Congregational Life Centre
Our mission is to help leaders acquire
the skills and attitudes they need to lead
Epiphany Explorations Highlights
The cloudy and wet city of Victoria, along with First Metropolitan United, hosted the tenth Epiphany Explorations in January. The weather did nothing to dampen our spirits.
Among
the presentations, the hour with Lois Wilson stands out for me. That woman
has wisdom, and it rolls out of her so easily. This former President of
the World Council of Churches reminded us of the challenges facing the church.
Over the last 50 years there has been a communications revolution, but churches
have bought into a conservative mentality which has kept them from keeping
pace with the culture.
The result - there are "fortress" churches that circle the wagons and "culture" churches immersed in the culture to the point where you can't distinguish one from the other. The good news is that there are emerging "gathered" churches of spiritual people who see themselves also as the "scattered" church at work in the world. She calls this "living a life-long posture of discipleship."
She left us with a three-fold mandate. Identify the biblical stories that communicate what leadership is about. Discover what is possible in your own situation and find allies you can work with to make a difference.
The
presentation by Nontombi Naomi Tutu - Bishop Desmond Tutu's daughter - reminded
us that we learn what it means to be human as we relate to other people.
Her challenge was to relate to people who are quite different because that
is how we grow to be more human. "It is a matter of waiting for people
to tell us who they are. Sit and talk to us and hear our stories."
Naomi comes from a very different culture, and it was a growing experience
to listen to her stories.
Flora
McDonald brought the whole gathering to its feet. This 84 year old former
cabinet minister has been traveling regularly to Afghanistan initiating
a project to support the leadership of local villages. It started with helping
to create elected councils in the 70 villages of one valley in the central
Himalayan Mountains. Afghanistan is a country half the size of Ontario,
but with a population equal to that of Canada. What she is doing is working
and deserves all the support we can give.
Next
year, Jan 19-23, 2012, will be the 10th Year that First Metropolitan United
in Victoria has sponsored this event. Speakers will include Marcus Borg,
Richard Rohrbaugh, Mary Jo Leddy, and Elizabeth May. Information will be
posted in June on the program for 2012 on their website www.firstmetvictoria.com.
Registration starts on August 15.
The United Church of Canada is offering a Learning-in-Community Grant of up to $1250 for those who wish to attend the event as a group, and then continue to meet and reflect on learnings together.
"Leadership Ventures" Congregational Life Newsletter. March 2011. Volume 17 No. 4.