Practicing Spiritual Leadership
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LEAD Learning Seminar B
Delaware-Maryland Synod, Cohort 1, Seminar B
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Permission to Reproduce
This guide may be reproduced for use in the Delaware-Maryland Synod with covenanted congregations that are part of the LEAD Journey. All other reproduction is a violation of LEAD’s intellectual property.
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LEAD Learning Seminar B
We’ve noticed a pattern. Ministries often look like their leaders.
Growing ministries are led by growing leaders.
Generous ministries are led by generous leaders.
Prayerful ministries are led by prayerful leaders.
You get the picture. As leaders, we often feel like our attitudes are effected by our ministry. I’m stressed because there is conflict in the ministry. I’m relaxed because things are going well. I’m tired because there is too much going on. But what if the opposite is true? What if we find our attitude first and that then shapes our ministry? Hold on to that thought for a minute. We hear throughout Scripture that the Christian life is marked by joy. And if that is true, one would expect that Christian leadership would also be marked by joy. As we have listened to leaders, we know that many of you are tired. This year, we want to help you rediscover your joy. Real joy. Your joy. A joy that isn’t dependent on whether your board meeting goes well or poorly, on whether you meet your budget numbers or not, on what last Sunday’s attendance was. Because when you find your joy, you will lead with joy. When you lead with joy, it will infect your ministry with joy. When your ministry is joyful, the people you minister with are more likely to experience joy. And joyful people transform communities. Behold, I bring you good news of great joy!
WAY-
Agenda Focus: Spiritual Leadership Friday 5:00p Welcome & Intros 5:30 Sacred Meal 6:30 Session 1: Storytelling 7:15 Session 2: Spiritual Leadership 8:00 Spiritual Pilgrims 8:30 Rest Saturday 9:00a Spiritual Pilgrims 9:30 Session 3: Personal Spiritual Type 10:45 Session 4: The Tune In Process,
steps 5-7 12:00p Lunch 12:30 Session 5: Communications
Workshops 1:15 Session 6: Listening & Mapping
Practices 2:15 Next Steps 3:00 Spiritual Pilgrims 3:30 Buen Camino!
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LEAD Learning Seminar B Descriptions The Sacred Meal—We are part of a movement of Christian leaders This meal is a LEAD ritual used to begin all of our Learning Seminars. This experience connects us to each other using practices similar to those of the early church who gathered for a meal and to remember Jesus. Session I: Spiritual Leadership—We are leading in a time of sacred change How do you describe Spiritual Leadership? What does it mean to be joining in God’s mission? We are in a new missional era that invites us to lean into a deeply curious faith as we listen to God in new ways. Session 2: Sharing Stories —How’s it going? Using resources from Conversational Intelligences, this session provides space to hear stories and learn from peers in the cohort. Friday Night: Spiritual Pilgrims—Praying together We are people that pray. Prayers take many forms. We will use the ancient practice of the Examen. Session 3: What is your Spiritual Type? Learn more about your personal spirituality after
taking the Spiritual Type Index. Discover faith practices that will help you wake up to God moving in your own life. Session 4: The Tune In Process, steps 5-7 Focus on synthesizing congregational learning and listening in the neighborhood. This practical session will build your confidence for the next six months.
Session 5: Communications Workshops—Choose one of these opportunities to increase your capacity as a communicator: Conversational Intelligence
As a trained coach drawing on the work of Judith Glaser in her book Conversational Intelligence, we will introduce you to your 5 blind spots and give you tools for your own Conversational Dashboard.
Your choices for the a second workshop: 21st Century Communications
Make a communication plan that responds to needs inside and beyond your congregation. This concrete workshop will increase your capacity for effectively reaching the people God has called you to connect and engage.
Making the Case for Change Sharpen your talking points about the opportunities that making key changes has for your congregation. Make a plan for leading change within your congregation.
Session 6: Mapping the Neighborhood Make a plan that fits your context, as you head out to Learn about your neighborhood. Consider questions, practice listening and discovering themes.
Saturday Afternoon: Spiritual Pilgrims —Consequential Faith The courage to lead grows out of a faith that matters.
