January 2019
Vestry as Team
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10 Mistakes Vestries Often Make
By Donald Romanik
Vestry service brings with it a myriad of challenges. In 10 Mistakes Vestries Often Make, Donald Romanik lists common vestry pitfalls and ways to overcome them in order to be an effective and mission-focused team.
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Building a Diverse Vestry
By Anna Olson
Language, culture and age among other things can often be roadblocks in creating a truly diverse and vibrant vestry. In Building a Diverse Vestry, Anna Olson shares her experience of intentionally gathering a group of vestry leaders who truly represent the church and community.
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Church Partnerships and Collaborative Leadership
By Benge Ambrogi
With more churches choosing to come together in partnership and share resources, what implications does that have for leadership teams? In Church Partnerships and Collaborative Leadership, Benge Ambrogi brings his experience to questions around navigating the challenges and advantages of working together.
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Editor's Letter February 2019
By Charis Bhagianathan
Creating a healthy leadership team often starts by asking questions that may not sit comfortably with everyone. Are we setting measurable goals and holding ourselves accountable? Are we thinking about who is on our team and more importantly, who is not? Do we have a good balance of skills, gifts and personalities even if we aren’t always in agreement? In this issue, we address these questions and share ideas for creating and maintaining effective vestry teams.
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Editor's Letter January 2019
By Charis Bhagianathan
An effective vestry functions like a well-oiled machine, all the parts contributing something essential and working together in harmony and unison. In this issue we share ideas to strengthen, diversify and build up your vestry team, to give you a strong start as new vestries come together at the beginning of the year.
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Essentials for a Healthy Vestry Team
By Victor Conrado
On any vestry or bishop's committee team, attention must be paid to duties, relationships and the personal needs of the team members. In Essentials for a Healthy Vestry Team, Victor Conrado details these functions and shares how they are critical to any good team dynamic.
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How We Gather ’Round the Table
By Brian Prior
Who is seated at our leadership table? And who isn’t? In How We Gather ’Round the Table, Bishop Brian Prior lifts up questions we should be examining every time our church teams meet together and explains the importance of shared collaborative leadership and healthy representation.
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Listener, Trainer and Goal Setter
By John Thompson-Quartey
What are qualities that are desirable in vestry members? In Listener, Trainer, Goal Setter, John Thompson-Quartey, provides traits to look for in team members who have at their core, a belief that they must constantly seek and serve God together.
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Lo esencial para tener un Equipo de Liderazgo saludable
By Victor Conrado
Los Equipos de liderazgo* en la Iglesia Episcopal son esenciales para el funcionamiento saludable de nuestras comunidades de fe.
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Music for Team Building
By Sandra Montes
How powerful is music when building community? In Music for Team Building, Sandra Montes shares ideas from different musicians on how to harness the power of music and song to bring everyone together prayerfully and joyfully. Try these ideas at your next vestry meeting. This article is available in English and Spanish.
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Música para fortalecer el trabajo en equipo
By Sandra Montes
Cuando era maestra de escuela primaria, el método más fácil y rápido para hacer que mis alumno/as prestaran atención y recordaran lo que estábamos aprendiendo era empezar a cantar.
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Setting Goals—Moving Your Mission Forward
By Melissa Rau
Many vestries and leadership teams have their mission, core values and strategic planning process in place. But what’s next? In Setting Goals – Moving your Mission Forward, Melissa Rau lists seven concrete steps to turn your mission into action and achieve all your team goals.
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The MBTI and Strong Vestry Teams
By Jenny Replogle
How can personality tests improve team dynamics and functioning? In The MBTI and Strong Vestry Teams, Jenny Replogle shares how the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator can offer a lens for looking at the ways different people approach situations, and what gifts each person brings to the table, enabling vestries to work as a more self-aware and balanced team.
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There is No “I” in Team
By Diane Jardine Bruce
What are the essential elements required to function effectively as a vestry or bishop’s committee team? In There is No “I” in Team, Bishop Diane Jardine Bruce details goals, processes and difficult yet critical questions to consider when working together to ensure the best possible decisions are being made for all who are impacted.
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Vestry As a Life-Giving Team
By Chris Holmes
What constitutes a life-giving and productive team? In Vestry As a Life-Giving Team, Chris Holmes explains the difference between a ‘group’ and ‘team’ and how an effective team and vestry doesn’t just come into existence – it requires careful planning, leadership development and intentionality.
