Congregational Empowerment Team

Capitalizing on earlier success in a congregational vitality program, development of a church empowerment initiative began in 2019. This initiative is intended to provide support to churches needing assistance through a team of clergy and layperson volunteers trained in a coaching approach to congregational leadership. The coaches seek to empower congregations to find new ways to share their faith, guide them in discernment of their God-inspired mission, and build their capacity to move toward realizing their vision of how to be Christ’s church in the 21st century.

The Congregation Empowerment Team is led by a Coordinating Team of 3 persons experienced in the coach leadership model. Their role is to develop and deliver the training for coaches, coordinate the assignment of coaches to congregations requesting assistance, provide coaching and support to coaches, oversee the resources allocated to the program by the Conference, and provide timely information about its actions to the Conference leadership. They report directly to The Rev. Dr. Marisa Laviola, Associate Conference Minister for Congregational Transitions.

Coaches were introduced to the Coaching4Clergy model of coaching through a day-long workshop with J. Val Hastings, MCC, Founder and President of Coaching4Clergy. They have also participated in a study of The Coach Model for Christian Leaders, authored by Keith Webb. This experience involved independent and small group study, peer coaching, and support/coaching from experienced coaches. There are approximately 15 persons, lay and clergy, who are ready to serve the congregations of Penn Central conference.