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The Sacred Meal Welcome and Explanation of Meal (Presider & Host) The Sacred Meal that is part of our faith does more than connect us to the holy. It connects us to each other. We will practice table fellowship in a way that the early Christians would have gathered in homes, to be together in Christian community. Jesus wanted his disciples, and everyone who came after him, to remember what they had together. What they made together. What it meant to be together. How the things he did could
not have been done without them. In this way, we are part of the earliest movements of the Christian faith. Sharing of Peace (Host) The peace is shared by table: Each person shares a portion of their day that has been meaningful to them. It is good to reflect on the question: Where have I experienced God’s presence in this day? The table leader leads the table in saying “The peace of Christ be with you,” the sharer responds by saying “and also with you.” Sharing of the Bread (Presider) Presider: On the night before Jesus was to die, he gathered together with his friends for dinner. And on that night, he took the bread, broke it, and gave it to them saying, “Take and eat, this is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And so tonight, we do the same. We take bread, break it, and give it to one another with those sacred words, “The body of Christ given for you.” Post-Bread Blessing (Presider) Presider: Be strengthened this night by the presence of Christ made known to you in the bread and in one another. Amen. Invitation to Meal (Presider) An invitation to the meal and explanation of food and family style etiquette is given. We are encouraged to serve each other. The host reads the assigned text for the day and the questions for meal conversation are shared. Post-Meal Prayer (Host) After the meal, the community prays The Lord’s Prayer. Sharing of Cup (Presider) Presider: When supper had ended that night, Jesus took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this as often as you drink in remembrance of me.” And so tonight, we take the cup of wine, and we give it to one another with those sacred words, “The blood of Christ shed for you.” Post-Wine Blessing (Presider) Presider: Now that you have tasted the goodness of God in bread and wine, let us be the body of Christ, blessed and broken for the whole world. Amen.
Adapted from The Sacred Meal: The Ancient Practices Series by Nora Gallagher
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Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch
Acts 8:26-40
26 Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up
and go toward the south to the road that goes down
from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a wilderness
road.) 27 So he got up and went. Now there was an
Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace,
queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire
treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship28 and
was returning home; seated in his chariot, he was
reading the prophet Isaiah.
29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to this
chariot and join it.” 30 So Philip ran up to it and heard
him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, “Do you
understand what you are reading?” 31 He replied,
“How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he
invited Philip to get in and sit beside him. 32 Now the
passage of the scripture that he was reading was this:
“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and like a
lamb silent before its shearer, so he does not open
his mouth.33 In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken
away from the earth.”
34 The eunuch asked Philip, “About whom, may I ask
you, does the prophet say this, about himself or
about someone else?” 35 Then Philip began to speak,
and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him
the good news about Jesus. 36 As they were going
along the road, they came to some water; and the
eunuch said, “Look, here is water! What is to prevent
me from being baptized?” 38 He commanded the
chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the
eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip
baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water,
the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the
eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way
rejoicing. 40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as
he was passing through the region, he proclaimed
the good news to all the towns until he came to
Caesarea.
Peter and Cornelius
Acts 10:1-36
In Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a
centurion of the Italian Cohort, as it was called. 2 He
was a devout man who feared God with all his
household; he gave alms generously to the people
and prayed constantly to God. 3 One afternoon at
about three o’clock he had a vision in which he
clearly saw an angel of God coming in and saying to
him, “Cornelius.” 4 He stared at him in terror and said,
“What is it, Lord?” He answered, “Your prayers and
your alms have ascended as a memorial before
God. 5 Now send men to Joppa for a certain Simon
who is called Peter; 6 he is lodging with Simon, a
tanner, whose house is by the seaside.”
7 When the angel who spoke to him had left, he
called two of his slaves and a devout soldier from the
LEAD Learning Seminar B Cohort 1
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ranks of those who served him,8 and after telling
them everything, he sent them to Joppa.
9 About noon the next day, as they were on their
journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on
the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted
something to eat; and while it was being prepared,
he fell into a trance. 11 He saw the heaven opened
and something like a large sheet coming down, being
lowered to the ground by its four corners. 12 In it were
all kinds of four-footed creatures and reptiles and
birds of the air. 13 Then he heard a voice saying, “Get
up, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “By no
means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is
profane or unclean.” 15 The voice said to him again, a
second time, “What God has made clean, you must
not call profane.”16 This happened three times, and
the thing was suddenly taken up to heaven.
17 Now while Peter was greatly puzzled about what to
make of the vision that he had seen, suddenly the
men sent by Cornelius appeared. They were asking
for Simon’s house and were standing by the
gate. 18 They called out to ask whether Simon, who
was called Peter, was staying there. 19 While Peter was
still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him,
“Look, three men are searching for you. 20 Now get
up, go down, and go with them without hesitation;
for I have sent them.” 21 So Peter went down to the
men and said, “I am the one you are looking for; what
is the reason for your coming?”
