I'm in the process of building the agenda for our next New A.C.T. meeting (September 19, 2009 at Cicero UMC). It will be a packed day. Frankly, it looks like every meeting this fall and into early next year will be packed. Our sub-committees or Planning Teams have been busy all spring and summer developing proposals. This "fruit" is about ready to be picked and laid out on the table for New A.C.T. to discuss and decide how to fit the pieces into an overall plan.
There's going to be lots of work. But hopefully not too much work. There will be pieces of our new conference structure, staffing, programs and policies intentionally left out.
Yes, intentionally left out! You see, our goal isn't to have everything about our new conference worked out and in place by July 1, 2010 (the official start of the New Conference). We're striving to have just enough, but not too much. We're leaving much to be worked out by the New Conference. Why?
In a video clip shown at several of our annual conference sessions last spring I shared some thoughts on this approach. To summarize, we're going "minimal" with new conference design because:
1. practically we believe we have only so much time to develop plans, so we're prioritizing and doing the basics.
2. ethically we believe the members of the new conference ought to have a say in how they are organized and they can't have that say until after we come together July 1.
3. theologically we believe God is doing a new thing among us and we're only beginning to perceive it. We don't want to get ahead of God!
Having said all that, please don't think our new conference will lack the ability to provide essential services and engage in meaningful ministry. We have over 200 people engaged in this process right now across the Upper New York region working hard to ensure we have what we need to get off to a great start.
More on the pieces in the weeks ahead.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Technology and Trust
At our last New A.C.T. meeting I heard two crucial resources named as absolutely essential for building a vibrant new conference: distance-shrinking technology and community-building trust.
Technology: our new conference and area will stretch across Upper New York from east to west and north to south. We’ve learned from the New A.C.T. process that even when we agree to meet somewhere in the middle of the state, some of us have to drive three or more hours to get there. The cost in time and money is significant. There will be times when this sort of expenditure will be worth it. The range of benefits provided by a face-to-face meeting is significant. No single “technological solution” can reproduce this. But technology can help us bridge the distance when the need for face-to-face isn’t as crucial as need to keep costs down. Conference calls, video conferencing, online meeting software and a host of other strategies can (and must) help us gather together virtually and make real-world decisions.
But in order to take full advantage of such technology, we’ll need an abundance of a second resource: trust.
Trust: our new conference brings together thousands of people who’ve had little opportunity to get to know each other. Yet come July 1, 2010 we’ll need to count on one another to care for our soul and the soul of this new conference. The combination of unfamiliar relationships and intimate need will make trust a challenge. Can I put my soul in your hands? Will you put yours in mine? Can we accomplish anything if we don’t take this risk?
Here’s where technology and trust impact one another. Connecting “virtually” with one another via technology will require a certain level of trust. An example: conference calls work best if you have no more than eight people on the line. More than eight voices turn speech in to babble. Which means you and I may need to bow out of a particular decision so we don’t overload the line. Can we trust the eight folks on the line will get it right without us? Even if several of them are people almost unknown to us?
Here’s another thing about technology and trust: unlike technology, trust can’t be purchased and installed. It’s organic, growing like a garden or a stand of trees. It needs the proper environment and requires the right nutrients. It takes time. It demands we take risks.
One of the blessings I’ve had during the 4 ½ years I’ve been involved in developing our new conference is the opportunity to work with a variety of people across the region. My trust has grown as I’ve experienced the commitment and the giftedness of my sisters and brothers outside my normal circle of trust. Indeed, it’s been the desire to “draw this circle wider” that’s been the main reason I’ve been so excited about our new conference. I’m looking forward to sharing ministry with some awesome people from the four corners of this new conference, most of whom I’ve never met, but who’s souls have that same “God-shaped” hole as mine and who share that same high calling to “live the gospel of Jesus Christ and be God’s love to our neighbors in all places.”
Technology: our new conference and area will stretch across Upper New York from east to west and north to south. We’ve learned from the New A.C.T. process that even when we agree to meet somewhere in the middle of the state, some of us have to drive three or more hours to get there. The cost in time and money is significant. There will be times when this sort of expenditure will be worth it. The range of benefits provided by a face-to-face meeting is significant. No single “technological solution” can reproduce this. But technology can help us bridge the distance when the need for face-to-face isn’t as crucial as need to keep costs down. Conference calls, video conferencing, online meeting software and a host of other strategies can (and must) help us gather together virtually and make real-world decisions.
But in order to take full advantage of such technology, we’ll need an abundance of a second resource: trust.
Trust: our new conference brings together thousands of people who’ve had little opportunity to get to know each other. Yet come July 1, 2010 we’ll need to count on one another to care for our soul and the soul of this new conference. The combination of unfamiliar relationships and intimate need will make trust a challenge. Can I put my soul in your hands? Will you put yours in mine? Can we accomplish anything if we don’t take this risk?
Here’s where technology and trust impact one another. Connecting “virtually” with one another via technology will require a certain level of trust. An example: conference calls work best if you have no more than eight people on the line. More than eight voices turn speech in to babble. Which means you and I may need to bow out of a particular decision so we don’t overload the line. Can we trust the eight folks on the line will get it right without us? Even if several of them are people almost unknown to us?
Here’s another thing about technology and trust: unlike technology, trust can’t be purchased and installed. It’s organic, growing like a garden or a stand of trees. It needs the proper environment and requires the right nutrients. It takes time. It demands we take risks.
One of the blessings I’ve had during the 4 ½ years I’ve been involved in developing our new conference is the opportunity to work with a variety of people across the region. My trust has grown as I’ve experienced the commitment and the giftedness of my sisters and brothers outside my normal circle of trust. Indeed, it’s been the desire to “draw this circle wider” that’s been the main reason I’ve been so excited about our new conference. I’m looking forward to sharing ministry with some awesome people from the four corners of this new conference, most of whom I’ve never met, but who’s souls have that same “God-shaped” hole as mine and who share that same high calling to “live the gospel of Jesus Christ and be God’s love to our neighbors in all places.”
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
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.
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.
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