Bishop ,
The energy and excitement percolating through the Gathering of Leaders network (and the wider church) is buzzing as the creativity afforded to us during the pandemic creates new offerings, methods, and dreams for our clergy participants heading into the future. Your gift to this year’s Annual Fund will help us reach our $25,000 goal as we continue to support and connect our member clergy throughout the world. Donate or pledge here.
Throughout 2020 GOL worked tirelessly to keep our member clergy supported through our Seeking Resilience sessions, connected through our first Virtual Gatherings, and sustained through our Adaptive Conversations offering. A fuller description of the work over the past year can be found here (Annual Report 2020).
2021 is shaping up to be even more creative and future-focused! In addition to restarting our in-person events, we are exploring the potential of building Gathering of Leaders into a Network of Networks, an opportunity made possible in part by our partnership with the Episcopal Church Foundation. The ever-changing landscape of the Episcopal Church makes GOL’s resources and methodology for connecting hope-filled, creative, proven, leaders attractive to many groups. Existing Episcopal networks of lay leaders, clergy of color, bivocational clergy, church planters, and wider Anglican communion networks of lay and clergy leaders are enthusiastic about being part of the GOL ethos and connecting leaders dedicated to growth in both numerical impact and spiritual depth for the Episcopal church. Additional information and the opportunity to support this work financially will be available this fall.
Our leadership is also continuing the deep, reflective work on ourselves as an organization as we review and ingest the recent Racial Justice Audit and address our own history and methods. We are building on the past few years of dialogue and learning on racial healing and justice, while holding up this holy work within our network through continued conversation, reflection, and connecting with our participants.
Funded completely through gifts from our participants, their congregations, and their dioceses, Gathering of Leaders’ growth and innovation needs your gift more than ever. Gifts can be offered online through PayPal, or by mailing a check to Gathering of Leaders, 25911 Hootananny, San Antonio, TX 78260 (new address). If you have any questions, please contact me at haley@thegatheringofleaders.org or 210-842-7741. Ongoing annual pledges are also welcome and encouraged.
Sincerely,
Haley Bankey
Executive Director, Gathering of Leaders