56^th session of the Commission on the Status of Women officially opened Monday, Feb. 27, after several days of orientations, meetings and conversations across the aisles and globe. One day into the official session, it remains daunting to imagine the variety of experiences and languages involved.  

Perhaps the most astounding thing for me thus far, however, is the realization that the official languages may vary from country to country but the native language of rural life and ministry spans across the globe with astonishing similarities. The impact of NIMBY (not in my backyard) strikes so many of us across the developed and developing world. Further, the value of rural life in terms of tradition, family and community is a common song of joy for so many of us attending the session.

The sacrifice of material wealth is more than offset by the choice—yes the choice—to live where the pace is slower, the family is at the center of life, and the value of community remains intact. If only the NIMBY principle did not mean that those industries and practices that are the most devastating to the visual, mental and physical health of people were not always destined for rural locales. Not only are the rural locales the locations for nuclear plants, alternative energy testing, and the mining of energy sources that keep the world “running,” but we rural dwellers are also the most dependent on the products of these efforts, with limited access to public and lost-cost transportation. Not to mention the fact that it is our land, water and air that tends to be the most subject to violation by corporations .

But the humility and confident choice to choose the rural life ring through the songs of my sisters and brothers here at the CSW meetings, echoing much of what I hear and see through my sisters and brothers back home, in Western Maryland. Funny that I had to travel all the way to the United Nations to find myself “back home” with people just like me!

Theresa

Baptismal Ministry and Grassroots Empowerment

I write this from New York City, just a few blocks from the United Nations, in the midst of the 56^th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I am one of the Anglican Women’s Empowerment delegates. Thousands of women and men have converged for this two-week session: listening, sharing, and learning about how to empower rural women across the globe. Such a hubbub to this rural woman who is accustomed to the quiet of the mountains and the slower pace of rural Maryland.

It truly is exciting to be in the midst of so many advocates – mostly sisters and some brothers  -- for the voice of women.  I listen to my sisters’ stories and join in singing our common melody of being encouraged by others who believed in us. I realize how much my international sisters’ stories parallel the baptismal ministry stories that I share and hear in Western Maryland or in the company of other missioners involved in team ministry.
 
As missioners, we seek to empower others. We seek to break down the mindset that ministry must radiate from an ordained leader. We seek to empower others to follow their callings to ministry -- the ministry of all the baptized. We each have a voice. We each have gifts. We are called to use those gifts as God intends. It is just a matter of listening to that voice,the story,and then having the strength and support to follow that call.

It strikes me how much this sounds similar to what I am seeing around me here at the CSW and AWE meetings: the stories of my sisters breaking down walls and following their calls to live into where God is calling each of them. Perhaps this mountain girl of Western Maryland is not that different from her sisters here at the CSW meetings and through AWE.

Theresa

Ministry Development Seeds

In my roles as a ministry developer and a vicar for two parishes, entering the gates to Lent, I find myself doubting my ability to provide good sacramental and pastoral care. Juggling multiple tasks has been in my personal and professional blood for many years. But, I find that I lose my “calming presence” in the midst of a juggling act, particularly with all of the extra juggling of multiple “hats” (or should I say stoles and chasubles) during this busy season. I know that I must be a good juggler and a marathon walker  during this period. Just thinking about it, however, can be a bit tiring.

On the other hand, I also am quite excited about the prospects of being at two churches, being present, being observant, just “being” with the people who make each of the churches “church.” I can focus on the pastoral visits and the sacramental needs of the parishes, while the congregation of ministers  are “doing” church all around me. With little effort, I now can immerse myself in being with them and actually seeing baptismal ministry all around me. I know that I will see it. In fact, I already do, but I know that I will REALLY see it these next seven weeks. I will see it blossom from slowly opening buds to full-fledged blossoms adorning the church, both inside and out. And I have faith that, like dandelion seeds, these blossoms will be sprouting increasing distances from the church doors.

