Advanced Foundations of Church Leadership - What was it?

From September 2011 to June 2013, I have been engaged in a learning experience called Advanced Foundations of Church Leadership that was jointly sponsored by Bethany Theological Seminary, The Brethren Academy and the Church of the Brethren Office of Ministry.  It was funded by Lily Endowment money.  This journey involved 8 weeks of time, traveling to Indiana, California, and Florida for a week at a time.

We mostly met at a Quaker Retreat facility in Richmond, Indiana but twice met in California and Florida (both January's).  The group consisted of 7 Church of the Brethren Pastors from around the country.  Three from California, two from Indiana, one from Virginia, and myself from Maryland.  During the course of this intense study, we read books, wrote papers, taught classes, participated in a variety of class instruction all on the topic of leadership as well as informal conversations and support.

 

Here are the 15 books that I read for the course.

 

We each taught a chapter out of the book Leading Change in the Congregation by Gilbert Rendle.  This book was a pivotal book for me and shed lots of light into some ongoing situations at Community of Joy and offered much help in navigating them.

A part of the course involved a 360 degree review from 8 participants from my congregation and colleagues that filled out anonymous surveys and those results helped shape a major project in the course to strengthen leadership practices in weaker areas.  This was a keystone for me of the time.

Another key part of the journey for me was the formation of Spiritual Companions.  My Spiritual Companion and I have become lifelong friends.  We had so much fun together and have supported and will support each other.  On this last trip, we decided to rent a car and travel together.  Since he was from VA and I am from MD, we met in Hagerstown, MD and enjoyed our trip together very much!

During the 7 plane rides and times spent waiting in airports, I read the following books plus two that I do not have currently.

 

 

I also come away from the event with these books in my "To Read Pile" from suggestions that were given.

 

 

And I received 8 Continuing Education Credits for this journey.

 

 

Here is a booklet of other resources we used.  We built a tool box using various personality tests and other instruments that gave us a greater insight into who we are as leaders.

 

 

Here are some other pictures from our experience....

 

 

This last two years has been a rich time of learning and developing for me.  I am grateful that my congregation allowed me to have the journey!  

 

I entered the process after being denied a sabbatical (having served here for 12 years at the time).  I needed a break and some time for renewal and rejuvenation.   As I entered the journey, I was not so sure that I was going to be able to stay engaged in ministry here at Community of Joy due to extreme exhaustion. But having been given the opportunity to get away and receive some tools to equip me in my leadership here, while this experience was NOT a sabbatical, it did allow me to find refreshment and will allow me to stay engaged in leadership here at Community of Joy for years to come.  I am delighted to have been able to be part of this experience!

 

Here are photos of my last presentation... our learnings from this 2 year experience.  I started inside with a hymn... Lead On O Cloud Of Presence because my experience was about a journey.... then went outside because my spirit fills in the outdoors.

 

 

 

 

At the end of our time, we had a celebration meal at the Olde Richmond Inn and this is me chatting with the Church of the Brethren Executive Director of Ministry and Associate General Secretary, MaryJo Flory-Stuery.   What a delightful way to end the experience!