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Clergy Journey

Questions about the Clergy Journey? Email the Rev. Bill Allport.

What leadership challenges do I face for which I do not have an answer but must address if I am to lead this congregation through missional transformation?

The clergy journey parallels the congregational journey. Clergy are key in creating safe spaces for the laity to guide the congregation, yet for clergy there are significant leadership challenges in leading congregations in the 21st Century.

The Clergy Journey involves discovering and experimenting into their individual leadership challenges. As a Clergy Cohort, they meet monthly, adopt a common spiritual practice and form strong bonds of trust with each other and with their Clergy Coach. Through a variety of tools for personal and professional development, clergy develop awareness and understanding about what it means to lead congregations amid discontinuous change and become local theologians.

The first cohort of clergy began the process in March 2014, the second in March 2015 and the third in early 2017.

Dispatches from the Journey

December 4, 2018
Right on the heels of the October Clergy Conference, 20 clergy representing three generations of clergy cohorts came together for two days at Cross...
Clergy Intensive Retreat participants at Cross Roads.
June 14, 2018
Developing relationships. Building trust. Improving leadership skills. The bonding that happens when you spend 2½ days together. This is how...
Episcopal clergy (and one UCC minister) attended Appreciative Interim Ministry Training with the Rev. Dr. Rob Voyle. NINA NICHOLSON PHOTO
May 1, 2018
The week of April 23-27, 2018 Episcopal House hosted an Appreciative Interim Ministry Training facilitated by the Rev. Dr. Rob Voyle, director of The...
Listening Excursion attendees Dwelling in the Word. NINA NICHOLSON PHOTO
March 14, 2017
On Saturday, March 4, 125 individuals representing 43 congregations attended the kick-off gathering for the three-month “Listening Excursion...
R-l: Action Learning Team Coaches Peter Jackson, Paul Bolles-Beaven and Valyrie Laedlein talk with Suzanne Willian and Alan Roxburgh. NINA NICHOLSON PHOTO
August 16, 2016
The Diocese of Newark is blessed with a talented group of coaches who are also great leaders. They are guiding diocesan teams towards joining God in...
Joining God in Shaping Our Future
July 19, 2016
In this podcast, Ginny Dinsmore, Suzanne Willian and Kay Lark – all intimately involved in the Joining God in Shaping Our Future process...
The Rev. Diane Rhodes
April 19, 2016
Transforming congregations requires changing the roles of leaders. Leaders need to be like gardeners, cultivating the ground to develop rich soil in...