Carol McDonald

Life in transition continues in and for the Synod of Lincoln Trails. Personally, I am more than two-thirds of the way through the radiation portion of my cancer treatment journey; I will be grateful to transition to the next steps! Those of us in the synod office continue to transition through all the "firsts" which follow the departure of a colleague: the first meetings of committees, the first audit, the first readings of financial statements, etc. More than ever I believe that transition is simply a way of life; delighting in its nuances is an invitation to growth.

On March 3, synod leaders met in Urbana, Ill., to plan for the next four meetings of the Synod of Lincoln Trails. Those who gathered with me were Christina Berry, synod moderator; Nick Shargo, moderator of the Standing Committee on Leadership Development; Laurie Williams, moderator of the Standing Committee on Mission Coordination and Administration; Laura Reason, moderator of the Standing Committee on Personnel and Doug Tracy, stated clerk. As we thought about the year ahead, we embraced the invitation to growth offered to us by this time of transition.

Beginning at the April 30, 2011, meeting of the synod, we invite the synod to experience "One Synod - One Book" or "The Big Read." Each commissioner and corresponding member will receive a copy of  Journey in the Wilderness: New Life for Mainline Churches by Gil Rendle.  

In this book, Rendle offers perspective, hope, and encouragement to congregational and denominational leaders. He picks up the pieces of the puzzle one at a time and holds them to the light at just the right angle for us to see how they fit together into a new narrative about our recent history, current challenges, and future possibilities. He reframes the church leadership conversation. Using the Hebrew wilderness stories, he describes our last forty years of experimentation as a time of necessary learning and preparation...Journey in the Wilderness is part textbook on church leadership, part field guide for identifying organizational behaviors we have all seen but could never name, and part instruction manual on how to leave behind systems that are no longer conducive to our mission. (Introduction) 

With confidence that Rendle's insights will offer us wisdom for our transition, the group designed the following schedule:

April 30 Stated Meeting of Synod - "Welcome to the Wilderness"

• Focus Scripture: Exodus 3: 7-12; Jeff Hutcheson, Transitional Executive Presbyter, Southeastern Illinois Presbytery, preaching
• Introduction to Rendle's book led by Tim Jones, our synod's transition consultant
• Distribution of book to all commissioners and corresponding members

July 29 Stated Meeting of Synod - "Exodus, Directions, Paths and Foreign Lands"

• Focus Scripture: Genesis 45: 1-15
• Discussion of chapters 1-4 of Rendle's book led by Tim Jones

October 29 Stated Meeting of Synod - "The New Leadership"

• Focus Scripture: Joshua 24: 1-3a, 14-25
• Presentation by Gil Rendle - discussion of chapter 5 of Rendle's book

January 2012 Stated Meeting of Synod - "Moving Ahead Means Letting Go"

• Focus Scripture: Jeremiah 29: 1-14; The Rev. Christina Berry, Synod Moderator, preaching
• What are we learning from our conversation?

Friends, the journey of transition continues to move us, and our synod, forward. As descendents of John Calvin, as children of the Reformation, we are on this journey together - in community. I am excited about our "journey in the wilderness" - and I pray it will point the way to the new life God is even now calling us towards. And to God be the glory!

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