In Focus:
Leadership Development
By Terri Stewart
MEETING ATTENDEE AVAILABILITY
In the Leadership Development Focus Group, two pieces of legislation came before the group. The first focused on the need to plan meetings when all attendees can attend them! While this may seem to be a straight-forward issue, the reality is that the intersection of pastoral schedules, lay schedules, and agency schedules can be a hairy issue to resolve.
Many lay members are not available during mid-week or day-times while pastoral schedules can be full of evenings of required meetings. The body is wise! And therefore, they approved of the statement, “Chairpersons of Conference Boards and Agencies are encouraged to schedule meetings for dates and times which enable the full participation of all members of that board or agency, lay and clergy.”
FELLOWSHIP OF CLMs
Additionally, the Leadership Development Focus Group took up the idea of creating a Fellowship of Certified Lay Ministers (CLMs) in the Pacific Northwest. This was approved as it was acknowledged that CLMs should be a “network of trusting mutual support, unity, common commitment, counsel, camaraderie, and covenant accountability for encouragement, development, growth and inspiration.” This requires a rule change, though, and will be coming before the greater body off of the consent calendar.
CAMPING & RETREAT MINISTRIES
The greatest fun was hearing Alan Rogstad’s story of leadership development through camping ministries. The story he told matched my own experience. I once had a little 3rd grade kid who started a camping career. He became an LIT (Leader in Training) at Lazy F and at Indianola. In fact, he loved camping so much that he saved his allowance all year-long so he could attend more camps than I would pay for!
Finally, there came a point in his life when he took the skills that were nurtured in him in our PNWUMC camping program and turned it outward. He attended another camp and became a CIT (Counselor in Training). In his new environment, he helps youth that are often over-looked become whole and healed. He learned that in the arms of the PNWUMC. So yes! Camping does create leaders.
NEW OFFICERS
Finally, I want to acknowledge this year’s slate of officers and welcome next year’s slate (pending final votes!):
Goodbye to:
Chair: Douglas Evans
Vice Chair: Mary Stanton Nurse
Secretary: Terri Stewart
Welcome to:
Chair: Dirk Robinson
Vice Chair: Kathy Morse
Secretary: Janet Corey
Alan shared with us a quote by Albert Einstein, “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.” So let us go forward and create creative, imaginative, empowered disciples for the transformation of the world!