Many of these ministers periodically express their concerns about me, with all of the demands on my time. So, I see in them pastoral care and hospitality ministry.

I see them leading and guiding Bible studies, so I see them building confidence in themselves and growing in their knowledge and their inquisitiveness.

I see them arranging for readers, and Eucharistic ministers, and altar preparers for the extra services. They are growing as parish and worship ministers.

A bud here; a blossom there; a leaf peaking out there. By Easter, I expect to see quite a bouquet of ministries and ministers springing forth to welcome the spring weather. And won’t that be a nice welcome to spring and Easter!? Truly a resurrection and new life in Christ and of the Church!

Theresa

The Living Stones Family Reunion

We have reached the end of our cluster presentations at the 2012 Living Stones Partnership meeting (see February 6, 2012 posting), asking other partners’ delegations to offer comments, encouragements, and critiques of our work, based on our case studies. What a helpful experience it was! We were fortunate that we were assigned to work with two very experienced partner diocese, and with skilled facilitators who were cutting-edge leaders in spreading the concept of ministers. Our ministers are not the ordained leaders but instead all four orders of ministers, each doing God's work. All of us living into our baptismal callings by God.

Our cluster group consisted of a neighboring partner—West Virginia. As a Virginia mountain native now calling Western Maryland home, I understood them and they understood me. Our other cluster partner was Rupert’s Land, a partner whose distance from us was solely in mileage; the three of us were simpatico. It was beautiful. Partners in name only; in fact, we are siblings and companions in Christ. Ready to lift up our sisters and brothers when confused, companioning them when apprehensive, and encouraging in authenticity. 

Our baptismal callings differ from individual to individual. Our baptismal gifts are specific to each individual. God always finds a way to put us and our ministerial gifts together in miraculous ways that startle and surprise. Seeing this in action at the Stones meeting was no different. The other coordinators in my cluster of three and I agreed to allow God to tell us what to bring to create our holy space; God did not disappoint.

God also inspired each cluster member to “ping pong” ideas across the tables with great affection, caring and encouragement.  As we shared what we “heard” from the other groups in discussing our 20-minute presentations, we repeatedly heard the support and encouragement and “aha” moments. We received guidance on growing the “living stones” of our ministries as well as reconstructing some other stones within our ministries. The exciting part is that none of us highlighted major excavation or the need for demolition. Just renovations to better highlight what is right and rework what might be dated or hampering growth.

We really are “living stones that are being used to build a spiritual house. [We are ]. . . a group of holy priests, and with the help of Jesus Christ [we] . . will offer sacrifices that please God. “ (1 Peter 2:5 CEV) We do not do this alone; we do it with Christ’s help.

Theresa

Ministry Development acts

I write this from the 2012 meeting of the Living Stones Partnership, a partnership of dioceses or other communities of faith involved in ministry development work within the context of the ministry of all baptized. This year, we are meeting at Circus Circus in Las Vegas, a fact that provokes smirks and giggles among most who hear of our destination, except from Stones veterans who know we will be too busy with meetings to notice where we are meeting. Inexpensive flights and room rates made it the superior location over several others we considered, having to find a new location when the Iowa Caucus dates were expected to overlap our meeting dates.

But in spite of the smirks and giggles, on further reflection, I realize that Circus Circus is not such an odd destination after all. In fact, it is strangely appropriate, as we think of the big top and the overlapping rings of simultaneous activity. Although the Stones meeting includes a partnership meeting, as well as worship and keynote presentations for the whole, the meetings in cluster format are the foci of the meeting. In clusters of four partners, partner delegations present case studies highlighting a situation for the other cluster members. All partner delegations and delegations from visiting or observing communities receive copies of these case studies, but only those within the same cluster are privy to the actual discussions and sharing within the cluster.

