Been a long time not blogging. An explanation is in order.

For the past two months the parish has been in the process of working through issues I did not want to influence. My last blog of March 25 focused the parish on the challenge. That was enough. I wanted the parish freedom to work.

Over the past two years I have experienced a very small handful of parishioners here manufacturing “policy statements” from the Rector. Some have made claims about what “the Rector was planning” that I do not recognize. Call it human nature. It is what you get when people are still learning the value of Autonomy.

I wanted to be over-scrupulous on this issue. I feared blogging might have risked a perception that I was “manipulating” the process.

Autonomy is one of the Five Root Values that provide the anchor for our Covenant Community. To value Autonomy means to value the unique perspective each person brings to our community. That I value the Autonomy of the Vestry means that I want to hear their voice, uncolored by my own perspective. That I value the Autonomy of each of our parishioners means that I want to hear the perspective of each as we discern our way forward together. That I value my own Autonomy means my perspective is my own. To ascribe motive to others, or to make claims about what someone says or thinks, is a violation of Autonomy.

One Vestry member, Mark Boyer, reported at a recent Wednesday evening forum that in conversation with parishioners, two (or more) suggested to him that the process was “rigged,” that “they” already knew what the outcome was going to be. All Mark could do was shrug his shoulders. He, as a member of the Vestry, did not know what the outcome was going be. The parishioner was violating the value of Autonomy. All Mark could do was shrug his shoulders.

The parishioners who engaged the Truth or Consequences worship did so with great attentiveness and earnest interest. My gratitude goes out to all who have participated. The quality of this process depends on the value of Autonomy being honored at every step.

Clearly the Vestry benefited from the Parish Convocation on May 17. Over 80 parishioners gathered to share their unique perspectives. The Vestry took this input and drafted a plan they will submit to me, I am confident, by the deadline on May 28.

What next? Once I receive the Vestry plan, I will publish it on the parish website. I will post it on the Social Networking site. I will also post it on this blog.

I will review the plan for two weeks. I will invite parishioners to help in my analysis. With the plan I will post a Success Analysis process I have designed to help me think through the different elements of the plan. I invite parishioners to use this template in their own analysis, or to use their own method. However parishioners chose to study that plan, I am hoping for help in understanding how the plan will work to build a hopeful future for our parish.

I will receive parishioner input via email, or on a discussion forum I will open on the SD Life social network.

After two weeks, I will report to the Vestry my assessment of the plan.

When I respond to the Vestry with my assessment of their plan, it will not be with the expectation that the Vestry conforms to my perspective. As leaders of this parish, I know the Vestry will honor their own Autonomy and respond to me out of the same responsibility for leadership that I will respond to them.

Another Root Value that grounds this covenant community is Commitment. Together we will find our way forward.