Mindful Leader

Episode 11: Ted Campbell on John Wesley as a Mindful Leader

This episode explores John Wesley and our perceptions of him.  Wesley was the founder of Methodism and we have a perception of him as a man of action.  Our guest, Ted Campbell, noted student of Wesley at Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, offers a more nuanced view that speaks to us in our 21st Century busyness.  

The Methodist Review article mentioned in the Podcast is HERE.  (You will need to register to see article.  The site is free).

The Susan Cain book on Quiet and Introverts is HERE (and I used ubiquitous Amazon, you can always get somewhere else.)    

A quick summary of Dr. Campbell's credentials (from the Methodist Review article) are:  

"Ted A Campbell is the Albert C. Outler Professor of Wesley Studies at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University. A United Methodist elder in the Texas Annual Conference, Campbell has authored many works in Methodist history and ecumenical studies. His book, Encoding Methodism: Telling and Retelling Narratives of Wesleyan Origins (2017), won the 2018 Saddlebag Award from the United Methodist Historical Society for the best new book in Methodist history. Also in  2018 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society of the United Kingdom."

 

The Mo Rocca piece from CBS on meetings mentioned during the Podcast is HERE.  

If you are having any issues getting registered onto a Podcast App, send me a note -- dennis at mantuan dot org (typed that way to confound the bots). 

This Podcast was released on October 2, 2023.   

 

Episode 10: Ken Brown of Denver Trinity UMC

Our guest for this podcast is the Reverend Ken Brown who is currently at Denver Trinity United Methodist Church.  Our discussion centers on Diversity Equity and Inclusivity.  I expect to talk to Ken again on a future day again.  

Ken has been in Colorado for right at 20 years.  Before he was appointed to Trinity, he was at Broomfield (Colorado) United Methodist.  Ken's LinkedIn page is HERE.

During the discussion I mention two articles I had read on Ken during his time at Trinity.  Both are quite helpful to understanding Ken.  The two articles are are:

• The Westword article --HERE.
• The 5280 -- HERE.

My email is dennis at mantuan dot org (written that way to discourage the search bots) if you need any help getting this Podcast properly registered on your Podcast Application.  

This episode was recorded on September 7, 2023 and was published on September 18, 2023.  

Episode 9: A Mindful First Chat with Annie Arnoldy

Our guest today is Annie Arnoldy, Superintendent for Vitality and Connectional Ministry at the Mountain Sky Conference of the United Methodist Church.  

I have known Annie since her student days at Colorado State University when we collaborated a little on Youth Ministry.  In addition to her studies at CSU, Annie holds a Master in Divinity from the Iliff School of Theology and a Masters Certificate in Organizational Leadership from Denver University.  Annie is a Mountain Sky Conference Elder and she entered ministry from Hope UMC in Greenwood Village, CO.  

Her local church experience includes Grand Junction First UMC and Highlands Ranch Saint Andrews UMC.  

I consider this part 1 of what I expect to be a continuing conversation on the direction of the Mountain Sky Conference in the area of Leadership Development.  

If you are having trouble getting Mindful Leader into your podcast app, send me a note at dennis at mantuan dot org (spelled that way to confound the bots.)  

This podcast was released on September 4, 2023.  My next guest along with topic will be confirmed on September 5.  That podcast will be released on September 18, 2023.  

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.