When not involved in cluster presentations, coordinators, bishops and other delegates seek colleagues from other delegations to catch up with each other and to share stories. Activity and energy flow throughout the hallways surrounding the various meetings and activities. It is a true circus of sounds, sights, and other senses as people minister to each other and share their ministry development concerns and celebrations. And much like the ancient fable about the blind men approaching the elephant and arriving at very different views of what animal they are touching, each delegation has a different vantage of ministry development and what works.

Yet, each of us approach the other in blindness, seeking information and guidance from others to determine how to improve or grow their ministries and ministers. We also walk a tightrope of love as we approach and question each other’s case studies. But in the end, we leave each annual meeting challenged, yet very aware of the safety ropes and nets that our colleagues from across the Stones membership offer each other. We also leave the meeting anxious to return home to share what we have seen and heard. We want to try out our newest skill.

Yes, ready or not Circus Circus, here we come!

Theresa

Christmas Music and Traditions

It is now 2012, and even the local convenience store has already started stocking and promoting its Easter candy. I wonder what happened to Valentine’s Day? More importantly, we just entered the season of Epiphany. So, it seems natural for me to reflect on my meanderings, both mental and physical, over the Advent and Christmas seasons.

Being well aware of my own musical and other expectations for the Advent and Christmas services, I had the unique pleasure to coordinate the field education experiences of the aspirants (i.e., the priests and deacons in training) in our mutual ministry formation program. By and large, the aspirants came to their field experiences with limited exposure to the holiday traditions of churches other than their own. This differs from my own experience as a frequent mover and even a denominational changer, as I am also married to a Roman Catholic. Or at least I thought that I was more “enlightened!”

Over the past six weeks, I kept hearing the words “unique” and “unusual” as the aspirants would share their experiences with me. These words seemed odd to me as they shared more about what they found unique or unusual. And as I reviewed the bulletins for the two parishes for which I will be vicar in 2012, I learned that the roots of traditions and expectations run deep.

You don’t mess with the specifics of the Christmas Eve service. Churches sing the exact same songs each year, and the children participate in the services as their parents and grandparents did before, with every expectation that the children will assume the same (or possibly more “important”) roles each year. I totally understand. Although I was far from the tall blonde-haired beauty selected to be Mary, I welcomed my graduation from angel to shepherd and finally (yes!) to magi. I had arrived! These comments brought me back to the realities of these seasonal services and their accompanying traditions and expectations.

Having had the rare opportunity to attend a midnight Christmas Eve service myself, I found myself anxiously waiting to sing “In the bleak midwinter”—a song that my small choir-less churches would struggle to sing. And I chuckled at discovering my joy in kneeling near the end of the service, clutching candles as we sang “Silent Night”—a song that I expect to sing in the dim light of candles, kneeling at the close of the Christmas Eve Eucharist. But I also discovered my disappointment in not singing the song most appropriate only for Christmas Day and Christmas Eve services—“Go tell it on the mountain.”

Perhaps I have expectations myself, despite my meanderings through multiple dioceses, churches and now the region. I learned a lesson—honor these traditions and expectations, for they really matter!

Theresa

St. Francis Day Reflections

While other clergy are busy with special “blessing of the animals” services in their parishes, I reflect on the fact that I live in the middle of God’s creation as a missioner in Western Maryland. It seems so very appropriate that I reflect on the locations of the churches with which I work on this, the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi.

As I look at the membership listing for the Living Stones Partnership--a partnership of dioceses, seminaries and other communities of faith involved in local ministry (see http://livingstonespartnership.org)—I realize that what led us to appreciate local ministry connects us in another manner. And that is our respective settings—our beautiful environs. Each partner holds claim to being located in “God’s country,” knowing full well that what we say and what we do are two very different things. We seem to have that unique appreciation for our environment and for the fact that we live on earth, on loan from our creator, loving God. Thus, at the very core we are a partnership of communities of faith with a sense of creation and our need to preserve it at all costs.

And that generally means living more simply and more responsibly. It also means being self-sufficient.

