As I look out upon the landscape ahead of the GOL clergy, it is one of continued pivoting due the pandemic, deep and often painful conversations over racial injustice and political unrest, and now Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent through virtual worship and social distancing.

It is my constant prayer and heart-felt hope that the Gathering of Leaders' network continues to lift you up and support your work in meaningful ways. As poet Rupi Kaur writes in her book Milk and Honey:

of course i want to be successful
but i don't crave success for me
i need to be successful to gain
enough milk and honey
to help those around
me succeed

This newsletter contains resources to help you find that success in ministry. Based on feedback from our network, we're shifting the format of our next available Adaptive Conversations session to allow for the same collaborative conversation but in half the Zoom time. Registration is live for the March 4 event.

You will also find information for two upcoming webinars with connections to the GOL community. Our Board Chair, Rt. Rev. Duncan Gray is participating in a Facebook live conversation with Ambassador Andrew Young on Faith, Civil Rights, and Racial Healing, and our collaboration with FaithX and ECF is offering an event on Creating Deeper Community Connections.

Lastly, you will also find links to articles written from members of the GOL network on the realities of leading during the pandemic. 

As you seek success in your ministry to bring success to your communities of faith, I pray you continue to find ways to care for yourself, support each other, and 'gain enough milk and honey' to continue the hard and fulfilling work of ministry.

Blessings,

Haley Bankey
Executive Director, Gathering of Leaders
haley@thegatheringofleaders.org

Formation for the Missionary Church in a Changing World

Recent events have reminded us that as we proclaim the gospel, we continually encounter the unexpected and are called into places of vulnerability. At our best, we meet these challenges with fortitude, steadfastness, and resilience. What practical strategies can we share to form communities in those virtues? How do we teach and shape Christians to proclaim Christ’s good news amid the challenges of the unexpected and the pain of the world's brokenness? As we engage the present and look to the future, how do we form communities of courage and hope?

PARTICIPANT DIRECTORY: Those who have attended at least one Gathering have access to search our directory for other Participants by name, church affiliation, city, or state. Travelling somewhere and want to meet up with some GOLers? Give it a search! Try out the Directory here.

PARTICIPANT ONLY FACEBOOK GROUP: One of the main ways our participants connect and collaborate with one another is through our private Facebook group. If you have attended at least one Gathering, and are not yet part of the group, please email haley@thegatheringofleaders.org to get setup.

SUGGESTED READING LISTS: At each Gathering we collected suggested readings from our participants that deal directly with our annual theme. Click the themes for access to the most current suggested reading list: Racial Reconciliation and for Unity & Division. 

SHARED RESOURCES: During each Gathering we record the peer-learning presentation (with permission) and upload them to our participant portal.  For all presentations from our Racial Reconciliation year and Unity & Division, log into our website and search.