The Rev. Sharon L. Vandegrift, M.Div, PCC
Professional Certified Coach, International Coach Federation
Endorsed Life Coach, United Methodist Church
|
|
Empowering Clergywomen to Excel |
|
|
Quote Of the Month |
"We are naturally reverent beings, but much of our natural reverence has been torn away from us because we have been born into a world that hurries."
~Macrina Wiederkehr |
| Prayer of the Month |
"All Seeing One,
Touch me where I need to be touched; and when my heart is touched, give me the grace to ask significant questions:
Why has my heart been touched?
How am I to be changed through this touch?"
~Macrina Wiederkehr |
| Query for the Coach | |
Dear Sharon,
I am the pastor of 2 small churches in a very rural area. I have been here for 3 years now and things are pretty good. Attendance is up at both churches and one is now starting a program for youth. I think both congregations like me and I really like being here. The problem is that I am starting to feel pulled apart ...almost like the two churches are competing for my attention. They are on either sides of a mountain, so combining our ministry is very difficult, and every time I have tried to bring them together to talk, it is not very successful.
To read more and for Sharon's response go to: Query for the Coach |
| Join our list |  |
|
|
|
Greetings!
November marks the beginning of the season of Advent. With the lighting of each weekly Advent Candle, we are drawn forward into a Spirit of hope and expectation...at least theoretically! For many, this lovely, light centered time of the year, can become more hectic, crazy and chaotic than almost any other season. So, this month we will focus on the possibility of on Advent as an opportunity to get unstuck and do things differently. Enjoy! - Sharon |
|
Do It Differently | |
It is November now and you know what that means: Christmas is coming!! For church professionals, this also means that we are on the brink of one of the busiest and stressful times of the year.
Though paradoxical, it is a reality that for many pastors, music directors and others who lead communities of faith toward deeper meaning and a greater connection to God, that the levels of stress and anxiety can reach peak heights during the Advent Season. With the church on display in a special way during the holidays we often get caught up in a sense of grandiosity. It is certainly not a time when we typically value simplicity in programming and worship planning. This is when we pull out all of the stops. And, those in charge often end up feeling worn out, drained and .....not very connected to the Holy.
But it doesn't have to be that way. If this has been your experience in the past, imagine what it would be like if things changed this year. Ponder how you might do it differently.
While competing for attention with secular seasonal activities, congregations sometimes end up competing with each other. Perhaps if we abandoned the objective of being the 'best church', with the 'highest quality music', the 'most sophisticated programming' and the 'greatest preacher in town' the spiritual outcome of the season would be deeper and more rooted in the Divine. What would it be like if your Advent/Christmas goal this year was to simply, yet powerfully, model spiritually centered, peaceful living for your congregation and community?
Oh, I am not suggesting that churches should give up on their striving to offer excellence in ministry. But I am pointing out that even in the church we sometimes exchange flash and fancy for what we claim our goals really are: meaning and deepening commitment and relationship with God and community.
Ultimately, it is a matter of taking a good, clear look at ourselves and finding ways to be a truly authentic witness to the world - both as leaders and as churches.
What is your deepest prayer and hope for yourself and your congregation this season? How might you be better enabled to invite that result? Are your assumptions and expectations of the season helping you achieve the results you are really seeking? What would it be like, FOR YOU, to live into Advent embracing that powerful spirit of hopeful anticipation that you are so adept at inviting others into? |
NEJ Clergywomen's Consultation | |
Sharon will be leading a workshop at The Northeast Jurisdictional Clergywomen's Consultation in February, 2011 to be held in Lancaster, PA. The Consultation will be a marvelous gathering of United Methodist clergywomen from the 10 Annual Conferences of the NEJ. Sharon's offering will focus on the theme of Life Balance. The workshop is based on her upcoming book entitled: "Keeping Your Balance: Seven Strategies for Remaining Steady in the Midst of Hectic Church Life". When you register for the Consultation, be sure to consider signing up for this valuable workshop ... (though you will find that there are many fabulous options from which to choose!)
|
|
|
Bridge-the-Gap Life Coaching Services, LLC
~ Empowering Clergywomen to Excel |
The Rev. Sharon L. Vandegrift, M.Div., PCC 
|
|
|
|
|
|
