ADVOCATE
FALL 2015
Upper New York
A publication of the Upper New York Conference of The United Methodist Church A publication of the Upper New York Conference of The United Methodist Church
LEADERSHIP What does increasing leadership capacity look like?
VIM LEADERSHIP | SAYING ‘HELLO’ | YOUR FACEBOOK RESPONSES | NEJ CONFERENCE FALL 2015
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TUNING UP Rev. Leanne Zeck, a music major in college, says the Illuminate Preaching Academy is a great preaching tune-up.
TABLE of CONTENTS
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LEADING A CAMP Sky Lake Camp & Retreat Center’s Matthew Williams shares how – as a camp director – he is answering a call to ministry.
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CALLED TO SERVE Two members of the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry share about the long, spiritual journey to ordination.
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IN CONVERSATION Four of Upper New York’s young people discuss their experience at the inaugural See, Know, Love conference this past October.
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YOUR THOUGHTS We asked on Facebook what qualities a good leader possesses, and we received many great responses.
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SAYING ‘HELLO’ Bethany Printup-Davis says listening to the call from God is much like taking (or not taking) a call on your cellphone.
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WESLEYAN LEADERSHIP What can John Wesley teach us to fulfill UNY’s primary job?
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The Upper New York Communications Ministry Area visited the Sunday school programs at the Camillus Immanuel and Cicero United Methodist churches and asked the children to give us their best definition for 15 of the least known leadership terms. Watch the video at www.vimeo.com/143029582. Find the Leadership Glossary Quiz on pages 22-23. Photo by Kathleen Rubino
FROM the PUBLISHER Increasing A DVOCATE leadership capacity F Upper New York
FALL 2015
Vol. 7, Issue 6
Upper New York Area
BISHOP MARK J. WEBB
or the last couple of years, the people of the Upper New York Conference have done a great deal of work in determining the purpose of the Conference. Through District Days with Upper New York Area Resident Bishop Mark J. Webb, Conference Leadership Team meetings, Cabinet meetings, Connectional Table meetings, small group gatherings of clergy and laity, Charge Conferences, the Financial Advisory Consulting Team or FACT process, Annual Conference sessions, and more, it has been discerned that the purpose of the Upper New York Conference is to grow Christ-following leaders. Developing leaders will help drive our system and make more disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. This can take the form of further developing current leaders or finding new leaders to begin developing. The good news is that this work has already begun. This issue of the Advocate will focus on ways leaders are currently being developed in Upper New York. It also looks at innovative leadership approaches and provides resources for local leaders. The hope is that this issue can both inspire and inform about leadership in Upper New York, serving as one more tool to help grow leaders. Stephen J. Hustedt, Editor/Publisher
Our apologies In the summer 2015 issue of the Advocate, we attributed clergy status to lay member Bob Lewis in an article on page 17. We regret the error. Matthew Williams on the cover, read the story on pages 8-9. Follow us online: www.unyumc.org www.facebook.com/uppernewyork www.twitter.com/uppernewyork
Resident Bishop (315) 422-5027 bishopwebb@unyumc.org
Editor/Publisher
Weekly Digest
STEPHEN J. HUSTEDT
KAREN CAMPOLIETO
UNY Director of Communications (315) 424-7878 x307 stevehustedt@unyumc.org
Administrative Assistant to the Director (315) 424-7878 x304 karencampolieto@unyumc.org
Graphic Designer
Social Media/Web
CHRISTIAN VISCHI
ASHLEY RIDDELL
Communications Associate (315) 424-7878 x313 christianvischi@unyumc.org
Multimedia/Web Coordinator (315) 424-7878 x320 ashleyriddell@unyumc.org
Writer/Editor
Video Specialist
KATHLEEN RUBINO
MARY DALGLISH
Conference Writer/Editor (315) 424-7878 x319 kathleenrubino@unyumc.org
Conference Videographer (315) 424-7878 x304 marydalglish@unyumc.org
The Advocate is a publication of the
Upper New York Conference 324 University Ave., 3rd Floor Syracuse, NY 13210 (855) 424-7878 www.unyumc.org
The Upper New York United Methodist Advocate is a publication of the Upper New York Conference of The United Methodist Church, whose mission is to be God’s love with all our neighbors in all places. Materials in the Advocate may not be reproduced unless the item is accompanied by a copyright notation. Periodicals postage paid at Utica, New York 13504; USPS 14025. Subscriptions: $15 per year paid in advance to 324 University Ave., 3rd floor, Syracuse, NY 13210; or call (855) 424-7878; or visit www.unyumc.org. Postmaster: send address changes to Upper New York United Methodist Advocate, 324 University Ave., 3rd floor, Syracuse, NY 13210. We reserve the right to edit or decline any items submitted for publication.
Leadership development should be grounded in the Wesleyan way A
s United Methodists, our mission is clear: “To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” When the Upper New York Conference was born, we held up a vision of what it would look like when each of our congregations, and all of us together, lived out this mission. Our vision is summed up in this way, “living the Gospel of Jesus Christ and being God’s love with our neighbors in all places.” Over the past few years, we have become clearer and more focused about the purpose and role of the Conference in supporting churches striving to live out the mission and realize the vision. We have identified that the purpose of the Conference is to “grow Christfollowing leaders who build healthy congregations that make disciples who make disciples for the transformation of the world through the grace and power of God.” Even further, we have claimed a primary task that we believe will allow the Conference to fulfill its purpose, and that primary task is to “increase leadership capacity.” In their book Spiritual Leadership – Moving People on
John Wesley
to God’s Agenda (2001), Henry and Richard Blackaby state: Christian leaders who know God and who know how to lead in a Christian manner will be phenomenally more effective in their world than even the most skilled and qualified leaders who lead without God. The challenge for today’s leaders is to discern the difference between the latest leadership fads and timeless truths established by God. It is our sincere belief that the following passage applies to every Christian: “The eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that God may strongly support those whose heart is completely God’s.” (2 Chronicles 16.9) Our task is to support, equip, challenge, and build a culture that will allow those who lead to grow as leaders by falling more deeply in love with God and becoming more dependent upon the gifts and grace that God provides. (See graphic on back cover that defines the purpose of the Conference.) That’s leadership development grounded in the Wesleyan way. We are engaged in a movement that has always had an emphasis on who God is, and because of who God is, who we can be. It’s evident in our understanding and claiming of God’s grace, it’s present in Wesley’s equal emphasis on personal and social holiness, and it’s grounded in a clear and constant mission! Living more deeply as United Methodist Christians and becoming the leaders that God will use in the Methodist moment begins with a clear understanding of the mission. It begins with being totally owned by the mission. For too many years we
have attempted to define and then own our mission. But what might it look like if instead we allowed the mission of Jesus to own us? What would it look like if the mission moved from something we attempt to do to a life-changing experience with the person of the mission that brings renewal and revival to our souls? The Wesleyan way calls us to live out a mission that invites those around us to respond to the love and sufficiency of Christ. The Wesleyan way calls us to live out a mission that begins with us having a vital experience with Jesus. I’m convinced in my own life that the only way I will have passion for engaging the mission is when the person and passion of the mission, Jesus the Christ, has infected my heart, mind, and spirit. The people called United Methodists in Upper New York have a vision of what it will look like when we live the mission. We have a purpose and primary task that will help us make that vision a reality. None of it matters if we are not first willing to be owned by the mission. We will not be the leaders God has promised we can be if we are not the people who vitally experience the author and reason for the mission: Jesus. Let’s increase our capacity together! Let’s be the movement the world needs! Let’s boldly proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, as we live His mission! Let’s have an encounter with the mission ourselves – an encounter that brings renewal and revival to our lives – so that God may use us in God’s amazing plan to renew and revive the world! That’s living the mission in the Wesleyan way!
