April 28, 2008

Dear Friends in Christ,

On behalf of the Synod Leadership Team, I thank all of you who participated in the recent Conference Call Conversations!

The theme of these calls revolved around the questions:  What is a leader? What is leadership? What is leadership development?

These are some of the comments heard throughout these conversations:

“A leader is someone who communicates vision and maintains community”…“Jesus was a strong Biblical leader in that He was a servant, accepting of all people, who built up the outcast”…“A leader keeps the connection between the vision and the people”…“Leadership has always been one-size fits all, but how do we reach a rapidly changing environment?”…“Leadership is about paying attention to what Presbyteries and churches want instead of foisting things upon them”…“Hope we find leadership for youth”…“Relationships help build leadership rather than one-shot training events”…“An important leadership role in the church today is to take mission and worship opportunities to small churches”…“There must be accountability for leaders”…“Leadership involves cheerleading – encouraging Christians to be part of the missional church vision which calls us to look beyond ourselves”…“Leadership must communicate a new direction, but do it in a relationship”…“Leaders are responsible, flexible, inventive, and spiritual”… “Connect people with skills and resources to do the work of leadership”…“The Synod enables the Presbytery to do the work it has been called to do and help the Presbytery to craft a vision for that work”.

The Synod Leadership Team is looking forward to the Called Synod Meeting on May 5, 2008, and working with Synod Commissioners to allow God to lead us into the future with confidence and courage and a renewed enthusiasm for serving our 16 Presbyteries and the congregations they represent.

Joyfully in Christ,