Reports on the Living the Covenant Consultation
at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN, June 1999
Other Total Ministry LINKS
Reports from Spirit of the Heartland Representatives:
Several of us from Spirit of the Heartland attended an international consultation – "Living the Covenant" -- focused primarily on total ministry, as a way of living out our baptismal covenant. It was a wonderful opportunity to learn from people who have been using the total ministry model, some for as long as 25 years. We learned a lot and you can expect to hear from those who attended the consultation in the next few newsletters.
By way of summary, from my point of view, for us right now the consultation offered both good news and bad news.
Good news! It was really encouraging to hear the stories of thriving churches and clusters of churches that are ministering together led by ministry teams. The Spirit is alive and well in them. The "survival mode" attitude is left behind. They grow in ministry and mission, in members and money. Each congregation is different, and every parish has had it's difficult moments, but they are all enthusiastic about this model of ministry. Based on their experiences, there are exciting and rewarding days ahead for our Spirit of the Heartland churches.
Bad news. We checked out many alternatives for preparing for total ministry and all of them take a real commitment of time and money. There's just no way to replace someone who spent three full years of full-time preparation without a significant investment of time and money. The programs for team training and formation take from two to five years or more and most expect around 12 hours a month from team members, initially in training/formation and later in ministry. Most programs cost around $300 per year per minister or more.
But then there's good news again. In our process of discernment we have discovered that there are many people with gifts for ministry in our churches. We have also discovered that there is money available to help, from grants and from the Episcopal Center. The really good news underlying all the total ministry stories we heard at "Living the Covenant" is that the Holy Spirit gives every congregation everything it needs to do the work God hopes for us to do.
In our Spirit of the Heartland congregations we have been blessed with many gifts. Now it's time for us to use those gifts to bless one another and our neighbors.
The time spent at St. Olaf for the Total/Team/Mutual/Cluster Ministry conference was definitely time well spent - despite the great lack of accessibility for those of us with disabilities. Anyone who knows me, knows that usually I won't put up for very long with those kinds of problems. But this time, I hung in there and am very glad that I did! What kept me going was the people and the process and a real need to speak with other people who have been where we are. I was hungry to find out what worked for them and what didn't and to glean all the suggestions and information that I could. And I did!
Even more than information though, I kept finding myself wishing more people from the Spirit of the Heartland had been able to attend. The atmosphere of prayfulness, openness, excitement, hope, determination, unity and humor was inspiring. That atmosphere was so welcoming. It filled my "tank" when I was sure that it was bone dry and I couldn't go up another flight of steps. The Spirit was so alive and moving among people who had stepped out in faith and decided to trust that what they were doing in their ministry teams was what they were called to do.
I went to workshops and listened to people and teams from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Nebraska, Canadian Provinces, Middlesex/Hartford, Alaska, Kansas, Iowa, Nevada, New York, Minnesota, Hawaii, Africa, and New Zealand talk about how their churches had grown; about how surprised some of the team ministers were to discover that they indeed were called and had gifts they hadn't been aware of; about all the Mission/Outreach work they were able to do with Total Ministry; and about the blessings they had experienced as a result of taking the risks as individuals and congregations to listen to the call of our baptismal covenant.
The workshops were so filled with information and handouts, that it would be impossible to briefly relay the content. I would be happy to sit down with anyone who wants more specifics and go over my notes and handouts.
There was also ample opportunity to network in groups and to speak one-to-one with people. And although the actual workshops were very informative and inspiring, it was the time spent in conversation with others in various stages of the discernment process or the team formation process that validated the fear and confusion and "on-edge" feelings of the congregations moving into Total Ministry. How silly of me to have doubted what the Holy Spirit had called us to do! Prayer is foundational in Total Ministry. Change is confusing and frightening, but need not be paralyzing if we are prayerful and step out in faith on this journey.
I came away from the conference physically exhausted but emotionally and spiritually renewed in my faith and in my determination to listen to what the Spirit is saying and calling us to do as members of the Body of Christ in today's world.
In June, I had the privilege of attending the international conference on total ministry, Living the Covenant, held at St. Olaf's College in Northfield, Minnesota. This was made possible by a grant which Spirit of the Heartland received from the Diocese. It was an exciting and exhilarating experience which will take a long time to fully absorb.
