New Topics Added to Online Engagement Sessions

We sent out this email today, and are happy to highlight the details here too.

Last week my family watched Groundhog Day, and despite the dated sexism, heteronormative trappings and some violence (which gave us a lot to talk about too), having the context of this movie to describe our current reality has brought silliness, film analysis (Godly Play questions are fabulous for dissecting a movie!) and a growth-mindset to our days ... how does Phil Connors become released from February 2nd? Eventually, by shedding ego, embracing the gifts of his reality and leaning into LOVE. Woah.

This Newsletter is important and quick - make a cuppa, and find comfort, inspiration and tools for supporting you in these most unusual, yet very real, ministry days.

1. Nurturing the Soul of the Preacher
2. Relationship and Ministry with Youth and Children During COVID-19
3. Zoom and Beyond - **NEW TOPICS** and More Online Engagement Sessions Added
4. Deepening, Harvesting - How We Are Being Shaped by This Global Experience

Faithfully,
Tressa Brotsky - communications

and the LeaderShift Team
Allison Rennie - director
Rhian Walker - program staff
Brenda Wolff - administrative assistance
Rob Crosby-Shearer - LeaderShift Church Plant Project

1. Nurturing the Soul of the Preacher 

The LeaderShift team really wants you to know about and consider choosing to be part of the 6 week program with Janice MacLean called Nurturing the Soul of the Preacher. We created this session, plus Christ of the Celts Book Study and Stewardship Buzz, in the month before COVID-19 -- and the relevance of each in these physical distancing days is apt. These sessions begin after Easter, and will connect you to others in nourishing, grounded ways. They are $25 each. Registration details are here.

2. Relationship and Ministry with Youth and Children during COVID-19

The Regional Council staff team (Pamela, Sarah, Robin, and Mary) responsible for Youth and Young Adult Ministry and the First Third Ministry Network, powered to get pmrfirstthirdresources.ca online in the days immediately following the first wave of announcements limiting group gatherings.This website is updated frequently, and specifically provides excellent, vetted links to a wealth of ideas, resources, and encouragement for continuing ministry with children and youth, and their families during COVID-19 distancing.

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3. Zoom and Beyond

LeaderShift and the PMR First Third Ministry Network worked in partnership to get a slate of online training and conversation sessions happening for church leaders, board members, choir directors, youth group leaders, study group leaders, church members ... everyone! ... and more than 250 people have access these sessions. There are more available - including one called Worship Options in a Time of Physical Distancing. and Making Your Instagram Count: Meaningful Posts for Faith Communities.  

4. Deepening, Harvesting - How We Are Being Shaped by This Global Experience

We are continuing to develop opportunities for learning in order to help equip us for this time –  

LeaderShift has offered some technical learning sessions, some ‘how to’ workshops on online tools for ministry right now. Based on need, we will continue to offer these again after Easter. And we have offered some opportunity for thinking about how to deepen existing online ministry offerings.  

In addition, we are aware that this is a tremendous moment for us to pay attention to the deeper theological and spiritual realities. Our practice of ministry is being shaped, and will be shaped, by this global experience. In light of this, we are working on some opportunities for theological engagement, and for deepening capacity in the practice of ministry including trauma-oriented pastoral care.   

We want to encourage the harvest of learning happening now. LeaderShift wants to be part of the adaptive leadership called for in order to help us discover an emerging shape of life in the body of Christ for our time. Courageous. Christian. Called. Hopeful. Stay tuned.

- Allison Rennie, LeaderShift Director

Newsletter: 17 Sept 2019

Want to know what Holy Shift will be about? Check out the Story Circle and Learning Circle descriptions - available now. We think you'll find something that speaks to you: September 17 LS Newsletter

Dears,

Last week we released our Holy Sift draft program, outlining the flow for this October 4-6's Size-mic Upgrade Conference. This week we have the Story Circle and Learning Circle descriptions ready to share (scroll to read!). We are SO thrilled by, and honoured to share the quality and diversity of leadership and engaging topics at Holy Shift. There's still time to register, including for the Youth Circle (for teens, lead by the PMRC Youth Ministry Staff).

We were thankful for the full registration next week's Mental Health First Aid event - so the organizing team secured a second training happening on the same dates, at the same times (Sept 25 & 26th, 8:30-4:30) at Crossroads United. There are still a few spots open at Crossroads.

November isn't too far off, and we encourage you to pilgrimage to Delta BC/ Kwantlen/ Semiahmoo/ Musqueam/ Tsleil-Waututh territories, to tap into the leadership and experience of UK-based Michael Jagessar. Beyond Good Intentions is an important and timely topic of engagement and learning - so much so that the Pacific Mountain Regional Council staff are having a full team inservice with Michael on Nov 26th. The resulting breadth of common learning that will ripple across our Pacific Mountain Regional Council is incredible in terms of United Church leadership and ministry of presence. We hope you can attend.

Faithfully,
The LeaderShift Team

Tressa Brotsky - communications
Allison Rennie - director
Brenda Wolff - administrative assistance
Rev. Rob Crosby-Shearer - LeaderShift Church Plant Project

PS. Have you checked out The Latest?

PPS. The LS Newsletter Archive is here.

Throw Back Thursday

Growth Mindset 

It’s back to school and school-like routines for our Siblings in Christ, and us adults find ourselves in the fall vibe too. A rising tool in working with children and youth is being employed by educators, parents and coaches - it’s called theGrowth Mindset. We think it’s time for United Church leaders and congregations to embrace it as a tool, too.

A growth mindset is about identifying the fixed thought patterns that travel along established pathways in our brains, then writing new phrases that - when used instead of the fixed thinking messages - forge new routes in the incredible plasticity of our brains. Allow yourself a few minutes to read and wonder about growth mindset; invite yourself to identify one or two places in your ministry where employing a growth mindset practice will benefit you and those you serve.

Inspire Participation

We can't all make it to all things - wish though, that we might. For a lot of our church leaders across the Regional Council, the trip to Seattle for Inhabit Conference, Tom Keel in Maple Ridge, Holy Shift! Sowing Promises in Nanaimo, and more means we do have to know our limitations, and carefully choose what we can do next. If that's your situation, own it! Location, price, and at-home responsibilities are an ongoing juggle for everyone - leaders and organizers alike. We trust you to know what's possible for you. We also invite you to find ways to encourage others who want to, to get to the next great event.

Encourage others to go and share your wisdom - on group travel, good places to stay, ways you've supported your congregation in getting pulpit supply or covering your time away, sources you've accessed for additional funding, etc etc etc. We're excited for you to be part of fostering success of our events.

Fostering Closeness

A key emerging piece of the Pacific Mountain Regional Council work is bringing our United Church communities of faith closer together and supporting the rise of new ministry clusters across our Regional Council. It's a huge shift in our collective thinking of how to organize ourselves into relationships beyond our communities of faith. We heard at the GM that this is what our United Church people want - a belonging to a larger church family. LeaderShift is one way the PMRC is doing this relational work.

We hope you’ll reach out for funding and support to join your wider-church community at HolyShift Size-Mic Upgrade, Mental Health First Aid and Beyond Good Intentions.


Faithfully,
The LeaderShift Team