Mindful Leader

Episode 8: Sarah Calvert, Virginia Conference of the UMC

The topic is urgency and anxiety.
Our guest is the Reverend Doctor Sarah Calvert, Northern Virginia District Superintendent for the Virginia Conference.  Sarah and I were colleagues in the Wesley Theological Seminary Doctor of Ministry Program where both of us also got our Master of Divinity.  She also holds degrees from Mary Washington in Virginia and George Mason (Scalia School of Law).  
Sarah's LinkedIn is HERE and HERE is a bio used at Northern Virginia welcoming.  
Some links from the Podcast follow:  
Linsky and Heifetz:  Leadership on the Line.  Excellent book.  We discussed it briefly.  Very briefly.  Will probably come back to it another day.
Paragraph 2553 of our UM Book of Discipline is HERE. This was passed in order in 2019 in order to provide an avenue for churches unhappy with the current wording in our polity the means to leave the UMC.  Ironically, the intended user in 2019 is not using the provision, rather, it is by and large the forces that developed the policy.    
Enneagram is HERE.  Other examples exist.  Fairly long.  Do it when you have a few minutes.  
Strengths Finder is HERE.  There is a cost.  Sorry.  
Franciscan Blessing -- Sarah goes to this blessing at the end of our talk.  I indicated I would share it with all ... 
Please, if you find the show rewarding, get yourself subscribed on your podcast software.  I use an app called Overcast but there are many.  Look for Mindful Leader Dennis Shaw and you should get a hit.  Let me know if you don't.  My email is dennis at mantuan dot org ... (bot perplexer).
We are on a two week schedule on Mondays.  This one was released on August 21st.  My next guest is Annie Arnoldy, the Mountain Sky Conference Director of Connectional Ministry.  

Episode 7: Wybra Price of the Louisiana Conference

This podcast will be released on August 7th, 2023.
Our guest is Wybra Price.   Wybra has completed his first year as Pastor at Broadmoor UMC in Shreveport, Louisiana. Wybra is an Elder in the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church.  His Master of Divinity is from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas and his Doctor of Ministry is from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC  
Wybra LinkedIn page is HERE and is part of where I got my introduction.
Our theme was talking about what was going on in other elements of our connection.
Wybra had by virtue of his role on the Louisiana Conference Cabinet a particular perspective to disaffiliation in the UMC.
 Paragraph 2553 of our UM Book of Discipline is HERE. This was passed in order in 2019 in order to provide an avenue for churches unhappy with the current wording in our polity the means to leave the UMC.  Ironically, the intended user in 2019 is not using the provision, rather, it is by and large the forces that developed the policy.  Disaffiliation statistics are HERE.  
A book I mention by Richard Haass is HERE.  Right now this is Kindle version.  Will make it more expansive when I get a chance.
Our guest for release on August 21st will be The Reverend Doctor Sarah Calvert, District Superintendent for Northern Virginia, Virginia Conference of the United Church.  Our topic will be anxiety and urgency:  defining, identifying, and dealing with.  
I am consciously moving more to church leadership in a mindful manner on these excursions and use colleagues both in the Mountain Sky Conference and other conferences to talk an idea (or two or three or six) of leadership. 
 

