Fresh?

I just got a voice mail from a friend (who shall remain nameless...for now!) reminding me a blog needs to be fresh to be helpful.

Point taken! I can't promise daily updates, but I will make sure this space is filled with something fresh and new every week. Look on Wednesdays.

There's certainly no lack of things going on as our new conference comes together. New A.C.T. met last Saturday and much was accomplished. Gil Rendle, New A.C.T.'s outside consultant, guided team members through a very helpful exercise where we reviewed our work in terms of 1)what had been accomplished; 2)what was in process; and 3) what remained to be started. Using a wall of Casowasco Retreat and Conference Center's new dining hall, we stuck labeled post-it notes in one of these three columns.

Scanning the wall, Gil noted how we'd seemed to have forgotten some of the work we'd accomplished under column #1(what had been accomplished) and how many items we'd loaded under column #3 (what remained to be started)! Gil's counsel, especially with regard to remaining work, was to understand not everything we'd like to see in place by July 1, 2010 can happen or should.

One key learning reinforced for New A.C.T. was the need to think in terms of "interim plans" for many areas of New Conference life. In other words, some of the programs, ministries and structures we approve at the start of our new conference will be temporary. As needs and insight change, these areas of our life together will change as well.

Our conference will need to be kept fresh and open to changing circumstance.

Kinda like a good blog...

More next Wednesday.