Reformation of the Multipoint Parish Doesn't Have to Be Scary!

Overview of Day Dwelling in the Word Types of Multiple Point Parishes History and Community Leadership in Multipoint Parishes Forming, Strengths, and Challenges of Multiple Point arrangements Importance for Community

Dwelling Luke 10: 1-12

Technical ChallengesAdaptive Challenges Can by solved with existing knowledgeRequire new learning Experts can handleLearning/innovation must come from the people Operating environment basically stableChanging environment Can be dealt with on level of strategy/technique Touch on underlying issues of identity and purpose Adaptive vs. Technical Challenges, Heifitz and Linsky

Family Systems Steinke, How Your Church Family Works, Healthy Congregations Is a systems theory Anxiety –Acute –Chronic

Family Systems (cont.) Anxiety is found in all relationship systems Anxiety can be infectious Anxiety is free-floating Anxiety eventually drains off and settles somewhere – the most vulnerable or responsible people in the relationship network are the usual targets

Family Systems (cont.) Balance of Differentiation and Closeness Reactivity – 3 responses - Shrinking of Perspective - Tightening of the Circle - Shifting of the Burden -Triangulation -Scapegoating

Family Systems (cont.) Leader as nonanxious presence in midst of reactive system Need for maturity in system Confusion of care with emotionality (“sloppy agape” – allowing others to be held hostage in the name of love, p. 65)

Adoption Diffusion Rogers, Diffusion of Innovations Strommen, The Innovative Church Keifert, We Are Here Now Diffusion: the process by which (1) an innovation (2) is communicated through certain channels (3) over time (4) among members of a social system.

Adoption Diffusion (cont.) This is a systems approach The innovation does not need to be new, only perceived as new by the system Time is the key element

Adoption Diffusion (cont.) Adoption: The decision to make full use of an innovation as the best course of action available (there can be rejection or reinvention)

Adoption Diffusion (cont.) Characteristics of Innovations –Relative Advantage –Compatibility (values and experiences) –Complexity –Trialability –Observability

Adoption Diffusion (cont.) The Innovation-Decision Process –Knowledge –Persuasion –Decision Adoption: continued use or discontinuance Rejection: either active or passive (never really considered) –Implementation: perhaps reinvention –Confirmation

Adoption Diffusion (cont.) Change Agent Opinion Leaders

Adoption Diffusion

Adoption Diffusion (cont.) Consequences of Innovations –Desirable vs. Undesirable –Direct vs. Indirect –Anticipated vs. Unanticipated

Assets Mapping I Kings 17 Matthew 14: 13ff People saw few assets they could use (scarcity) God provided in abundance

Ministry Assets All of God’s people, and all congregations, are gifted by the Holy Spirit Promised in baptism Affirmed by Paul (Romans 12: 6-8, I Corinthians 12: 4-11) Hebrews 2:4

Ministry Assets May, or may not, be acknowledged May, or may not, be lifted up by the community of faith Example – C.B.

Ministry Assets An Asset is defined as a gift known for its usefulness. One way to discover and begin to use assets in a community – asset mapping. Luther Snow The Power of Asset Mapping.

Steps to Asset Mapping Exercise 1. Recognize your assets –Physical assets, individual assets, associations, institutions, economic assets 2. Connect the dots –Link assets, brainstorm actions 3. Vote with your feet –Participants choose action most want to be part of, make instant plan pdf/resources/Asset_Mapping/resource2.pdf

SWOC Analysis Another tool Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Challenges

Coaching – Logan and Carlton Leadership, lay and clergy, seen as a team Clergy role is as a coach to prepare and train team members for ministry Coaching leads into how to lead change, but congregation also needs to be open to this approach

Coaching (cont.) The Coaching Process –Relate: Establish coaching relationship and agenda –Reflect: Discover and explore key issues –Refocus: Determine priorities and action steps –Resource: Provide support and encouragement –Review: Evaluate, celebrate, and revise plans

Guidelines for powerful coaching relationships -Establishing clear expectations -Regularly scheduled meetings -A beginning and an end -Accountability -Confidentiality -Setting goals -Setting boundaries -Defining roles; “The person being coached does the work.”

Daubert and Walter-Peterson – Area Ministry Strategy Purposes –Rejuvenate the faith of people who participate in ways that enhance their awareness of God’s work and their vocation. –Renew the ministry of partner congregations and the members who participate in them. –Call ministries into partnership to have a collective impact on a specific area or issue re- root ministries and people in their communities.

Daubert and Walter-Peterson – Area Ministry Strategy Foci Pay attention to God Engage all the baptized Pay attention to transforming the church [my comment: missio Dei] Be clear about engaging in context

Daubert and Walter-Peterson – Area Ministry Strategy PHASE 1: Begin with Three Great Listenings –To God in Scripture, your theological tradition, and in prayer –To God’s voice within the community of faith –To God’s voice through your neighbors and the broader community

Daubert and Walter-Peterson – Area Ministry Strategy PHASE 2: Covenanting for Partnership –Common Agenda –Shared Measurement –Mutually Reinforcing Activities –Continuous Communication –Backbone Support

Daubert and Walter-Peterson – Area Ministry Strategy PHASE 3: Do Something Together PHASE 4: Evaluate, Revise, Repeat

Questions What are acute or chronic anxieties in your context? How has the community addressed these? Who are opinion leaders in your context? What have been/are their roles? Which of the 4Cs (Convenience, Competition, Change, Cooperation) most motivates your context? What are assets for ministry in your context? What is the SWOC for your context? How might you coach in your context? What of the AMS approach might be helpful for your context?