#023: The Importance of Parish Organizational Development (with Kathy Bartlett)

Kathy Bartlett

If you examine professional development for pastoral ministers, you see a not-surprising array of topics and offerings. At conventions, parish and diocesan workshops, and even graduate programs, you’ll find classes in music, sacramental theology, scripture, liturgy, and spirituality. These are, of course, well and good. But what about the more practical, even mundane, topics necessary for successful ministry? What about operational planning? Or strategic planning? Or navigating interpersonal relationships? Or budgeting?

In today’s episode, we explore the concept of operational development and why these practical realities are of great importance for anyone who wants their ministry to be both efficient and effective. To do so, we’ll speak with organizational expert Kathy Bartlett, and we’ll hear tips for running an effective parish staff meeting in today’s Ministry Moment.

SHOW NOTES

For more information about St. Matthew's Catholic Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, visit the parish website. You can read an article about the parish, the largest in the United States, from the May 1, 2017 issue of America Magazine.

If you haven't done so yet, go back and listen to our conversation with Leisa Anslingerin Episode #014. We discuss discovering and living your strengths, and other topics also addressed in this episode.

There were lots of organizations mentioned in our conversation! You can find more information by following the links below. 

• To learn more about StrengthsFinder, visit the Gallup Organization website.
• While you are there, you can also visit the ME25 Member Engagement survey pagethat Kathy mentioned in the episode.
• You can visit the Catherine of Sienna Instituteat their website.
• Also, you can find out more about the "appreciative inquiry" process by doing a simple search in your preferred search engine. 

You can read articles about leading effective parish staff meetings at the Christianity Today ("How to Run a Great Staff Meeting") and Ministry Best Practices ("How to Make Meetings Stink Less") websites. 

The recordings of "All Are Welcome (All Belong)" was produced by OCP. "Give Us Peace" was produced by GIA Publications.

Visit NPM's digital resource library, referenced at the end of the episode. 

All content of this podcast is property of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians or its content suppliers and is protected by United States and international copyright laws. For information about the podcast and its use, please contact us.

#022: How Firm A Foundation - Gathering and Word (with Dr. Elaine Rendler)

Dr. Elaine Rendler

We are past the half-way point of summer. In many parishes around the country, the pace of liturgical life slows a bit during these traditional vacation months. While we hope you are all enjoying some well-deserved vacation, or, at least, a lighter rehearsal schedule, we also hope you are able to take advantage of these months for some professional reflection and development.

Last week we gathered in Baltimore for the 41stNPM national convention. Almost two thousand participants spent five days learning, praying, and networking in the historical birthplace of American Catholicism. Like any convention, there were repertoire sessions to introduce new music, concerts, keynote presentations, and workshop sessions to both introduce new concepts and practices and to revisit the basics. Many of these sessions were recorded, and we look forward to bringing you some of this captured content in future Ministry Monday episodes and in the member’s only section of the NPM website.

Today, we’ll hear an archived presentation from one of this year’s NPM presenters, Dr. Elaine Rendler. Recorded at the twenty-fifth NPM national convention in 2001, Dr. Rendler breaks open the rite of gathering and the liturgy of the word. In doing so, Elaine reminds us of the structure of the liturgy, the theological and liturgical underpinnings, and challenges us to look closely at our own practice. For some of our listeners, this might be new information. For others, this will be familiar content. Regardless, we hope that today’s episode will encourage you to take some time to evaluate your community’s practice of gathering and welcoming, and that you will be able to take away some practical steps for when your full liturgical ministry returns at the end of the season.

SHOW NOTES

For more information about Dr. Elaine Rendler and her work, visit her composer page at OCP and her faculty page at George Mason University. You can find out more about Today's Liturgy, including how to subscribe, by visiting the OCP website.

The recording of "You Are My Shepherd" was produced by OCP. The recording of "Give Us Peace" was produced by GIA Publications.

Visit NPM's digital resource library, referenced at the end of the episode. 

All content of this podcast is property of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians or its content suppliers and is protected by United States and international copyright laws. For information about the podcast and its use, please contact us.

#021: Live from the convention! (with Amanda Plazek Bruce)

Amanda Plazek Bruce

It’s convention week, and today Ministry Monday is coming to you from the exhibit hall at the 2018 NPM national convention in Baltimore, Maryland. The convention started literally minutes ago with the ringing the NPM bell and the official welcome from NPM president Stephen Petrunak. The energy level is high, and participants are meeting friends old and new. 

For me, this week will bring a marathon of interviews future episodes of this podcast, the Open Your Hymnal podcast, and live broadcasts of convention plenum addresses and keynote sessions. Of course, like any good convention, I am sure there will be times for reuniting and socializing. 

Today’s episode features a conversation with Amanda Plazek Bruce. Amanda is the chair of the NPM technology interest section, and one of the live broadcast cohosts for the week. In addition to her work for NPM, Amanda is an example of how important conventions like this can be, both in terms of professional learning and in terms of mentorship and invitation. 

SHOW NOTES

Follow the NPM convention on Facebook. While you are there, be sure to post your own favorite or memorable convention experience, and tell us about how you were invited and encouraged.  Also, tune in to the NPM YouTube page for live broadcasts of keynote addresses, plenum sessions, and select evening concerts.

To learn more about the 41st national convention, visit the 2018 NPM convention website. 

The recording of "Lord You Give the Great Commission" was produced by OCP, and the recording of "Give Us Peace" was produced by GIA Publications.

Visit NPM's digital resource library, referenced at the end of the episode. 

All content of this podcast is property of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians or its content suppliers and is protected by United States and international copyright laws. For information about the podcast and its use, please contact us.