What? This isn't turkey!

The third session of LLD is the real “red meat” part of the LLD course – team building is critical for our Pastor Partnerships and Congregational movement. Our ability to effectively and positively facilitate this session is a major part of adding to these leaders tool kit and echoing the message the prayer team, dream team, and leadership teams development within congregations. Thank you for your dedication and commitment to leading this process – Dream on!

Evaluations and website data posting: Thank you for posting the evaluations from each of your sessions. If you are experiencing any difficulty with the SurveyMonkey website, http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LLDevaluations2010_2011 or just have other questions regarding evaluations and data collection feel free to message me and we’ll get things working for you. Ken Willard has offered to host an on-line webinar regarding the evaluation posting tools easing the website navigation and we’ll plan to do that in early January. Remember, if you are unable to post your evaluations for technical reasons simply mail them in to me or Ken and we’ll take care of it until your technical difficulties are resolved.

Leaders tip(s) – this one comes from our good friend Larry Johnson in the Ozarks South District. Larry, as the District LLD Coordinator passes out handouts and talks with congregations at Charge conference gatherings about LLD, even has members who’ve attended LLD offer their witness of how it is changing lives for the transformation of the world – helping laity and pastors partner in mission and sharing the love of Christ. This is just another one of the many ways all of you are sharing the good news of the Lay Leadership Development and Lay Speaking Ministry opportunities around the Missouri Conference and beyond. Thank you Larry and everyone for sharing the good news.

Just a reminder to stay in touch with your groups over the holiday breaks if you have them in your schedules. Even a simple message via e-mail or a quick phone call to encourage and share a moment about the reading, or team development is an important link in keeping the motivated participation alive for the next gathering. Also, if you haven’t already communicated some inclement weather options for course meetings as winter settles in, this would be a good time to think that through with your servant leaders and host churches.

God’s Blessing to each of you, for your excellence in service, and for a wonderful holiday season. We are very thankful for each and every one of you.

Godspeed

Kevin <><

Great Starts

You know, it really is no simple task to spin up a training program in your Districts. Doing all the coordination with the DS, office staff, PLD Pastors and potential candidates just to name a few, at the same time preparing yourselves to effectively facilitate quality sessions of a leadership program designed to orchestrate change in dynamic and exciting ways. Yet that is exactly what you have done – and I celebrate your great gift to the mission of our church, the wonderful servant leaders you are and who you are working with as we keep moving forward, Amen!

As part of our understanding of the changes our spiritual culture has undergone and continues to wrestle with like the discussions we will hear in the Session 2 of the LLD curriculum, the demographics associated with our congregations and communities is a key insight – ahhh, insight, like MissionInsite.

Those of you familiar with this tool may benefit from a quick refresher, and the rest of us leading this session for the first time may be looking for a little help, so here you go. The following link on the Missouri Conference webpage gives you the step by step directions to this valuable tool. If after going through the instructions you still have questions feel free to contact me, or Ms. Tammy Calcote at the Conference Office (our resident expert in all things Mission-Insightful). Here’s the link.

http://www.moumethodist.org/console/files/oFiles_Library_XZXLCZ/MIRegister09_DLSSCZ9F.pdf

Have a great session, and as always – Thank you for your servant leadership!

Leaders Tip – Here’s a great idea offered up from one of our most seasoned facilitators, and all around great guy Larry Fagan. Prior to each session, in most cases soon after each session Larry sends an encouraging e-mail to all the class participants and includes about a dozen “fill in the blank” questions from the next book in the series to assist in the intentional reading of the text. Many of those who use Larry’s dozen comment how it really helped in their reading and added to their discussions. Remember, we’re not doing book reports during our sessions but these types of creative ways to enhance our learning are so very valuable to those we lead – Thanks Larry!


Kevin <><

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One Clear Point

If we think back to our learning from Andy Stanley I'd imagine we can all remember about making our presentation clear and on topic – making that one clear point!