22 They answered, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright
and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the
whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to
send for you to come to his house and to hear what
you have to say.” 23 So Peter invited them in and gave
them lodging.
The next day he got up and went with them, and
some of the believers from Joppa accompanied
him. 24 The following day they came to Caesarea.
Cornelius was expecting them and had called
together his relatives and close friends. 25 On Peter’s
arrival Cornelius met him, and falling at his feet,
worshiped him. 26 But Peter made him get up, saying,
“Stand up; I am only a mortal.” 27 And as he talked
with him, he went in and found that many had
assembled; 28 and he said to them, “You yourselves
know that it is unlawful for a Jew to associate with or
to visit a Gentile; but God has shown me that I should
not call anyone profane or unclean. 29 So when I was
sent for, I came without objection. Now may I ask
why you sent for me?”
30 Cornelius replied, “Four days ago at this very hour,
at three o’clock, I was praying in my house when
suddenly a man in dazzling clothes stood before
me. 31 He said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard
and your alms have been remembered before
God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon,
who is called Peter; he is staying in the home of
Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ 33 Therefore I sent for
you immediately, and you have been kind enough to
come. So now all of us are here in the presence of
God to listen to all that the Lord has commanded you
to say.”
34 Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly
understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in
every nation anyone who fears him and does what
is right is acceptable to him. 36 You know the
message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching
peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all.
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“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your
God with al l your heart and with al l your soul and with al l your mind and with al l your strength.’ The second is this:
‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” - Mark 12: 29-31 NIV
LEAD’s Four Growth Indicators for Vital Behaviors
Each LEAD Journey has a ten-step process that may be accompanied by
a professional coach to successfully take on new behaviors for growth in
discipleship and to join in God’s mission.
Loving God with all of our heart calls us to listen—The Tune In Process
Listen to God in scripture, in prayer, in the congregation, and in the neighborhood
Shift from inward to outward focus
Launch experiments with new learnings and partners
Loving God with all of our soul calls us to center—The Wake Up Process
Clarify congregational purpose and values
Align congregation for mission
Articulate congregational identity
Loving God with all our mind calls us to explore—The Dig Down Process
Deepen Christian frame and theology through Bible Study
Streamline systems for strategic ministry, includes staffing and governance
Increase commitment and generosity
Loving God with all of our strength calls us to connect—The Work Out Process
Create trust to extend hospitality with openness for diversity
Expand comfort zone through strong relational connections
Tell the congregation’s story through effective communication
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Session I: Storytelling—Using Conversational Intelligence by Judith Glaser
TM
© 1986-2016 Benchmark Communications, Inc.
When we are in a state of distrust, the world
feels threatening. Threats make us retreat, and
we feel we need to protect ourselves.
Neuroscientists say that threats trigger the
Reptilian Brain; we get an Amygdala Hijack and
experience higher levels of cortisol and
adrenaline. The fear networks in our brains
cause us to either “fight, flee, freeze, or
appease” others.
If the interaction feels safe and positive, we
produce more oxytocin and dopamine. These
neurotransmitters help us relax, feel open to
others, and create a state of trust. Our
Prefrontal Cortex opens up and we have access
to empathy, judgment and higher decision
MIND SET INNER REALITY OUTER REALITY
RESISTOR Not feeling in alignment-
creates resistance
“I want to influence you to
my point of view. I’m not
open to yours.”
Perceived to have strong
beliefs and opinions—not
open to influence.
SKEPTIC Out of alignment—raises
doubt
“I want to learn more from
you, but…”
Appears to be doubtful and
judgmental
WAIT & SEE Waits for others before
committing
“I’m uncertain, am I valued
and accepted?”
Seems always tentative
about what or whom to trust
EXPERIMENTOR Desires to experiment “How can we share and
discover our best current
thinking?”
Seen as someone with the
courage to take risks, and
trust
CO-CREATOR Builds new meaning “How can we create new
possibilities together?”
Willingness to transform
reality with others in a WE-
centric way
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LEVEL I LEVEL II LEVEL III
Purpose
Transactional
Exchange Information
Confirm what you know
Positional
Exchange Power
Defend what you know
Transformational
Exchan
ge Energy
Discover what you don’t know
Space Defines space Explores space Creates space
Focus Giving and receiving information, validating your views of realty.
Persuading and influencing others to agree with your point of view. Exploring other positions and seeking a win-win solution.
