Mindful Leader

(The word “here” that is underlined is a link to something somewhere else on the web related in some way to our topic.)

Kristi Kinnison is the Executive Director of the Methodists Helping Methodists Foundation which supports churches in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and Montana.  Her LinkedIn page is HERE.  

Our conversation today is less grounded in her vocation as a financial executive in the not for profit world, but rather her views on why she is a follower of John Wesley.  Wesley's theology is firmly grounded in the threefold fullness of Grace (Bishop Carder exposits a little here) and it captures Kristi's heart.  I think this is of value in helping others to be able to articulate their own reasons for being followers of John Wesley.  

We also mention (again if you have heard all of the Mindful Leader Podcasts, the late) David Foster Wallace and his superb talk -- "This is Water" (here, and note, DFW language can be a little coarse).  

My normal release schedule is 1st and 3rd Mondays.  I will release "Special Podcasts" on 5th Mondays (usually four times a year). Look for Mindful Leader with the Logo from this Podcast on your Podcast App or follow on Podbean.  

This episode was released on November 6, 2023.  

My next podcast will be November 20th with Zach Bechtold and he shares in the work of Bearded Theologians.  Their website is found HERE.  They have a podcast which is found on their homepage.  

My email is dennis at symbol (@) mantuan dot (.) org (written that way to confound the bots which would harvest it and spam me to death.  Send me a note if have a thought or three.    

Explore with us a little of the history and context of Israel, Gaza and Hamas.  

My original plan was to use a Fifth Monday to have my friend John Plant interview me.  John has been a faithful listener to my early Podcast work.  The events of October 7th altered that plan. This episode "counts" as my October 30th planned release.  

John Plant is a retired US Army Colonel.  He is a graduate of the University of Toledo with a BA in Political Science and an MA in Public Administration.  Further, he has a PhD from the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University.  He lives in North Carolina and is a devoted follower of Jesus Christ.  His LinkedIn account is HERE.  We talk weekly. 

Between the two of us, John and I have over 50 years of military service.  

Our conversation on Israel, Gaza and Hamas is primarily contextual.  It clearly assumes certain knowledge by the listener, i.e., the 1948 War of Independence.  But overall, our purpose is to attempt to distill what is some history, define some groups and elements, etc..  

Note:  all followers of Islam are not terrorists.  Hamas and Hezbollah are terrorist organizations grounded in a Pan-Islamic world view.  

I could easily see us coming back to this topic again another day.  

If you wish to send me a note -- my email is dennis at mantuan dot org (to confuse the bots harvesting email addresses.)  

If you find the piece thoughtful, please share it with others.  

A Wall Street Journal article from Rabbi Meir Soloveichik is HERE.  Probably a paywall, sometimes they allow single usages but not consistently.  

Our Podcast is with Danish UM Pastor, Thomas Risager.  

Thomas is the Pastor at Odense UMC in Denmark.  He also doubles as the District Superintendent for all UM Churches in Denmark.  

Thomas has a Doctor of Ministry from Wesley Theological Seminary in 2012.  

Thomas is living what I suspect is similar to what we as North Americans might be living in 30 or 50 years time.  

Any thoughts -- dennis at mantuan dot org -- written that way to confound the bots out there.  

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.   

 

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.  

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.  

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.  

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. 

 

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.  

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.