Lay Leaders Days 2013

Lay Leaders Days 2013

Building Your Congregation’s Leadership

 A day to look at leadership styles for lay leaders and ways to increase the capacity (numbers and strength) of the lay leaders in your congregation.

Cost $20.00

***Special*** To the first ten participants from each location who volunteer:  We will give you a FREE token to take an online survey of your leadership strengths.  The survey is conducted by NCD Canada. You will need to invite at least two people who you have influenced in your life to answer an online questionnaire about you.  By volunteering you agree to share your results with a small group of people as a part of the Leadership Day. (Value of this gift is approximately $12.00)

St. Augustine of Canterbury, Windsor – February 9, 2013

Church of the Epiphany, Woodstock – February 23, 2013

St. John’s Church, St. Thomas  – April 6, 2013

Trinity Church, Durham – May 4, 2013

Schedule:

9:30        Coffee

9:45        Welcome, Sharing Expectations, Housekeeping

9:50        What does your congregation look like?

                 What does your current leadership look like?

                 Group Feedback

10:20     Worshipful reflection

10:30     What would you like your church’s leadership to look
                 like?

                 Leadership mind map

11:00      Youth Video – Youth Expectations of Leadership

11:10       What did you forget?

11:15       Bible Study on leadership

11:45       Leaders are called.  How do you hear the call?

12:00      Worshipful reflection

12:10      Lunch

12:55       Empowering Leadership
                 (The three colors of leadership – Natural Church
                 Development)

1:20        Personal reflection

1:30        Group Discussion
                 How could you better empower leadership in your
                 congregation?

1:45        Group feedback

2:00        The six wing traits of leadership (Natural Church
                 Development)

2:25        Some individual case studies

2:45        Worshipful reflection

2:55        Evaluate the day

3:00        Home

The event in Windsor will have an additional ½ hour to accommodate a module directed to the Lay Discernment program that will unfold in the region, on a trial basis, in 2013. This program, directed as it is to lay development through discernment of personal gifts and call, is directly relevant to the broader objectives of the Lay Leaders Day.

Register today by emailing allsaints.sarnia@gmail.com

Please indicate the location and date of the session you plan to attend, if you have any dietary restrictions and if you wish to take advantage of one of the free tokens to take the leadership survey please indicate as well.

Fees will be payable on the date of the event.  Checks should be made payable to: “The Diocese of Huron.”

Strategic Plan Implementation Group Meeting November 29, 2012

The Strategic Plan Implementation Group met for their monthly meeting on Thursday November 29th. After receiving the Director for Mission and Ministry's report and discussions about matters that arose from it  the group turned its attention to the matter of Mutual Ministry and Performance Enhancement.  Material was distributed to the members in advance of the meeting so that members could inform themselves about the subject.   The Rev. Gary Nicolosi and Archdeacon Richard Salt both shared their personal experiences of working with support groups and with goal setting.  The two came from different perspectives, each adding something valuable to the conversation.  Gary's experience  was more about a support group that was able to listen, counsel and point him in various directions that would enhance his ministry.  Richard's experience was more about shared ministry and mutual accountability in setting goals and being accountable for achieving them.  The challenge for the SPIG is to find a model that interweaves some of these different aspects.  The group is planning to introduce the clergy to some of these concepts at the next clergy day.  SPIG believes that in order to live up to the mandate of the Strategic Plan this is an important program to implement in the diocese.   During the next month members will be contemplating the conversation with the intention of moving toward the development of our own diocesan program at the next meeting.

Interesting Stories about Natural Church Development

Some Great stories about Natural Church Development from The Anglican's November issue. (Diocese of Toronto's newspaper.  Check it out.

Click here to see stories

Strategic Planning Implementation Group Meeting 25.10.12

The Strategic Plan Implementation Group met for its monthly meeting on Thursday October 25, 2012.  The following is a summary of what happened at the meeting:

