We've invited Jeff to meet you - next week!

 

If you're one of the lucky ones who has worked with Jeff MacDonald at Cup of Hope 2022, is part of our year long LeaderSHIFT course with him, or your paths crossed at another event, you'll know how compelling time spent with Jeff is (and I hope you'll come to this event too!). 

This is our next workshop - in JUST 6 days! Will you join us?

Next week, Jeff is leading an in-person, evening workshop in Victoria BC/ Lekwungen, with LeaderSHIFT. And knowing meeting in person doesn't work for everyone, we've planned this as a hybrid event.

Thursday May 25, 2023, In Person and Online. Details here: Better with Less

Better with Less: Thriving with part-time clergy

You are warmly invited to spend the evening of May 25th, 2023, learning from author, award-winning religion journalist, and part-time pastor in the United Church of Christ (in the US), Rev. G. Jeffrey MacDonald.

Jeff spent time researching and reflecting with colleagues, and congregations with part-time ministry personnel. He found that despite a narrative of decline, many congregations with part-time clergy found unexpected gifts and ways to thrive!

Jeff summed up his findings and included his own experience about the practices and postures that help communities of faith to embrace part-time ministry personnel, and to develop new and fruitful ministries in his book, Part Time is Plenty: Thriving without Full Time Clergy.

"Enough is as good as a feast"

- Mary Poppins

Come, be part of the shift as we consider how regarding part-time leadership as a problem to be eradicated truly impacts us - and how embracing part-time as a divine gift facilitates a higher level of lay engagement, responsibility, playfulness, and creativity!

The Better with Less workshop is for both lay and clergy leaders; as a those in a circle of colleagues, friends, and companions in the faithful work of leadership, I invite you to join Jeff, myself, and 17 others already registered, either at FirstMetropolitan United or on Zoom from anywhere to virtually participate at very same time. 

I am so excited to welcome you on May 25th!

Faithfully,

Michelle

 

RESURRECT - a learning party!

A Learning Party is a gathering designed to highlight all the things you love about a conference - interaction, connection and collaboration with other liked minded leaders, community connectors, church planter-starters and/or spiritual entrepreneurs.

Resurrect 2023

1pm, Thursday May 4 - 2pm, Saturday May 6 2023

FirstMet United / the AbbeyChurch

AT THE CORNER OF BALMORAL AND QUADRA STREETS IN VICTORIA BC: ON THE TRADITIONAL AND UNCEDED TERRITORIES OF THE SONGHEES AND ESQUIMALT NATIONS; LƏK̓ʷƏŊƏN-SPEAKING PEOPLES.

Click for full event details!

At a Learning Party you’ll make new friends, be inspired by courageous followers of Christ who are taking risks in the Kin-dom and, yes - have fun (since you know, it is a party after-all.)

Resurrect intentionally seeks to highlight those ‘on the edges of the inside of the church’ - and especially BIPOC and or 2SLGBTQ+ leaders. We’ll feature some more familiar ‘names’ as well as lots of ‘local heroes’ who are doing amazing work. Together, we’ll all share in the storytelling and inspiration in larger group and smaller sessions.

If you are a person with a hunger for a new way of being church, save the date and come on to Victoria to spend some time in praying, worshipping, singing and listening and learning with your people!

Children (age 6 - 11) and youth (12 and up) will be an integral part of the Resurrect party. We will offer some age specific events - led by a team including Nik Sloat (Refugia Youth / McDougal UC) as well as integrated participation in whole community gatherings.

Children and youth will be registered separately after you register. Contact registrar Jes for more info.

Share this poster around! Bring your people!

A note from Rev. Michelle Slater - LeaderSHIFTS interim director!

Greetings from the territory of the Lkwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples, also known as Victoria, BC.

I’m thrilled, honoured, excited, and slightly nervous to be stepping into the LeaderShift chair for the time being!

After 24 years of ordained ministry in congregations, I’m looking forward to thinking about, exploring, and hearing from you, about what kinds of learning, growth and leadership formation you yearn for in this time, in your place and context of ministry.

I’ve served in part-time, small congregations (shout out to Chemainus United and Cedar United Churches!) and program size congregations (Dunbar Heights UC and Oak Bay UC!) And all along the way, I’ve treasured opportunities to continue learning and growing in my practice of ministry.

Not just because there’s always more to learn, and more ways to grow. But also because, as Parker J. Palmer writes, “Our lives as leaders both demand and deserve reflection. They demand reflection because we must know what is in our hearts, lest our leadership do more harm than good. They deserve reflection because it is often challenging to sustain the heart to lead.” (from the Introduction to
Leading from within: Poetry that Sustains the Courage to Lead, 2007, Center for Courage and Renewal)

These are challenging times to lead, to be sure. And, we are not alone in the work. I look forward to your good company, and the company of the Holy Spirit.

May we experience together, times of opening our hearts to know what is in them, and times of strengthening our courage and filling our souls, so that we may be sustained in our leadership, in the times and places that Jesus has called us to be.

Also, please note that I’ll be away from February 27 to March 26! Then I’ll really hit the ground running 😊

Blessings on your journey and in your practice of leadership,

Michelle Slater

Interim LeaderShift Director