Exploring others’ perspectives, asking questions for which you have no answers, and listening to connect.
Blind spot
and
Overuse
Tell-Sell-Yell
Tendency towards telling more than asking
Addicted to Being Right
Tendency to ask questions for which you have the answers
All Talk, No Action
Tendency for too much talk and no action
Interaction Dynamics
Inform Persuade Co-create
Listen To protect To accept or reject To connect
I-WE I-centric I & We-centric We-centric
Success My success Win at all cost Mutual success
Trust Low trust Conditional trust High trust
Influence Not open to influence Desire to influence Open to influence
Skills to Develop Ability to ask open-ended questions and foster “give and take.”
Ability to share the conversational space with others; expand power.
Ability to ask questions for which you have no answers; co-creating.
Session I: Storytelling—Using Conversational Intelligence by Judith Glaser
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Conditional Trust Lo
w T
rust
High Trust
L I S T E N I N G
RES
ISTE
R
WAIT & SEE C
O-C
REA
TOR
PROJECT PARTNER
Conditional Trust
Low
Tru
st High Trust
L I S T E N I N G
RESI
STER
WAIT & SEE
CO
-CR
EATO
R
PROJECT PARTNER
Conditional Trust
Low
Tru
st High Trust
L I S T E N I N G
RESI
STER
WAIT & SEE
CO
-CR
EATO
R
PROJECT PARTNER
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Notes: Things I am hearing or learning that I don’t want to forget
Session I: Storytelling
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What impact do the changing relational rings have on deep, sustainable relationships? What are the fears, concerns or threats created by the new operating system?
Notes: What words do you use to describe Spiritual Leadership? How does Spiritual Leadership compare to “church leadership” or other kinds of leadership? Being loved by a remarkable God frees us to love others. How does this fit with your understanding of nonduality?
What does a higher level of consciousness look like to you? Give examples.
Note the questions that are raised in your heart and mind by these ideas. What bothers you most? What gets you most excited? Why?
Action
Lord, we pray we never find ourselves without hope, without a glimpse of the empty tomb each time we happen upon a cross. Help us begin our daily journey expecting both crosses and empty tombs and rejoicing when we encounter either because we know you are with us. Amen.
Session 2: Spiritual Leadership
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Loving God
with all my
heart calls me
to listen to my
passions and
gifts as the
Holy Spirit
moves in my
life.
Loving God
with all my
soul calls me
to be centered
with faith
practices that
wake me up
to the Holy
Spirit.
Loving God with all
my strength calls me
to deepen my
relationship with a
more diverse group of
people and to expand
my capacity to love
my neighbor as
myself.
Loving God with all
my mind calls me to
ask important
questions, wrestle
with my theology,
explore the way I do
things (systems), and
to live a life of
gratitude.
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Ref lections from the day:
Spiritual Pilgrims
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Heart (καρδίας in Greek)
Heart spiritual types are people who are moved by
action, doing things, and justice concerns. This
type relies upon their passion for their spiritual
energy.
Suggested spiritual practices: going on pilgrimage,
Ignatian Examen (Praying Over Daily Life),
volunteering, advocacy
Strength (ἰσχύος in Greek)
Strength spiritual types are people who get the most
meaning out of doing something with their
bodies. This type relies upon activity or bodily
movement for their spiritual energy.
Suggested spiritual practices: yoga, coloring, walking
a labyrinth, being in nature, using prayer beads
Soul (ψυχῆς in Greek)
Soul spiritual types are people who value
relationship, oneness, and mystical union. This type
relies upon felt experience and connection for their
spiritual energy.
Suggested spiritual practices: centering prayer,
stations of the cross, walking a labyrinth
Mind (διανοίας in Greek)
Mind spiritual types are people who connect using
their intellect and the verbal or written word.
This type relies upon beautiful language and sound
belief for their spiritual energy.
Suggested spiritual practices: liturgical worship,
Lectio Divina, journaling, Ignatian Contemplation,
meditating on hymn lyrics or psalms
Session 3: Personal Spiritual Types
Spiritual Types Index and Research is the work of Reverend Richard Nelson and used with permission.
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Ref lection: Your Spiritual Type How did the Spiritual Type Index affirm what I know about myself?
What surprised me about my Spiritual Type?
What are my hopes for my own spiritual life as I live in Christ? As a Christian leader?
