Gathering Of Leaders

THE GATHERING OF LEADERS ASSISTS IN THE EMPOWERMENT, SUPPORT, AND DEVELOPMENT OF TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERS DEDICATED TO THE MISSIONARY CALL OF CHRIST AND GROWING THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN SPIRITUAL DEPTH AND IN NUMBERS BY PROVIDING A PLACE FOR SUCH LEADERS TO COME TOGETHER WITHOUT CONTENTIOUSNESS AND PARTISANSHIP TO SHARE THEIR LOVE FOR CHRIST AND OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH, TO EMPOWER EACH OTHER THROUGH MUTUAL ENCOURAGEMENT, TO DEEPEN THEIR SKILLS AS TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERS, TO ESTABLISH NETWORKS WHICH WILL AID THEIR MINISTRIES, AND TO CLARIFY THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF GOD'S EMERGING VISION FOR THE RENEWED EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

THE PRINCIPAL ACTIVITY OF THE GATHERING OF LEADERS IS TO FACILITATE MEETINGS (REFERRED TO AS "GATHERINGS") FOR SPECIFICALLY SELECTED EPISCOPAL CLERGY WHO HAVE THE PROVEN LEADERSHIP SKILLS TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN CREATIVELY THROUGH OTHERS. THE PURPOSE OF THE GATHERINGS IS TO ENHANCE THE MINISTRY AND MISSION OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH THROUGH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND WITH PRAYER FOR DIVINE GUIDANCE AND INSPIRATION.THE AGENDA FOR EACH GATHERING PROVIDED FOR PRESENTATIONS FROM PARTICIPANTS THAT FOSTER OUR ATMOSPHERE OF PEER-LEARNING, SPECIFICALLY AROUND THE THEMES. THE GOAL FOR EACH GATHERING IS TO CREATE A SPIRIT-INFUSED, HOPE-FILLED, REVERENT, JOYOUS AND MISSION-CENTERED CULTURE, WHICH WILL SERVE AS A HEALTHY MODEL THAT EACH PARTICIPANT WILL TRY TO CREATE AND/OR ENHANCE WHEREVER HE OR SHE SERVES. IN 2021 WE WERE ABLE TO HOLD TWO IN PERSON GATHERINGS, ONE IN SEATTLE AND ONE IN ARIZONA. BOTH GATHERINGS WERE ON THE THEME OF THE MISSIONARY CHURCH POST CHRISTENDOM."

A CRUCIAL PART OF EACH GATHERING IS A DEEP DIVE INTO THE THEOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE AND IMPLICATION TO THE ANNUAL THEME. WHILE GATHERING OF LEADERS IS A PEER-LED GROUP, GOL DOES ACTIVELY RECRUIT A PROFESSIONAL THEOLOGIAN TO OFFER ONE PRESENTATION DURING EACH OF OUR EVENTS.THESE INDIVIDUALS TAKE TIME TO RESEARCH SCRIPTURE, APPLY IT TO THE ANNUAL THEME, AND CONNECT THEIR CONVERSATION INTO GROWTH OF THE CHURCH TO ENSURE PROFESSIONAL, WELL RESEARCHED CONTENT, GOL OFFERS A $1,000 STIPEND TO EACH OF OUR IN PERSON THEOLOGIANS ($500 FOR VIRTUAL) WHICH IS A PRACTICE BEGUN IN 2017. THIS IS THE ONLY STIPEND POSITION ON OUR AGENDA AND HAS BEEN EMBRACED AS A NOW CRUCIAL FEATURE OF OUR GATHERINGS.

A SIGNIFICANT PROGRAM AREA FOR GATHERING OF LEADERS IS THE MEMBERS-ONLY CONTENT ON THE WEBSITE. AS OUR PARTICIPANTS ARE ONLY ABLE TO MEET IN GROUPS OF NO MORE THAN 40, AND THEY ATTEND A GATHERING ONCE EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS, IT IS MISSION CRITICAL THAT OUR PARTICIPANTS MAINTAIN CONNECTIVITY AND ACCESS TO RESOURCES THROUGH ELECTRONIC MEANS.ON THE GOL WEBSITE, BEHIND THE LOGIN, OUR PARTICIPANTS CAN ACCESS YEARS WORTH OF RECORDED PRESENTATIONS, SHARED FILES, AND SUGGESTED READING LISTS THAT GO ALONG WITH EACH OF THE ANNUAL THEMES. A PARTICIPANT DIRECTORY IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE ALLOWING FOR MEMBERSHIP TO SEARCH FOR OTHER PARTICIPANTS. THIS IS ESPECIALLY HELPFUL AS CLERGY TRAVEL AROUND THE COUNTRY OR MOVE TO NEW CALLS. IT ALLOWS FOR THEM TO INSTANTLY CONNECT WITH OTHER CREATIVE, ENTREPRENEURIAL CLERGY LEADERS IN THE AREA AND DEEPEN THEIR EFFECTIVENESS IN LOCAL MINISTRY.COMMITEMENT TO RACIAL HEALING AND JUSTICE - THE GATHERING OF LEADERS UNITES IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN CONDEMNING THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD AT THE HANDS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT MEMORIAL DAY 2020. HIS TRAGIC DEATH IS A REMINDER OF THE LEGACY OF WHITE SUPREMACY THAT INFECTS OUR SYSTEMS, EVEN THE CHURCH, THE BODY OF CHRIST. OUR MISSION STATMENT UNDERSCORES OUR REASON FOR EXISTING: " TO ASSIST IN THE EMPOWEREMENT, SUPPORT AND DEVELOPMENT OF TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERS." AS PRESIDING BISHOP MICHAEL CURRY STATED IN HIS LETTER OF MAY 30: "OUR LONG TERM COMITMENT TO RACIAL JUSTICE AND RECONCILIATION IS EMBEDDED IN OUR IDENTITY AS BAPTIZED FOLLOWERS OF JESUS. WE WILL BE DOING IT WHEN THE NEWS CAMERAS ARE LONG GONE." THE GATHERING OF LEADERS ENCOURAGES ITS MEMBERS TO PRAY, TEACH, PREACH AND WORK TOWARD BEING AGENTS WHO WILL CONTINUE THE WORK OF LEADING THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH TO WELCOME THE DIVERSITY MANIFESTED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.