Episode 6: Zach Bechtold-- Bozeman UMC

The change in tone and direction of today from earlier podcasts is intentional.  I hope to be moving more to church leadership in a mindful manner on these excursions and use colleagues both in the Mountain Sky Conference and other conferences to talk an idea (or two or three or six) of leadership. 
Our guest is Zach Bechtold.  Zach has completed his first year as Pastor at Bozeman UMC in Bozeman, Montana and is part of a wave of younger clergy leading a number of our pillar churches.  Zach's LinkedIn page is HERE and is part of where I got my introduction.
Our theme was making new from old.  
Zach sees the church year, i.e., Ash Wednesday, All Saints, Easter, as important elements to help him discern how to make new from the old.  He also sees connecting with where he has been planted while retaining the connection with remote colleagues as important.  
Zach and (new) fellow Mountain Sky pastor Matthew Franks (Castle Rock UMC, Castle Rock, Colorado) have their own Podcast.  It is Bearded Theologians and their podcasts are HERE. Both of them are baseball fans, which means by definition, they understand failure, success, sacrifice, perseverance and getting home, safe.  
During our discussion, we talk a little about David Foster Wallace and "This is Water."  HERE is a good place for both sound (in two bursts on Soundcloud) and the actual text.  It is probably NSFW but quite good.  I listen to it regularly and I don't agree with all of it, I do find it quite compelling.  
Captain Midnight Secret Squadron Decoder Ring Information:  
UMCOR is United Methodist Committee on Relief. 
A CRM is a Congregational Resource Minister -- a Mountain Sky "thing."
A DS is a District Superintendent -- the Bishop's representative over a subset of the Conference.  
I try to keep these to about 40 minutes but it is a podcast.  Stop and restart if you have finished your walk, exercise, dishes, household chores, whatever and we are still talking.  This one is 46 scintillating minutes.  
My blog is HERE.  I will try on occasion to write a piece or three about the topic at hand.  
Send me a note (dennis at mantuan dot org -- and written that way to confound the bots) if you need help getting your podcast app to find Mindful Leader.  Might I ask for you to share if you think worthy?  
I apologize for the four + weeks since last podcast.  People are simply out of town.  Plan I think will be every two weeks.  That schedule should start on/about 23/24 July.  I hope.  

Episode 5: Our Three Co-Lay Leaders of Mountain Sky Conference

Our conversation today is with the three Co-Leaders of the Mountain Sky Conference of the United Methodist Church.  They are:  Nancy Flint, Gayla Jo Slauson and Barry Welliver.  
The signal was not always strong.  I apologize.  Edited some.  
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Here are some thoughts on listening I humbly offer -- HERE.  I do see what I am doing with the podcast and my blog as related and to some extent in conversation.  
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This podcast is still maturing.  It is in effect a re-branding of an earlier podcast I used to share my sermons.  It has been re-purposed.  Once you scroll earlier than Episode Zero you are into old territory.  
I really expect my next podcast to either be a conversation with you about the first five (a monologue if you will) or a chat with leaders about Annual Conference.  Or a little bit of both.  TBD.  
 

Episode 4: Al Strauss, Chair of Responsible Stewardship

Rev. Al Strauss, Chair of Responsible Stewardship of the Mountain Sky Conference is our guest.  
Al recently accepted the Responsible Stewardship Chair and plans to use his experiences with leading the Task Force on Disaffiliation to help him cast his leadership vision for this Committee.  
Al also serves on the Conference Trustees.  
Al has served in a number of clergy positions in (legacy) Rocky Mountain and Mountain Sky Conferences since 2002.  
This was recorded on June 1, 2023.  
Our next guests will be the three conference co-lay leaders:  Gayla Jo Slauson, Nancy Flint and Barry Welliver.  That recording will take place on June 9, 2023.  If you have any questions send them to me at the email I will show below.  
If you have any comments or observations send them to me -- dennis at mantuan dot org (typed this way to obfuscate the harvest bots who would gather my email address.)  

Episode 3: A Mindful Discussion with Jeff Rainwater

My discussion on this Podcast is with Jeff Rainwater, currently the Superintendent for Congregation and Community Vitality for the Mountain Sky Conference of the United Methodist Church.  
Jeff has served in the Arkansas, (legacy) Rocky Mountain and (since 2018) Mountain Sky Conferences.  A trained Aerospace Engineer, his passion is the local church.  
This discussion was intentionally timed to capture Jeff's thoughts before he steps out of his current position and returns to the local church at Hope UMC in Greenwood Village, Colorado.  
Elements of Jeff's current position will be reallocated between Annie Arnoldy and Betty Nguyen.  Their respective email addresses can be found HERE under the MSC Staff.  In particular Jeff mentions vitality grants, and Annie, probably AFTER Annual Conference in late June 2023 would be a good contact on possibilities here.  
Send me a note -- a link is behind this spam blocker HERE -- if you have a question for future guests (Al Strauss to be recorded on June 1st and the three co-lay leaders on June 9th).  If you have my cell phone, I kept my Utah (Area Code 801) number, text away.  Please -- text before calling -- am sure you understand!  Leaving a comment always works!
Please sign up HERE on Podbean or through whatever application you use to receive Podcasts for regular and automatic updates on new Podcasts.  Once I get to Podcasts Numbers 10 or so I will start being 'regular" in my distribution, but not yet.  
My personal website is HERE.  It has blogs and articles I have written (or am writing).  
This podcast recorded on Friday, May 26, 2023.  
 

