Friday, August 1, 2008

It is really old-school to imagine that we ever get the summer off once we’re done with school: vacations or not, it seems like summers—and this one especially—are busier than ever. Certainly it has been for me: since Annual Conference, I’ve been to our Western Jurisdiction Conference, celebrated in the elections of Bishops Grant Hagiya and Elaine Stanovsky, heard my own name read as assigned to the Los Angeles Area once more (yes!) and then spent some time visiting in Washington State with Jeff’s in-laws and relatives.

Now that I’m home, it would be wonderful to sit back and absorb all this—I’m so glad for Grant, so happy to be coming back here, which really does feel like home now—but there is work to be done, especially because of the Episcopal election.

Grant had only just begun in his role as Executive Director of the new Center for Leadership Development. This is the primary initiative of our Leadership Team with the Annual Conference, and represents the high value we place on forming effective spiritual leaders for the future of the church. As we might expect, a considerable amount of work had already been set in motion, the most visible of which is a series of workshops on leadership beginning this fall. With Bishop Hagiya heading north for his new assignment in the Seattle Area, a team of people are re-organizing to lead the initial workshops as scheduled.

Because the role of Executive Director reports directly to me, I am taking an active role in exploring the next step we need to take. The Leadership Team formed this initiative in response to input from across the Conference, which the annual Session endorsed in 2007. Now, a sub-group of the Team chaired by Rev. Wayne Walters will assess the development plan that Grant had put on paper, and see how that could relate to a new search process. We have already discussed re-constituting the original search committee in order to jump-start that process.

My expectation is that between gathering the leadership to do the first few workshops (and then doing them,) assessing the fit between the current model and future needs, and then re-engaging a search process, naming someone, probably having them move, etc., we won’t have that person until after Christmas at the earliest.

In the meantime, I intend to give active oversight to all of this, and have assigned my Executive Assistant, Rev. Gary Keene, to the day by day management of the initiative. He is already executive staff to the Leadership Team, and so is intimately familiar with the history and development of this initiative. He also has extensive background as a national trainer and consultant for the General Board of Discpleship, working and teaching in Annual Conferences about change management and “the new language of leadership” for over ten years.

But wait there’s more! Watch Cal-Pac Update for news on the second strategic initiative: we expect to announce very soon the hiring of a person to fulfill the new role of Director of Young People’s Development, which is also focused on leadership formation and excellence.

Finally, I hope you have Saturday, October 4th on your calendar. Two key events will happen that day in Pasadena: 10am at St. James UMC, the ethnic caucuses of the conference will offer a Global Praise Worship Service. I have thoroughly enjoyed this time of worship before, and recommend it to you. Then at 3pm, I invite you to come to First UMC Pasadena; the Episcopacy Committee is hosting a reception for me (Thank you!) and during a time of worship, I want to share with you a vision for our ministry together during the next four years.

Meanwhile, do try and catch your breath this summer: Jeff and I will take a little bike ride down to San Diego later this month, and then spend some time in Hawaii. Let’s stay in touch as we continue in ministry together. L’Chayim!

Your sister and bishop in Christ, Mary Ann