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Fall 2012
The Ministry Development Teams in the Diocese of Iowa continue to function as leaders in their congregations. The teams are encouraging the ministry of the baptized in their place as well as providing the sacraments for the congregation. As a diocese, we are still in the process of developing the mentorship for the congregations. However, the teams do meet quarterly via the web conferencing tool, MegaMeeting. An annual retreat is held for members of the MDTs in the diocese and through Living Stones, we are developing a way of annually reflecting on the work of the team and making plans for the next year.
We have come to understand that Ministry Development Teams can be useful in any size congregation and we would be happy to work with any congregation seeking to know more about teams. The Diocese is a partner in the Living Stones Partnership, dioceses in the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada who are committed to supporting the ministry of all the baptized.
Fall 2011
The Diocese continues to nurture six active Ministry Development Teams. Three of the teams are ordained and commissioned and are fully functioning with their congregations. There is a second team in process in Ft. Madison and a team in process in Red Oak/Shenandoah. Teams are continuing to develop their ministry and the ministry of people in their congregations. Our challenge for some of the teams is the changing paradigm for congregations. Everyone in the congregation has to recognize their call to ministry. The Church is there to support and encourage each person’s growth in God. It is life-giving to watch this happen, but this change is often a difficult one and one that takes some time. It is too easy to fall back into established patterns of life before the Ministry Development Team.
The Teams are coming together annually in retreat to focus on their work and to share their stories. The Teams also meet quarterly via web conference to check in with each other and to continue the sharing.
Fall 2010
The goal of Ministry Development Teams is to empower the ministry of all the baptized in their congregation. This goal is pretty basic to all our congregations; however, there are some congregations in Iowa who have chosen to structure themselves with a team of people providing leadership rather than the traditional one clergyperson as the leader.
The Ministry Development Teams proceed through up to four years in an approved curriculum and then are commissioned to serve their congregation. If there are people who were identified as clergy in the team, they are ordained according to the Constitution and Canons of The Episcopal Church.
Currently there are seven congregations is varying stages of team development. Oversight of the teams in process is provided by the Commission on Ministry. Each of the teams in process meets with an assigned coach whose job it is to guide, share resources, and encourage the teams. Once a team has finished the process, the oversight is shifted to a mentor for a period of time. Three of the seven congregations are in the mentor stage of development. Coaches for teams meet together somewhat regularly.
There have been canonical changes in our diocesan canons to more fully incorporate the ministry development team structure as part of diocesan way of life. The Standing committee and Commission on Ministry are currently reviewing disciplinary procedures that need to be in the canons concerning the non-ordained people commissioned to serve on the team. The ordained people are covered under Title IV of the Constitution and Canons of The Episcopal Church.
The Commission on Ministry has tasked a small group to review the curriculum for these Ministry Development Teams and that will be happening this year and into 2011.
Fall 2009
Ministry Development has been about Shared Ministry in 2009. The diocese again, as in 2008, hosted Living Stones, a consortium of two dozen dioceses in Canada and the United States that covenant together as a learning community about the ministry of all the baptized. Five ministry development team members, David Smith, Jeannette Pillsbury, Judy Thayer, Barbara Easley, and Kathy Halverson-Rigatuso of the four congregations furthest through the process (Decorah, Coralville, Fort Madison and Glenwood) presented their perceptions of the Iowa Process, received feedback, and then reported back to the bishop and diocesan staff, generating a list of next steps for deeper institutionalization and integration of the system in the diocese of Iowa. Southeast Chapter continues to explore the possibility of regional sharing of leadership, including traditionally trained clergy, a ministry development team, non-parochial clergy, and strong lay leadership in other congregations. The call of John Horn as Rector to Christ Church, Burlington included this explicit understanding. Team members from the eastern side of the diocese came together at Trinity, Iowa City for a pre-Holy Week retreat with the bishop that focused on spiritual development for ministry, using Henri Nouwen’s book In the Name of Jesus.