Living Stones in many ways is not just a partnership of communities of faith involved in local ministry. We are a partnership of communities of faith that, for various reasons, understand local ministry and the “ministry of all baptized.”  We are communities of faith with smaller parish memberships, parishes located more distant from each other and particularly more distant from institutions of higher religious education. We look to ourselves and to each other to solve problems. We look to each other for leadership. More importantly, we look to each other for the tapping and growing of gifts—giftedness from God for God, for the community and for each other.

We are adept at gifts identification, particularly in others, even though we may be hard-pressed to identify them in ourselves. The Appalachian, (or mid-western, or New England, or other) pride and humility, all wrapped into one, accounts for our unwillingness to self-identify. 

Sounds very Christ-like now that I think of it—Christ never tooted his own horn, and he certainly did not teach his disciples to do so either! Instead, he guided his followers as a shepherd, a companion and a gentle and prodding teacher.

Hmmm…perhaps I have discovered something about ourselves worth pondering further. The “ministry of all baptized” model grows out of humility and gifts identification in others in many ways. But it also grows out of a sense of independence—not one where we don’t need and help others. Heavens, we are the first to bring a home-baked pie or cake to a sick friend or pick up the phone to pass along a prayer chain message! But it is a sense of independence that gives us the fortitude to trudge on and keep to the pilgrim journey—a journey of life-long learning, seeking counsel from neighbor and friend, and helping neighbor and friend in doing what Christ taught us was and is Church—Church in the world, doing ministry. Ministry in the world, in the valley gaps and on the mountain tops. Ministry side by side along the pilgrim path.

Theresa

Authenticity and Identity

When someone is in a position of church leadership, others soon identify him or her as the “go to” person. I remember my years as assistant head usher in the early 1990s in Northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. I was greeting people, distributing bulletins and helping guests locate the nursery and other facilities. I thrived in that role. But what really made me realize that I was a leader was that Easter vigil service when something went wrong. People looked to me to solve the problem, which I did. In fact, I liked knowing that others saw me as a leader and actually depended on me to take responsibility while providing a sense of calm. Yes. That was nice.

But oh, there still was a difference when I became ordained; when I was the person to lead the service, versus be a volunteer or licensed lay leader. The buck stops with me now. If a service goes flat, they look to me. I no longer am “one of the girls” in church. I am the source of calm or of worry. I set the tone for the congregation. I also must look only to myself as the person ultimately responsible. That also is fine. I have no problems with that. But will the aspirants to leadership positions feel the same?

How do I explain this change to those whom I counsel when discerning their calls to ordained or commissioned leadership? Is it something that I can articulate and they can really understand? Will it be something that they live into gradually, or is it something like an epiphany, much like the V-8 commercial, with a hand slapping one’s forehead when it dawns on him or her when it occurs?

Further, how do I explain what it was like discerning a call within a parish that still remembers me as the insecure and skinny teen of long ago? That image haunted me early in my discernment process. I had to leave that church and continue my discernment for a few more years before I could break free of that shadow. I had that luxury, but those who are discerning calls within mutual ministry, within communities that they never left or returned, do not have that luxury. How do I help them with that shadow side of ministry development within their “home” parishes?

I keep raising these issues with the “aspirants”; life is different and will be different as they discern and accept their calls to leadership in the church. Perhaps I need to accept that I cannot fully explain it for them. I cannot fully prepare them. I can only hope (and pray) that I am there to support them when it happens and that they will understand that, yes, we tried to prepare them for that day, even if there was no way for them to comprehend all of our efforts. Will that be enough? I pray that it is. I guess that is all that I can do, with God’s help.

Theresa

 

Autumn Reflections

I am blessed to live and work in the mountains of Maryland, where fall means brilliantly colored trees, followed by a flurry of raking as the leaves fall from the trees, decorating the yards and fields.  And all while dealing with the ever-growing grass that seems to peek out between the colored leaves that dot my yard. I am graced with a full palette of color and textures of moist grass and drying leaves as I travel the roads of western Maryland.

