Courageous Leadership: Pot of Gold PCD UUA LREDA 2013

Courageous Leadership

Heart Practices for Church, Work and Family

Notes from the Presentation at the Unitarian

Universalist Church of Davis, September 7

Presented by the Rev. Michelle Favreaultwww.RiteHereNow.comwww.SKSM.edu

Pot of Gold 2013

Courage

cœur + age

"to speak one's mind by telling all one's

heart."

The Universe is made of

stories, not atoms. Muriel Rukeyser, The Speed of Darkness

Stories

How do religious leaders create and support

educational programs that meet the needs of spiritual explorers in 2013?

What are the Unitarian Universalist theologies of “Today's Children and Yesterday's Heritage” that inform, influence, guide and challenge our practices of embodying a holistic liberal religious education in congregations...and beyond?

Confession

Courage

Here goes…

“I've found what makes children happy doesn't always prepare them to be courageous, engaged adults.” Brené Brown, contemporary educator & research scientist

all that quickens sympathetic imagining, that awakens

sensitivity to others feelings, all that enriches and enlarges understanding of the world; all that strengthens courage, that adds to the love of living, all that leads to developing skills needed for democratic social

participation all these put together are the curriculum through which children learn.

Elizabeth M. Manwell & Sophia Lyon Fahs, Consider the Children, How They Grow 1940

Consider the Children

What We Have Been Taught

Transcending Generational Paradigms, Theological Concerns and Pedagogy

A quick UUA timeline of religious education – see source material at: http://www.uua.org/documents/middletonbetty/regradcourseoutline_reader.pdf

Mid-20th Century

The New Era

*Foundational Texts: 1940, 1952

"Today’s Children and Yesterday’s Heritage”

The Multi Media Era

*secular sales imperative

*AYS, Haunting House

1980’s – 1990’s

The “RE Futures” Era

*Emergence of “UU Principles and Purposes”

*The “Pillars”

“Spiral Journey” Era

*Religious Growth & Learning

*Essex Conversations

2000 and today….

“Tapestry of Faith” Era

*”Faith Development”

*on-line distribution

Whole Hearted, Beloved Conversation, Congregations and Beyond compost field….

Be Here Now

~ Angus Hector MacLean

“Let us keep the wind singing in both ears, and pray for the courage

to interpret and act upon what it brings us.”

spending time…

vs.

devoting time….

Devotion

To study as a spiritual imperative….

What is Courage?

“One way to understand the etymology of courage is to consider its history as a series of losses. Over the course of five centuries, from 1051 to 1490, courage was cut off from its sources in time, in the heart, and in feelings. In other words, courage was slowly dissociated from what traditional Western culture considers feminine qualities, and came to mean ‘that quality of mind that shows itself in facing danger without fear or shrinking,’ a definition associated with the bravery and heroism of boys and men. The pattern of losses in the history of the word courage seems to reflect an increasing invisibility of girls’ and women’s courage in Western culture.”  Professor Annie Rogers

Without courage, we cannot tell our stories. When we don’t tell our stories, we miss the opportunity to experience empathy...

www.brenebrown.com

Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent and Lead

Ted Talk: http://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability.html

Devotion

To engage the world from a place of worthiness….

Devotion

To share struggle and strength

Devotion

To Healthy Boundaries

Devotion

To Make Mistakes and Make Amends

Devotion

To Gratitude

Devotion

To the practice of vulnerability….

Devotion

To Whole Heartedness

What does your courage look like to me?

What does my courage look like to you?

Above all else…adapted from the Wholehearted Parenting Manifesto:

http://www.brenebrown.com/downloads-badges/

The Wholehearted Unitarian Universalist Manifesto Above all else, we want you to know that you are loved

and lovable. You will learn this from our words and actions--the lessons on love are in how we treat you and

how we treat ourselves.

Engage with the world from a place of worthiness

We want you to engage with the world from a place of worthiness. You will learn that you are worthy of love, belonging, and joy every time you see us practice self-compassion and embrace our own imperfections.

share our stories of struggle and strength

We will practice courage in our congregation by showing up, letting ourselves be seen, and honoring vulnerability. We will share our stories of struggle and strength. There will always be room in our church for both.

we will set and respect boundaries

We will teach you compassion by practicing compassion with ourselves first; then with each other. We will set and respect boundaries; we will honor hard work, hope, and perseverance. Rest and play will be community values, as well as community practices.

make mistakes and make amends

You will learn accountability and respect by watching us make mistakes and make amends, and by watching how we ask for what we need and talk about how we feel.

practice gratitude

learn how to be vulnerable

We want you to know joy, so together we will practice gratitude.

We want you to feel joy, so together we will learn how to be vulnerable.

When uncertainty and scarcity visit, you will be able to draw from the spirit that is a part of our everyday life.

Together we will cry and face fear and grief. We will want to take away your pain, but instead we will sit with you and teach you how to feel it.

We will laugh and sing and dance and create. We will always have permission to be ourselves with each other. No matter what, you will always belong here.

As you begin your Wholehearted journey, the greatest gift that we can give to you is to live and love with our whole hearts and to dare greatly.

We will not teach or love or show you anything perfectly, but we will let you see us, and we will always hold sacred the gift of seeing you. Truly, deeply, seeing you.

In gratitude

For your courageFor your vulnerability

For your whole hearted leadership