Session 3: Personal Spiritual Types
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Notes and Ref lections:
Session 4: The LEAD Tune In Process—Focus on Steps 5-7
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Month Core Messages Methods
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
June
July
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Getting the word out to the
congregation and beyond
Check all methods that are available for use in your congregation. Put an * by the methods you use with excellence and circle the places that could be expanded.
_____ Prayers
_____ Monthly council updates
_____ Face to face space for authentic conversation
_____ Sermons
_____ Video screens in worship
_____ Worship bulletins
_____ Newsletter ____for members ____for new people
_____ E-newsletter ____weekly ____beyond members
_____ Bulletin boards
_____ Temple talks
_____ Website ____up to date ____for members ____our front door ____love it
_____ Facebook ____for:__________________________________
_____ Other social media
_____ Blogs ____for:_______________________________________
_____ Special meetings ____for:__________________________
_____ Adult forums or classes ____for:____________________
_____ Interior signs ____for:_______________________________
_____ Exterior signs ____for:______________________________
_____ Local newspaper stories: __________________________
_____ Strategic thank you notes
_____ Strategic letters, post-cards or other mailings for:
___________________________________________________________
_____ Other____________________
_____ Other____________________
_____ Other____________________
Workshop Handout
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Messaging
Story(ies) to tell
Workshop Handout
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LEVEL I LEVEL II LEVEL III
Purpose
Transactional
Exchange Information
Confirm what you know
Positional
Exchange Power
Defend what you know
Transformational
Exchan
ge Energy
Discover what you don’t know
Blind spot
and
Overuse
Tell-Sell-Yell
Tendency towards telling more than asking
Addicted to Being Right
Tendency to ask questions for which you have the answers
All Talk, No Action
Tendency for too much talk and no action
Blind Spot #1
Assuming everyone thinks like me.
An assumption that others see what we see, feel what we feel, and think what we think.
Blind Spot #2
Feelings change our reality. The failure to realize that fear, trust, and distrust change how we see and interpret reality, and therefore how we talk about it.
Blind Spot #3
I am too fearful to empathize.
An inability to stand in each other’s shoes when we are fearful or upset.
Blind Spot #4
I remember, therefore I know.
The assumption that we remember what others say when we actually remember what we think about what others say.
Blind Spot #5
I am listening so I actually know what you really mean.
The assumption that meaning resides in the speaker, when in fact it resides in the listener.
Blindspots
Conversational Matrix
Conversational Dashboard
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Success Exercise
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Session 6: Listening and Mapping Practices
Congregation’s
Property
Inner Ring of
Relationships
Middle Ring of
Relationships
Outer Ring of
Relationships
What do we know about these people? List general
demographics like age, culture, language, socio-economic
reality...etc.
Inner:
Middle:
Outer:
What are their resources? What are their needs?
Draw on your best thinking about this group of people.
Inner:
Middle:
Outer:
What are their values?
Draw on your best thinking about this group of people.
Inner:
Middle:
Outer:
What is their current relationship to your congregation?
Inner:
Middle:
Outer:
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Ref lection: Observations, questions, and notes
Session 6: Listening and Mapping Practices
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Session 6: Listening and Mapping Practices
Month / Season
Already on the Map LEAD Journey Communication
February 2017
Learning Seminar B 2/10-11
March 2017
3/1 Ash Wednesday
April 2017
4/16 Easter
May 2017
June 2017
July 2017
August 2017
Learning Seminar C 8/11-12
September 2017
October 2017
November 2017
December 2017
Christmas
January 2018
February 2018
Learning Seminar D
March 2018
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Session 6: Listening and Mapping Practices—The Next 15 Weeks
Week of Action Plan
Feb. 12
Feb. 19
Feb. 26
Mar. 5
March 12
March 19
March 26
April 2
April 9 Holy Week
April 16 Easter
April 23
April 30
May 7
May 14
May 21
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Next Steps wit h your LEAD C oach and Notes
Session 6: Listening and Mapping Practices
Resources to Check Out:
1. Your LEAD Webpage is located at www.waytolead.org. Go to the synod tab, click on your synod’s name and use your password to access all the resources from this seminar and other tools to support your lead-ership. Your password is: demd
2. For your personal devotions, we recommend daily posts from the Center for Action and Contemplation written by Fr. Richard Rohr.
3. For your personal, family and staff reflection, we recommend using the practice of Dwelling in the Word or Daily Gratitude.
LEAD
Growing leaders with deep, bold, consequential faith in Jesus Christ
Empowering Christian Leaders, Transforming Faith Communities, Influencing the World