Shared Leadership
“Shared Leadership” is presented in recognition of the historical framework of the Episcopal Church.
HISTORY The Episcopal church was founded deeply in the tradition of Praying the Hours -- which was conducted in monasteries, abbeys, convents, etc. for centuries. Thus, our service of Morning Prayer (in The Book of Common Prayer) was standard for years, until the trend for emphasizing Holy Communion, which began to be at the forefront in the 1970's. Also, at that time, the revision to the Book of Common Prayer (1979) emphasized Holy Communion. The result: because the priest is the consecrator of the Holy Communion elements, the services became priest-centric. If you want Communion, you need a priest.
This transition, over the 50-year term, has had a huge effect on rural small churches. They often cannot afford a priest, who may arrive with a huge debt for seminary costs, and probably a family to support. Over these years, many small rural churches have closed.... in Montana alone, we went from 48 churches to 31... and those closures were largely rural. A rural church, as we know from Deacon Steve DeHart's extensive study of the rural church, holds a special place in the town where it is located: there are historic connections, family connections, and such connection are especially important when the church is on main street, as ours is.
ANOTHER MODEL Christ Church has approval from Bishop Marty to launch a pilot program of Shared Leadership. We hope this model will support the ongoing life of Christ Church and will provide hope and encouragement to other small rural churches.
WHAT IT TAKES This will need all of us, with all our differing gifts and abilities. Each of us can think about what gifts and talents we have. Each of us can pray for how to discern and use our gifts for the parish and community. Please add this model of Shared Leadership to your prayers!
ONE ADDITIONAL COMMENT: In the Episcopal Church, it has been the practice, that when a clergy person leaves-- retires, etc. from the church, that clergy person is to no longer attend the church. That leaves clergy in small rural churches unable to be part of a church community, unless the clergyperson drives a distance.
HISTORY The Episcopal church was founded deeply in the tradition of Praying the Hours -- which was conducted in monasteries, abbeys, convents, etc. for centuries. Thus, our service of Morning Prayer (in The Book of Common Prayer) was standard for years, until the trend for emphasizing Holy Communion, which began to be at the forefront in the 1970's. Also, at that time, the revision to the Book of Common Prayer (1979) emphasized Holy Communion. The result: because the priest is the consecrator of the Holy Communion elements, the services became priest-centric. If you want Communion, you need a priest.
This transition, over the 50-year term, has had a huge effect on rural small churches. They often cannot afford a priest, who may arrive with a huge debt for seminary costs, and probably a family to support. Over these years, many small rural churches have closed.... in Montana alone, we went from 48 churches to 31... and those closures were largely rural. A rural church, as we know from Deacon Steve DeHart's extensive study of the rural church, holds a special place in the town where it is located: there are historic connections, family connections, and such connection are especially important when the church is on main street, as ours is.
ANOTHER MODEL Christ Church has approval from Bishop Marty to launch a pilot program of Shared Leadership. We hope this model will support the ongoing life of Christ Church and will provide hope and encouragement to other small rural churches.
WHAT IT TAKES This will need all of us, with all our differing gifts and abilities. Each of us can think about what gifts and talents we have. Each of us can pray for how to discern and use our gifts for the parish and community. Please add this model of Shared Leadership to your prayers!
ONE ADDITIONAL COMMENT: In the Episcopal Church, it has been the practice, that when a clergy person leaves-- retires, etc. from the church, that clergy person is to no longer attend the church. That leaves clergy in small rural churches unable to be part of a church community, unless the clergyperson drives a distance.