Developing
DISCIPLES
Develop all disciples through relevant worship, vital faith formation, lifechanging mission, and radical giving of time, talent, and resources
A transformational
LEADER
A transformational leader is a disciple of Jesus Christ who acknowledges the call of God and the gifts for ministry that have been given to them, while continuing to be open to the refining work of the Holy Spirit. They assess the gifts and needs of the congregation and community, set courageous vision and goals for ministry, and equip the congregation to make new disciples.
Helping people discover
GOD’S SPIRIT A transformational leader helps the people of God discover the movement of God’s Spirit in their lives and the life of the community around them.
KEY TERMS
The mission, purpose, and tasks of the Upper New York Conference are all aimed at increasing the number of vital congregations, transformational leaders, and disciples of Jesus Christ, all for the Glory of God and the benefit of God’s people. The spring 2015 issue of the Advocate explored what it means to be vital in a ministry context. This issue is focused on leadership. Explore more: Find the spring 2015 Advocate online at: www.tinyurl.com/SPR15ADV
unyumc.org 5
Fine-tuning your preaching skills
By the Rev. Leanne Zeck
M
y first major in college was music; I played the flute. A good portion of my daily practice consisted of monotonous daily exercises. It didn’t really teach me any new skills. These exercises were designed to fine-tune my breathing, intonation, dynamics – all skills that, by the time I was in college, were already strengths for me. Exercises seemed to be added, but never reduced to my practice time. Yet, because I had the foundation and fine-tuned those basic skills, I could grow as an artist. I consider preaching to be a strength for me – most pastors probably feel preaching to be one of their strengths. Just as practicing my daily exercises on my flute fine-tuned my skills, I found the Illuminate Preaching Academy refined my preaching. I’ve been to other conferences on preaching, listened to some amazing preachers share their knowledge on the subject, and read preaching books. Yet, this academy that our Conference offers goes beyond that “personal” experience of a conference, talk, or reading a book. The academy offered a Proverbs 27:17 experience, “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” A group of approximately 20 pastors – a mixture of those enrolled in the academy and pastors who volunteered to walk with us in the refining of our skills – journeyed the course together through a variety of learning experiences. We soaked in the wisdom of the Rev. Dr. Alyce McKenzie, a professor at the 6 UNY ADVOCATE FALL 2015
Perkins School of Theology in Dallas, and what she is currently teaching her students. Our group was like a book club at times, discussing works by Rev. McKenzie and Andy Stanley. We were a preaching lab, given the opportunity to preach to each other and receive gracious, constructive feedback. Each participant was given a dialogue partner who journeyed with us, experienced with us, and learned with us. I was challenged to hear my preaching differently, to try new approaches to preaching, and to invite my congregation to be part of the preaching process. As iron sharpens iron, the other 20-plus people who attended the Illuminate Preaching Academy sharpened my preaching. I have implemented many of the challenges I was given at the academy at my church. What excites me most is my church’s participation. We have reworked my worship committee and creative team so they are now active participants in planning Sunday mornings and even preaching themes. From the sermon theme to visual art and props that bring the theme to life and the craft at the children’s table, the worship committee has been freed to creativity and new purpose. My preaching has a new energy as a result. No book or lecture has given me this result so quickly. The lesson of my flute-playing days rings true in my preaching – practice and refine the skills you have, laying a good foundation from which to grow. Rev. Leanne Zeck is the pastor at the New Beginnings United Methodist Church in Elmira.
CORE COMPETENCIES FOR CLERGY LEADERS
Rev. Zeck said she was challenged to invite her congregation to be part of the preaching process, and in the time since the academy she has reworked her worship committee and creative team so they are now active participants in planning Sunday mornings and preaching themes. That collaborative approach to clergy leadership is one of the 16 core competencies “necessary to lead in our context, within the 21st century,� Upper New York Area Resident Bishop Mark J. Webb noted in his spring 2015 column for the Advocate. The Board of Laity is currently developing a list of core competencies for laity. The 16 core competencies are divided into two categories: adaptive and technical. For a brief description of each, see pages 7-8 in the spring 2015 issue of the Advocate at www.tinyurl.com/SPR15ADV.
The following 16 core leadership competencies were shared during the Leadership Report at the 2015 session of the UNY Annual Conference:
Adaptive Competencies Learning Agility
Complex Problem-Solving
Self-Awareness
Lead Change
Comfort with Ambiguity
Collaboration
Strategic Thinking
Systems Thinking
Technical Competencies Spiritual Life of the Leader
Intentional Discipleship System
Methodist/Wesleyan Ethos
From Inward to Outward
Vision and Alignment
Passionate, Relevant Worship
Ministry Plan Faith Sharing/Evangelism unyumc.org 7
Sky Lake’s Matt Williams provides insight into the life of a camp director By Kathleen Rubino KathleenRubino@unyumc.org
M
att Williams, the Director at the Sky Lake Camp & Retreat Center in Windsor, has always felt a call to ministry. And he’s answered that call through his dedication to Sky Lake. “When I came to camp here, as a kid, I experienced what campers continue to feel and that was an overwhelming sense of community and a sense of God’s presence in my life,” he said. “It’s a place I love, and I love that I can help others experience that same kind of connection with one another and with God.” Sky Lake has been a huge part of
In a video produced by Conference Video Specialist Mary Dalglish, Matthew Williams describes “life as a camp director. Watch it on the Conference’s Vimeo page at www.vimeo.com/143906444. 8 UNY ADVOCATE FALL 2015
Williams’ life since childhood. He attended as a camper, worked there during the summer, and now serves as the camp director, where he helps Sky Lake live out its purpose. “It’s part of our ministry to just provide a place where people can come and be transformed to experience God and God’s creation,” he said. “We want people to feel comfortable where they are and encouraged to take further steps on their journey of faith.” Williams said the top five duties of a camp director are insuring that the camp or retreat experience is topnotch, looking for ways to improve the experience, making sure that staff are supported, making sure camp is around for the long haul, and having fun. “I think it’s important for a camp director to have fun at times and to model that having fun and being a Christian can be mutual and not exclusive,” he said. A camp director’s duties range depending upon the season. During retreat season, tasks mainly revolve around administrative functions – paying bills, making sure the staff is supported, etc. – but also involve “trying to find groups that want to come in and use us and that we can support by providing them a time and space in which to meet and grow as a group or as individuals or as a large organization,” he said. During the summer, it includes troubleshooting (for example, what to do if a camper forgot something at home), filling out paperwork, making sure the camp is up-to-date for the New York State Department of Health, purchasing supplies for each
Watch for an upcoming issue of the Advocate that will focus on Camp & Retreat Ministry.
