Julie Lytle
Pathways for Baptismal Living at Bexley Seabury Seminary and the Association for Episcopal Deacons
617-669-8411
jlytle@bexleyseabury.edu
Rev. Canon Nancy Ford is a Deacon in the Diocese of Islands and Inlets (British Columbia) and lives in Victoria on Vancouver Island. She had the opportunity to do a 3-year training in Bowen Family systems Theory alongside her training in Pastoral Counselling education through Canadian Association for Pastoral Practice and Education (now Canadian Association for Spiritual Care). She spent over 23 years as a Counsellor with a faith-based counselling and training agency as co-ordinator of counselling services and trainer. She is Director of Deacons and Deacon to the City out of Christ Church Cathedral in Victoria.
During the last 50 years different approaches to Family Systems have developed. They speak to the regained curiosity regarding anxiety and the role it plays is determining human behaviour. Murray Bowen developed his family systems theory in the 1970s whilst working in psychiatric hospitals. He became curious about the influence family had on psychiatric patients’ behaviour and healing. He subsequently developed 8 concepts and was working on a ninth concept just before his death. was dubbed spirituality by some of his students and is a homage to his growing awareness of something other which shapes human behaviour. His work led him to think that psychosis and other major psychiatric diagnoses were manifestations of family process and that medications were not always necessary. His work was both controversial and timely. It is interesting to note that other approaches to family systems thinking developed at the same time such as Edwin Friedman and Virginia Satir.
As Deacons we find ourselves in a curious position. On one hand, we minister in the midst of marginalized and discarded people, while on the other, we serve in an institution where we are called to be prophets and truth tellers. Our vocation calls us to be and work where anxiety can be chronically high. How do we find ways to think systemically when in the midst of such intense and dramatic evidence of anxiety? The pandemic has changed everything from our symbolic and prophetic role in liturgy to our work in the town square. How might thinking about systems theory be helpful in discerning and rediscovering our diakonia?
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Deacons Talking on the Road to Emmaus is a web-based way for deacons to walk with each other and share their stories in hope of inspiring, supporting and renewing diaconal ministries. It is inspired by the story of Cleopas and another disciple who, after recounting all that they had experienced while walking on the road to Emmaus with a stranger, recognized Jesus in their midst (Luke 24:13-32). Jesus' presence led them to release their fear and grief, to return to Jerusalem to share their experience of the resurrected Christ with the gathered community, and to renew their ministry with confidence.
Now sponsored by Pathways for Baptismal Living at Bexley Seabury Seminary and the Association for Episcopal Deacons, these free, live, interactive web conferences occur monthly on the second Tuesday at 8:30 pm ET and feature deacons sharing stories from their ministries, exploring case studies, offering peer wisdom and feedback, and exchanging mutual support. The Reverend Connie Campbell-Pearson, Deacon & Accompanist at St. James Episcopal church, Bozman and The Venerable Roxanne Klingensmith, Archdeacon for the Diocese of Montana, join Dr. Julie Lytle, Bexley Seabury Seminary's DIrector of Distributive and Lifelong Learning, in ihosting the webinar and in dentifying deacons to share their stories. We hope you will join us for our upcoming conversations.
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You can still join us if you miss our live session! The most recent recording is available on the Pathways for Baptismal Living website here. Click the He Qi image of The Road to Emmaus the for the recording of the most recent program or look through our archive of video programs on Vimeo here. (NOTE: Newer programs are posted asap. Thank you for your patience.)