Episode 2 -- An Interview with Bruce Berger

Bruce Berger is the current President of the Council on Finance and Administration for the Mountain Sky Conference.  
He has served both legacy Rocky Mountain and the new Mountain Sky Conferences.  Bruce worships at Park Hill UMC in Denver.  
If you have any thoughts you wish to share, do not hesitate to send me a note at dennis at mantuan dot org and I will try to answer it as quickly as practicable.  
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Podcast host Dennis Shaw is a musician, marathoner (Boston!), retired military officer, math modeler, and United Methodist Pastor. A keen observer of the human condition, he has degrees in music, quantitative methods (don’t ask!), theology and leadership. He will discuss with other leaders how to become engaged and present in our current leadership opportunities. Critical to leadership is strong self-awareness. Becoming authentic, empathetic, and aware will form the framework of all discussions.

Episode 1 -- A Mindful Interview with Angela Thomas

Angela Thomas is the Chief Financial Officer for the Mountain Sky Conference of the United Methodist Church.  Steeped in the local church, conferences and the private sector, Angela brings wisdom and experience to her financial leadership.  
Don't hesitate to send me a note at dennis at mantuan dog org if you have any comments you wish to share with me, or just need help getting a regular feed on this brand new podcast.  

Episode Zero -- Introduction

I am (or was) a musician, marathoner (Boston in 1988), military officer, math modeler, and (United) Methodist Pastor.  At times, I am a muse.  That is an eclectic background and it leads me, humbly I hope, to think of myself as a Renaissance Person:  Mantua Italy claims the Renaissance started there.  It works.  
I have degrees in Music, Business (Quantitative Methods -- don't ask!), Divinity and Church Leadership.  
I have been a leader in various venues and activities since 1968 while still in college.  Growing in leadership is something that I have taken, and still take, very seriously.  
This re-branding, re-purposing of my podcast will initially focus on financial leadership within the Mountain Sky Conference of the United Methodist and, hopefully, her local churches.  It will not stay there.  
In the beginning, for the first couple of months or so, I will not have a schedule for release.  Once I get my sea legs, I expect to produce a new podcast either weekly or every other week.  We'll see.  
When ChatGPT was asked "what is a mindful leader", this was the response (Italics and font modifications are mine, not ChatGPT):  
A mindful leader is someone who practices mindfulness in their leadership style. Mindfulness is the practice of being present and fully engaged in the current moment, without judgment or distraction. Mindful leaders cultivate a deep awareness of themselves and their surroundings, which enables them to make informed decisions, communicate effectively, and create a positive work environment.
Mindful leadership involves being fully present in interactions with employees, listening actively, and paying attention to nonverbal cues. It also involves being aware of one's own emotions and managing them in a constructive manner, as well as being attuned to the emotions of others and responding appropriately.
A mindful leader is also open to learning and growth, and encourages their employees to do the same. They prioritize the well-being of their employees and foster a culture of inclusivity, respect, and collaboration.
Overall, a mindful leader is someone who leads with authenticity, empathy, and self-awareness, and who prioritizes the well-being and growth of their team.
I frankly think that forms a superb intellectual framework for how I might proceed. Authenticity, empathy, and self-awareness are excellent values for any leader.  
My overall purpose is sharing.  

Mindful Leader --Transitional Episode

This is the transition between what was and is to be.  
I am preserving here on Podbean all of my old sermons from the past (@ Hilltop UMC in Sandy, Utah) but I am going in a new direction.  The next episode will lay out where and what is going on.  
But this episode is to create a boundary mark between the old and the new.