It also is a time when activity seems to peak within the churches and communities. Fall festivals attract people from far and near, bringing visitors to the region, competing for hotels and restaurants with the college students and their alums. Churches compete with each other with harvest dinners of turkey and ham, accompanied by homemade cakes and pies. Fresh apple butter smeared on homemade bread or biscuits is a treat that I particularly enjoy this time of year.

Church doors and windows close to keep out the chill, and church attendance increases as people return to school and work. Each week is like a homecoming as people catch up with each other and what all they have been doing the past few months.

The musty smell of furnaces being lit to take away the evening chill remind us that winter weather is swiftly approaching. The so-called lazy days of summer are gone, and the days when we wall ourselves up inside are not yet upon us. We approach our lives as if this were our last chance for community before the uncertainty of bad weather haunts us once again.

My question is: Where do people find this new-found energy? As a missioner and ministry developer, I seem to be out of step with everyone else. I love the smells and tastes of autumn, but I frankly find that the life of a ministry developer is quite exhausting this time of year. Church activities are at a high, and I am still recovering from the task of filling in for all of the vacationing clergy over the past three months. I hate cold weather, so I certainly don’t look forward to that, but I find myself wistful for the slower pace of winter (other than Advent and Christmas and Lent, of course!).

Hmmm. Perhaps it just means that I have my work cut out for me—ministry development in sync with the development and training of new ministers! I think I finally got it—so watch out folks! This ministry developer is now on the prowl to deputize more ministers to help with this wonderful task of doing church in Western Maryland. Don’t say I did not warn you!

Theresa

Claiming Sabbath

The Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition, defines “Sabbath” as a “day for resting” and offers “Lord’s day” and “rest day” as synonyms for “Sabbath.” For me and others with regular church service responsibilities, however, this presents quite a conundrum, for Sundays are anything but a Sabbath day.

Before I became “responsible” for services, whether lay or ordained, and was a mere “volunteer,” it still was a Sabbath. It remained a worship experience and the duties stopped once I completed the service and/or my pastoral visits. Now, Sunday “duties” extend often late into the afternoon and evening, and the worship services are times of performance and service by me, for others, not something where I can be refreshed.

But I admit, however, that I still find that I am energized by each service and day of visits, so I know that I truly must be called by God to do this work.

I know that many Christian clergy strive to use either Monday or Friday as their day of Sabbath, seeking that that day might be a day of rest and refreshment for service to their congregations. But claiming a Sabbath when a ministry developer, with responsibilities for both clergy and lay at several churches (and in my case, eight churches), is something that I find difficult.

Is it wrong for me to be so sensitive to the fact that the clergy and lay for whom I am responsible are bi-vocational and thus might  be surprised to find I might be “unavailable” on a Monday or Friday, when they are working hard at their non-church job? Not to mention that those who successfully claim a Sabbath have differing Sabbath days between them and thus might seek my counsel on the “typical” Sabbath day that I select? And of course my formation responsibilities and multi-church duties generally mean Saturday rarely can be a day of “rest” any way.  

So I admit that it remains a continuing quandary for me, even after struggling with this for nearly two years. Other clergy in more conventional positions chastise me regularly for my lack of success in claiming a consistent Sabbath day and even more so for rarely claiming one. So I raise this query for my followers, and particularly other ministry developers who also are supply to so many clergy (particularly during the heavy month of August).  What might I learn about this by looking at what those with yoked or clustered churches do? And how do I turn off the smart phone without guilt?

I know! I should just turn the old smart phone off, right?! Readers and followers, any suggestions on making the techno break, cutting the old 3G cords, so to speak? I value your ideas and feedback. My clergy widower/husband will value your comments even more than me, I suspect!

