Sunday Prayer – January 20, 2013
“You measure the size of the accomplishment by the obstacles you had to overcome to reach your goals.” — Booker T. Washington
For the peace from above, for the loving-kindness of God, and for the salvation of my soul, I pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the peace of the world, for the welfare of the Holy Church of God and for the unity of all peoples, I pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the leaders of the nations and for all in authority, I pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the aged and infirm, for the widowed and orphans, and for the sick and the suffering. I pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the poor and the oppressed, for the unemployed and the destitute, for the prisoners and captives, and for all who remember and care for them, I pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For all who have died in the hope of the resurrection and for all the departed, I pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
— The Divine Hours by Phyllis Tickle
It’s early morning in Nashville, TN and I’m preparing to return home from a time of learning, a form of leadership called adaptive leadership.
“In the midst of challenging times what are our opportunities?”
The essence of adaptive leadership is the ability to mobilize people to tackle tough challenges and thrive. It is the act of capacity building in individuals and organizations, so that people can learn to live in a less predictable, more ambiguous environment and learn to adapt to changing circumstances as a way of life.
- We are certainly facing tough challenges today.
- As leaders of churches we are in the act of capacity building.
- We must learn to live in a less predictable, more ambiguous environment.
- We must learn to adapt to changing circumstances as a way of life.
But here is what really caught my attention.
The first Scriptural example of Adaptive Leadership they chose was Nehemiah.
Why did this catch my attention? Because our Thursday morning leadership group had just decided to study the book of Nehemiah. We had a lot of options but this was the one that seemed appropriate.
A cup-bearer for the king, Nehemiah had a vision and in the midst of fasting and prayer felt called to return home to Jerusalem. What he discovered and how he responded is a valuable lesson.
Now, I’m preparing to return home. For the last hour, I’ve been reading, praying and looking specifically at every pastor and every church in our district directory.
It’s humbling to realize the ministry happening around us. Yes, we are facing obstacles but in the midst of those obstacles there are many signs of ministry and yes there are miracles.
God is at work and preparing us for the challenges that lie ahead.
May God fill you with creativity, passion and visions of hope as you prepare for worship. May you know that God’s Holy Spirit is within you and within your church. May you see God’s hand at work and may you be encouraged as you offer encouragement to others.
May God bless you and your ministry.
