Benefits

  • Strengthens bonds between clergy and congregational leaders so that their ministry together is a FRESH START.
  • Helps to honor the ministry of all leaders, lay and ordained, in the life of the congregation.
  • Helps to establish a common language to talk about issues of transition.
  • Creates an opportunity or venue where issues of transition can be talked about, either clergy to clergy or lay leaders with clergy.
  • Increases participants’ capacity to minister to each other and the wider community.
  • Creates trusting relationships that enable bishop, bishop staff and congregational leaders to engage in proactive conversations before issues become problems.
  • Broadens the scope of a bishop’s teaching ministry in the diocese.
  • Provides an opportunity for leaders, both lay and ordained, to experience each other’s openness to God and to deepen their capacity to be ministers of Jesus Christ.