Photos by Kathleen Rubino
week of camp, managing camp finances, filling out incident reports, and calling parents with updates about their children. But Williams’ favorite part of the job is enjoying the beauty of the camp and its programs through photography. “Getting to go out and take photos of campers – that’s kind of the way I rationalize getting out of the office in the summer time, so that I’m doing observations while I’m photographing, and those photos get posted to our online photo-sharing site so families can see their kids,” he said. Preparation for camp starts a few months before summer, as he interviews and runs background checks on staff and volunteers, acquires camp supplies, and organizes the schedules for each week. A typical week at Sky Lake begins Sunday morning with volunteers and paid staff gathering for breakfast, followed by worship, breakout sessions to discuss scheduling, dinner, and a long-standing Sky Lake tradition: singing. “In our former dining hall, we had a banner that said, ‘The one who sings, prays twice,’” Williams said. “It’s the idea that as we sing, we lift up prayers to God.” Williams noted that one pastor visiting Sky Lake remarked that he never thought musicals were grounded in life, but at Sky Lake, all you have to do is mention a word and everyone breaks out into song. At the camp, singing happens anytime and anywhere, from songs sung after meals to the traditional “Harvey the Hippo,” campfire tunes, and the recently added Worship Wednesday, where all campers gather for worship and song. To bring the camp to its full potential, Williams looks for different ways of marketing and new groups/places to target. He feels the locations that hold the greatest potential are the Metro and New York City areas, as he has received multiple inquiries from downstate. “Where we’re only a couple of hours from New York City, we’re perfectly poised to be able to provide a time and a place away from there that isn’t so far away that it’s a two-days’ drive,” he said. Williams brings a lot to his job, from his great singing voice to his good sense of humor, ability to look at the big picture, and people skills. To improve himself as a leader, he constantly seeks out learning opportunities, including online workshops, the annual retreat with Upper New York Camp & Retreat Ministry staff, and larger gatherings – two musts on his list are the American Camp Association’s Tri-State Camp Retreat and the National United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministry Leaders Gathering and Training. “I think it’s important for us to learn from each other, and I think that’s really helping us evaluate our strengths and opportunities for growth at Sky Lake,” he said. “And the great thing with camp leaders is that we all recognize that nothing that we do is copyrighted per se. We hope that we’ve come up with such a great idea or a different take on an existing idea that others are encouraged to use that in their setting as well. There’s just this sense of comradery, and we’re in this together.”
unyumc.org 9
‘I felt God was calling me to serve’ The call to ministry begins a long, spiritual journey By Sandra Brands
I
t’s not an overnight journey. For some, the road to ordination as an elder or deacon in The United Methodist Church requires 10 years of study, contemplation, and experience. For some, that journey may be longer; for others, it may take less time. But for all clergy, the first step is hearing the call to ministry. The Rev. Colleen Preuninger, who was ordained an elder in full connection at the 2013 session of the Upper New York Annual Conference, said the first call she heard came while serving as a counselor during a summer at the Casowasco Camp & Retreat Center in Moravia. “Throughout the summer of 2005, I felt a growing hunger for deeper study and experience in Christian tradition,” she said. “That summer, my campREV. PREUNINGER ers challenged me in Bible study with questions I couldn’t answer, but I felt I should be able to.” That growing awareness of a call inspired her to dive into her devotional life, and “not finding satisfaction with my own study, prompted me to start looking into ways to formalize my study of the scriptures and Wesleyan tradition,” she said. For Rev. Preuninger, the call to ordained ministry began as a call to formal education. But, one night, “after a particularly energetic worship service, I had an experience of God unparalleled by anything I had felt previously,” she said. “I was alone in the basement of the chapel, and I heard God speak to my spirit, calling me to apply to seminary.” Becoming either an elder or a deacon requires advanced degrees. For elders, a master’s in theology from a United Methodist-approved seminary is required. For deacons, a master’s in theology or in a field of their expertise, plus additional theology classes are required. For elders, deacons, and local pastors, the next step is to talk to their pastor, exploring the call with the help of “The Christian as Minister” workbook. “Pretty quickly, they’d be in touch with their district superintendent,” said the Rev. Holly Nye, co-chair of the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry (BOM). “The dis10 UNY ADVOCATE FALL 2015
trict committees are extensions of the Board of Ordained Ministry (BOM), but work independently. “The district superintendent then walks them through the next tests,” she said. “There is a different level of discernment at each step.” Rev. Nye said during this period, the person exploring the call to ministry will have a psychological profile done. “The path from there is towards licensed local pastor or commissioning as either an elder or a deacon,” she said. Undergraduate and graduate education does not have to be started to REV. NYE begin the process; some individuals serve local congregations while still in college. However, at this point, the person will be considered a candidate for ordination, and a mentor is found to work with them. Another mentor steps in when they make a decision to work towards becoming a local licensed pastor or towards commissioning as a provisional member. The mentors, Rev. Nye said, work with the person on clarifying their call and effective ministry. There may be step-by-step guides and mentors along the way, but the journey is always based in spirituality. “During my years, first as a local pastor and then as a provisional member, I had long anguished conversations with God about my ability to serve in the way I felt God was calling me to serve,” Rev. Preuninger said. “I learned how to discern the presence and will of God in the midst of conflict, death, and fear. It seemed that my spirit tripped over something every day, yet I felt God’s presence and Jesus’ calling me ever forward. “Through my studies at Princeton Theological Seminary paired with secular work at a toy store in downtown Princeton, God showed me the beautiful complexity of the Spirit’s work, both within the Christian community as well as outside its walls.” Rev. Preuninger, who now serves as a United Methodist Ecumenical Chaplain at Syracuse University and the SUNY ESF, served as a local pastor and later as a provisional member at the Oneida First UMC. While there, she said, “God affirmed my call to ordained ministry by giving me a heart for the local church and reaffirming God’s promise and power to equip me to do what God has called me to do—especially when I didn’t believe I could do it.” The provisional period is intended to be a time of intentional discernment and intense spiritual growth. Rev. Preuninger, who now serves on BOM, said this is evident in all candidates BOM works with.
“The provisionals we work with have demonstrated a readiness to accept a clear call to ministry, and I am honored to work with them as both the present and future of our denomination,” she said. Rev. Nye said the candidates interview with the board to seek commissioning, which is the first set of interviews with the full BOM and places candidates in provisional service. Candidates also take part in a provisional residence program, which includes shared learning and covenant
support among all provisional members. Rev. Nye said there are currently 16 provisional members. Each must attend two retreats with BOM; three are offered during the year. Part of the gathering centers on instruction – for example, learning how to manage the administrative details of a United Methodist ministry, dealing with statistics, or holding charge conferences. They sometimes work with spiritual directors learning different spiritual practices, and there is a day of covenant time, using a Wesleyan
discipleship model, where candidates support one another in spirituality and discipleship, Rev. Nye said. “The provisional process is a spiritual process that manifests in the fruit of effective ministry in the local ministry contexts of our provisional members,” Rev. Preuninger said. “I feel continually blessed to connect to those who God has called toward ordination in Upper New York and celebrate all God will do in our midst through them.” Sandra Brands is a freelance writer with ties to the Upper New York Conference.
UNY ORGANIZATIONS BUILDING LEADERS
Peace with Justice in Palestine/Israel The mission of the Conference’s Task Force on Peace with Justice in Palestine/Israel is to educate, network, and advocate for peace with justice in Palestine and Israel. Encouraging United Methodists to join together in this effort requires “a step forward” for everyone ... Volunteers-in-Mission Volunteers in Mission (VIM) take the meaning of contribution personally. Not content to send funds, we go to new and sometimes uncomfortable places. ... Leading in the footsteps and example of Christ offers a privilege and a challenge. ... United Methodist Men We give God all the glory and praise for raising up leaders in the Conference United Methodist Men. Over the past 20 months, the UNYUMM has adopted a new direction and focus. We have slowly become “Men growing in Christ, so other will know Him.” ... Older Adult Ministry Team The Silver Tsunami of retiring baby boomers is hitting the shores of The United Methodist Church. With this unprecedented event in the history of the United States, the Conference’s Older Adult Ministry (OAM) Team is making preparations to develop “OAM Champions” toward the goal of making disciples of Jesus ...
