Changing Seasons
With every season comes the earth’s reminder that we live in an ever-changing and evolving world. The landscape looks different as the leaves fall and plants go dormant. As the days get shorter I feel this propensity to go inward.
As the fall leadership meetings get underway in Atlanta, ACPE continues its journey of going inward. There continues to be good work happening as we move into new phases of our strategic planning process and anti-bias work. I want to share the board report I submitted for our ACPE Board meeting in mid-November:
First, I’d like to thank all the members who volunteer their time for ACPE. I am constantly inspired by all the work that is accomplished in this organization. It is good work and it takes your time and energy. You do work that makes a difference by keeping the mission of transforming spirits and making a difference in people’s lives. This is good healing work in a time of division and pain in the wider culture in which we live.
Secondly, it is an ongoing honor to serve this organization as chair of the ACPE Board, especially during this time of strategic planning. I want to thank the members of the board and the strategic planning team for their measured and centered work on discerning how we will focus our time, talent, and resources over the next several years.
The focus for the last several month’s work has been on discerning a shared understanding of ACPE’s purpose, strengths, opportunities, and challenges. We’ve done that through focus groups and a survey.
The Board and strategy team met in Atlanta at the end of September to do focused work on feedback and developing a preliminary recommendation for our strategic direction. The feedback has been clear that the purpose of ACPE is to advance professional spiritual care education and that everyone has access to quality professional spiritual care that will enhance their life.
The work continues as we enter the next phase of both the survey and focus groups. This work will help us to refine our strategy and direction. Eventually, we will do the work on how we implement the strategy.
I can feel within myself the desire to jump ahead and begin addressing operational issues that need to be addressed around connection, relationships, and how we direct our resources in the work. This will come. I’m appreciating the wisdom of the folks at LaPiana who have helped us move this process with intention and discipline. This is hard but good work as we tend to the mission of spiritual care and education.
Over the course of the summer, our organizational work continued certifying educators and accreditation work with centers. Additionally, the ACPE Board worked with the anti-bias task force to further our commitment to anti-bias/anti-racism work as an organization. The five subgroups of the task force reported back to the ACPE Board their findings and recommendations in five areas: Immigration/Language, Race, Religion/ Values, Ableism, and Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.
The reason the work of the board and many of ACPE’s processes moves along is because of the support of the staff. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank John Roch for his service to ACPE over these past 20 years. John keeps so many pieces moving in ACPE through his organizational ability, leadership, and business acumen. He has been an invaluable conversation partner, processer, friend, and guide as I’ve executed the role of chair of the board for ACPE. John, I grieve and celebrate your departure at the same time. Grieve what will be lost by your departure, celebrating the great things to come in your professional career. Thank you.
Speaking of changing seasons, today I received a call from John Simon, the new board chair for the Association of Professional Chaplains. John and I connected about the importance of our work together as associations. Please join me in congratulating John on his new role!
Finally, this is the month of elections and Thanksgiving. Let us be grateful for elections in this country that are free and not influenced by other powers. This is guaranteed by a free and equal elections clause in U.S. state constitutions. Let us also be grateful for the good work of spiritual care and education. This is possible because of the hard and dedicated work of the membership of ACPE. May you and yours have a blessed Thanksgiving season.