• The Rev. Karen Kovats has been appointed to the committee and will attend her first meeting in November.  
• Lay Leadership Days for the winter/spring of 2013 will be held as follows: February 9 at St. Augustine of Canterbury, Windsor; February 23 at Epiphany, Woodstock; April 20 at Church of the Ascension, London and May 4 at a location in the Deanery of the Saugeeens still to be determined.
• The SPIG is encouraging the Diocese to participate in another diocesan wide book study.  This time the book recommended is "The Celtic Way of Evangelism" by George Hunter III.  The suggested time for the study is the upcoming season of Epiphany.
• Plans are in place for the Clergy Day October 30th and a schedule for the day is posted on the Mission and Ministry blog.
• Three members of the group agreed to work with the Director for Mission and Ministry to review parishes strategic plans and make suggestions when they are submitted to to RENEW.  Members who will help of this are Graham Bland, Rich Jones and John Mencel.
• The group heard updates from Archdeacons Salt and Kammerer regarding the progress being made regarding the human resources goals of the strategic plan.  Of particular interest, the Bishop has appointed The Rev. Gary Nicolosi to chair a Post Ordination Education/Formation Committee. Gary has already given considerable thought to how this process might proceed.  The group passed the following motion:  “At its meeting of October 25^th, SPIG appreciated the update from the Ven. Willi Kammerer on the continued discussion of the development of post ordination training  in the Diocese of Huron and applauded the efforts of the Bishops to date. However, we do not want to lose focus on the importance of ongoing training for experienced clergy and suggest that where appropriate, we remain open to the application of post-ordination training modules to benefit experienced clergy.”
• Concern was expressed that the advertisement that was posted on the diocesan website as a part of the search for an individual to work as the Bishop's Executive Officer seemed to imply that this individual would be responsible for the placement of clerics in parishes.  Archdeacon Willi assured the group that it was the Bishops who made those decisions and encouraged the group to clarify this to those they were talking to if the subject arose.  
• The Group agreed that it would discuss performance development/appraisal at its next meeting.

Clergy Day Schedule 30.10.12

9:15 Coffee and Registration

9:45. Eucharist - Bishop Terry presiding and Dean Kevin preaching

10:45. Details around book study

10:50. Strategic plan update (SPIG members)

11:05. Renew Presentation  (2 segments + discussion time) Amanda Gellman, Lynda McGreggor, Suzanne Edmonston)

12:30 Lunch

1:15. Post lunch exercises (Keith Nethery)

1:25. Overview of NCD (Richard Salt)

1:45. Conversation  about congregational development (deanery groupings)

2:05. The Three Colors of Spirituality - (Derek Davis )

2:25 Bishop's send off

Communication from September SPIG Meeting

The Strategic Plan Implementation Group met for the first time after its summer break on September 27^th.  The Group welcomed John Mencel to its membership.  The youth representative’s – Gladis Funes – term on the SPIG is up and she will be replaced by the youth of the Diocese in the near future. 

The SPIG is excited about the reception that the Diocese is giving to RENEW.  Many parishes are getting on board and have begun the process of visioning and putting their case together. We are also excited about the appointment of Suzanne Edmonston as the RENEW Coordinator.  With Suzanne’s energy and expertize we expect to see the program advance at a much faster pace. 

As reorganization continues in the Diocese there are new models of being church and of ministry that are emerging.  We are pleased with the development of some Regional Ministries that include more than one priest.  (There are parishes of three and four points that are moving toward regional ministry with one and a half or two priests.)  The advantages of this are that clergy can draw strength from working in a team; congregations can benefit from a wider variety of gifts that multiple clergy bring; there can be more continuity during times of transition and, this presents an opportunity in some cases to re-establish curacies in the diocese by appointing a senior priest and a curate to these ministries.  We are also pleased with the decision of some congregations to let go of their buildings so that they can afford to maintain paid ministry.  Congregations have or are considering sharing a church facility with another denomination or moving to a rented store front location.    We see all these steps as a positive way to face the challenges of today and to move into the future.

Last year the SPIG sent three documents to the Bishops and Executive Staff for their consideration.  The documents dealt with the current selection process used in the diocese, the formation and continuing education of clergy and the skill sets that were considered necessary for ministry in today’s environment.  As a result of these documents several actions are being taken.  Work will be done to connect the selection process more clearly to the Strategic Plan of the parish if it has one.  Many parishes currently have such a plan and those that do not are being encouraged to develop one as a part of the RENEW program.  The Bishop will be appointing a Post Ordination Training Group.  The mandate of the Postulancy Board is being examined by a sub-group from that Board.  Archdeacon Kammerer, Director of Human Resources for the Diocese,  will be attending the next meeting of the SPIG to discuss some of these steps in more detail.