As I reflect on my time at the conference, what stands out most clearly to me is the evidence of the Spirit at work in this movement. There were people from all over the country, and all over the world at this event. The organizers were worried that not many folks would come. They hoped that at least 200 people would attend. There were over 450 participants! People from large and small congregations were there, exchanging information and hopes, visions, and dreams. The energy was palpable, and I could not help but be swept up by it.
There is indeed a new vision emerging in the Anglican Communion, sweeping us back to our earliest roots where ministry is no longer what a priest does for the people, but the life of faith lived out in the world by all of the baptized. This vision embraces growth and seeks to celebrate the gifts of all Christians. It does not operate out of a theology of scarcity, but out of a theology of abundance. By discerning, and fostering the gifts of all of the baptized, we are invited to use the gifts that give us joy and fulfillment. Total ministry offers each of us the opportunity to use the gifts and talents which God gave us to do God's work. It offers opportunities to excel, to grow, to learn, and to really live out our baptismal covenant. In that covenant, we are asked if we will continue in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers; and will we proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ; and will we seek and serve Christ in all persons. Total ministry offers us an environment where we can be supported and nurtured in our efforts to live out that covenant. Thus the ministry supports the church, rather than the church supporting the ministry. Our worship becomes communal in a much deeper way and Eucharist becomes the work of the people. The presence of God is displayed in the unfolding of each person as they use their God-given gifts.
This may all sound rather heady and idealistic. At least I initially had such suspicions. But then we had the opportunity to attend workshops put on by total ministry teams from everywhere from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to the southwest deserts of Arizona. The stories of growth and expansion, of deepening and maturing faith, of the possibilities for the Body of Christ were remarkable, and they nourished my soul. These weren't seminary trained priests and deacons. These were home-trained laity through whom the light of the Spirt shined with a glow that was radiant. They didn't try to pretend that they hadn't encountered stumbling blocks, or that they weren't initially scared and unsure. They told stories of foibles and successes with equal enthusiasm.
When we first started our exploration of total ministry in our central Minnesota churches, I felt that it was our only chance - that if we didn't pursue total ministry, we would die. After attending the conference, I believe that we have been given a remarkable gift by the Spirit of the Living God. We are part of a movement which is being led by the Spirit and is offering us the opportunity to be part of bringing the Kingdom of God here on earth, as it is in heaven. More than ever, I am looking forward to ministering with my sisters and brothers in the Body of Christ.
LIVING THE COVENENT REPORT
I was overwhelmed by the conference in St. Olaf on Total Ministry.
It was a surprise to me that so many people are already involved in this
concept.
It was also a surprise to me that people from all around the world are
involved in this ministry.
I thought the conference was well planned in spite of the unexpected number
of people attending. I liked the format they used. We had morning worship
and a session with all the attendees which lasted until noon. Each day had
a different keynote speaker on a different topic. After a break we had an
opportunity to challenge the speaker. People responded well to this
opportunity.
After lunch we had a choice of 44 workshops. In addition to those
workshops they provided a way for other topics if you couldn't find
something in the 44 on the list or just wanted to discuss some other
topics. People signed up and were given a place to hold their discussion.
We also had time for one-on-one conversations with each other.
Living the Covenant
My time at St. Olaf was limited because of another commitment; hence I
attended only the first day and evening, and missed some of the
workshops I would have wanted to hear (especially the one on lay
preaching). Because my work with Spirit of the Heartland mainly involves
education and training, my special focus was on the preparation of team
ministers. There was an excellent workshop on that subject the first
day, complete with informative handouts and good insights into the
psychology and special needs of people entering team ministry.
I also attended a session on rural ministry. It was somewhat specific
to Appalachia; nevertheless, there was plenty of food for thought about
the ways in which a team of ministers can make a difference in far-flung
parishes that a single priest or deacon acting alone can never achieve.
Thus far in Spirit of the Heartland we have focused mainly on discerning
and calling our ministers, equipping them with the skills and strengths
they need, and sustaining our congregations during the training period
and beyond. Eventually (and perhaps sooner rather than later) we must
begin to think of how, not only "then" when everything is in place, but
already "now" as we are taking these first steps, this New Thing that
the Holy Spirit is working among us is going to bring about other
startling new things we have not even imagined yet. After all, we're not
just changing the light bulb - we're changing the world!
Read the Keynote Addresses from the Living The Covenant Conference at St. Olaf
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