Leadership Discernment Retreat for New Episcopal Communities

New Episcopal Community Leadership Discernment

Format: Hybrid
Dates: November 18, 25 and December 2, 9
Cost: $350

About the process:
Self-knowledge and assessment of one’s own particular gifts for leadership are immensely important for deciding whether or not you are called to start a New Episcopal Community from scratch. There are certain questions that we feel it is important for any new faith community leader to be asking themself, including about your intrinsic motivation for taking on this work, missional theology, how you might lead and work with a team, and the strength and readiness of your social base.

Our discernment process is designed to give you feedback around the areas of competency found in the Episcopal Church Assessment Grid.  At the end of the process, you will be offered feedback and a recommendation of “it’s a fit,” “it’s not a fit,” or “it’s potentially a fit.”   You can watch this video to learn more about the characteristics we discern for.

Who is this Discernment Process for?
This Discernment event is best attended by the point leader, or co-point leaders of a New Episcopal Community – otherwise known as the “church planter.”  Your whole team should not attend (though you may gain some tools that you will want to take home to them!)

We understand a New Episcopal Community to be a newly gathered community of people who want to care for one another, love their neighbors and to pray and worship God together.

We think that the questions, activities and feedback our team offers can be helpful in any stage of the church planting journey.  However, most leaders attend either before their new community has launched, or within the first year or two of launching.

This Discernment event is REQUIRED of all applicants for New Episcopal Community grant funding (note: you only have to attend once)

The Format:
We invite you to fill out a detailed Participant Questionnaire, a Social Base Questionnaire, and to take the Clifton Strengths Top 5 assessment. Your responses are held in confidence but give team members a fuller idea of who you are and how to ask you the relevant questions that will help you discern your leadership of a New Episcopal Community.

We then meet as a small group (up to 10 participants and up to 6 team members) from 12:00-5:00pm Eastern on the following days:

• Monday, Nov 11
• Monday, Nov 18
• Monday, Nov 25
• Monday, Dec 2

There will be assignments to complete in between our online gatherings.  Monday, Dec 2 will be dedicated to individual interviews with each participant, which helps our team get to know you on a more personal level and offer more relevant and helpful feedback.

If you have any questions about the event or need to make a change to your registration, or if you are interested in attending but cannot secure financial assistance from your diocese/parish, please contact the Rev. Katie Nakamura Rengers at krengers@episcopalchurch.org