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Transformational Leadership is Creativity Unleashed!
I just had the joy of finishing CREATIVITY, INC. Overcoming the Unseen Forces that Stand in the Way of True Inspiration, written by Ed Catmull Founder and President of Pixar Animation Studios. Pixar created ground breaking animation that transformed the industry and generated blockbuster movies like Toy Story and Finding Nemo by unleashing the creativity of its people—from CEO to the copy room worker, from ink story-boarder to administrative assistant. Pixar’s success is only possible because of their continuous building of a creative culture. This is a model we as the church of Jesus Christ can learn from and embody.
In fact, this is nothing new. We know a Creator God who said in Genesis 1, “Let us make human beings in our image, after our own likeness…So God created…male and female God created them.” And Revelation 21:5 bookends this saying, “Behold, I make all things new.” The creative process is part of our spiritual and theological DNA. Pixar can help us unleash this God-given gift in our leadership and our churches.
Pixar’s strategies to build a creative culture that can work within any church include:
- Give a good idea to a mediocre team, and they will mess it up. But give a mediocre idea to a great team, and they will either fix it or come up with something better.
- If you don’t strive to uncover what is unseen and understand its nature, you will be ill prepared to lead.
- Its not the manager’s (replace with-pastor’s, lay leader’s, youth leader's, music director’s) job to prevent risks. It’s that leader’s job to make it safe for others to take them.
- The cost of preventing errors is often far greater than the loss of fixing them.
- A company’s (church’s) communication structure should not mirror its organizational structure.Everybody should be able to talk to anybody.
- Do not assume that general agreement will lead to change—it takes substantial energy to move a group, even when all are on board.
The tension between the individual’s personal creative contribution and the leverage of the group is a dynamic that exists in all creative environments. Transformational leaders unleash the power of creativity in all areas, ministries and programs of the faith community. It’s part of how we were created!
I echo the innovative leader of Pixar and say:
- I believe transformational leaders acknowledge and make room for what they do not know—not just because humility is a virtue but because until one adopts that mindset, the most striking breakthroughs cannot occur.
- I believe transformational leaders must loosen the controls, not tighten them.
- I believe transformational leaders must accept risks, they must trust the people they work with and strive to clear the path for them.
- I believe transformational leaders must pay attention to and engage with anything that creates fear.
- I believe transformational leaders embrace the reality that their models may be wrong or incomplete.Only when we admit what we don’t know can we ever hope to learn it.
CREATIVITY, INC., our calling to be transformational leaders as the church of Jesus Christ, is about the ongoing work of paying attention—of being self-aware as disciples. It is a Spirit-breathed embodiment of the ideas that I believe make the best in us possible.
Grateful for the Creative Spirit in each of you
~Gina
~Check out Ed Catmull’s, CREATIVITY, INC.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces that Stand in the Way of True Inspiration
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New Central Region Administrative Assistant: Octavia Truesdale
Please welcome Octavia Truesdale, Central Region Administrative Assistant. Octavia comes to us with an impressive background ranging from working as an executive administrative assistant, career developer and an outreach coordinator in a major municipal setting. Octavia is a gifted and talented welcomed addition to the regional team at GNJ. Octavia will be providing administrative support to all the churches on Northern Shore District and can be reached at northershore@gnjumc.org or 732-359-1060.
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Circuit Elders Serving on the Northern Shore
Circuit Elders serving on the Northern Shore continue to be Rev. Will Kim of Monmouth Grace UMC and Rev. Loraine Priestley-Smith of 1st UMC of Freehold. It is my joy to introduce to you our new Circuit Elder, Rev. Jessica Campbell of Hamilton UMC, Neptune. Rev. Campbell brings many gifts of grace to this role, including: a diversity of pastoral experience, a passionate servant's heart, a creative spirit and growth in church vitality. I am grateful for how they are serving and resourcing 19 churches and 17 pastors on Northern Shore.
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GNJ Development Grant Application for 2017
The United Methodist Church of Greater New Jersey is providing development grants to leaders and congregations that:
- Encourage innovative ministry that connects with people in the community
- Develop lay and clergy leadership for making disciples and transforming the world
- Maximize vital congregations
Applications must be received by October 5, 2016. Please email all applications and questions to Ginny Kaiser.
Click here for additional information or click here to download the 2017 grant funding application.
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Church Conference Paperwork
Click here to view the Northern Shore District Church Conference schedule online. A friendly reminder that ALL church conference paperwork needs to be completed by Monday, October 10, if your church conference is being held on October 22 or October 29. If you have not already done so, please submit all church conference paper work ASAP if your church conference is being held on October 8.
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Super Church Conference Worship Resource
Click here to download a Super Church Conference worship resource compiled by Eric Drew, Director of Worship, to provide worship elements that any church can use on a Sunday morning to celebrate their church conference.
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2016 Annual Conference Journals
The digital version of the 2016 Annual Conference Journal is now online. Click here to view and download. If you are clergy, a church or a lay servant you can access the clergy and lay member directory by using your Arena log in. If you are a Lay Member, click here to have your credentials verified and we will email you a PDF file of the directory. All pre-ordered printed journals have been mailed.
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Northern Shore District 2016 Fall Advanced Lay Servant Registration
Date: October 8 and November 19
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m
Location: Embury UMC, 49 Church Street, Little Silver NJ 07739
Cost: $50 early bird registration
Click here to register.
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GNJ Nominations: Boards and Agencies
The nominations committee is looking for committed disciples of Jesus Christ who have leadership gifts and experience and are ready to join us as we take the next steps in our strategic plans. To recommend a person, or to offer yourself for leadership in one of our agencies, please complete the online survey found here. You can learn more about the purpose of the different boards and agencies by visiting the Connectional Table section in the GNJ website here. Nominations should be submitted by Monday, October 10. Please contact Ginny Kaiser with any questions.
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Small Group Symposium
Date: October 20
Time: 9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Cost: $30 for clergy and $15 for students
Location: Drew Theological School, 36 Madison Ave. Madison NJ 07940
Click here for more information and to register.
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Doxology: Central Region Day of Learning
Keynote Speaker: Kurtis Parks
"If you always do what you've always done, you'll always be what you've always been."
Date: November 12
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Location: Calvary Korean UMC, 572 Ryders Ln., East Brunswick NJ 08816
Cost: $25 per individual registration or $100 for an entire group of four or more (lunch included)
For more information and to register, please click here.
Click here to watch a short video to learn more about Doxology.
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Save The Date: Bishop's Day on the Central Region
Date: Thursday, December 8
Clergy Session: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon.
Laity Session: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Aldersgate United Methodist Church, 568 Ryder Lane, East Brunswick NJ 08816
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