|
Areas of Focus within the Program
A
CDI
prepares leaders who facilitate congregations in
a process of transformation, and understand and manage
themselves in the leadership role.
This includes providing knowledge
and skill training for:
Assessing the congregation
- as a Christian
community with unique dynamics and goals
- as an organization
with many of the same dynamics, opportunities, and
difficulties as any other organization
- in relationship to
the external forces and trends of the larger society
and Church
Establishing a clear direction
and vision
- which is grounded
in the Church’s mission and identity
- that attends to a
long-term, systemic development
- that fits the
particular congregation
- that places
immediate needs and crises within a broader approach
to the parish’s development
Navigating toward the
congregation’s vision
- with self-directed
and flexible leadership
- using skills to
negotiate movement toward the vision
Managing the dynamics of the
transformation process
- dealing with
conflict and resistance
- managing the
polarity of change and stability
- putting in place
the structures, processes, and climate needed for
development
- developing leaders
in the congregation
Developing a leadership style
- with the
flexibility to provide leadership that fits the
congregation’s culture and life cycle
- that is self
differentiated
- that empowers
others, increasing the capacity of individuals and
teams for self-management
- that attends to the
spiritual life of the leader
Specific Topics Included in a
CDI
Shaping parish life to
enable effective Christian formation, learning to
develop an overall strategy for development in
congregations; creating development projects; grounding
strategy in the unique purpose, identity and dynamics of
the church and sound organizational development. Using
peers as a support and resource. Learning to use four
core frameworks in congregational development.
Issues of organizational
culture (the congregation, Anglican, worship),
values-centered organizations, Benedictine spirituality,
defining and marketing the congregation, strategies for
growth and evangelization, size issues and dynamics,
organizational life cycle, understanding the
congregation as a system.
Pastoral oversight,
self-differentiated leadership, type and leadership
roles from which organization development efforts are
initiated, strategic management, increasing
participation and shared leadership, dynamics of change,
organizational improvement process (a process of planned
change), the relationship cycle in organizations.
Contextual issues (values
groupings, a fragmented world, assessing the impact on a
congregation), responding to a changing context, trust
development and conflict management, the role of the
diocese in congregational development.
CDI's
Approach
CDI's
content and training methodology are shaped by an
approach that is:
Practical
-- Designed to
provide skills and methods, grounded in successful
congregational development efforts
Grounded in
Anglican Spirituality and Identity
-- Focuses on the spirituality of the community, its
character and culture; on the spirituality of leaders
and its effect on the church community; and on models
for development rooted in Anglican tradition. Includes
the Eucharist and Daily Office in its community life.
Innovative
-- Draws on the emerging methods used in non-profit,
corporate, and church organizations.
Competency Oriented
-- Equips leaders of congregations of all sizes with the
resources they need. Our desired outcome is competent
leadership on the part of parish and diocesan staff and
consultants that is rooted in the experience, research,
and methods of congregational and organization
development.
Community Centered
-- We come together as a learning community. We share
responsibility for our learning and community life. We
strive for an open, non-defensive climate in which there
is an ability to give and receive supportive and
challenging feedback.
Orientation: Beliefs that Guide Our Efforts
1. We believe that
congregations of all sizes can live a full Christian
life. The task is to create a fit between their size,
resources, and vision for ministry
2. We believe that the
congregation is a local expression of the Body of
Christ, the People of God. The task is to build the
congregation’s life and future on a deep appreciation of
its distinctive qualities and strengths.
3. We believe that
congregational development involves striving as a
community of faith toward God. It is not primarily
something we do, create or make happen. It is more the
way in
which a congregation shares
in the Divine Life; enters into and reflects the unity,
holiness, catholicity and apostolicity of the Church.
It is living the Christian life, not simply as
individuals, but as a people. The task is for the
congregation to discern and act on the Spirit’s movement
in its life.
4. We believe that
there is much to learn and use from the research and
experimentation of secular
organizations. The task is to appropriately adapt those
resources to the Church’s nature and mission.
5. We believe that the
relationship between congregations and the diocese is
important in the
work of congregational
development. The task is to build a higher level of
trust between congregations and dioceses and to help
dioceses better organize themselves to enable
congregational development.