So it is, as many of you have begun your LLD sessions this month, or are preparing to begin in the next few weeks let us be clear as we communicate with our fellow servant leaders. Weather we are making a follow up to the orientation session communicating in between gatherings, or leading this session for the first time the one clear point we need to always highlight is partnering with our pastors. Our continuing to emphasis this critical result of the LLD method cannot be overstated – this is what makes the mission of the church and fruitfulness of our congregational leaders so successful and pleasing to God.

We have a great tool in the LLD facilitators guide and the outline provided to cover many insightful, new, and leadership enhancing discussions among your groups. The book selections will add to the understanding, and leadership capabilities of all those participating in this program, but if we fail in always leading in the need for pastor partnership among ourselves and those we are working with, then we will not accomplish our goal of leading congregations to lead people to actively follow Jesus Christ – that’s the point!

Leaders Tip – this from one of our new facilitators, Cara Pilch who shares the capability of electronic download of several of our reading books on Kindle, Reader, and other electronic book devises, many of the titles we use in the LLD course are available for download at less than the publishers price of the paper-book version . . . Thanks Cara.

Participant Guides – if you need additional Participant Guides to begin your course let Tammy Calcote TCalcote@moumethodist.org at the Conference Office know and they can be shipped to you. If you have extra available, hang on to them for a month or two just to make sure you have what you need (in case there are any late come’ers, or someone misplaces theirs) and then you can turn them in to your District Offices.

Session Evaluations – Remember to add your questionnaire results to the survey-monkey link which Ken has up and running, just copy this link to your address bar http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LLDevaluations2010_2011
follow the prompts for each survey (yes, each one separately). If you have any trouble, just give me a call.

Thank you for your servant leadership and all you do for the Kingdom of God – Blessings to all.

Kevin <><

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Welcome Team - Now off we GO!

Last week we enjoyed the radical hospitality of Community UMC in Columbia and trained 14 new facilitators for the upcoming Lay Leadership Development courses starting in each District this September, we now have over 30 trained LLD Facilitators in the Conference and are blessed to have such outstanding servant leaders, many thanks to all who helped put the weekend together and to Ken Willard for his leadership.

As we discussed, this year we are going to be more intentional in regard to staying in communication with you, our talented group of facilitators by using tools like this blog to share insights, best practices, tips and traps as we go about leading the sessions. I would invite each of you to join in as a “follower” on this blog (just click on the button to the left) which will then automatically notify you when a new posting is added, additionally feel free to add your comments to these posts which will allow others to witness the invaluable sharing offered to each of us. I’d encourage you to use these tools and share your comments and experiences.

In this spirit, we’re off with our first “Partnership Posting” – let me lead this off by telling each of you how we have been lifting you up in prayer, and let me suggest that throughout our working together we remember to add each other to our prayer list and ask the guidance and spirit of the living Christ to wash over our efforts and guide each group as the Lord leads.

LLD classes are forming in every District of the Missouri Conference and I look forward to hearing how the process is going with each of you. Our next Facilitator Conference Call will be August 30th, at 7PM where we can share scheduling, locations and planning information together – as each of you know, any assistance you may need is simply a message or phone call away, your District leaders are well positioned to coordinate these classes but don’t hesitate to let me know if there is a question or comment you might need clarified.

Lastly this week let us remember, as facilitators we sometimes overlook that we too are in partnership with our clergy leaders, so take a moment before your classes begin, as things seemingly are progressing so fast to just pause and visit with, or pray with your pastors as you prepare, and begin leading the eight sessions ahead - it’ll be well worth the time.

Talk with you soon, and blessings to all

Kevin <><

the back to school Connection

One of the many things I celebrate about being a Methodist is our continuing search for connection.

John Wesley was a pioneering advocate of the social aspect of religion, and of the method he was leading which brought others to a closer relationship with Christ.

You see through our connection we become the body of Christ, the congregation celebrating the worship of the word and teachings which come to us from ancient prophets and disciples.

