Who? 

This APL is aimed at all in the Convocation who want to further their understanding and vision of shared leadership, as well as addressing congregation and convocation mission and identity.

When? 

Why? 

The Convocation is a particular part of the body of Christ in Europe. We are at a turning point. To prepare us for the times ahead we are called to listen intentionally and intensively to discern God's guidance for us, so that we can better participate in God's mission.

With that in mind, our goals this year are to:

• learn gracious leadership skills to empower ministries, especially for discerning truth and building relationships through the art of listening;
• capture and share learnings from 2020 – invention, innovation and discovery – and discern how to “go back to church” in the post-pandemic context; 
• foster relational, spiritual and physical wellness, individually and communally; and
• gain clarity of identities for our communities as they relate to one another and as part of the Convocation.

We will not be passively listening to lectures; much of the time will be devoted to interactive activities and small group conversations.

 In order to enhance our experience together and make our learning more practical and contextual, we invite you to do some pre-work beforehand: view 2 short videos, write a “love letter” to the Convocation, and invite 5-10 congregation members to write love letters to your church.

Once you register, we will provide you the template for the “love letter” and links to the videos. 

Our facilitators will be the Rev. Dr. Eric H. F. Law and the Rev. Bill Cruse from the Kaleidoscope Institute for Diverse and Sustainable Communities (www.kscopeinstitute.org). The models and concepts they will share at the Academy, especially “Holy Currencies” and “Grace Margin,” have been embraced successfully by church communities across the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Australia. (To learn more, see the many books by Eric H. F. Law, especially Holy Currencies and Inclusion: Making Room for Grace.)

Registration will close 17 June 2021.