Find the complete articles at www.tinyurl.com/UNYOrgIns. unyumc.org 11
Starting a conversation .
UNY young people discuss See, Know, Love Conference
T
he inaugural See, Know, Love Northeastern Jurisdiction (NEJ) Transformational Leadership Conference, took place Oct. 2-4 in Hershey, Pa. United Methodists joined with bishops, cabinets, emerging leaders, and others for this training opportunity. The conference’s keynote speakers included the Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber, a visionary Lutheran pastor; Fiona Haworth, a hospitality-driven corporate executive; leaders at The Chapel in Brunswick, Ga., a UM church revolutionizing discipleship; and the Rev. Dr. Albert Mosley, president at Gammon Theological Seminary in Atlanta. Sixty-four members of the Upper New York Conference participated in the event, and 36 received scholarships from the Conference. Brian Lothridge, Ian Urriola, Krystal Cole, and Katie Kreutter were among the UNY young people at the NEJ conference. UNY Conference Writer/Editor Kathleen Rubino led a Facebook conversation between Lothridge, Urriola, Cole, and Kreutter to discuss See, Know, Love.
Let’s go down the list of keynote speakers and see the major takeaways from each. What did you learn from The Chapel’s leaders? Ian Urriola This was the group that I found to be the most problematic. I walked away from that presentation feeling really undervalued as a young adult and asking myself, “If these are the types of people that the NEJ – and the UMC overall – wants us to model, then do I really want to be a part of this?” I found each of the presenters from The Chapel to be inauthentic, as if they were each trying too hard to be “cool”. That said, the one thing I did like in their presentation was when they talked about partnership vs. membership. One of the themes of one of my seminary classes has been creating a culture of “costly church membership” in local churches – that is, we should expect more of our members – so I was kind 12 UNY ADVOCATE FALL 2015
Cole Kreutter
Lothridge Urriola
of glad to hear that echoed in this presentation. Brian Lothridge I agree with Ian about the partnership/membership thing. I liked the idea of using the term partner versus members for people in the congregation. There is too often a club mentality where members seek benefits and privileges and create an exclusive club. Church isn’t about exclusivity and club membership. It’s about a life-changing mission to continue the work of Jesus Christ in bringing the kingdom of heaven to this world. A partner, as I understand it, is all in with this mission, works together with others, and is engaged at all levels of the mission. We need more partners and less members. The need for a defined discipleship process was important, too. We need to prepare people to be truly disciples of Jesus, not just members of a church.
Krystal Cole I would just echo what was said by Brian and Ian. The main take away seemed to be being a partner in your church and taking a leadership role. Being a leader and active participation is a “strategy” to get people to take ownership of their faith journey. The theme of their presentation felt similar to instructions on how to run a business.
What did you learn from Fiona Haworth? Lothridge The best thing she said, in my opinion, is that we first need to be transformed before we call others to transformation. It is important for us as leaders to make sure we are transformed. We can’t call people into a reality we know nothing about. The question is: Am I transformed? If not, what am I to do about it? This is where we need to take our spirituality seriously as leaders. I also enjoyed her calling us into the
question, “What is God calling us to create?” It is about what we are doing, but what God will do through us. So we should be asking this question about all that we do.
opening was the opportunity to live out connectionalism across the NEJ. Each time I would talk with a new face, I would find some inexplicable personal connection between us, regardless of geographic location, and the phrase “it’s a small world” was uttered repeatedly. I was reawakened to the Spirit’s profound movement throughout the weekend.
Cole What stood out to me was her story of redecorating her house. She didn’t spend money on any new furniture or decorations; she got a new pair of eyes to evaluate her situation. She was focused on throwing out everything and getting a completely new house, but all she needed was a new perspective on the things that she already had. This reflects situations in churches when it seems impossible to get out of a situation and we believe everything needs to be overturned or thrown out, when in reality turning things upside down can shed new light on an issue.
What did you learn from the Rev. Dr. Albert Mosley? Urriola I enjoyed how Rev. Mosely connected the prophetic literature of our Scriptures to contemporary problems – racism, gun violence, etc. What particularly stood out was his use of the “blind watchman” metaphor found in Isaiah as an analog for visioning. You can’t vision if you are blind to the world around you. Lothridge We can’t be mute as leaders. We need to be able to speak out on the tough issues, the real issues that are affecting our churches, our communities, and our world. We need to be prophetic and move the Church into Christ-like action. He said something like, unless we speak out on the tough issues, our churches are weekly convocation for those who think they are converted and who we know are content.
What did you learn from the Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber? Urriola One of my key takeaways from her was that as leaders, no one will take us seriously if we are not authentic to ourselves and willing to be vulnerable with those who we lead/lead with. Lothridge I had a discussion about that with someone that night about the identity of a pastor. As a young
Lothridge I really enjoyed the connections I made and reinforced both within the UNYC and around the NEJ. I had some great conversations and was able to network with some great people. That was as valuable as much of the material we got from the speakers. Transformational leadership isn’t done by yourself. You need others to keep you strong, supported, and accountable. clergy person, and pretty new to pastoral ministry, I feel like there can be this perception of a pastor that some think I should live up to. I can’t do it however. I can only be me. What you see is what you get. I can’t be me in one situation and a “pastor” in another. I have to be true to myself in all situations. Cole I liked her transparency. I felt as though her message and her speaking style were in line with each other. Being vulnerable and self-disclosing is important in any relationship to gain trust. One thing she said was that “community is always part of healing.” Another important message she had was that you should never apologize for who you are. That’s a difficult thing to remember when you feel beaten down. Lothridge Vulnerability is too often lacking in our culture at large and in our churches. Leaders need to create the space for healthy vulnerability. This will allow us to truly grow together as a community.
What, if anything else, would you like people to know about the conference and/or your experience there? Katie Kreutter Overall, I think what I found most helpful and eye-
Urriola I’ll echo what Brian said, except change “That was as valuable as much of the material we got from the speakers” to “That was more valuable than much of the material we got from the speakers.” Lothridge You’re right on the change, Ian. Urriola Glad we’re on the same page. Cole I would like to support the amendment. I think that it was awesome to get information from the various tables offered in the lobby area about UM ministries. I also enjoyed the opportunity to have discussions at the small breakout sessions with people across the NEJ that had opinions similar and different than my own. Lothridge The breakout sessions I were in were very informative and hopeful. I felt supported as a pastor in a small church and felt hopeful that despite our size, the congregation I serve can do great things for the kingdom of God. We really need to move outside our walls. Kreutter My only suggestion for future or similar events would be to have more “down time” or space to process, refresh, pray, etc. and more breaks between sessions. I really appreciated the opportunity to attend the conference and hope there will be more opportunities in the future! unyumc.org 13
We asked ... You answered! The Upper New York Conference placed a couple of calls on Facebook, asking our Facebook friends to share – in just a few words – what qualities they feel a good leader possesses. Here are some of the many great responses that we received.
