wfn.org | [PCUSANEWS] 'Post-it notes don't do it'

[PCUSA NEWS <PCUSA.NEWS@ECUNET.ORG>]

Note #8405 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

'Post-it notes don't do it'
GA04111
July 2, 2004

'Post-it notes don't do it'

Real partnership means genuine sharing of power, Andrews says

by Evan Silverstein

RICHMOND, July 2 - Building partnerships between pastors and educators in
ways that yield "rich fruit for the life of the church" was former Moderator
Susan Andrews' topic Thursday at the Assembly luncheon of the Association of
Presbyterian Church Educators (APCE).

APCE is a professional ecumenical organization that serves the educational
ministries of the Reformed family of churches. Andrews, the moderator of last
year's Assembly and the pastor of Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church in
Bethesda, MD, was the featured speaker at the annual event.

She discussed power, communication and accountability as key aspects of
building a closer relationship between clergy, educators and other church
staff.

She said pastors and educators working together as partners and servant
leaders can be important assets to their congregations and the Presbyterian
Church (USA).

Such "team ministries" can be built through clear communication,
accountability and shared power, she said, adding that "shared power" must be
more than an empty phrase - must be realized in benefits, salary structures
and visibility and exercised in a way that "empowers staff people and gives
them authority in the eyes" of the congregation.

"I believe that when educators have visibility, voice and clear authority
invested in them for leadership," she said, "the education program is more
vital and more effective."

Building a fruitful relationship between pastor, educator and staff takes
time, she said - time to talk, to dream, to pray, and to evaluate.

"Post-it notes don't do it," she said. "Voice mail messages don't do it.
Email messages don't do it either. The only way it works is to sit down
face-to-face for long periods of time."

As time-consuming and tiring as that process may be, she said, "it really
bears fruit in terms of quality worship, in terms of quality programming,"
and in terms of congregational health.

She said accountability is also crucial: "Accountability to what we say we're
going to do, in small things and big things, simply must happen if there's
going to be a fruitful relationship between pastor, educator and the rest of
the staff and an effective team ministry."

This story and many others may have photos, media, video clips that can be
found at http://www.pcusa.org/ga216/.

To subscribe or unsubscribe, please send an email to
pcusanews-subscribe-request@halak.pcusa.org or
pcusanews-unsubscribe-request@halak.pcusa.org

To contact the owner of the list, please send an email to
pcusanews-request@halak.pcusa.org