Through our connection we become vibrant congregations sharing the experiences of outreach with our neighboring churches and community organizations offering the gift of grace and love to others, to those of greater need than ourselves, and to some unseen by us through our example of Christian practices.

Through our connection we offer ourselves in service to our Pastor partners for the glory of the ministry of the gospel, and for the role which we as servant leaders bring to the kingdom of God.

Through our connection we nurture and grow our personal relationship with the risen Christ always seeking in our ability to study his scriptures, pray for discernment of purpose and direction, to give back generously with our gifts for the many we have already received, and participate in the intentional faith development with others seeking to grow in our spiritual walk.

Yes this connection thing which we Methodists practice is a truly wonderful and blessed thing. It is at the core of our structure, our desire to see all those with whom we have a relationship thrive and prosper.

So it is that I pray, I pray with great resolve that we throw open our church doors, spill out from our comfort of the room – our sanctuary, and offer it with faithful abandon, connecting with those just outside waiting to find out what all the activity is about.

We have great churches – exciting ministries – safe, effective, and relevant youth programs, along with the proven ability to connect with others and share the good news which Pastor Wesley lead us toward from the first gathering.

Ask a friend, a neighbor or co-worker to attend the next gathering of faith with you, the doors are open for a reason – connect and invite them in.

Blessings all
Kevin <><

Under Construction

It seems that from time to time the local road we travel, even the Interstate needs to be torn up, widened, and resurfaced. It’s a necessary process, inconvenient, but necessary.

I seem to be reminded of this process even more now as I travel Interstate 35 both north and south from our home in Holt. As many of you know, I-35 is a one lane parking lot at times from just north of Liberty to very near Cameron – but I do see progress coming, and I’ve been blessed to find different paths along the way which offer new insights and a varied landscape.

Now I wonder how Pastor Wesley might have viewed this process. Would there be lament over the inconvenience, or celebration for the progress to come? I believe the later. In his book, “Leadership in the Wesleyan Spirit”, Lovett Weems artfully answers this dilemma as Wesley might have and shines some light on what I’ve prayed about, and searched for in listening to the spirits whispers. . . he writes,

It is significant how often there is multiple leadership during periods of church renewal and vitality – weather for the local church or for the denomination. It is in such times of revisioning and revival that whole generations of different leaders emerge for the church and society it is in these eras that conventional assumptions about who can lead do not stop this multiple leadership from flowering, unlimited by class, gender, race, and ordained status distinction.

And so it is, that in this faithful Wesleyan tradition of ours, this road we’ve been travelling has been in the process of being torn up, widened, and resurfaced for several years now. We can see the renewal, the fruitfulness of the decisions to undertake the process, the ride is smoothing out and we are witness to the wonderful transformation of servant leadership taking place in our Methodist connection.

I see pastors actively partnering with laity leaders in congregations for the purpose of making disciples of Jesus Christ. I am blessed to see and hear of the incredible outreach that our congregations are engaging in, moving outside the walls of the church into the community which surrounds them and being embraced by those whose lives are touched by this giving spirit. New leaders are taking up the mantel and sharing the good news in ways we have either forgotten or lacked the energy to try, clergy and laity resurfaced by God to move it forward.

I know there are still some side roads which will require our care and attention, but I am so encouraged and enthusiastic at the Christ-Centered progress of our journey thus far – the one-lane parking lot is breaking up, and we’re moving down this faithful highway with renewed partnerships in ministry for Christ, I believe Pastor Wesley would be moving us further down the road together, encouraging the renewal effort and filling those leadership pot-holes all along the way. What can we do? Offer someone a ride!

Kevin <><

Transitions

If the stories of our lives and efforts were written on a ledger, it would be unbalanced beyond comprehension. On the con side, there would be an infinite list of debts we owe, our mistakes, false starts, weaknesses, shortcomings, and sins. On the pro side, there would be nothing--nothing we have accomplished on our own to offset even a minuet portion of the debt we owe, and the life we’ve lead.

