Sacred Geometry Report

Amazing how a simple triangle with right angles and right proportions can help make a circle. That was the genius of Robert Ferre, "geometrician of the sacred," who led the "Seeking the Symmetry of the Soul" conference at Louisville Seminary last week. Forty people learned how to do the geometry and the lay out classical and Chartres style labyrinths in the classroom. About 15 people stayed for the second part of the experience--building a brick lined, 11-circuit, Chartres-style labyrinth on the grounds of Historic Farmington in Louisville. The picture above is the early work of laying bricks in place to create the circles that are the basis of the labyrinth. That group included folks from Ontario Canada and Maryland and North Carolina and Florida who were here to learn to put a labyrinth together in their places of worship.

Building the labyrinth was a joint venture of Louisville Seminary and its Biennial Labyrinth Conference, and Farmington, the historical foundation preserving the home of the Speed family in Louisville on Bardstown Road, and Sullivan University, right next to Farmington.

The Chaplain/Wellness Director at Sullivan, Dr. Renee Rust-Yarmuth, a trained labyrinth facilitator herself, has been wanting a labyrinth to use in her work with students so she was a strong force in pulling this three-way collaboration together. She was able to call into action the inspiring ethos of inter-departmental collaboration within Sullivan University to make this a reality. I was moved by the willingness of administrators and facilities workers to lend their resources to make the event so successful.

The cooperation of Farmington, with its director Andrea and the properties committee chair Herb Shulhafer was also gratifying. Herb found enthusiastic donors of the bricks needed for the project (about 4000 altogether) in the Russells of Lee Brick and Block Company.

Stop by Farmington at 3033 Bardstown Road and see the labyrinth created at the back of the property. It's a "liberty labyrinth" in tribute to the slaves who worked those fields. A truly redemptive project.

2009 Labyrinth Conference

Devotees and th0se curious about the labyrinth will gather on the campus of LPTS for a fascinating approach to the labyrinth. Robert Ferre, a prolific maker of labyrinths, will lead us through the basics of sacred geometry, the design principles of the classical labyrinths, basic spiritual practices connected with the labyrinth and networking to discuss the whole process. The conference comes in two parts:

Monday through Wednesday, October 26-28 is the teaching portion of the event on the seminary campus, with sessions from 9-5 each day.

Thursday and Friday, October 29-30, participants will actually build a brick labyrinth on the grounds of the historic Farmington, adjacent to Sullivan University in Louisville.

See the Seminary website for more information and online registration.

www.lpts.edu/academic_programs/labyrinth_2009.asp

Call me at 800-264-1839, ext 372, or Laura March at extension 382 for more information.

Visiting Whitewater Valley Presbytery in Indiana

I invite friends of Louisville Seminary and anyone looking for encouragement in church conflict to meet me at the Presbytery meeting of Whitewater Valley at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Marion Indiana. My presentation: "The Plot Thickens: Narratives of Change and Hope in your Congregation" will take place at 10:30 a.m. See the Presbytery website, http://www.whitewatervalley.org/ for more information. My powerpoint presentation is posted on http://www.slideshare.net/ . I'll also be doing a small group discussion after the presentation, and I will be available around the edges of the meeting for anyone wanting a conversation about Louisville Seminary or my presentation

News of the death of racism is highly exaggerated

Anyone who was ready with the obituary of racism in American will have to wait. The news of Henry Louis Gates, Jr.'s arrest in his own home and the exaggerated reactions to it around the country highlights the real and dangerous presence of the old prejudices. Focusing on Gates' behavior after being confronted in his own home only highlights the pervasiveness of racism. Reminders from some that black men should always go docile when confronted with police make the truth even harder to hide.

Those of us who are privileged European Americans should step up to say helpful things and promote the strength and health of the black community and the black churches.

In that light, I'm proud to point to the new initiative at my seminary, the LPTS "Black Church Studies Program" announced this spring and ready to begin this fall. See the link at http://www.lpts.edu/News-Events/article.asp?intID=321.

My colleagues on the faculty and staff, and particularly Lewis Brogdon, are to be commended for their courage and strength to persist and pursue this program for the sake of the black community and the black church!

Do as I say not as I do: Brochure Review

Out this spring from the Presbyterian Board of Pensions brochure series "Conversations on the Church," is a good piece of work by two leaders of contemporary Presbyterianism. "Presbyterian Leadership: Reflections on Leadership Renewal in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)" available online, see link below, by Linda Valentine, Executive Director of the General Assembly Council, and Clifton Kirkpatrick, recently retired Stated Clerk and currently President of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and Visiting Professor here at Louisville Seminary, is a 21 page summary of current and helpful thinking about what the authors call a deep hunger for renewal of leadership in the church.

