Vestries and mission boards dance a challenging balancing act. The experience and ability of members is usually exceptional, but not necessarily in serving as lay leaders of a parish church or mission. There is a constant dance between discerning and following the Lord’s will and being too “secular corporate world” in planning and leading. Styles of working with others that bring success in the work place may lead to breakdowns in the functioning of the vestry or church board. There is the constant tug between the proper balances of process orientation and task orientation. And the time demands….. 

    “The Creative Vestry” is a vestry planning retreat designed to both address all of these challenges and assist vestry and mission boards to craft faithful visions for their congregations. Actions in response to God’s specific call for the individual parish or mission are prayerfully considered while effective planning and management tools are applied in order to practice good stewardship of the resources the Lord has provided for carrying out his purposes. 

    "The "Creative" focus of the title refers to the blending of an entry into God's call to work that creates through his church and releasing each participant's God-given creative ability.

    “The Creative Vestry” blends elements of The Baptismal Covenant, The Great Commission, the best practices of church and other non-profit leadership groups, and the spirit of Celtic Christianity to energize vestries and mission boards. It is the culmination of many years of consulting, teaching, and leading retreats in the Episcopal Church. 

    The format of "The Creative Vestry is particularly distinctive. Participants in the retreat join in a process that begins approximately three weeks in advance of the retreat. This process includes short daily readings that center participants understanding of key elements of being lay leaders in a congregation. They then continue to work with both the teachings and the output from the result for weeks after the retreat. With this approach, "The Creative Vestry" becomes a living process rather than an event.

    For additional information or to schedule “The Creative Vestry” for your parish or mission, contact Michael Redpath at mredpath@acreativeworld.com or 732-279-0329.