Treats all people with dignity and respect. – Scott M. Doyle
Genuine love of truth. – Pastor Katy Prince
Visionary, honest, just, grace-filled, master, servant. – Jessica White
PHOTOS BY KATHLEEN RUBINO
Flexible, organized, inclusive, great listening. – Rev. Sara Baron
Takes more blame, gives more credit. – David Wood
Appreciates history, risks moving forward, passion. – DS Rev. Rebekah Sweet
A sense of fairness and wisdom. – Laura Conklin
Listen, learn, level-headed, loyal, laugh, love. – Rev. Earl LaLone
Being a good listener. – Wilma Rundell
Character, delegating, modeling, what they teach. – Rev. Nancy Hale
... Can you hear me now? By Bethany Printup-Davis
I
f you own a cellphone, you probably have voicemail. And if you have voicemail, you probably have a voicemail greeting. The reason you need voicemail is because you will probably not be available to answer every phone call immediately. Or, like many, you could use voicemail to screen your calls, determining who you want to talk to and when. What if you knew that God was calling you? What if you looked at the “caller ID” on the screen of your soul, and detected that God was calling? Would you answer, or would you let it go to voicemail? Recognizing the ringing, but unsure of what it is My faith journey started as a young girl, who grew up listening to cassette tapes of old Southern Gospel quartet-type music. The beginning of my journey was subtle. I remember gravitating toward music as a means of belonging and expression because I was very shy. I grew up with no sense of a consistent faith community, so my reliance on those old-time Gospel tunes started shaping my life. Music is powerful. It can transform moments, embed memories, and stir emotions that shape who we are as human beings. We are moved by the singing and music in ways little else can. Before I had faith in faith, I had faith in music. When I lost trust in people who were letting me down, I found comfort in the music. My mom grew up singing with her two older sisters. They traveled the Great Lakes region, visiting numerous churches as “The Printup Sisters,” singing Southern Gospel music, and 16 UNY ADVOCATE FALL 2015
sharing their hymns of faith. Though I was not raised in church, I was raised in a household with a Southern Gospel soundtrack – and that nurtured my passion toward music. This type of music introduced me to parables and lessons of the Bible even if I was unaware of it as a child. Recognizing the phone is ringing, but not knowing who it’s from I went through my secondary education and college career reconciling my cultural and spiritual identities, embracing their cohesiveness. It wasn’t until I got involved with campus ministry and attended larger events within The United Methodist Church’s General Board for Higher Education (2009-2011) that the idea of ministry entered my thoughts. I had been involved in music ministries and Native ministry during those years, but with the busy-ness of life during my final year of college, I let this idea of ministry slip off the radar to finish my bachelor’s degree, transition to life after college, and enter the workforce. It was not until I began my first job teaching educational programs in the Rochester City School District and also became involved with the Upper New York Conference’s Committee on Native American Ministries (CONAM) that I truly began to see the impact of human relationships that God had brought into my life. I could see there were stories missing from God’s kingdom. I am still listening and uncovering ways in which God is calling me to a life of ministry.
Recognizing the caller, but sending it to voicemail The process to answering my calling is ongoing. I took my calling to ministry literally as God calling; there were those Godly nudges in which God was calling. But I, in the busyness of life, let God go to voicemail. With my involvement in CONAM and my first experience at the 2013 Annual Conference session, I felt God tugging at my heart yet again. I found myself moved by the Holy Spirit to respond to an altar call. Like all of God’s creation, we are moved through seasons in our lives. Amidst my involvement in our ministry as the Upper New York Conference, I knew I was being called to begin my foundation with a theological education for future ministerial endeavors. I grew up in and out of church, so my biblical studies had been far and few in the first two decades of my life. In the work I had been doing in Native American studies, particularly as they relate to the Church, I believed God calling me to start with theological training. Finally answering the call by saying, ‘hello’ The decision to enter seminary stems from the relationships I have developed over the years. It comes from the subtle musical encouragements I heard as a young child at home on the reservation in my mother’s home and riding in my dad’s pickup truck; from the guidance and encouragement I received from my campus minister at Nazareth College in Rochester as I made an academic transition CONTINUED ON PAGE 19
Celebrating UMCOR’s 75th anniversary Nov. 15 The Fiser-Christie Endowed Mission Lecture Series will be celebrating the 75th anniversary of the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) at St. James United Methodist Church in Little Rock, Ark. UMCOR executive the Rev. Denise Honeycutt will speak at 11 a.m. CDT during a worship that will be live-streamed. Details at www.stjames-umc.org.
Webinar: “Cancer Care Ministry: Compassion and Companionship” Nov. 17 This webinar – 7-8 p.m. EST – will provide participants with guidelines and suggestions for starting and maintaining a ministry to compassionately share the journey of people with cancer and their families. Webinar leader Dr. Sharon T. Hinton DMIN, RN-BC, MSN has been a faith community nurse, educator and coordinator for 15 years and is board certified in the specialty practice of faith community nursing by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Details at www.tinyurl.com/CancerCare111715.
Hinton
“Fusion: The Future of Worship in The United Methodist Church” Feb. 4-6, 2016 The early-bird registration deadline for the Fusion gathering is Dec. 1. The gathering in Raleigh, N.C., will bring together practitioners from vital congregations and recognized expert professors to delve into current worlds of worship resources and leadership in the areas of music, worship planning and design, preaching and sacraments. The $129 registration fee increases by $20 after Dec. 1. Registration for seminary and course of study students is $89. Details at www.tinyurl.com/Fusion020416.
Webinar: “You Can Lead an Adult Study” Dec. 3 This webinar – 7-8 p.m. EST – focuses on the reality that small groups in the local church have the power to bring people closer to God. Learn to use this power effectively as participants discuss the skills necessary for leading adult study groups. The webinar Leader Debbie Kolacki is a Certified Christian Educator and Certified Lay Servant. Her blogs include FaithGeeks and PCRUpdates. Details at www.tinyurl.com/AdultStudy120315.
Online course: “Rediscovering Our Spiritual Gifts” Jan. 11-24, 2016 In this online course from BeADisciple.com, participants will learn more about their spiritual gifts and will learn how to help their congregations learn more about theirs. This two-week workshop will feature participant interaction via online discussions, videos, and real-time group sessions throughout the two weeks. Please note, participants are expected to read the Discipleship Resources book “Each One a Minister” by William J. Carter and “Spirit Gifts” by Patricia Brown. Details at www.tinyurl.com/SpiritualGifts011116.
unyumc.org 17
Wesley C
& Leadersh p
an you imagine living in a world where new scientific developments and new technologies alter the way people relate to each other and understand their world? Or where sweeping economic changes simultaneously create new, never-seen-before jobs, while at the same time eliminating hundreds of longestablished ones? Can you imagine a world where bloody international conflicts threaten to draw the nation into foreign wars, a world where many churches seem to be “going through the motions” of being the Church while the hunger for personal and community transformation is deep and broad? REV. GOTTSCHALKI can certainly imagine such a world. FIELDING We are living in it. And I believe John Wesley could also imagine such a world because he lived in it as well. The parallels between Wesley’s 18th century England and our 21st century America are significant. It leads me to ask how Wesley and the early Methodists sought to lead the Methodist movement under such circumstances. Are there approaches and practices we can borrow from them that would enable us to lead more faithfully and fruitfully today? While I am a fan, I am certainly no expert on Wesley. Even so, let me share a few observations:
1. Wesley’s leadership was Christ-centered He was convinced, based on his personal experience, that he had been saved by the grace of God made known in Jesus Christ and was called to live and work as a witness to this grace. Leadership was not simply a job or a profession for him. He was a leader because God had blessed, called, equipped, and sent him. This conviction enabled him to persevere in tough times and not give up hope. Wesley became enormously popular with coal miners, shipyard workers, poor people, and those who felt disconnected from the Church of England. But he faced significant opposition from many of his superiors and colleagues. He was banned from preaching in several churches. On more than one occasion, he was knocked off his horse or pulled from a carriage and assaulted by opponents. Newspapers ran scathing reviews of his work, and he was often denounced from the pulpit on Sunday morning. But Wesley’s heart had been “strangely warmed” by the risen Christ, and his passion could not be extinguished. This explains why Wesley was so passionate about caring for the health of his soul and so dedicated to daily 18 UNY ADVOCATE FALL 2015
By the Rev. Bill Gottschalk-Fielding
spiritual practices. Worship, prayer, spending time in the Scriptures, fasting, and daily acts of service to the poor and marginalized kept him connected to the One who authorized and energized all he did. I can learn something about where to find strength and support for leadership from Wesley’s example, and I think you can too.