Theresa

Community Building Across the Churches

As a missioner working with multiple churches and congregations, keeping abreast of each congregation’s activities--whether social, outreach, pastoral or otherwise --is a key component of being effective in my position. Many of the churches are very small. Church members generally are related by blood, adoption or marriage. Further, many are life-long members of their churches, even if they may have strayed away from church attendance for a period of time. Their only reference point for what church is and does is the church that they currently attend. Thus, they have vivid shared memories of what activities are key to their church’s identity. These traditions pass along from generation to generation, with great expectation that a particular activity will occur exactly in accordance with that tradition.

As one might imagine, this makes my life interesting as a relatively new transplant to the region, serving eight churches. Further, although I greatly value tradition, it has been emotionally impractical for me to hold on to such things when it comes to church. Because of my circuitous career and educational path, I have been active in over a dozen Episcopal churches over my adult life. This number does not even include the dozens of churches that I have attended while on vacation, through my Education for Ministry experiences, or even with friends who attend other churches. Although I visit my childhood church occasionally with my parents, I have been gone too long for my early church memories to be my reference point for a meaningful spiritual and religious experience.

I simply have had to “let go” of the expectation that nothing will change. Although I always had a church “home” where I was active, I long ago abandoned the idea that, whether as a matter of loyalty or even inertia, I must attend activities only at my own church. My career and educational travels have exposed me to far too many ideas for me to not think in terms of multi-church activities and joining in the mission, outreach or social activities at other churches. I grew up United Methodist, attended a Presbyterian youth group, and served with ecumenical and interfaith groups in the cities and towns where I have lived previously. It also did not hurt that there was no shortage of preacher kids in my high school class, opening up opportunities for learning about other denominations and attending activities with other churches.

In essence, norms and tradition are in the minds and eyes of the beholder. And these are changing in beautiful Western Maryland. Norms are changing and becoming the new “tradition,” little by little. Further, the sprouting and growth of inter-church activity is becoming ever-more visible, even during my nearly two years in Western Maryland.

Admittedly, some seeds were planted decades ago. A long-time tradition is the annual women’s picnic hosted by one church, to which the women of the other Episcopal churches are invited. The people come, and they have fun!  

New sprouts also are increasingly visible (and growing). A recent regional meeting resulted in a wonderful sharing of ideas for working with each other and with other area churches to be Church in the world. We learned of others’ gifts and how we might use them as members of the bodies of Church and Christ. We shared resources and solutions, on hearing of certain gaps in fulfilling their outreach objectives. Simultaneous problem-solving and community building. What a joy to behold! Additional seeds of community have sprouted and are gaining roots with the aid of parishioner-gardeners who are able to look beyond their own yards.

Theresa

Yes, I really DO need to consult my calendar

As a ministry developer, I seem to be in transit between churches and congregations much of the time, if not literally, at least figuratively. I switch gears many times each day between projects but also between focusing on one church or congregation versus another. I generally preach and lead services at two different churches on a Sunday, often for three services in boomerang fashion. That means totally different audiences with totally different personalities, and thus often different sermons depending on how God might be speaking to me as I pray over the readings and get further inspired while standing in the pulpit.

The Sunday morning of worship services might then be followed by pastoral visits for a vacationing clergy person from one of those churches or even a third church or a fourth. Oh, and what about the mid-week services? It may be easy to find supply for the vacationing clergy on a Sunday, but what about the mid-week services? With bi-vocational clergy in so many of the churches, they are unavailable to help with that need, so if means I get the opportunity to spend time with a different pocket of parishioners who frequent the mid-week morning or evening services.

Or what about any weekday nursing home services that rotate between the area Episcopal and other churches? Oh yes. Which ministerium or ministeriums should I join? And do their meetings or liturgical discussions overlap or can I attend them all? As the coordinator and supervisor of some of the other Episcopal clergy, should I even not be involved, to allow the truly local clergy have their own fellowship and educational group with “the supervisor” also attending?

