e360 for November 12, 2010
The Rev. Sue D’Alessio, conference Executive Director of Leadership posts this week’s e360, while Bishop Swenson is due home soon from the Council of Bishop’s fall meeting in Panama.
Where have you discovered God in your ministry? Have you been surprised, astounded, socks knocked off, delighted like a child at an amusement park, awed, overwhelmed, speechless, amazed, humbled, shoes-off-holy-grounded?
God shows up all over the place:
- in the pleasure-lined face of a grandmother snuggled up to her smooth, chubby-cheeked grandchild;
- in the tired sighs and groans of well-worked bodies, the prayerful sighs and groans of hearts torn at the need, and the satisfied sighs and groans of ministry accomplished, as people wrap up working at a Katrina rebuild;
- in the laughter of playing children, in the cacophony of teens at camp, in the quiet conversation of long-time friends;
- in the faces and conversations of people standing in a food line caring for one another, and in the faces and conversations of people serving, hoping to make a difference;
- in the music and prayers and holy spaces in worship;
- in . . .
Well, where have you discovered God lately?
As I have listened to lay and clergy around the conference, two of the primary themes I have heard are a yearning for deeper and meaningful connection and a desire to tell the stories of how we have experienced God’s blessing in our ministry, in our congregations, in our communities.
The Center for Leadership is developing a place for us to connect – for us to listen to one another, share our deepest hopes and hurts, our greatest passions and ideas, and to support one another as we search for the best ways to be faithful to God’s call. We are creating a website which will have a blog, book studies, resources, and places for you to contribute your stories and vision, your questions and ideas.
The site is still in the construction and testing stage, so check us out and give us your feedback. Better yet, contribute your thoughts, your hopes and dreams, your stories of what is going well, your understanding of leadership, resources you have found helpful. Make this site yours – ours in connection.
You can look us up at www.evolvingleaders.org. You can email your hopes, dreams, suggestions and stories to me at sdalessio@cal-pac.org. We look forward to creating deep and holy connections with you as we serve and participate together – with God – in transforming our world.
--Sue D'Alessio