Dialog Group Discussion -- March 2013 West Midwest Election Committee Purpose of the meeting is to reflect upon and discuss skills and qualities needed by the next Community Leadership Team, surface questions for response from the Candidates, and share how, as collaborative and supportive members, we will personally prepare for the Assembly. Materials needed for the discussion: Dialog Group Discussion paper Summary of Priorities from 2012 Dialog group responses (see below) Summary of Leadership skills from 2012 Dialog groups and consultation networks (see below) Profiles of the Candidates (on Election Committee tab of the Assembly website on March 8) Opening Prayer Assembly prayer God of Mercy, of Wisdom and Mystery, we are aware of Your Spirit among us and within us as we continue our sacred journey in Mercy and Hope. As You worked through Catherine and our Mercy community in the past, we are assured of your presence today to inspire new leaders among us, to stir us to explore new ways of living together in Mercy, to impel us to eliminate all which prevents us from serving your people and to enflame us with the courage to question, to hope and to dream. As we prepare for our 2013 Assembly and listen to your Divine Wisdom, may our prayers, reflections and sharing lead us to a greater love of You, of each other and of the people we serve. God of Creation, Holy Word and Holy Wisdom, we desire an ever deepening response to your call of Mercy. Amen. A reading from Paul s letter to the Corinthians (1 Cor 12:4-11) There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit
is given for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom; to another, the expression of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another, faith by the same Spirit; to another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit; to another, mighty deeds; to another, prophecy; to another, discernment of spirits; to another, varieties of tongues; to another, interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing them individually to each person as God wishes. Summary of the Nominees Discernment Weekend written by Sister Sheila Carney: On January 4, 2013, thirty-nine of the women nominated for leadership in the West Midwest Community gathered in Mercy Center, Burlingame to discern their readiness to continue in the election process. Co-facilitators Maureen Gallagher, John Reid and Sheila Carney, RSM orchestrated the weekend. Two musical themes provided a focus Come, Risk the Sacred Journey reminded nominees of the holiness and of the risk of this moment for them and for the Community. Catherine s words, We must be as shining lamps, giving light to all around us served as a reminder that our light must shine wherever we are called. On the first evening, each sister was giving a lantern which she lit while sharing with the group the particular enlightenment she felt she needed as she entered the discernment. Participants were also given reflection booklets containing biblical and Mercy readings as well as reflection questions and evocative images to assist in their considerations. The booklets are intended to be a resource for the nominees through the weeks until the Assembly. Periods of large and small group conversation as well as communal and private prayer filled the weekend. Helpful conversations about leadership for the future and the practicalities of the election process were also part of the weekend. Nominees expressed gratitude for the experience of transparency with one another throughout the weekend and for the sense of community which grew among them. The discernment ended with the nominees forming a line across the room indicating where each sister stood on the continuum of decision making. The following assumptions from the Candidates discernment booklet are offered for your reflection and discussion in preparation for the election process: In the context of discerning God s will related to leadership in the Mercy community, there are important assumptions we need to hold up. 1. Everyone has gifts and talents to use for the good of the Mercy community, the church and the world. 2. As individuals we need to respect and support the divergence of gifts in the community and be willing to have the community discern which person s gifts are most needed at a particularly time in the community. 3. No one person has all the leadership gifts needed for any particular moment in history of the community. 4. All members in the community need to participate in various forms of leadership leadership of the whole is needed for the community to move forward in discerning the future direction of the community. 5. Prayerful support of leadership is foundational to successful community leaders.
6. The discernment process is two-fold: communal and individual. 7. A collaborative team approach to leadership is an approach rooted in Mercy values and history. For personal reflection and group discussion What do the Summary of Leadership Skills and Summary of Priorities tell us about the qualities needed in our next leadership team? As you review the two charts and the profiles of the candidates, what qualities do you see/experience in the candidates that would carry out our priorities? What are some configurations of team qualities that you think would work well together? If you are a voting member of the assembly what do the assumptions tell you about how to prepare for the election process at the assembly and be supportive of the newly elected team members? If you are a supportive member of the assembly how will you support the candidates before, during and after the assembly? Feedback Please respond to the following question via Survey Monkey by March 22, 2013: What are two questions you would like to ask the candidates for president during the election process at the Assembly? What are two questions you would like to ask the candidates for team during the election process at the Assembly? To access the SurveyMonkey Response form click this link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/s56xl6n Closing Prayer Pause for a few minutes of silence to reflect upon your time together. Someone offers a prayer of blessing to those who are collaborative members and for those who are supportive members. Concluding Prayer together: God of Mercy, of Wisdom and Mystery, we are aware of Your Spirit among us and within us as we continue our sacred journey in Mercy and Hope. As we prepare for our 2013 Assembly and listen to your Divine Wisdom, may our prayers, reflections and sharing lead us to a greater love of You, of each other and of the people we serve. God of Creation, Holy Word and Holy Wisdom, we desire an ever deepening response to your call of Mercy. Amen
Summary of Priorities for the WMW Community 2013 2018 Assessing lifestyles with a view to simplicity Organizational structures and costs Finances Aging Gracefully Considerations & Actions Needed Relationship with the Institutional Church Collaboration within and with others Solidarity with people who are poor, immigrants, women
Summary of Skills Needed in the next WMW CLT Collaborative and can function as a team Ability to delegate and engage others in decision making Visionary and creative, inspired Loving with a sense of humor Leadership Team Grounded in Prayer & Spirituality Faithfilled Speak with passion & conviction in the name of women of the church Courageous, Trusting Hope-filled Compassionate, able to be present to others Ability to dialogue and listen within and outside the community Be sure the organization supports the mission & vision Openness & transparency as appropriate Some knowledge of finances & legal issues, which can be learned Full of integrity