Creating The Future Together – Lauren Mead

In follow-up discussions Billie Alban had with the president and the consultants, they commented that many members had expressed how meaningful this conference had been and how little opportunity there had been in the past for the members to have a conversation like this. What clearly emerged through these discussions were a sense of identity (“who we are”) and an affirmation of the core values that were important to carry into the future.

(It is interesting to note that the vision of classrooms for the Hebrew school has now become a reality. An adjacent piece of property became available and was purchased for that purpose.) Our Reflections Once again we run into the issue of “transition.” Obviously, turnover of the formal leadership is a threat to the life of such organizations—or at least to the sense of connection and who the congregation is.

“Transition” raises the question “Who are we?” so often in groups and communities, because the “of- ficial” leader is simply expected to represent and define who the community is. But when that leader leaves, the question comes to the top. Whether people have liked or hated the way the leader has articulated or represented the identity, it comes as a shock when he or she is no longer there.

Every group changing leaders feels some of this ambivalence and anxiety. This synagogue (like the Lutheran congregation described above) served itself well to pay some attention to that. Professionally trained leaders have served each of the three groups we’ve described so far. In each story, however, key Creating the Future Together elements in the dramatic changes come from the knowledge and skills of lay leaders—people who bring expertise from their professional areas of responsibility outside the congrega- tion and adapt them for use in the religious community.

One suspects that this kind of expertise may be crucial in getting the process of change going and in gaining its acceptance by other members of the community.

Creating the Future Together Creating the Future Together Methods to Inspire Your Whole Faith Community Loren B. Mead and Billie T. Alban INSTITUTE Herndon, Virginia www.alban.org Copyright © 2008 by the Alban Institute. All rights reserved. With the exception of Appendix A, this material may not be photocopied or re- produced in any way without written permission. Go to www.alban. org/permissions.asp or write to the address below. The Alban Institute 2121 Cooperative Way, Suite 100 Herndon, VA 20171-5370 Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America, and are used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are from the Holy Bible, New Inter- national Version, copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible. Cover design by Tobias Becker, Bird Box Design.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Mead, Loren B. Creating the future together : methods to inspire your whole faith com- munity / Loren B. Mead and Billie T. Alban. D, cin, ISBN 978-1-56699-364-7 1. Church group work. I. Alban, Billie, T., 1925- II. Title. BV652.2.M43 2008 253’.7—dc22 2008013329 12 1.10 =09 9108 VG 1 2 354° 48 This book is dedicated to Carl Dudley. In appreciation for his pioneer witness to the power of congregations in communities. e. er wduced yey e, ioyynl oa 2 208 te = Pit AN Bes me aiid if nate th “(ie Nib tonnes fits 122% Cenpeneiie, Why, SexivetUe Hemtn VA UETESSAD o ‘ aa Uaioe aia taiesegees at J Seomilarg Vecalcer stones heeldwy Lo aber ee .

talwcntlont ati the e Neeiisiat Canastibet te Cinergy a ah the Share wal, eid wage bel aS ne Se ah aah rr : Ss vk f te ‘awe Mette ‘ bike! be The. Shee mia co a ah me ae te : a) ie : Se cy. bg a Sth RES RNR fesevedl. Re OS 17 arto nga, Yowted 4 ” ai : Yi u in baad Td 4 4 ek Ma) iB + He aia 7° ox “ae bt nd fa io oe ae wes ; “on , { – ie oe , My : 4 kar desians Gy” as ie Fer ld Roe.

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