...and a leader that has hit it out of the park on all three.
I was invited to the celebration lunch for the Women's Ministry leaders yesterday. Two other guys were supposed to be there but they weren't able to come (I've launched an investigation of their excuses). I was the only man with about 25 women. That always makes me nervous, and I've come to the conclusion that it's biologically based. But in spite of being jumpy, I had a great time.
Jenna Friedman, who has run our Women's Ministry for this last year, passed the leadership baton to her successor, Dee Meyers. When Jenna took on Women's Ministry for this ministry year, she set out to find her successor from day one because she knew her husband (Brian) was going to be transferred this summer. It was fun to see this hand-off and to reflect on how Jenna had done something every good leader strives for--to develop and unleash leaders.
I also reflected on how Jenna exemplified two other leadership traits we've been trying to grow in at Five Oaks. For one, the use of social media for connecting people in ministry. She and her team are using Facebook and SoChurch so effectively to get the word out about what the ministry offers.
I also reflected on how we've been trying for a couple years now to develop more of what we call "targeted experiences" for our congregation. A targeted experience is a class or mininistry that targets a need or passion or interest of a group of people (usually not a large group). Too often we measure ministry success by large numbers coming out to an event. But what we need are more and more smaller groups of people that are serving, learning or building friendships around a common area of need, passion or interest. Again, Jenna and her team hit it out of the park this year.
So, way to go Jenna. Your legacy at Five Oaks will go beyond Women's Ministry. You've been a great example to us as a leader.
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