On our own, there’s nothing; but as people of faith, we have never been on our own. All the righteousness we need to cover all our shortcomings has been bought and paid for by Christ. His blood covers our sins and cancels our debt through grace and our belief in Him.

Our District is in transition, and I will try to express my thoughts of debt to Christ and all of you for the loving support and prayers offered for our departing District Superintendent, Rev. Susan Cox and the countless ministries she’s touched.

For the last four years I have been privileged to partner with this wonderful servant of God and devout Wesleyan with a front row pew to witness her inspiration, participation, leadership, concern, and celebration of the successful ministries in the Heartland North Congregations. Susan has been so gracious allowing me to have walked along this path as a full partner, and I am very humbled and appreciative of that opportunity to witness the many expressions of outreach, and Christ-centerdness from the congregations she serves. We have all been blessed by her leadership and care.

Our congregations have many more good works ahead and I look forward along with all of you to seeing those bear fruit. Sadly, for many of our Clergy partners they are unable to do this as they sow the seeds and move on to another calling of ministry within the church. Our personal ledgers overflow with Rev. Susan’s planting and her giving and enlightened spirit from God, there will be much fruit and we can all be thankful.

So as we review our ledgers in our remaining time together reflecting on this wonderful servant leader of Christ we’ve come to know, may I suggest we take a moment to jot a note, a poem, or Susan’s favorite, pick a special hymn to share with her in celebration of the garden she’s tended so well, and the bountiful harvest we will care for as she goes on to serve the congregation of McMurry UMC, in nearby Claycomo.

All of us in the Heartland North District will always be on bended knee for you as this faith of ours grows stronger every day, and the vision cast floods our lives with hope, peace, and joy.

Godspeed – good and faithful servant. On behalf of all the laity of this wonderful district, go in peace and know you will be missed.

(PS . . . the District Office has moved! The new office number is 816 505-2100, just in case you want to call and offer thanks )

The British are coming; The British are coming!

We saw the lights up in the church, and the whole community of Lexington is talking, this could be big, sound the alarm!

What’s that you say? Ohhhh, The Bishop is coming; the lights are on in the church because of preparations for the Reaching Out – Ideas and Inspiration for Small Churches event being held at the Lexington United Methodist Church in Lexington, Missouri. OK, I can see where there might have been a little confusion.

Now that I’ve got it straight, Bishop Robert Schnase, Bishop in Residence of the Missouri Conference will be the featured speaker for this learning event on April 24th. Along with Bishop Schnase, presenters and workshop leaders from all over the Conference will be offering great missional insights for Church leaders focused around ministries that can help our congregations reach out within the communities they serve.

Click on this link, www.heartlandnorthdistrict.com to visit the District website for all the details and registration information – we’ll look forward to seeing you there, all minutemen and women are welcome.

On bended knee

Brians Blog

If you haven't looked at the always improving Lay Leadership Tab on the Conference website you might be missing some great tools for congregational leaders. Our Conference Lay Leader published this recently and I believe needs to be shared because it is something we've all struggled with. I'll be on bended knee for all your many efforts and faithful ministries, even if you couldn't be there. Kevin <><