And what about the Episcopal transplant to our attractive and ever-growing retirement destination? The shut-ins without any attachment to a specific local parish should not fall between the cracks merely because they have no local connection to a church. Thus, I am graced with the opportunity to actually have a small “congregation” of folks—albeit they do not meet together—that considers me their pastor as I visit with them and bring them communion.

And I really must not forget the ministry development components of the position. Another shifting of gears is needed. Thank goodness for e-mail and phones, especially mobile ones! I also must not forget my trusty GPS for those visits to little corners of the region. It really is not very helpful to follow a local’s directions when the directions involve turning by the “old Walmart” and then the Smith farm when the Walmart building is now something entirely different and the Smith farm is now a residential development and have been so long before I moved to the region.

Maybe it is the detective in me, but the mystery of where my day might lead keeps my day interesting and helps me increasingly love doing what I do. Admittedly, keeping track of my whereabouts and proposed whereabouts is not easy. So, when I actually tell folks that I need to check my calendar/date book, remember that I really do!! I simply cannot keep track of it all in my head, and I don’t even try to! Let’s just hope I don’t lose my datebook! Or it may mean a very lost Theresa!

Theresa

Matchmaker, Matchmaker

I found myself humming and singing the lyrics to the refrain from the well-known song from Fiddler on the Roof as I reflected on the life of a ministry developer working with more than a half a dozen churches. It also is where my heart lies--connecting people and resources, connecting people with people, and locating resources and information. It is the detective in me and perhaps in any effective ministry developer. We assist churches and people in getting "connected"; we make "matches." And it does not violate any canon on improper relationships!

Seems like learning how to make these connections is one of the most important skills (gifts?) that a ministry developer needs to be effective. No one expects the ministry developer to have all of the information or even be good at all things, but an effective developer does need to know how to research, locate, and pass along information. It also does not hurt if the ministry developer also loves being this matchmaker, which I do! Perhaps that is the reason I also found myself also humming part of the tune from The Sound of Music--"these are a few of my favorite things."

Theresa

Personality Types and Ministry Development

When I have completed Myers Briggs Type Indicator™ personality assessment questionnaires in the past, my balance between any two of the indicators has varied from time to time. All of this has depended on the time in my life at which I was completing the questionnaire and whether or not the assessment program had a spirituality, vocational, or other basis.

Despite these variations, however, I generally “test” out as being fairly strong on the Introversion end of the Introversion to Extroversion scale and very strong on the Judging end of the Judging and Perceptive scale. In my past professions I simply needed to make decisions, meet deadlines, and move on. This trait has been quite helpful in my current vocation and particularly today as I find myself putting together a sermon or a service booklet for a particular Sunday or Holy Day.

I also have tended to be more highly Sensory, versus iNtuitive on the S/N scale. Thinking or Feeling? A borderline case for me, although I generally score slightly closer to Thinking rather than Feeling. My previous professions as a tax lawyer and a legal editor caused me to be more of a Thinker than I am or need to be today, when Feeling certainly seems to play more into the work of a ministry developer.

I ponder all of this as I think about how my personality type seems to interplay with my current calling to ministry development. As a ministry developer, I need to be a good listener and withhold judgment as I take in the relevant information. Yet, I must make quick decisions in times of urgency or when I have limited time with the persons with whom or for whom a decision is needed.

Perhaps it is my introverted, sensory nature of sitting quietly, observing the group dynamics, and analyzing what I was hearing before speaking--and thus being “the invisible person”--that prepared me well for sitting, taking in information, thinking on it, and then considering solutions. My petite stature, the stereotypical view of women, and my ability to sit quietly (as introverts are more prone to do) seems to fit well with this calling. (As anyone who is good at being “invisible” will tell you, remaining quiet is the key to information gathering. Speaking reminds others of your presence and thus you lose the benefit of invisibility.) I guess the one “growing edge,” as they say, with my MBTI fitting with the nature of this work is that I need to withhold the Judging aspect so that I withhold judgment as I take in the information. Did I read that gesture of body language correctly? Did I detect something in the tone of voice that indicates an issue? Or, am I overanalyzing it all? Is the person just having a bad day and so the extraneous information is luring me away from the “correct” path of thinking?

