New Call Orientation
When a new pastor comes to a congregation, there is a honeymoon period that can last as long as two years, or as little as two weeks!
Those first months of a new call are critical to both the pastor and congregation to form healthy habits and dialog to arrive safely at a longer-term ministry.
LCMC is offering a New Call Orientation workshop this fall to help pastors and congregations to get off on the right foot. There will be two opportunities to attend the online Zoom training: Saturday, September 17 from 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. CDT or Thursday, October 20 from 12:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. CDT.
We ask that both the pastor and at least one congregational leader (preferably more!) be present to engage in dialog and mutual learning.
What our conflict coaches have experienced during these past years of working in congregations is that there are several crucial areas that can lead to conflict in a congregation. Decisions surrounding worship, pastoral styles of leadership, visitation of members, use of social media, and relationship between pastor and church council are just a few of the numerous areas of concern for both pastor and lay leaders. But the question is, how do we have fruitful conversations regarding these and other issues?
At this New Call Orientation workshop we will discuss blueprinting and the powerful role it plays in developing healthy relational habits during the first months and years of ministering together as pastor and congregation. We’ll delve into typical arguing types and how to overcome with focus on relationship and collaboration. We’ll look at generational differences, the continuum of self and its effect on interpersonal relationships, and of course, systems at work and their function in the pastor-congregation dialectic.
Our hope is for many of our LCMC congregations and pastors in a new call relationship to take the proactive step of working together to resolve conflicts in hot button areas by learning some basic steps in having healthy conversations.
We invite you to join us either on September 17 or October 20 for this first of its kind LCMC offering.
To register or for more information, please contact Perry Fruhling, LCMC Coordinator for Pastoral Ministry at perry@lcmc.net or (319) 575-8849, or LCMC Conflict Coach Pat Hogg at pkhogg@yahoo.com or (717) 309-3756.
Author
Perry Fruhling is a family man, a Cubs fan, rarely tan (burns easily), and recently began (running out of rhymes here!) his work with LCMC as Coordinator for Pastoral Ministry. He loves meeting people and is enjoying getting to know LCMC pastors, leaders, and congregation members in the call process and working with seminarians and pastors in the certification process. He also hopes to partner with churches and leaders around conflict resolution. He enjoys humor and the old cartoon series Scooby Doo where something has gone awry in the world and it’s up to “those meddling kids” to solve the mystery. Although Perry loves a bumper sticker he once saw, “What Would Scooby Doo?”, Perry believes it’s all about what we as God’s people do together through the Holy Spirit’s power to strengthen our churches for witness in the kingdom of Christ. Jinkies, I guess we’re off to solve another mystery. Like, wow!
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