Being There


By Brian Hammons
Have you ever wanted to be in two places at one time? Or even three places? Most of us who serve in leadership positions feel that way a lot. Multiple demands, opportunities, and emergencies create the need to choose which one we will handle at that time. And which ones we will let go. We all feel the need to “be there”, along with the disappointment when we can’t. This is especially true for church leaders who work full-time outside the church – many of us laity.
Recently Bishop Schnase visited my home church in Stockton. He had an inspired, meaningful message about sheep “nibbling their way lost” and our calling to go find them – or so I heard. You see, I experienced one of those schedule conflicts and was not able to be there. But I heard from several people who said it was really good. And I did listen to his sermon on our church’s website. Good, but it’s not the same as being there. I missed it.
You know the feeling. That sense of over-commitment and tension when you have to say “No” to a really good event / meeting because it conflicts with a prior commitment. And the sense of missing something special, even if it was unavoidable.
As I look back over the years and countless schedule conflicts, I’m thankful for the times I was able to be there – special times with my wife Kim, countless memories of our 3 children growing up, special choir cantatas, customer visits, going hunting, fishing, or golfing with my Dad, etc. And many of the church meetings I’ve attended were very helpful. There’s just no substitute for being there. Did I miss anything along the way? Certainly.
I know that there will be many more conflicts ahead, and I pray that God will guide my thinking and focus my attention upon the things that are most important – that really require my being there and not someone else.
Scripture provides helpful guidelines for making choices when schedule conflicts arise. I recall noting many years ago Matthew 6:33, where Jesus says “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Seek FIRST God’s kingdom. I’ve got to admit that I don’t always do that well.
John Wesley had some advice on being a good steward of time, and his model of discipline is amazing. And the apostle Paul, agonizing over his inability to “be there”, wrote instructional letters that still inspire us today. Leaders have always struggled with schedule conflicts.
OK, so the next time I want to “be there” in two or three places, I’ll remember Jesus’ words to seek first God’s kingdom and what that means for my priorities. Easier said than done. So I pray that God will clear my thoughts and focus to His greater purpose anyway, taking care of things whether I’m there or not.
Blessings and Peace to YOU in leading through multiple demands. And THANKS for all you do to “Be There” for those who count on you!

Blessings and the Old Pickle Jar

During the summer my wife goes about the hard work of making pickles from the cucumbers we grow in the garden out back,(I can smell the scent of vinegar even now while writing this). I've been enjoying her bread and butter pickles during these cold winter months and the other day when she reminded me to "save the jar" that it jogged my memory of this story about the old pickle jar and the lesson of counting our blessings.

The Old Pickle Jar . . . by Anonymous

The pickle jar as far back as I can remember sat on the floor beside the dresser in my parents' bedroom. When he got ready for bed, Dad would empty his pockets and toss his coins into the jar. As a small boy I was always fascinated at the sounds the coins made as they were dropped into the jar. They landed with a merry jingle when the jar was almost
empty. Then the tones gradually muted to a dull thud as the jar was filled. I used to squat on the floor in front of the jar and admire the copper and silver circles that glinted like a pirate's treasure when the sun poured through the bedroom window. When the jar was filled, Dad would sit at the kitchen table and roll the coins before taking them to the bank. Taking the coins to the bank was always a big production. Stacked neatly in a small
cardboard box, the coins were placed between Dad and me on the seat of his old truck. Each and every time, as we drove to the bank, Dad would look at me hopefully. "Those coins are going to keep you out of the textile mill, son. You're going to do better than me. This old mill town's not going to hold you back." Also, each and every time, as he slid the box of rolled coins across the counter at the bank toward the cashier, he would grin proudly. "These are for my son's college fund. He'll never work at the mill all his
life like me." We would always celebrate each deposit by stopping for an ice cream cone. I always got chocolate. Dad always got vanilla. When the clerk at the ice cream parlor handed Dad his change, he would show me the few coins nestled in his palm. "When we get home, we'll start filling the jar again." He always let me drop the first coins into the empty jar. As they rattled around with a brief, happy jingle, we grinned at each other. "You'll get to college on pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters," he said. "But you'll get there. I'll see to that." The years passed, and I finished college and took a job in another town. Once, while visiting my parents, I used the phone in their bedroom, and noticed that the pickle jar was gone. It had served its purpose and had been removed. A lump rose in my throat as I stared at the spot beside the dresser where the jar had always stood. My dad was a man of few words, and never lectured me on the values of determination, perseverance, and faith. The pickle jar had taught me all these virtues far more eloquently than the most flowery
of words could have done. When I married, I told my wife Susan about the significant part the lowly pickle jar had played in my life as a boy. In my mind, it defined, more than anything else, how much my dad had loved me. No matter how rough things got at home, Dad continued to doggedly drop his coins into the jar. Even the summer when Dad got laid off from the mill, and Mama had to serve dried beans several times a week, not a single dime was taken from the jar. To the contrary, as Dad looked across the table
at me, pouring Ketchup over my beans to make them more palatable, he became
more determined than ever to make a way out for me. "When you finish college, Son," he told me, his eyes glistening, "You'll never have to eat beans again...unless you want to.” The first Christmas after our daughter Jessica was born, we spent the
holiday with my parents. After dinner, Mom and Dad sat next to each other on the sofa, taking turns cuddling their first grandchild. Jessica began to whimper softly, and Susan took her from Dad's arms. "She probably needs to be changed," she said, carrying the baby into my parents' bedroom to diaper her. When Susan came back into the living room, there was a strange mist in her eyes. She handed Jessica back to Dad before taking my hand and leading me into the room. "Look," she said softly, her eyes directing me to a spot on the floor beside the dresser. To my amazement, there, as if it had never been
removed, stood the old pickle jar, the bottom already covered with coins. I walked over to the pickle jar, dug down into my pocket, and pulled out a fistful of coins. With a gamut of emotions choking me, I dropped the coins into the jar. I looked up and saw that Dad, carrying Jessica, had slipped quietly into the room. Our eyes locked, and I knew he was feeling the same emotions I felt. Neither one of us could speak.

