1. “ The dominant shift in the role of the Presbytery leader is from one of executive CEO to spiritual leader” “ The dominant shift in the role of the Presbytery leader is from one of executive CEO to spiritual leader” Jill Hudson

2. What is Spiritual Leadership?

3. Spiritual Leaders Fit their Context Joseph Joseph Moses Moses Deborah Deborah David David Nathan Nathan Josiah Josiah Jeremiah Jeremiah Mary Mary Peter Peter Paul Paul

4. Spiritual Leaders Adapt their leadership style to meet the context Adapt their leadership style to meet the context And have the gifts needed for the context And have the gifts needed for the context

5. Therefore our first challenge is to define our context

6. Contexts Exodus Exodus Exile Exile Great Emergence Great Emergence Post Modern Post Modern Age of the Spirit Age of the Spirit Post Christendom Post Christendom Early Christian Early Christian

7. Context is defined in large part by circumstance but spiritual leaders must discern and articulate that context

8. What is the context of your Presbytery? Have you been able to articulate what the context is?

9. The Presbytery of Southern New England in an Exile Experience

10. THE EXILE EXPERIENCE Old ways don’t work as they used to Old ways don’t work as they used to Forced to leave homes and comforts Forced to leave homes and comforts Becoming a “scattered” people Becoming a “scattered” people Living in a “foreign” land Living in a “foreign” land Discovering God anew Discovering God anew Changed selves in a different type of home Changed selves in a different type of home

11. Parts of the Exile Experience In Jerusalem In Jerusalem Wanting to keep the old institutions and practices Wanting to keep the old institutions and practices Feeling threatened and anxious Feeling threatened and anxious Going Into Exile Going Into Exile Being scattered and separated from family Being scattered and separated from family Feeling loss and disorientation Feeling loss and disorientation In Exile In Exile Not at home Not at home Engaging the culture creatively Engaging the culture creatively Finding a New Home Finding a New Home Experimenting with the new with renewed Spirit Experimenting with the new with renewed Spirit Wondering about purity and identity Wondering about purity and identity

12. In the Presbytery of Southern New England We are getting smaller We are getting smaller We are feeling scattered from one another geographically and theologically We are feeling scattered from one another geographically and theologically Our structure no longer works well Our structure no longer works well Our culture treats us as outsiders Our culture treats us as outsiders We are anxious about the future and change We are anxious about the future and change

13. We are still in Jerusalem and starting to experience the effects of Exile

14. We still live the old identities defined by our past titles

15. Titles for Presbytery Judicatory Judicatory Court of the church Court of the church An assembly to reach conclusions on significant matters An assembly to reach conclusions on significant matters A place judgment is rendered A place judgment is rendered

16. Titles for Presbytery Judicatory Judicatory Governing Body Governing Body To direct, regulate, and manage the institution of the church To direct, regulate, and manage the institution of the church To legislate and create policy To legislate and create policy

17. Titles for Presbytery Judicatory Judicatory Governing Body Governing Body Agent of Mission Agent of Mission To initiate, send out, or support a mission endeavor To initiate, send out, or support a mission endeavor

18. Titles for Presbytery Judicatory Judicatory Governing Body Governing Body Agent of Mission Agent of Mission Council Council An assembly for deciding matters of doctrine An assembly for deciding matters of doctrine

19. All these titles refer to matters such as: Institutional maintenance Institutional maintenance Making decisions Making decisions Debating issues Debating issues Managing policy Managing policy Creating legislation Creating legislation Starting programs Starting programs

20. To accomplish our titles … we have staff and programs and budgets and buildings and manuals and policies and by-laws

21. Yet we are finding that these roles and structures don’t work like they used to.

22. And Commissioners are wanting something different

23. This is what they are asking for through evaluations of our meetings: Sharing/Support Sharing/Support Nurture Nurture Education Education Fellowship Fellowship Worship Storytelling Witness Community

24. In Calvin’s time There were two bodies that preceeded our presbyteries: There were two bodies that preceeded our presbyteries: The Geneva Consistory The Geneva Consistory The Venerable Company of Pastors The Venerable Company of Pastors

25. The Geneva Consistory Pastors and Elders Pastors and Elders Responsible for Church order and discipline Responsible for Church order and discipline That is, managed church life That is, managed church life

26. The Venerable Company of Pastors Educated themselves biblically and theologically Educated themselves biblically and theologically Mutually encouraged each other Mutually encouraged each other Pursued joint missionary work Pursued joint missionary work Met regularly for prayer and support Met regularly for prayer and support Enhanced capacity to think the faith Enhanced capacity to think the faith

27. We do well the work of the Geneva Consistory

28. But we have neglected the work of the Venerable Company of Pastors

29. “Without the corporate engagement in biblical, theological and ecclesiological inquiry … ecclesial order is easily bureaucratized while discipline is either ignored or factionalized.” Joe Small

30. “There is a conspicuous absence of presbyteries as communities of spiritual, intellectual, and vocational discipline that ensure open space for Word and Sacrament, and sharpen clear vision of the presence of Christ.” Joe Small

31. In what ways is your Presbytery trying to be a spiritual community in distinction from a religious institution?

32. The Leaders of a People Experiencing Exile What is the role of the Presbytery leaders during an exile experience? What kind of spiritual leadership is called for?

33. The Biblical Exilic Leaders Isaiah Isaiah Jeremiah Jeremiah Ezra and Nehemiah Ezra and Nehemiah Esther Esther Daniel Daniel Habbakkuk Habbakkuk

34. Exilic Leaders Lead the lamentations for the losses of the church

35. Exilic Leaders Call the orphaned into a communion of saints to whom to belong

36. Exilic Leaders Identify with the suffering servant who lives with the hope of ultimate victory in the midst of pain and despair

37. Exilic Leaders Point to the sacred and holy tabernacling in our midst to people who tend to see only the absence of God and profanation around them

38. Exilic Leaders Legitimize mystery, and paradox, and ambiguity within both theology and our ecclesiastical life

39. Exilic Leaders Call exiles out of self-absorption and into creative, missional faith-living in a secular culture

40. The Leaders Help the Community to: Confess our separation from God Confess our separation from God Connect the scattered people with each other Connect the scattered people with each other Sing of hope for the future in God Sing of hope for the future in God Experience the sacred and holy in life Experience the sacred and holy in life Struggle with moral and theological paradoxes Struggle with moral and theological paradoxes Support each other to live missionally Support each other to live missionally

41. What work might exilic, spiritual leaders be doing? Visibly and vocally “cast the vision” of our current exile context. Visibly and vocally “cast the vision” of our current exile context. Invite individuals and congregations to “find their place” in the exilic experience. Invite individuals and congregations to “find their place” in the exilic experience. Gather the scattered together to be in communion with one another. Gather the scattered together to be in communion with one another. Support “missional” endeavors Support “missional” endeavors Focus on the birth of the new instead of the death of the old. Focus on the birth of the new instead of the death of the old.