Episcopal Church Foundation Vestry Papers - for leading congregations

We’re kicking off the year in a big way. Tomorrow I head to the Diocese of Spokane to spend three daSys training about seventy-five lay people, clergy, and bishops in organizing for mission. Why? To equip us to respond to God’s call to serve the hungry. 

This isn’t to say that church folks haven’t done this before. Like my parish, many congregations provide a food pantry, soup kitchen or outreach ministry to fill needs in the community and live out Jesus’ command to love and serve our neighbors.

But the people in the Diocese of pokane aim for another level of response.

They've got a shared commitment to “unleash the potential and power of every person and congregation to share God’s love” in a way that “excites, encourages and trains people to address real human need in our communities and around the world.” 

This mission model – and the training this weekend – focuses on five key leadership practices:

• Creating shared story
• Creating shared relational commitment
• Creating shared structure
• Creating shared strategy
• Created shared measureable action

It may sound familiar to those who’ve done community organizing. Some of our congregations and leaders may practice these principles, but many haven’t been equipped to think or act in this way. 

As I prepare to teach about “strategy” and “relationships,” I’m wondering how people will respond.

Strategy is a word commonly heard in business development, military campaigns, or even politics. But not in church. We sense it in Bible images from the Hebrew scriptures about Israelite battles won and lost, and God’s strategizing about how to deal with his chosen people. But in my experience, it’s not everyday language in Episcopal congregations. In this mission organizing project, strategizing means turning the resources you have into the resources you need to meet your goal. What might happen in our congregations if we ramp up our understanding and practice of strategy? What would happen if we take a clear assessment of our resources – not only money, but skills, practices, knowledge, influence – and focused them toward a big measurable goal?

Relationships, by contrast, are talked about all the time in church. We follow a relational leader, Jesus, and our Christian theology and practice are infused with ideas of how we are to be in relation to one another. My question is whether we are willing to draw upon this great resource of the church and be more intentional in building relationships? Are we willing to take the time (because it does take time!) to meet one-on-one with others, indentify talents and shared commitments, and raise up leaders who can respond to God’s call? What would happen if we did?

This event is launching me into a big commitment for the year: to be a better leader and organizer, and to equip others to do the same. What's your big commitment?