This truly touched my heart... I know it has yours as well. Sometimes we are so busy adding up our troubles that we forget to count our blessings. Never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture you can change a person's life, for better or for worse. God puts us all in each other's lives to impact one another in some way. Look for God in others.

Kevin <><

Haiti Update

Our wonderful Office Manager, Mrs. Barbara Webb has been adding updates, and information from the Missouri Conference on Haiti Relief efforts to the "Heartland News" e-messages, and on the District Web Page. There are also updates and information located on the Missouri Conference Website (www.moumethodist.org) along with those available in your local Church office. I encourage you to continue checking these sites for the latest updates. Pray for those who's lives have been turned upside down by this disaster as the work continues to rebuild a City overcome by it's effects. I continue to give God the glory for the wonderful outpouring of care, and support for the relief efforts, and your generous contributions to UMCOR, and other relief agencies urgently rushing to help. Lord, hear our prayer.
Kevin <><

Help for Haiti

I received this message from our Conference Lay Leader, Brian Hammons who has been in contact with the South Central Jurisdictional relief coordinator and UMCOR efforts to help our brothers and sister in Port-a-Prince, Haiti. The United Methodist Church has close ties with the Methodist Church in Haiti and I know we are all in prayer for those ravaged by this disaster. Please remember as you read this information that 100% of your donations go directly to relief. Kevin <><

Dear Friends,

I would like to update you on the UMCOR relief effort for Haiti. Tom Hazelwood of UMCOR held a phone call this morning with the Jurisdictional UMVIM Coordinators to discuss earthquake relief efforts and how we can help. Sam Dixon, Clint Rabb and Jim Gulley of GBGM were in Port au Prince for a meeting with the new head of the Haitian church. They have not been heard from since the earthquake. We ask for prayers that they are safe and prayers for their families and friends while we await word of their safety.

To give relief funds you can give through the ADVANCE. They have issued a number for giving to the effort. This number is 418325 Haiti Emergency relief. this is the website where you can give on line. http://secure.gbgm-umc.org/donations/umcor/donate.cfm?id=3018760&code=418325

UMCOR is asking for health kits. I have attached the instruction to this email for you to please share as you see fit. If your conference has a warehouse Tom asked if it could be a central holding area. Please let UMCOR know if this is possible and they will make sure the kits are picked up. He did not want churches not to make the kits because of the cost of shipping.

As for teams, it is too soon to consider sending teams in. Tom will let us know at the time is appropriate. When Haiti is ready for teams there will requirements. We will work on projects which are the priority of church of Haiti, team will be team leader trained, will have had prior Haiti experince and must be self-sufficient.