6. We believe that it is
through the diocese that most congregations can best be
resourced for
their congregational
development efforts; not through national programs
providing expert advice. The task is to build the
capacity of dioceses for this ministry; to establish a
significant number of skilled leaders, consultants and
strategists in the diocese who are supported by a
broader network of prayer, coaching, training, research
and learning.
What Makes This Program Different from Other Programs
The program offers a
comprehensive, core program in congregational
development that stands out from other such programs in
the following ways:
- Flexibility
– A participant can take the core program in one of
several dioceses or on Deer Isle, Maine. You may
also decide to participate in a certificate program
in leadership or consulting.
- Experience and
Size – The program is the largest program of its
size with many years of training experience. In the
various forms the comprehensive program has been
offered, over 700 people have participated.
- Practical and
Competency Oriented – Staff has significant
experience in the parish and diocese.
- Grounded in
Anglican Spirituality and Identity – Issues of
the corporate spirituality of a congregation and the
spiritual formation of individuals are at the center
of the course.
- Innovative
–Draws on emerging methods used in non-profit,
corporate and church organizations.
- Values and
Addresses the Needs of All Parish Sizes and Various
Contexts –
Participants have come from all sizes of
congregations and have expressed satisfaction with
the help they received. The course assumes that
congregations of any size can live a full Christian
life. Participants have come from urban, suburban
and town settings; from the South, West, Midwest,
East and overseas. They have reported a high level
of satisfaction with how the program has served them
in their various communities.
- Values the Role
of the Diocese - We believe that the
relationship between congregations and the diocese
is important in the work of congregational
development. The task is to build a higher level of
trust between congregations and dioceses and to help
dioceses better organize themselves to enable
congregational development. It is through the
diocese that most congregations can best be
resourced for their congregational development
efforts; not through national programs providing
expert advice. The task is to build the capacity of
dioceses for this ministry; to establish a
significant number of skilled leaders, consultants
and strategists in the diocese who are supported by
a broader network of prayer, coaching, training,
research and learning.
History
The work of the course
is grounded in the disciplines of pastoral theology,
ecclesiology, congregational studies, organizational
behavior and development, and leadership studies.
Bob Gallagher developed
the program in 1978 for the Diocese of Pennsylvania
as a two-year training program for parish
development consultants. The program was expanded in
1981 as a two-year parish leadership-training
program in the Diocese of Connecticut. In 1985 the
Church Development Institute in New York City was
launched and the program was repackaged as a
three-phase program.
Phase 1 - Two weeks of
workshops (55 instructional hours); also
participation in building a learning community,
worship and social time.
Phase 2
-- Reading in the
field (see
Reading List used in all
CDI's)
-- Designing,
implementing and reporting on congregational
development projects
--Work with a
Learning-Application Team
Phase 3 - Two weeks of
workshops (55 instructional hours), participation in
building a learning community, worship and social
time.
From 1985 - 1995 the
Institute was cosponsored by General Seminary and
the Order of the Ascension. From 1995 to 2000 GTS
took more responsibility for the program,
underwriting the cost of expanding the program to
dioceses and developing materials. In 2001 the
program moved to Deer Isle, Maine and to Seattle in
2006.
In 1992, a variety of
one-week workshops were added and offered in the
weeks prior to the Institute. From 1995 - 2001 a second
CDI
was offered
at the School of Theology, University of the South.
CDI-NYC
then moved to Deer Isle, Maine and later Seattle,
WA. It is now sponsored by
CDI
Trainers.
CDI
is currently offered in the dioceses of
Northern Indiana, Atlanta,
Washington, Milwaukee, and Colorado. Several other
dioceses have completed
CDI
programs; others are preparing to begin
CDI's.
The format varies among dioceses – in some eight or
six long weekends over two years, in others a series
of Saturdays. All offer the same amount of workshop
hours and material.
Also see -
The History of Congregational Development in the
Episcopal Church
The Seattle
program includes everything that is part of any
CDI but
tends to be more experiential in its method than other
CDI's.
|