The SPIG is anticipating another Diocesan wide book study to be held during the season of Epiphany.  The Group sees these studies as helping to connect the work of our Strategic Plan with the spiritual nature of who we are.

Following a thorough discussion of the first year of implementation of the Strategic Plan and important directions for year two the following motion was passed unanimously by the Group:  “Recognizing the mutual relationship between congregations and clergy in strategic planning and continued performance development, we wish to place a special emphasis in the Second Year of the mandate of SPIG on a) performance development strategies, b) the role and structure of deaneries, c) a Diocesan Human Resources Review, and d) the relationship of the Archdeacons to this process.”

After lunch the group split into two with the clergy working on the Clergy Day Agenda and the Lay People working on the Agenda for the Lay Leadership Days that will take place in the new year.

Communication # 7 From the Strategic Plan Implementation Group

The Strategic Plan Implementation Group met on May 24, 2012 to continue its work. The SPIG received a report from the Director for Mission and Mnistry about his work and spent the morning reviewing matters in that report. A draft of a Diocesan Position Paper responding to principles regarding the organization of parishes expressed in the 'Who is My Neighbour' Report was reviewed and sent on to the Archdeacons and Executive Stwff for their acceptance or amendment. Once the paper is adopted it will provide guidelines for the Archdeacons working with parishes in need of reorganization. An assessment of the first year's implementation of the Strategic Plan, and a outline for the second year's work were reviewed and accepted. Both the assessment and the future plans are based directly on the original outline of goals and objectives found in the Strategic Plan. These documents will be presented to the Diocesan Council at its June meeting. Following lunch the SPIG presentation to Synod was reviewed and then a report was received from a sub-group working on the competencies and attributes needed by clergy. The report was adopted and sent on to the Bishop and Executive Staff for their deliberation. The Group will next meet in September.

Waterloo Lay Leaders Day

Approximately 60 lay leaders gathered in Waterloo yesterday for a day of reflection on what it means to be a lay leader in church today and to discuss strategic planning in the parish. I thought it a great day and invite those who participated to leave their comments on this blog. Click the comment button below. There were so many conversations about the need to use social media that I will be very interested to see how many use this vehicle to converse. Your comment will not show up immediately but will after a time delay.

Blessings.

Richard

Draft Clergy Day Schedule (April 26, 2012)

9:30.    Coffee

10:00.   Worship

10:15.   Bible Study on Christian Heritage of Stewardship
              (Rev. Canon Bill Cliff)

10:45.   RENEW - Our Diocesan Campaign 2012-2017 - Guiding
               Principles and Work to Date
                Q & A

11:15.   Break out groups.

11:45.   Amanda Gellman - The Joy of Fundraising

12:00.   Lunch

12:45.    Strategic Planning in a Parish (The Ven. Richard Salt)

1:15.      Break Out Goups.

1:45.      Developing Your Case for Support
               What is a Parish Fund Development Plan?
                (Amanda Gellman)

2:15.        Break Out Groups. 

2:45.       A word from our Bishops.

3:00.       Depart for home

London's Lay Leadship Day

Approximately 180 lay leaders gathered in London yesterday for a day of reflection on what it means to be a lay leader in church today and to discuss strategic planning in the parish. I thought it a great day and invite those who participated to leave their comments on this blog. Click the comment button below. Your comment will not show up immediately but will after a time delay.

Blessings.

Richard

Communication #6 from the Strategic Plan Implementation Group

The Strategic Plan Implementation Group met for it's March meeting on Thursday March 22, 2012.  The group heard a report from the Director for Mission and Ministry – The Venerable Richard Salt.  Highlights of that report included:

·         A message from the Diocesan Executive Staff stating that it had received the two documents prepared by the SPIG regarding Human Resources and that the Executive Staff would study the documents and formulate, over the next period of time, a reply and next steps.

·         The Rev. Canon Rich Jones has been appointed a member of the SPIG with the intent that he be a liaison between the group and the Diocesan Coaches.

·         The registration for the Lay Leadership Day in London has reached its maximum capacity of 180 persons.  Those who were unable to be registered have been encouraged to attend the day in Waterloo in April.

·         Work continues with a number of parishes or groups of parishes around the Diocese.

