Transitional Religious Leadership: Theory and Practice

  • Have you suddenly discovered that the plans you made for the church year have shifted - again?
  • Are you serving in a congregation where there is suddenly a change in your staffing structure?
  • Are you working as a religious leader and facing the need to adapt programs and operations for a multi-platform environment?
  • Are you thinking, “I wasn’t planning for this - how do I find my way?”
  • Do you feel like your skill set didn’t prepare you for the current bumps in this very long road you’re travelling on?
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The Guild of Interim Religious Educators is offering a repeat session of its popular and timely training program focusing on congregational transitions for professional staff serving in religious leadership roles.

This program provides you with the tools you and your team need while serving a congregation experiencing a transition. And when you want to imbue your work in the congregation with fresh perspectives, this program will provide you with the skills you need to re-imagine a dynamic program.

Learning includes:

  • Leadership, systems and change models
  • Vantage points for change: adaptive leadership skills and navigating transitions
  • The work of the congregation through a time of change: developmental tasks, using innovation and appreciative inquiry to promote change, developing visionary leadership in the congregation
  • Working as a staff team: collaboration, building synergies, respecting reporting structures
  • Understanding the ways in which grief and trauma can impact congregations
  • Leaving well and ‘with joy”; paving the way for new leadership

Facilitators: The program is co-facilitated by Michele Grove, D.Min, Lily Rappaport, and Deborah Weiner. All three are experienced transitional religious educators who have facilitated the former UUA Professional Interim Training course and have led Guild of Interim Religious Educator Adaptive Leadership programs.

This program will equip participants with the knowledge and foundations to work as an interim religious leader and to support congregations in a time of transition.

Dates and Cost: Fridays, October 22, 29, November 5, 12 - (each class runs for 2 hours) - 1:00 to 3:00 PM Eastern Time.

Deadline for registration: October 15. Registration fee: $200; GIRE members* receive a 20% discount ($160). *annual GIRE membership is $25/year

Register Now
Questions? uugire@gmail.com