The smallest Ministry Development Team, St. Paul’s, Creston was the first to be commissioned in June, 2009, with Dale Minner commissioned as parish administrator and spiritual leader, and Al Mackdanz as prophet and sharer of God’s love. Al was promptly sent as a missionary to Arizona. New Song, Coralville and St. Luke’s, Fort Madison successfully completed their comprehensive exams. Jane Stewart, John Greve and Jennifer Masada have been ordained to the transitional diaconate at New Song in July. Their priesting and the commissioning of other team members, Rebecca Gbasha, Judy Thayer, Sharon Hunter and Ann Hulme await further conversations and decisions about how New Song will operate as a mutual ministry congregation. Ordinations to transition diaconate for Barbara Easley, Lyle Brown and Jim Kannenberg will take place in October, 2009 at St. Luke’s, with their priesting, ordination to the diaconate for Marilyn Wentzien and Shelley Dowling, the commissioning of the team including Alyce Lair and renewal of baptism vows for the entire congregation to occur in the winter of 2010. Meanwhile, their second team continues formation. The team at St. Paul’s, Glenwood is preparing for their comprehensive exam.
Other teams in formation include St. John’s, Shenandoah, Calvary, Sioux City, St. Paul’s, Council Bluffs. All teams continue to be strengthened and enriched by the generosity of their coaches and the congregations that share their clergy with MDT congregations for this vital work. A wider circle of diocesan leaders has participated in the development of a mentoring program for congregations with commissioned teams. Even non-Episcopalians share their ministries as consultants, teachers and contributors to the Iowa Curriculum.
Ministry Development has been about Strengthening Congregations in 2009. The various providers of continuing education to the diocese coordinated efforts to provide the E-Seminary course on Sacraments and Pastoral Care taught by the Rev. Tom Gehlsen in the fall of 2009, and the Ministries School tracks on Preaching, the Rev. Jean McCarthy, Lector Training, Donna Scarfe, and Church Marketing and Scenario Planning, the Rev. Mitchell Smith.
Ministry Development has been about Next Generations in 2009. A passion for evangelism is foundational to the Iowa Curriculum, training people to tell their faith stories, read the bible and lead bible study, put their ideas and beliefs into words, express the Gospel through the arts, talk to strangers, examine their local contexts for mission opportunities, and lead their congregations through visioning, clarifying mission, and planning ministry. Bishop Scarfe leads a track every year at the Ministries School and Retreat for those exploring vocation. In 2009 this track was specifically for those aged 16-30.
Ministry Development has been about Anglican Identity in 2009. The diocese of Swaziland has most graciously loaned us one of their missioners, the Rev. Charles Kunene, to serve St. John’s Church in Glenwood, St. John’s in Shenandoah and All Angels Church in Red Oak, coaching Ministry Development Teams in Glenwood and Shenandoah. Charles brings experience of leadership development in several congregations in Swaziland, as he learns about our approach to learning within teams. He and Willa Goodfellow attended a weekend introduction to the Wyoming plan for total ministry in the spring of 2009.
Ministry Development is not a “one-size fits all” program. It will continue to be about sharing resources, strengthening congregations, next generations, and Anglican identity in the next year in many and various ways, as it engages the participation of leaders within the congregations of the diocese to be in mission with Christ, through each and all.