The Group heard a presentation about the RENEW campaign from Bishop Terry.  Archdeacon Richard reported that 37 parishes have received a visit from a bishop to date. Everyone is pleased with the progress of the quiet phase and with the momentum that is developing.  It is exciting to see how RENEW is dovetailing into the rest of the Strategic Plan’s implementation as it is providing both incentive for congregations to become involved in local strategic planning and financial resources to implement those plans. 

The group sent the following communication to the A & F committee:  The Strategic Plan Implementation Group wishes to express its concern to A & F about the practice of including the income from the Revolving Loan Fund and from the Huron Development Fund in the Annual Diocesan Budget.  While recognizing that this practice is within the regulations laid out in the canons of the Diocese, SPIG is concerned that this is not the best stewardship practice.  It believes that any income from these funds should be reinvested in the funds in order that they might be built up to better serve the strategic needs of the Diocese.  We therefore request that A & F reconsider this practice.  If it would seem unwise or impractical to end this practice in a single year then it is suggested that A & F consider phasing out this practice over a period of three to four years.  The SPIG looks forward to the response of A & F regarding this matter.

The Group did some work on its Synod 2012 presentation, appointed a sub-committee to report back regarding the skills that might be further developed by clergy and ordinands, and continued its work on plans for year 2 of the implementation of the Strategic Plan.  The group recommended that many of the vehicles of communication used during the first year of implementation be continued.  These programs included (but were not limited to) another diocesan wide study, more clergy days and more lay leaders day. 

The Group will not meet in April as the regular meeting date conflicts with the April Clergy Day.  It will meet at the regularly scheduled time in May.

Report of SPIG Considering the Matter of: New Scattering Grounds and Columbaria

The sub-group was called together by A & F and SPIG to consider the wisdom of allowing parishes/congregations to establish new scattering grounds and columbaria, creating certain perpetual obligations and commitments of property, in an age where the long-term viability of so many of our churches is uncertain. 

According to government regulation long term obligations include:

·         Scattering grounds must remain consecrated ground for ever as it is impossible to prove that you have removed all of the remains – unless perhaps they were only scattered inside of a concrete box or structure

·         The structure of a columbarium must be maintained intact for perpetuity.  This prohibits the organization from removing the contents to another location although the structure itself could be moved.

·         In both cases money – 15% of the selling price – must be put aside for perpetual care and that care must be provided for whether or not there are sufficient funds.

Another point of interest is that a cemetery can operate at different locations and be required to only place one $100,000 bond with the government to cover multiple locations.

It should also be noted that there is concern that with new government legislation a columbarium may be viewed as a for-profit enterprise and that this might place the church’s non-profit status at risk – particularly in the matter of property tax. 

While a “safe” way forward would be to not allow further development of scattering grounds and columbaria there were pastoral considerations that caused us to look for ways forward.

Recommendations:

·         That Diocesan Council not authorize and new scattering ground or columbarium unless they are attached to a well-established cemetery that is believed to have long-term viability.  Under no circumstances should a church building or property without a current cemetery establish a scattering ground or columbarium on its own.

·         That the Diocese through the Lands and Property Sub-Committee of A & F consider establishing, in various locations around the Diocese, parent sites that are already well-established cemeteries to act as locations where columbaria could be moved in the event that a church with a columbarium attached should be closed/sold.

·         That any church establishing a columbarium must have an agreement with one of these parent sites stating that their columbarium could be moved to the parent site in the event of the church being closed or sold.

·         That any ashes placed in these columbariums only be done so after the family involved has signed an agreement that gives permission for the columbarium to be moved should the church be closed/sold.

·         That all columbaria established be of such a size and nature that they are moveable.

·         That a parish wishing to establish a columbarium deposit with the diocese sufficient funds to cover the move of the columbarium should the church be closed/sold.

·         That all parishes establishing a columbarium deposit with the diocese, the money to be set aside for perpetual care.

·         That due to the difficult nature of attempting to decommission a scattering ground that no new scattering grounds be authorized, unless they are a part of the grounds of a well established cemetery.

·         That all of the above be administered by the Lands and Property Sub-committee of the A & F.

Proposed Motion to Diocesan Council:

Moved by:  The Venerable Richard Salt

Seconded by: The Venerable Kim Van Allen

That this Diocesan Council adopt as policy the recommendations of the Report of the SPIG considering the matter of new scattering grounds and columbaria and request The Administration and Finance Committee to implement the recommendations as most practical.