2. Wesley’s leadership was mission-focused In his day, that mission was described as “spreading scriptural holiness and reforming the nation.” In ours, we would say, “making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” His leadership was not aimed at propping up ineffective institutions or pleasing “the powers that be.” He focused on offering Christ. Wesley’s approach to mission was balanced and practical. He knew God wanted to change people’s hearts and lives. He was convinced our private lives and our public lives mattered to God. And so he encouraged Methodists to set up chapels for prayer and schools to educate poor children. He spoke out against lying and cheating as well as the international slave trade. And if something worked, he kept doing it. If it did not, he looked for a better way. His most effective practices – small group class meetings, outdoor field preaching, and mass market publications – were borrowed from others and improved. All that mattered was “offering Christ” to any and all. Wesley’s example helps me understand the importance of having a clear focus for my leadership. He helps me distinguish between “means and ends.” What about you? 3. Wesley’s leadership was team-based Wesley could be a bit autocratic. He was clear about his expectations and was not endlessly tolerant of those who missed the mark. At a recent gathering in our Conference, a speaker shared a drawing of some of Wesley’s “performance appraisal” notes on class leaders. Some leader names were clearly crossed out after they had failed to meet objectives repeatedly. Wesley expected excellence. But he also intentionally shared leadership. He raised up dozens of class leaders, band leaders, and lay preachers. In fact, the first annual conferences were actually multi-day leadership seminars for his team of lay and clergy preachers focused on “what to preach, how to teach, and what to do.” He particularly emphasized the essential contributions of the laity, telling one critic, “Were not most of those whom it pleased God to employ in promoting the Reformation abroad, laymen also? Could that great work have been promoted at all in many places, if laymen
had not preached?” The exclusive gender language of that last quote reflects both the usage of that day and the reality of the early Methodist movement. The roles open to laywomen were restricted in the 18th century. Yet even then Wesley showed a greater openness to the gifts and leadership of women than most of his contemporaries. No doubt the example of his mother, Susanna Wesley, contributed to this difference. Susanna effectively planted and led a house church in the parsonage of her husband’s parish throughout much of John’s formative years. And so, when Wesley sought to build his team, he tapped the gifts of the many women involved in early Methodism. He commissioned women like Sarah Crosby, Mary Bosanquet, Hannah Harrison, Eliza Bennis, and Jane Cooper to serve as class and band leaders. And in 1787, he even took the bold step of licensing Sarah Mallet to preach. Methodists had a long way to go toward full inclusion of women, but Wesley took a significant step. Wesley’s leadership reminds me that heroic leadership is great in the movies, but not what we are about in the Church. I am reminded how much we need each other and cannot get by without each other. I believe the greatest asset and the most urgent need are the same in our day: Christ-centered, mission-focused, team-based leaders. We’ve known this for a long time in Upper New York. One of the first actions taken by our four predecessor conferences was to draft a purpose statement to guide and shape the new Conference. It described the work of the Conference as “encouraging and developing leadership within the laity and clergy that is diverse yet united by our love for Christ.” In the last 18 months this idea has deepened into a driving conviction. We’ve identified “increasing leadership capacity of laity and clergy” as job number one for our Conference. I think Wesley would not only affirm this direction, but has much to teach us about how to move along that path. Rev. Bill Gottschalk-Fielding is the Upper New York Conference Executive Assistant to the Bishop and Director of Connectional Ministries.
Spiritual Leadership MOT: Addressing emerging, ongoing ministry needs By Nancy Dibelius
T
he vision of Upper New York Conference’s Spiritual Leadership Ministry Oversight Team (MOT), as defined by the Conference, is to deepen the spirituality of individuals in the Conference; deep spirituality is key to excellent leadership within the Church, both lay and clergy. Our purpose is to identify, train, and equip laity and clergy for adaptive change and missional leadership. Our primary task is the creation and oversight of Ministry Action Teams to address emerging and ongoing ministry needs as identified by the Conference Leadership Team. In our first year and a half as a team, we have engaged that vision and purpose primarily by offering grants to individuals and teams whose programs specifically address that purpose. We have seen new leaders emerge from many of these programs, individuals who are trained and equipped in ways that enable them to continue their ministry and the ministries of their communities. We have granted funding to programs that support and nurture the spiritual lives of congregations and communi-
ties, and a number of these programs have moved into self-sustaining ministries. As we move into our second year as a team, we are brainstorming and exploring ways in which we can seek out and initiate projects that would address the vision and purpose of our ministry. How can we be more intentional in our relationships with the districts and local churches to encourage and engage new projects? How can we be more invitational/ more supportive to those groups? We understand that a deep, abiding relationship with God is the foundation for effective leadership. How do we encourage, support, and nurture that deep, underlying center for those in leadership positions? How do we encourage and walk alongside others in our churches and in the world as they seek out and explore their faith journeys? These questions are crucial to the ongoing life of this team. As we continue to seek out and support grant programs, we seek to commit more of our time and energy in the year ahead to responding to these questions. Nancy Dibelius is the convener for UNY’s Spiritual Leadership MOT.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16 from music to history; from several fellow CONAM members as we work and walk together in community learning to share stories and experiences; from the Asbury First UMC, my home church of threeplus years, as they have learned some of my story and walked along side me; and above all from God. My experiences and relationships, thanks be to God, have led me to make the decision to go to seminary. The idea of seminary became attainable as I found myself responding in 2013 to an altar call to ministry during the Ordination Service of my Conference. This is my ultimate purpose for coming to seminary – because I finally answered the call from God I had been sending to voicemail; however,
it is not the only reason. It is my joyful prayer that, with God’s graces, I continue to teach about Native culture and contribute my gifts to Native Churches. I hope to contribute to the connection between the United Methodist structure and Native communities. I look forward to using my passions for worship and the arts. I hope and pray that going forward I may be effective in any future congregation or agency. This is only one story and I’m happy to share it with you. But with the realization that my phone is ringing in my own life, perhaps your phone is ringing. When God calls you, will you let God’s call go to voicemail? Or will you answer, and let God bless the world through your life? unyumc.org 19
AT THE RESOURCE CENTER
FOR FURTHER READING The New Adapters
by the Rev. Jacob Armstrong
The New Adapters demonstrates how classic principles are being translated in a variety of new contexts and shares how time-tested principles can be used to transform your ideas and practices into effective action in your own context – no matter your congregation’s size or your church’s denomination. Each chapter begins with an introduction from the Rev. Adam Hamilton and the Rev. Mike Slaughter, two mega-church pastors who know something about hope and vision. Combined with Rev. Armstrong’s sense for innovation, this is the book for church leaders who are struggling to know what paths to follow in order to participate in the creation of new, mainline churches for the 21st century.
