Best Seller: THANK YOU to the readers of my newest book, The Power of Asset Mapping:
How Your Congregation Can Act on Its Gifts. You have made this the best-selling title for a new author
with the Alban Institute, and many of you have written to let me know how the book has helped you make positive social change
in your communities and congregations. The book has also been favorably reviewed. If you haven't picked up
a copy yet, check Publications for more details, and order yours today.
What's been up lately:
Exciting new tools and methods: Over the past several months I've been working intensively
with leaders of both community-based and faith-based organizations and sharing with colleagues to develop new tools and methods
to complement and extend the success of the Quick and Simple Asset Mapping Experience. I'm excited about the resulting
series of group methods and organizing strategies which help leaders to:
- Transform the thinking of any group, from the fixed sum idea of "your gain is my loss," to the open sum idea
of "your gain is my gain is our gain."
- Mobilize community members for real action, by uncovering powerful and mutual interests.
- Sustain asset building over time in organizations, through structures and approaches that are often backwards
from the typical money-chasing or empire-building approaches.
- Tap into the larger movement for open-sum action in technology, social change, faith, health, and community development.
Let's talk about how to put these tools to work for you!
Support social entrepreneurship: The Virtual Frontier has opened its new website featuring entrepreneurs
and artisans from the frontier country of the Pacific Northwest. I think this can be the foundation for networking
across frontier communities. Besides, you might find something you'd like to buy! Check it out at www.shopthefrontier.com
Expanding a national office to a local presence. I'm working with the Priddy Trust and leaders in
North Central Texas, and especially Fort Worth, to bring Partners for Sacred Spaces to the area. Can church buildings be a
foundation for faith? We've seen that by taking an asset-based approach to building restoration and capital fundraising,
congregations have been strengthened in faith and in community. http://www.sacredplaces.org
Warm reception for keynote presentations. I've been gratified by the enthusiastic response I've
received for keynote presentations recently, from groups as diverse as
- the Texas Society of Archtects
- the national Interim Ministry Network,
- the regional Rural Ministry conference of the Center for Land and Theology,
- the national Lutheran Services in America,
- Lutheran Peacemakers, and Lutheran Hunger activists
- United Methodist Summit on Christian Stewardship
- and the Initiative Foundations and Agency on Aging in Minnesota.
Something's in the air!
Modeling community coalition management. I've finished up two years of work with the Cedar
Rapids Youth Development Coalition, demonstrating the strength of asset-based, open-sum coalition management for positive
youth development. http://www.icyd.org/index.asp
Winning grant. I facilitated and wrote the winning proposal for the Near Northwest Neighborhood
Network's application to the Pathways to Collaboration Project of the Kellogg Foundation. One of only 12 selected out
of 275 proposals nationwide -- not bad! www.nnnn.org
New energy for an historic collaboration. The Ecumenical Stewardship Center is a 40-year old coalition
of major national denominations, dedicated to the idea and practice of abundance and congregational development. I facilitated
asset-based planning among leaders of the organization, first the Executive Committee and then the Board of Directors as a
whole. http://www.stewardshipresources.org/
New foundation initiative: I contributed to planning for a new program development at
the Northwest Area Foundation on Rural Latino Leadership.
Panel at Harvard. At my 25th class reunion at Harvard, I spoke on a panel with classmates working
in social justice and community development.
Planning for healthy communities. I've facilitated a series of community planning sessions among
people who understand that health comes from community. Many of these sessions have been "near to home" for me, ranging
from small towns in southeast Minnesota to Des Moines, Iowa.
Published article on faith and rural assets. Check out, "Empowered to Act" in the Spring 2004 issue
of Catholic Rural Life: http://www.ncrlc.com/crl_spring2004.html
Intensive weeklong workshops. Conciliation Services of Canada invited me to be their trainer and
facilitator for their annual seminar for clergy and lay leaders. Right after that, I worked for several days with
national staff, district staff, and congregational leaders of the United Church of Christ in Canada.
Now what? Toward Self-Generating Development. That's the title of my presentation to rural
community developers at the annual conference of Rural Development Iniatives, Inc., in Oregon. This is my third
year presenting at this conference. And congratulations to RDI on winning a very competitive competition for a major
Kellogg foundation grant on Rural Entrepreneurship! www.rdiinc.org
Asset mapping for stewardship across the state of Nebraska for the ELCA in the fall and spring of 2005 -06.
- Workshop for pastors and lay leaders in the LaCrosse Area Synod of the ELCA, January, 2006.
- Workshop for the national Association of Presbyterian Church Educators in St. Louis, February, 2006.
- UC Canada Stewardship event, Kananaskis, Alberta, March 2006.