July 2008
Ministry Development has been about Shared Ministry in 2008. The diocese hosted Living Stones, a consortium of two dozen dioceses in Canada and the United States that covenant together as a learning community about the ministry of all the baptized. Our case study this year was about Christ Church, Cedar Rapids. They are developing teams for ministry with young families and with older people. Living Stones dioceses learned how a program-sized church implements baptismal ministry. We received suggestions to enhance the development of these ministers. Sacred Goose Chapter is exploring the possibility of regional sharing of leadership, including traditionally trained clergy, a ministry development team, resident non-parochial clergy, and strong lay leadership in other congregations. Forty-eight diocesan leaders, team members, and exploring congregations came together in the Spring in two forums on the Ministry Development Team Process to clarifying understandings, provide feedback and consult with one another on how best to shape the ministry of their particular congregations to accomplish their particular mission. The Ministry Development Teams on the western side of the diocese are planning a fall gathering for mutual story telling and learning. All ten current Ministry Development Teams continue to be strengthened and enriched by the generosity of their coaches and the congregations that share their clergy with MDT congregations for this vital work. A wider circle of diocesan leaders has participated in the development of a mentoring program for teams. Even non-Episcopalians share their ministries as consultants, teac hers and contributors to the Iowa Curriculum.
Ministry Development has been about Strengthening Congregations in 2008. In the fall of 2007, New Song, Coralville sponsored a workshop on systems thought in congregations, providing skills for conflict resolution. In the Spring, Trinity, Iowa City offered to the diocese a workshop with Dr. Ruth Myers from Seabury Western Theological Seminary on baptismal ministry and missional worship. The various providers of continuing education to the diocese coordinated efforts to provide the Ministries School track on Practicing Congregations taught by the Rev. Ron Osborne and the E-Seminary course on Congregational Development taught by the Rev. Georgia Humphrey.
Ministry Development has been about Next Generations in 2008. A passion for evangelism is foundational to the Iowa Curriculum, training people to tell their faith stories, read the bible and lead bible study, put their ideas and beliefs into words, express the Gospel through the arts, talk to strangers, examine their local contexts for mission opportunities, and lead their congregations through visioning, clarifying mission, and planning ministry.
Ministry Development has been about Anglican Identity in 2008. The diocese of Swaziland has most graciously loaned us one of their missioners, the Rev. Charles Kunene, to serve St. John’s Church in Glenwood, St. John’s in Shenandoah and All Angels Church in Red Oak, coaching Ministry Development Teams in Glenwood and Shenandoah. Charles brings experience of leadership development in several congregations in Swaziland, as he learns about our approach to learning within teams.
Ministry Development is not a “one-size fits all” program. It will continue to be about sharing resources, strengthening congregations, next generations, and Anglican identity in the next year in many and various ways, as it engages the participation of leaders within the congregations of the diocese to be in mission with Christ, through each and all.
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November 2007
What has been happening in the Ministry Development Team Process?
In 2007, the Basic Unit of the Iowa Curriculum was completed. Curriculum revision is now underway. Several processes have been developed and tried, including the congregational forums for candidacy and the candidacy interviews with the Commission on Ministry. The COM has completed an outline of all ordination processes, including the MDT process. The Standing Committee has interviewed one team for candidacy. An Ordination Exam for teams is in draft form. Teams continue their development. Several teams attended the anti-racism training offered at the Ministries Retreat in the summer. Teams are working on the various canonically required trainings. New coaches were trained in November 2007, either to replace retiring coaches or to be prepared for future teams.
What are the current Ministry Development Teams in Iowa doing?
As of November, 2007 there are nine MDT’s in various stages of formation:
The first team at New Song, Coralville are candidates, with three team members identified for priesthood, one administrator, and two general team members. They are nearing the completion of the forty session basic unit of the curriculum, and will be making their individualized continuing education plans. Willa Goodfellow and Anne Williams are coaches.
St. Luke’s, Fort Madison has completed their congregational forums for candidacy, with three identified as priest, two as deacon, and one as administrator. They are nearing the end of the curriculum, and preparing for their candidacy interviews. Willa Goodfellow and Pat Genereux are coaches. Bruce Blois retired as coach in October, 2007.
Grace, Decorah is half-way through the curriculum, and doing individualized discernment sessions before beginning the congregational forum process for candidacy. Ellen Bruckner is coach; Maureen Doherty has resigned as coach; Sean Burke is a priest on the faculty of Luther College and provides theological resourcing.