Just Say Yes!
by Bishop Robert Schnase
Do you say “no” too often? Yes. Pastors, laity, staff ... we’re all guilty of squelching and constraining creative people who want to use the gifts God has given them to serve and lead even if we don’t mean to. Bishop Robert Schnase helps pastors and other leaders examine the systems, attitudes, and dynamics that restrain, control, and diminish ministry, providing insights and practical help for those who want to be more open to innovation and experimentation for the purposes of Christ. Just Say Yes! Unleashing People for Ministry is written for people whose passion has been simmering for years, who yearn to be told Yes! It’s for those who have felt frustrated by attempts to start programs, reach new people, or experiment with alternative worship services, only to be told “No.” Just Say Yes! and see what happens.
Seven Levers:
Missional Strategies for Conferences
by Bishop Robert Schnase
This book explores conferences in operational terms, highlighting focal points for change. What works in conferences, what doesn’t, and why? Bishop Schnase shows us how to identify and change practices that are no longer conducive to our mission and demonstrates concrete ways to foster a more relevant and effective connectionalism. He uses specific examples to describe fundamental strategies that really work. Seven Levers provides insight and a common language to help leaders focus their work on what matters most and align their ministries, personnel, budgets, and governance accordingly. It is an honest and practical guide for all pastors, lay leaders, conference staff, cabinets, and conference boards striving to shape their common ministries through conferences.
Vital:
Churches Changing Communities and the World by the Rev. Jorge Acevedo What behaviors do highly vital congregations have in common? How can all congregations move toward greater vitality? In Vital, the Rev. Jorge Acevedo passionately and effectively reveals how Grace Church in Cape Coral, Fla., has developed behaviors that result in vital and fruitful ministry. Focusing on spiritual pastoral leadership, lay leadership development, worship, small groups, and service and mission, Rev. Acevedo both inspires and coaches. He helps leaders of congregations act in their own contexts to develop behaviors essential to vitality. The book includes brief summaries of learnings from the research written by Amy Valdez Barker, project manager for the Vital Congregations Initiative, as well as other stories illustrating vital behaviors in different settings.
For Further Reading resources among thousands of other titles are available for lending from the Conference Media Resource Center in Endicott – a free lending library supported through your ministry share dollars – through the online catalog at www.tinyurl.com/UNYMediaRC, by contacting Resource Center Director Diane Miner via email at diane@unyumc.org or by phone at (800) 799-9664. 20 UNY ADVOCATE FALL 2015
Embracing Change
with Laura Goodrich
The Embracing Change training program was created to stimulate conversation. Using “person-on-the-street” interviews, you will be introduced to a cast of characters that not only share how we should deal with change, but are required to put their thoughts into action. This is a fast-paced and funny short training DVD that is applicable for all levels of an organization and will effectively set the stage for meaningful dialog. Includes five ways to embrace change: Be Open and Adaptable, Be Enthusiastic, Focus on What You Can Control, What It Takes To Be A Leader, Choose To Be With Positive People, and Find The Possibilities.
Back to Zero
by Gil Rendle
The lifeblood of the United Methodist is passion rather than organizational neatness, entrepreneurial freedom rather than denominational restraint, and agility rather than staid institutional dependence. But if United Methodists want to change and be the Church we say we want to be, what must we risk and how can we challenge current practices? At the heart of becoming a spiritual movement once again is the requirement that we develop a new understanding of connection as Christians and as United Methodists. We are currently at a time in which United Methodists are reinventing denominational connectionalism. One way of framing the issue is to distinguish between members and disciples, or consumers – those who wait for the institution to care for their needs – and citizens – those who are willing to commit themselves to and be held accountable for the whole of the community. United Methodism has nurtured generations of leaders and congregations that see themselves as consumers of the resources and attention of the denomination. The impulse toward movement is challenging spiritually purposeful leaders and congregations to risk becoming citizens who fully expect to make a difference in the lives of individuals and also in the world through an encounter with Christ.
Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations
by Bishop Robert Schnase
People are searching for a church shaped and sustained by radical hospitality, passionate worship, intentional faith development, risk-taking mission and service, and extravagant generosity. These fundamental practices are critical to the success of congregations. Their presence and strength demonstrate congregational health, vitality, and fruitfulness. Members of these congregations focus on those outside their congregation with as much passion as they attend to the nurture and growth of those who already belong to the family of faith, and they apply their utmost creativity, energy, and effectiveness to the task, exceeding all expectations By repeating and improving these practices, churches fulfill their mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Guidelines for Leading Your Congregation 2013-2016 by the General Board of Discipleship The 26 guidelines on this CDROM, one for each ministry area, cover church leadership areas including Church Council and Small Membership Church; the administrative areas of Finance and Trustees; and ministry areas focused on nurture, outreach, and witness including worship, evangelism, stewardship, and Christian education, agelevel ministries, communications, and more. The guidelines are tools that enable you to help get new lay leaders off to a good start. Each one includes the basic “job description” for the leader as well as practical “how-to” information important to implementing ministry effectively. Brief and to-the-point for the busy, but spirit-led leader. The CD-ROM has the complete text of all 26 guidelines along with valuable charts, surveys, and other tools that help with the mission of your church and are mentioned in the Guidelines. The text is completely searchable making them easy to navigate when looking for specific information. Many of the forms are in Microsoft Word format, making them adaptable for your situation.
These additional leadership-related resource recommendations from Diane Miner are published by the Lewis Center for Church Leadership: Doing Good Well – exploring the fruitfulness of mission efforts and provides practical strategies to help ensure your mission hits the mark; The New Welcome – helping you open your church to the transformative presence of new people; and Taking Church to the Community – providing strategies your congregation can use to reach beyond its walls with worship, community events, ministries, and service. unyumc.org 21
GLOSSARY quiz
An informal poll by the Upper New York Communications Ministry Area reveals the following 15 items as the least known leadership terminology. Can you correctly identify the meaning?
The Book of Discipline
A. A United Methodist parenting guide: Teaching your kids how to behave. B. You’ve heard of Santa’s two lists; this contains the naughty kids. C. A collection of United Methodist fairytales that parents can read to their children each night at bedtime. D. This book sets forth the plan by which United Methodists govern themselves. It includes the church Constitution, the history of the Church, doctrinal standards, the mission of The UMC to make disciples of Jesus Christ as well as practical processes through which congregations connect and support each other to reach the world. It can be changed/ updated at General Conference every four years.
Certified Lay Minister
A. An individual authorized to hand out leis during Hawaiian-themed worship services. B. These ministers have been through a rigorous 92-point inspection and are certified as a quality used pastor. C. This is the only person qualified in the local church to place a body in the ground at a funeral. D. This is a layperson who leads a congregation as part of a ministry team under the supervision of a clergyperson. Among other duties, they enhance ministry in small-membership churches through preaching, providing care ministry, and assisting in program leadership. In terms of membership to the Conference, a certified lay minister is not a clergy member.
Charge Conference
A. This was an annual gathering before Visa and Mastercard had a falling out. B. A gathering of elephants before they run out of a forest, trunk-intrunk. 22 UNY ADVOCATE FALL 2015
C. A rally that gets congregants “charged” up for the upcoming year. D. This is an annual meeting, usually between members of a local church and their district superintendent, to review and evaluate the total mission and ministry of the local church, receive reports, and adopt objectives and goals recommended by the local church council that are in keeping with the objectives of The United Methodist Church.