Communication #5 from the Strategic Plan Implementation Group

The Strategic Plan Implementation Group met once again on Thursday February 23, 2012.  The Group heard a report from the Director for Mission and Ministry.  They were excited about the reports of an energizing Lay Leaders Day that was held at All Saints in Windsor on February 11^th and about the fact that at the time of the meeting there were already 76 persons signed up for the London Day March 24^th.  The group was also pleased to see some of the initiatives of the Strategic Plan starting to come to fruition with two developments at the Diocesan Council Meeting.  First, the Diocesan Council approved the report of the SPIG regarding scattering grounds and columbaria and established its recommendations as Diocesan policy.  This report is being posted as a separate post on this blog.  Secondly, the Diocesan Council received motions regarding the relocation of trust funds of two former parishes from the newly organized Council of Advice and passed motions based on that advice.  The SPIG believes following these procedures in the future will give rise to a more thoughtful relocation of such funds. 

The Group put some final touches on two papers it is presenting to the Diocesan Executive Staff regarding the recruitment and formation of clergy and the wise matching of clergy with congregations during the selection process.  These papers will form a basis for conversation with the Executive Staff and Bishops about these matters.  More detail will be published as the process continues.  In the meantime it can be said that the SPIG felt that the Diocese needs to do more to adequately prepare new clerics for their role.  The Group spent some time identifying the skills that they felt needed to be imparted both to new and to more seasoned clerics.  That work will continue as the Group meets again.

Recognizing that the first year of the implementation of the Strategic Plan is quickly coming to a close the Group spent some time discussing the value of some of the initial initiatives and what initiatives might take place during the second year. While details of a new year are still in the formative stage the Group felt that initiatives taken in the first year needed to be reinforced and carried through in the second year.  It did not see a major shift in direction for the plan.

Finally the Group spent time discussing its presentation to Synod.

Alban - Building Up Congregations and Their Leaders

Alban - Building Up Congregations and Their Leaders

Communication #4 from the Strategic Plan Implementation Group

The Strategic Plan Implementation Group met on Thursday January 26, 2012 and once again had a very full agenda.  The Group spent much of the day discussing Human Resource goals as laid out by the Strategic Plan and prepared two documents to forward to the Diocesan Executive Staff as recommendations and the basis for further discussion.  One document dealt with recommendations about the recruitment and formation of clergy while the other made recommendations about the Selection Process that is used to discern God’s leading in the appointment of new rectors.  As these documents and recommendations are further refined more information will be forthcoming to the Diocese. 

The Group heard reports from the Director for Mission and Ministry, a sub-group preparing recommendations regarding the establishment of new scattering grounds and columbaria and a sub-group looking at guidelines for Grants and Loans. 

Some of the highlights of the Director’s Report were:

•  The Bishops, Archdeacons and Executive Staff of the Diocese have agreed to spend a day in June learning in more depth the Natural Church Development program so that it might become a significant driver of Congregational Development in the Diocese. 
•  The Clergy Day held January 19^th was an opportunity to begin sharing with the clergy some of the aspects of the capital campaign called “Renew.”  It was communicated to the clergy that the campaign would benefit the parishes significantly and that parishes would have the opportunity to develop their own “case” to be attached to the Diocesan and National cases.  Clergy were encouraged to initiate this process of case development locally during the coming weeks and months. 
•  Plans are progressing for the Four Lay Leadership Days with the previously stated goals and agenda for the day still in place.         
• Discussions are being held in a variety of places around the Diocese with regard to reorganization of parishes and partnerships in ministry.

The Sub-Group reporting recommendations about future Scattering Grounds and Columbaria was quite concerned both about the liabilities these created for parishes as well as the pastoral need they met.  They concluded that new Scattering Grounds should not be established as they were impossible to decommission.  On the other hand they recommended a possible way forward for parishes wishing to have a columbarium.  Their recommendations are being forwarded to Diocesan Council by SPIG. 

The Sub-Group reporting on Guidelines for Grants and Loans expressed concern that there were only vague guidelines for the dispensing of grants and for the governance of the Huron Development Fund.  They prepared a new draft canon for the Huron Development Fund that will now be sent to the committee on Canons and Constitution for consideration and modification as needed.  

Alban - Building Up Congregations and Their Leaders

Alban - Building Up Congregations and Their Leaders