Calvary, Sioux City approaches the end of the third unit, and will begin preparing for candidacy forums in 2008. Ernie Caltvedt is their coach.
St. John’s, Glenwood are postulants, also beginning to look at candidacy forums. Tim Vann will be retiring as coach at the end of 2007. Charles Kunene will become their coach.
St. Paul’s, Creston has Alan Scarfe and Margaret Weiner as coaches. St. John’s, Shenandoah has Tim Vann retiring from coaching, with Charles Kunene replacing. Tim Vann will continue to coach St. Paul’s, Council Bluff. A second team at New Song, Coralville has begun the first unit, with Willa Goodfellow and John Harper as coaches. These teams are not yet postulants.
Each team studies scripture (reading the bible from cover to cover), the traditions of the Church, and the Book of Common Prayer. They develop skills in listening, preaching and congregational development. They cultivate attitudes of servant leadership. They grow in their identity as baptized members of Christ’s Body and discern their particular gifts and calls to service.
What are these “candidacy forums”?
The candidacy forums are part of how the MDT process interfaces with the canonical process for ordination. In the national canons, candidacy is a time of formal preparation for the role to be fulfilled by the ordained person. In the MDT process, people are formed to exercise spiritual leadership within a specific congregation. The roles are ascertained according to the specific ministries of the congregation. The MDT in formation leads the congregation through a process designed to clarify the mission of the congregation, the specific ministries required to fulfill that mission, the kinds of leaders required to assist the congregation in carrying out those ministries, and finally, the persons whom the congregation believes to be called to be those leaders. These forums lead to a confirmation and increased clarity (or not) of the original discernment that called the team, evaluates the current needs of the congregation, and calls a second set of leaders out of the congregation to begin their own formation, in response to the growth or reassessment of the ministry of the congregation since the discerning of the first team. The forums establish the habit of periodic reassessment of mission, ministry, and leadership needs, so that ministry development does not stop once a priest has been identified and put in place.
Where is this process headed in Iowa?
The first priority for 2008 is the continued communication with the diocese about the nature and progress of this form of ministry. The first weekend in April is the tentative date for a discussion for leaders of congregations interested to know more about how the concept of teams developed and how the process works in Iowa.
Curriculum revision will continue in 2008, evaluating the current curriculum for its adequacy in addressing the competencies to be expected in teams at the time of commissioning. The bibliography will be expanded, and evaluation processes examined.
Continuing education is expected of team members after commissioning and ordinations, as it is required in the canons of all the ordained. In 2007, directors of the MDT process, E-seminary and the Ministries Retreat began to coordinate their programs. This coordination and corporate curriculum design will continue and develop further in 2008, to meet the variety of formation and education for ministry needs of the diocese.
The congregations pursuing this new structure of ministry are doing so in order to address ministry needs within their congregations and their communities. Teams will expand their abilities to reach out to other, with the first ordinations under this process taking place in 2008. One issue to be addressed in the coming year is representation at diocesan convention. Our current canons, which assume that all ordained persons will have seat, voice and vote at convention, were designed with a different model in place. The addition of numbers of clergy from teams would disrupt the current balance of lay and ordained, seminary-trained and alternatively-trained, large church and small church. Various perspectives and proposals for canonical changes are being discussed, in anticipation of a resolution to be presented at the 2008 diocesan convention.
We continue to consult with Living Stones dioceses, including places that are engaged in similar ministry development, some for many years more than Iowa. We have our own vision and adapt their learnings to our context. Conversations are taking place in chapters and clergy gatherings about adaptations that may be needed to strengthen and support all the different kinds of congregations within one diocese, those led by rectors or vicars, those led by teams, and those led by wardens. The Living Stones case study to be presented in 2008 will be on a different pattern, the ministry teams that Christ Church, Cedar Rapids is developing to work in particular areas of ministry, senior and families with young children.
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View/Download "Ministry Development in Iowa" brochure (prints on legal sized paper)
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