With a supportive supervisor and colleagues, I am honing that urge to come to judgment based on limited information. I regularly use them for reality checks and to bounce off ideas. I also benefit from their wisdom that is less clouded by the trees that might be obscuring my view. All of this is to say that all of this is an evolving process and that perhaps with my MBTI being as it is, my allocation between the various types will slide a bit here and there as I discover and hone the traits best suited to do this work—God’s work.

Theresa 

The Special Moments in Parishioners’ Church Lives

As the itinerant priest, I float from church to church on Sundays and holidays, trying to conform to the church norms--what they might include or exclude from their services, what songs they sing, whether they stand or sit at certain times, etc. But I remain nevertheless the outsider. I am the outsider who is available in times of crisis as well as those times when they simply need a priest for the day. I will never be a member of the parish, although I work hard to get to know the folks, their concerns, and even their likes and dislikes. I remain the missioner, the ministry developer, and even simply the supply priest. I will make the wrong assumptions about what is the “norm” from time to time. Virtually all of the churches can speak to times where I forgot which church’s norm I needed to follow and started leading the “wrong” (as in the not customary) prayer or canticle.

Yet, I also need to guide the churches and their teams to “try on” different ways to do liturgy, different ways to do church. That generally does not endear me with folks who like things they way they always have been, but I understand the fine line that I walk, I walk the fine line in balancing the two concerns, sometimes successfully and sometimes not so much so. I am sure that the churches can tell anyone better than I can how I score on that front. But, I guess I am doing at least okay on that front.  I invested a lot of time early on in spending time, sitting, listening, and of course eating with the people. We rural churches do know how to cook, as they say!

But today I am thinking of those other times, those special times in parishioners’ church lives when being the outsider and the “newbie” is a further reminder of that status. The fact is: as a priest without a church home, I have few opportunities for doing these special liturgies, such as baptisms and weddings. These are special celebrations that intersect greatly with nostalgia, memory and friendships. The persons involved want certain clergy who have been instrumental to their church lives to conduct the services, in their churches. I agree with that goal. I know that I wished to do the same when I was planning the key moments in my own church and personal/family lives.

I wonder at times if I might ever be involved in any of those special events in the people’s lives. It certainly would be an honor and a privilege. It’s not like I am being selected because they like the beautiful church building! I have none!! But when that time may come, there remains a key interpersonal issue: How do I become involved with the service without hurting the “home” team members’ feelings. I am hoping that what I expressed earlier in this posting will hold true. In other words, that I will have built the connections with the folks that they do not see it as an affront but an addition to all that they may provide. The clergy have the opportunity to celebrate and even worship with the people instead of performing. I would not ever want to step on toes or cause hard feelings. In fact I would hope that I would try to incorporate the others in the church to the extent possible so that all feel that they are being fed, spiritually and otherwise. I am an additional guide and shepherd for assisting the church in providing for the spiritual and other needs of the church’s parishioners. I am helping them serve. I am just another instrument for doing so. When I remind myself of that fact, all seems to be just as it should be. I should be able to walk that fine line and soften any hard feelings that might arise out of such a situation. I know impact and intent are two different things. I hope that my extensive training on that dichotomy will come in helpful in doing the dance but also remind me that apologies sometimes will be needed. I just cannot guaranty that the impact will parallel with the intent each and every time. But good relationships, a genuine love for the people and an authentic apology certainly cannot hurt!

I guess what it comes down to is: I can only continue to observe, learn, watch, and pray on that. Yes, prayer seems to be at the heart of it all. I guess my prayer is that God may guide me through the discernment process as the situations arise, so that I proceed with wisdom and pastoral care--so that I proceed in a thoughtful manner that serves the Church and its people. That is about the best I can do, right?

Theresa