We will be having another call conference when there is more news to tell. Please feel to call me if you have any questions.
Blessings,

Deb
Debbie Vest
Volunteers in Mission
South Central Jurisdiction
United Methodist Church

To Sustain Everyday Life: UMCOR Kits Are Another Way to Give
UMCOR Sager Brown Material Resources Specifications
Kits to Sustain Everyday Life
The following kit is used in places where people do not have ready access to many essential supplies for everyday life. Please follow the directions exactly. Include all items; do not add items that are not on the lists. Extra gifts, though given with the best of intentions, render a kit unusable and must be removed. Note: All items sent must be new!

Health Kit
(Updated: 07/11/2005)
Health kits provide basic necessities to people who have been forced to leave their homes because of human conflict or natural disaster. Health kits are also used as learning tools in personal hygiene, literacy, nutrition and cooking classes. When people gain the knowledge and materials to maintain personal hygiene, their overall health improves.


1 hand towel (15" x 25" up to 17" x 27")
1 washcloth
1 comb (large and sturdy, not pocket-sized)
1 nail file or fingernail clippers (no emery boards or toenail clippers)
1 bath-size bar of soap (3 oz. and up)
1 toothbrush (single brushes only in original wrapper, No child-size brushes)
1 large tube of toothpaste (4.5 oz. or larger, expiration date must be 6 months or longer in advance of the date of shipment to UMCOR Sager Brown)
6 adhesive plastic strip sterile bandages

Place these items inside a sealed one-gallon plastic bag.

Value: $12 per kit.
In a separate envelope, please send a check for at least $1 for each kit to help UMCOR Sager Brown with the costs of processing and shipping kits around the world.

Important: Please do not include any religious, political or patriotic notes or emblems in any kit.

Thank you for your donations. You are helping to make a difference in people's lives.

Welcome to your new position

Everyone talks about it; few understand it. Most everyone wants it; some achieve or consistently practice it. From time to time we wish we could vote for it; and disappointingly it gets pushed aside when selfish interests over-ride it. Ask a dozen people to define it and you’ll get as many different options to consider. What is this illusive thing . . . Leadership!

Dr. John Maxwell, an internationally recognized leadership expert, speaker/teacher, pastor and author would tell you, that after more than four decades of research and observation in the realm of leaders that the answer boils down to a simple . . . “Leadership is Influence” That’s it.

Now how do we go about developing that influence as a learned trait. can we learn how? Sure, but we need tools which can extend this influence to our lives and our ability to work with and serve others. I encourage us as congregational leaders to seek these tools. Many courses and seminars are offered within our District, and throughout the Conference from local congregational groups studies, the Lay Leadership Development (LLD) course, Healthy Church Initiative and Small Church Academy opportunities and alike. Lots of excellent books and websites are also available to grow our individual skills all of which go about the faithful learning and reflection we need to be effective. As we begin this new year in our various Church Leadership positions lets ask ourselves, What am I doing to be, grow, and recruit servant leaders to carry out the mission?

Wow, what a great idea and a critical element to keeping things moving forward – I will continue to share with you the dream of a “Church full of Leaders?” and ways to add to our toolbox but I will also challenge you to ask yourselves the hard questions, to pray for guidance along with your Pastor partners, so that together we can see this dream come true.

What would it take in your congregation? What training is needed to fulfill the dream? What’s the hold up! I often use this quote from Maxwell's book. . . He, who thinketh he leadeth and hath no one following, is merely taking a walk. For the many servant leaders out there putting Laity on the Line in our vibrant congregations – I share your dream, and ask – how can we serve YOU and OTHERS in this effort?

We are currently planning or spring learning event schedule for April in Lexington with a very special guest speaker and will be glad to hear of your thoughts and needs.

till I see you again, I’ll be on bended knee as we explore this important topic and commitment of our faith, for your leadership vision and spark, and for us all as we seek to follow Christ as true servant leaders.

Feel free to share your comments, questions and concerns here with me.

Blessings to you always my friends.

Kevin <><