Becoming the Beloved Community – Providing resources and insights for navigating this challenging time
Supportive Ministries Resources for Congregations
Since the Pandemic, a renewed racial justice reckoning and other uncertainties, our world and our culture are changing. So is our church. As we move into this new reality, we want to bring the best of the past into a future of transformation. Some of the Supportive Ministries of the Conference have adapted to help congregations move into that future. Consider participating in one of these strategies to support your work. Find more info here.
Wisconsin Conference Supportive Ministries Team
If you have questions or suggestions for the Supportive Ministries Team please contact the Rev. Lisa Hart.
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Recommended resources for the journey
Articles and books:
“How to think about what’s next when the future is unclear” by Nathan Kirkpatrick – COVID-19 presents us with overwhelming daily challenges, but we must also begin to consider what’s ahead. Kirkpatrick, managing director of Leadership Education at Duke Divinity, writes, “…given that the future will be different in ways that are not yet knowable, I need to develop multiple visions of the future, and congregations (and other organizations) need to do the same.”
I find that Susan Beaumont’s new book, “How to Lead When You Don’t Know Where You’re Going”, provides wisdom for these days. Beaumont talks about leadership in in-between times, when the old way is gone but the new way has not yet emerged. I believe that we won’t go “back to normal,” but that we are in the midst of a major shift, that we are being invited into a new way of being and doing worldwide. While we wait for the future to come into focus, we move by the light that we have. We will continue to listen and discern and seek to be faithful, step by halting step. Like the disciples, our worlds have been turned upside down. Like the disciples, we need to learn to lead when we don’t know where we’re going. And like the disciples, we need to continue to pray and listen and be faithful, one step at a time. Book summary from Margaret Benefiel, executive director of the Shalem Institute
“Yes, AND: A Response To The Stories Of Pastoral Angst,” by Mark Tidsworth, founder of Pinnacle Leadership Associates. “Have you seen enough articles about pastoral distress by now? The prevalence of these written pieces clearly indicates that pastors are struggling. Though accurate, these articles don’t tell the complete story. Here’s another article that rounds out the narrative. This could be helpful as a conversation starter.”