Drawing principles from the Reformed and Presbyterian tradition such as servanthood and the last shall be first, and weakness-trumps-power, and following excellent contemporary managerial theorists from Burns to Heifetz and Linsky, the authors propose five characteristics of Presbyterian leadership that are visionary and hopeful. As an inspirational and motivational piece, this is excellent work.

At the same time, the work is significant by what it reveals about the actual practice of Presbyterian leadership. Shining a light often casts a shadow. In this case, the words of the brochure are in stark contrast to the top-down, command and control practices of the General Assembly Council, the thoroughly inequitable treatment of personnel, and the lack of a strong, courageous vision in the face of antagonistic factions in our national governance.

We should do what our leaders say, not what they do, when it comes to organizational leadership!

http://http//web.pensions.org/Publications/pensions/Home/Forms%20%26%20Publications/Booklets%20%26%20Brochures/pub-505.pdf

The Subordinant's Lament

For several years in different positions I have reflected, only around the edges, about what one does when the boss does not appear to be as effective as the organization needs.

In the last years of the 20th century, for example, I sensed that one organization was going to have trouble when the new leader was drawing inspiration from the writings of leaders of the organization from the 1890's. In another situation, I watched the collective leadership of an organization I loved behaving in such unhelpful ways that I imagined myself in "Gorillas in the Mist," saying "they look like us, they have so many of the same characteristics, but THEY'RE DIFFERENT!"

Now I ready to offer some more constructive suggestions for those in subordinant positions who have higher hopes for their organization than those in the dominant positions. (Note: I'm following Carol Pierce and her colleagues from New Dynamics Partnerships and their work on multicultural, gender and ethnic relationships in using "subordinant" and "dominant" to avoid the cliched organizational terms here.)

1. Nurture your own spirit. When tempted to spend time moaning or griping, exchange that time for quiet reflection on yourself, your place in the universe--a broader perspective than just your organization or church, and your calling and your principles. Keep track of your own integrity and don't let it get lost in your discouragement and cynicism.
2. Keep your own creativity going. The organization needs creativity, adaptability, and connection with fresh ideas even more when the folks at the top are less in touch. The musician and coach Harry Pickens reminded me several years ago that a person could have more influence on an organization from the margins than from the center. You can keep tabs on creativity by asking if you are increasing your sense of knowledge and truth, if you are growing in respect for differences, if you are building community, and if positive work can still be done (a distillation of the thought of the philosopher of the creative spirit, Henry Nelson Wieman).
3. Find partners or allies for the journey through this time in your organization. There is strength also in collaboration and alliance. You are better with others than alone. A caution about this, however, is to avoid a secretive and oppositional coalition. As I define it, a coalition is two or more members of a system, often at different levels of authority (a member and a staff member, or a member and a member of a governing board), who join together expressly to oppose or exclude another person or group. A coalition usually involves secretiveness, and it is likely to be denied if someone asks about it. By contrast an alliance is defined as two or more members of a system who agree to work together on an issue of common interest, without intentionally excluding or opposing others. An alliance is not usually secretive. Open and transparent relationships formed for the benefit of the organization and for its members are usually welcome.
4. Look for ways to adapt to the new realities of the organization, for ways to act out transformational leadership in your area of work, to help the organization keep learning and growing. Assuming that an organization is a holistic organism, any part that can be healthy and creative can leaven the whole.

So do not lament, faithful subordinants. Free yourselves to be the best you can be in the circumstances and it will pay off.

Change, Learning and the Lifelong Learning Professional

OK, it's time for confession. Three weeks ago, the Lifelong Learning office at Louisville Seminary received the news that it was being cut in half. My job as Director of Lifelong Learning and Advanced Degrees was intact, but my colleague, the Programs Manager, was to be laid off in a reduction in force.

My first reaction was just that--a reaction. I was hurt and angry. I felt totally helpless to assist my colleague and hopeless about how I would continue these programs for which I have so much passion without a full time colleague. I felt my "position" was diminished by this move. I stayed angry and hurt for a couple of weeks, including a week of vacation--well timed for rest and reflection.

The turnaround did not come for me until last week with my prayer and support partners. We do a day long retreat together nine or ten times a year and last week was perfect timing. They worked me over pretty good and as they helped me get clear and straight about the situation, here's what I realized. I have to practice what I preach.

I'm the one who proposes that those engaged in lifelong learning need to ask themselves four questions:

1. What has changed or what needs to change in ministry?
2. What do I need to learn to meet the changing situation?
3. How can I promote my own health and growth in a changing situation?
4. Where can I find help or partners to get what I need?

Don't you hate it when your own words come back to haunt you!

Of course things change! Unfortunately they do not always change in directions we hoped. Certainly I'm not in charge of the changes in my life and work!

So instead of a reaction to the new situation --"I'm hurt and angry," I've moved with my friends' help to a response--"I'm learning." A learning mode is helping me be less helpless and more creative.