Episcopal Life Online Daybook -- Today is Thursday, August 23, 2007.
* Today in Scripture: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/82457_ENG_HTM.htm * Today in Prayer: Anglican Cycle of Prayer: http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acp/index.cfm * Today in History: On this day in 1948, the World Council of Churches was formally constituted in Amsterdam.
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PEOPLE
Virginia Seminary taps Tim Sedgwick as new dean of Academic Affairs http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81831_89287_ENG_HTM.htm
Sheryl Kujawa-Holbrook to deliver fourth annual St. Margaret's Lecture at
CDSP
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81831_89237_ENG_HTM.htm
Simon Barnes named American Bible Society's executive VP for Development and Marketing http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81831_89285_ENG_HTM.htm
More People: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81831_ENG_HTM.htm
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Catalyst: "Humble Leadership: Being Radically Open to God's Guidance and Grace" from the Alban Institute, by N. Graham Standish, 186 pages, paperback, c. 2007, $18
[Source: The Alban Institute] Acting as a spiritual director, friend, and coach, Graham Standish draws readers into a deeper place to reflect upon their attitudes, motives, and practices of religious leadership.
Leadership is a popular topic with clergy and religious leaders -- perhaps because so many ministers and church leaders feel challenged or inadequate when it comes to the task of leading their congregations and institutions. Especially in a time of cultural anxiety and change, when many churches are struggling for members, resources, and a renewed sense of mission, everyone recognizes that excellent leaders are needed.
Standish cuts through the fog of conflict, trendy approaches, and success-driven styles of leadership and poses a different set of questions: What makes for a spiritual leader? How can a leader draw others to God? What does leadership that is faithful and effective look like? He eschews leadership based on "businesslike functionalism," a kind of leadership driven by quantifiable results. Instead, he delves into the tradition of Christian mysticism and draws out a historical narrative of humble leadership, a disposition of the soul that is "radically open to God's guidance and grace." This disposition creates an ability to move away from self-centered desires of power and control toward a genuine spiritual maturity that enables leaders to be appropriately self-aware, committed to others, and God-focused. -- Diana Butler Bass
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