College of Bishops
A. A piece of art made by sticking various photographs of bishops onto one piece of paper. B. Adoring their mascot, students at this college dress up as their favorite chess piece. C. Where bishops go to school. D. Not to be mistaken for the Council of Bishops which is the global body of bishops, this is made up of all active and retired bishops who currently serve or have served within a jurisdiction.
Deacon in Full Connection
A. A mouse trap full of poison. B. The head chef at a church-sponsored soup kitchen. C. A clergy member who is active on every form of social media. D. This is an ordained clergy member who leads the church in relating Christians to their ministries in the world through worship leadership, preaching, teaching, nurturing spiritual vitality, and leading ministries. Although he or she may work in a congregation, many work in other settings, such as hospitals, social service agencies, mission agencies, schools, counseling centers, and denominational agencies among others. One difference between a deacon and an elder is that a deacon cannot oversee a baptism or communion in the absence of an elder. Although deacons serve under the appointment of a bishop, they are not guaranteed employment.
Elder in Full Connection
A. One of the Deathly Hallows. B. A senior who knows everyone in their assisted living complex. C. The person your parents always tell you to respect. D. This is a clergy member who is ordained to a ministry of Word, Sacrament, Order, and Service. This means elders preach and teach the Word of God, provide pastoral care and counsel, administer the sacraments of baptism and Holy Communion, and order the life of the church for service in mission and ministry. An elder may serve a parish ministry or on an extension ministry, such as chaplaincy.
Itinerate
A. To say something over, and over, and over again. B. To delegate duties to various people in the local church. C. To plan a route, the verb form of “itinerary.” D. Elders itinerate, which means they serve in one-year appointments assigned by the bishop.
Lay Leader
A. The person who is in charge of buying Lays potato chips to be eaten during fellowship. B. The nursery school leader who lets the children know when it is time to lie down for a nap. C. The first person to lie down/fall asleep during the sermon. D. This person represents the lay people in a local church. He or she works with the pastor and other leaders to launch or strengthen ministries that build discipleship and increase God’s presence of caring, justice, and love in the world. The lay leader helps plan Laity Sunday. The Lay Leader is the conduit for relaying the actions taken at annual and General conferences and sharing this information with members of his/her congregation.
A. The back-up person for the lay leader, who will purchase Lays potato chips in the event the lay leader cannot make it to the store. B. A person skilled in the art of slicing a cake in such a way that everyone believes they received the biggest piece. C. A lazy butler. D. A member of a local church who serves the church and is well informed on the Scriptures as well as the doctrine, heritage, organization, and life of The United Methodist Church. A lay servant has received specific training to develop skills in witnessing to the Christian faith through spoken communications, church and community leadership, and care-giving ministries.
Local Pastor Licensing School
A. A place where local pastors can go to receive their driver’s license, so they can avoid waiting on line at the DMV. B. This is where you go to earn a license to pasteurize local milk. C. This licensing school offers pastors a low-calorie (lo-cal) diet. D. Attending Local Pastor Licensing School is required for a local pastor to be licensed to preach and perform the duties of a pastor. They are appointed by the bishop, but they do not need to make themselves available as itinerant ministers. Local pastors may serve in extension ministries settings, but they are not elected into clergy membership of the annual conference.
M. Div.
A. A top secret branch of British intelligence. B. A flattering nickname that one can call another to show utmost respect. C. A short mathematical formula for multiplying and dividing. D. An M. Div. or a Master of Divinity degree is required of clergy seeking ordination as an elder; a deacon is required to have either a Master of Divinity, or a master’s in their area of specialization along with a range of basic graduate theological studies.
Professing Member
A. Someone who shouts their love for Jesus Christ from the rooftops of a busy city at least once a day. B. A church member who constantly admits to breaking things. C. Someone who knows the secret knock to get into the pastor’s Friday night poker game. D. Someone who has professed the faith of The United Methodist Church, using the language and ritual of Baptismal Covenant found in The Book of Discipline, giving them membership within The United Methodist Church and of a particular local congregation.
Provisional Member
A. Clergy who are kept only if it is approved in the budget. B. Someone transferring to United Methodism from another denomination has to receive communion by intinction 7 times 77 before provisional status is removed. C. These pastors have a clause in their degree that says they have graduated, “provided that … ” and then there is a random request made by their advisor. D. These certified clergy candidates have completed at least half of their educational requirements and have been commissioned and licensed by the Annual Conference. During the provisional period, members may be appointed to congregations (deacons or elders), extension ministry (elders), to attend school, or appointments beyond the local church (deacons).
Seminary
A. It’s where dead people are buried. B. A college strictly for women. C. It’s a soldier: the bravest of the brave, the finest of the fine. D. It’s an institution of higher education that grants a Master’s of Divinity degree (see M. Div.). There are 13 United Methodist Theological Schools that offer training for those preparing for the ministry and other church professions.
If you answered D to all, congratulations, you receive a perfect score!
Lay Servant
Honorable Mention terms: Baptized Member
A person who has received the sacrament of baptism in a United Methodist Church or has received Christian baptism in another denomination and later transferred to a United Methodist Church.
Cabinet
The organization in an annual conference whose membership consists of the resident bishop and the district superintendents. The Cabinet provides oversight and direction for the work of the annual conference, districts, and local churches.
Deaconess/Home Missioner
These are lay members who, in response to God’s call and on recommendation by the General Board of Global Ministries, are commissioned by a bishop to share faith in Jesus Christ through ministries of love, justice, and service. They serve the local church in any capacity not requiring full clergy rights. They are related to the General Board of Global Ministries. A lifetime commitment to mission is presumed.
Delegate
This is a pastor or layperson elected by an annual conference as its representative to General Conference, Jurisdictional Conference, or Central Conference.
District Superintendent
An ordained minister appointed by a bishop to oversee the pastors and local churches in a district. A district superintendent may not serve in that capacity more than six years in any consecutive nine years. No minister may serve more than a total of 12 years as a superintendent. A superintendent’s primary responsibilities relate to overseeing the work of the local churches, including presiding at Charge Conferences, and supervising the work of the pastors, including participating with the bishop in the making of appointments. unyumc.org 23
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By Stephen J. Hustedt
O
n Oct. 10, the Conference Leadership Team (CLT) gathered for its first meeting of the fall. This meeting followed an Annual Conference year spent discerning the purpose of the Conference. That discernment has brought about clarity and energy around tasks. As the team reviewed the work of the prior year, there was a feeling of excitement and anticipation. Together, the CLT built a model that defined the previous year’s work. As the model above shows, the purpose of the Conference is to develop, equip, and deploy transformational leaders – or more simply put, to increase leadership capacity. Those leaders build healthy congregations that make disciples of Jesus Christ. Those disciples then transform the world. The one thing that was abundantly clear was that the leverage point that will allow for the greatest increase in capacity in the system is growing leaders. That becomes the primary task.
“So is that it? Does this represent the definition of the culture we believe God is calling us to lead?” Upper New York Area Resident Bishop Mark J. Webb asked the group, receiving a unanimous response of “yes.” “Then if that is true, our role is to share the definition of the culture, that others may own it and align our resources around it,” he said. Satisfied with the work that had led them to this point, the CLT began to discuss the work of the coming year. “Defining our purpose is only the beginning,” Bishop Webb said. “Now, as the custodians of the culture here in Upper New York, it is up to us to begin to anchor our purpose.” “Anchoring the purpose” was defined as keeping the purpose the main thing even amidst other ideas, agendas, and other good work. CLT members were asked to begin praying and thinking about what it looks like to anchor the purpose and to bring their thoughts back to the next meeting.