By Kim Shockley, Coordinator of Lay Excellence
As I move steadily toward retirement at the end of 2023, I want to reflect with you about how much I have enjoyed working throughout the Susquehanna Conference as your Coordinator of Lay Excellence. Most of my time has been invested in re-ordering how our Lay Servant Ministries function throughout the Conference. That has included working with the District Chairpersons and updating all of the certification processes for Lay Speakers and Lay Ministers. It has been a joy to see how many of our lay people are engaged in significant leadership roles throughout all of our Districts.
Developing and mentoring Goal Companions in a coach approach to ministry has also been quite fulfilling. As an International Coach Federation credentialed coach, I have helped to train and mentor this process in others. Right now, we have an active group of Goal Companions who will come alongside you as a leader, or your leadership team as all of us live into how God is calling us now. Goal Companions will help to focus, navigate through obstacles, and provide healthy accountability to the goals that you establish. There is a page dedicated to our coach approach through the Grow-Equip-Connect web presence: susumc.org/gec-coaching/
My greatest joy has been working with our Goal Companions to lead Clarity Days for local congregations. We help to clarify the foundation of why a church exists, how it behaves, what it does, and how it will be successful. This new foundation is used as a strategic focus for all decisions, planning and evaluation of the ministry. Thank you to those who have participated in this process!
Several times I have been asked what our congregations should be doing to make a difference today. There are three things that I would like to share with you:
Find ways to talk about how we see God at work in our communities. This is more than seeing a lovely bird or flower—it is about how we see the changes for good in our communities. Is there a teacher or community leader that is making a positive influence on others? Where do we see people gathering for positive conversation? Who is leading an effort to make other people’s lives better? These may not be overtly Christian endeavors, so look to see if the behaviors and values match your own for potential partnerships.
Encourage each person in your congregation to see every person they meet as a person who is loved by God. This is particularly hard in some communities where the hurt and pain from difficult experiences color our perceptions of the people we meet. These people are still loved by God and have value, so seeing them in that way may be helpful to overall transformation of our community and God’s redemption in their own lives.
Remember, who we are is more important than what we do, and what we do is an opportunity to show who we are. Our behavior matters—everywhere we go! If I am grumpy with my server or don’t offer a gratuity, that affects my reputation. If I am a rude driver, that hurts my witness of Jesus. Everything we do, everything we say, is our witness of Jesus’ work in our own lives. Galatians 5:22-23 gives us the best formula for living like there is evidence of God’s Spirit within us: The Holy Spirit produces a different kind of fruit: unconditional love, joy, peace, patience, kindheartedness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. You won’t find any law opposed to fruit like this. (The Voice) Our behavior matters!
I want to leave you with this blessing that I discovered a few years ago. It comes from Brian as his gift offered at Burning Man in 2015.
The world now is too dangerous,
And too beautiful for anything but love.
May your eyes be so blessed you see God in everyone.
Your ears, so you hear the cry of the poor.
May your hands be so blessed,
That everything you touch is a sacrament.
Your lips, so you speak nothing but the truth with love.
May your feet be so blessed you run,
To those who need you.
And may your heart be so opened,
So set on fire, that your love,
Your love, changes everything.
