The clergy retreat with Dick Hamm and the area staff and Executive Team is now a pleasant memory and we look ahead to new opportunities to go more deeply into service and leadership.
The Allelon missional leader formation initiative has asked this area leadership team to host one of five regional training centers in North America. Click here for more information. I have seen the proposed curriculum (as have some of you) and it appears to offer something local congregational leaders seek, so we are inclined to move forward once the details are worked out.
At the same time, area staff and executive team along with about 10 -15 invited congregational pastors and leaders will begin a 100-day period in January in prayer and share triplets (teams of three) to see what that might look like, go to the Spiritual Strategic Journey website.
Missional Church conversations continue in Cameron, Maryville, and Higginsville. We encourage participants to invite their non-Disciples clergy colleagues.
We have also been invited to host in 2009 a Heartland Regional Cluster learning event for congregations engaged in transformation. This would bring together leaders from congregations in seven states to articulate best practices, share wins and losses, and become together a life-long learning community for congregational transformation and leader support.
Finally, we are pulling together resources in the area of character development for leaders - including some secular options for clergy who may do better personal character work in a non-church setting.
We appreciate your prayers and your responses to our sincere desire to support you, your families, and the missions to which God has called us in local communities.
What new learning opportunities are working well for you?
