Leading Together!

This January marks an important moment in the life of Broad Street. It is the true beginning of our Lay Leadership Board. Even though we spent some of last year meeting with leadership, praying, talking through this, and discussing both the challenges and the benefits of this model, this is when it really becomes lived out. Preparation now becomes practice. And like anything new, it will take some adjusting. We will learn as we go. We will refine how we work together. That is not a sign of failure; it is a sign that we are growing faithfully.

One of the things I love most about the United Methodist Church is that ministry has never been meant to be carried by one person alone. We are a connectional church. We believe in shared leadership. We trust that God speaks through many voices. Broad Street has always lived into that spirit, and our Lay Leadership Board is another way of strengthening it.

We are using what is I call a hybrid version of the One Board Model. That means we have kept our administrative committees—Finance, Trustees and SPRC —because their work matters. Their knowledge matters. Their attention to detail matters. But their role has shifted. These committees now function more like task teams of the Lay Leadership Board. They do the “nuts and bolts” work. They handle the minutia. They prepare recommendations, research, and options so that decisions can be made wisely and prayerfully.

The Lay Leadership Board is what meets once a month.
This is the space where shared leadership truly comes together.

Every member of those administrative committees is part of the Lay Leadership Board.
Every voice matters.
Every member has a vote.

This is powerful because it means decisions are no longer made in separate rooms and then passed along. Instead, we gather as one body. Finance hears Trustees. Trustees hear SPRC. Ministry leaders hear the broader vision.  The Lay Leadership Board becomes the central place where we come together to decide and move forward.

This model helps us:
Keep the strength of our committee system
Honor the gifts and expertise of each area
Increase transparency and communication
Reduce silos and duplication
Share responsibility and ownership
Spend less time managing structure and more time doing ministry

Another important piece of this is openness. The Lay Leadership Board meetings are open. Anyone is welcome to attend, listen, and learn more about how leadership and decision-making happen at Broad Street. We believe transparency builds trust, and trust strengthens the church. The one exception is the SPRC portion of the meeting, which will remain closed because it involves confidential and matters that require privacy and care.

I know change can feel uncomfortable. Even good change can make us pause. We are creatures of habit, and learning a new rhythm takes patience. There will be moments when we realize something needs to be tweaked. That is normal. That is healthy. That is how faithful systems grow.

This is not about efficiency for efficiency’s sake.
It is about faithfulness.
It is not about control.
It is about trust.
It is not about fewer voices.
It is about clearer leadership and stronger collaboration.

This model reflects our theology beautifully. We are one body with many parts. Each part matters. Each part brings something sacred to the table. The Lay Leadership Board is where those parts come together, not to compete, but to listen, discern, and move forward in unity.

And here is the heart of it all: our church does not belong to a pastor. It belongs to God, and it is carried by the people. The Lay Leadership Board is a visible reminder that leadership is shared, that your voice matters, and that God calls each of us to help shape the future of this community of faith.

We will not get everything perfect right away. We will adjust. We will grow. We will learn better ways of communicating and working together. That is holy work. What matters is that we stay rooted in prayer, grounded in trust, and open to the movement of the Holy Spirit.

We are not just organizing meetings.
We are discerning God’s future for Broad Street.
We are building a culture of faith, courage, and hope.
We are learning to lead together in a new way.

And this January, that sacred work has begun.  See you Sunday!

Peace, Pastor Tracy