Interim ministers invited to learn about coaching at annual gathering

Submitted by the Rev. Keith L. Head
Communications Coordinator, TIIMSA, The United Methodist Church
903-267-9090 | okhead@mac.com
 
From April 19 to 21, the Transitional Intentional Interim Ministry Specialists Association (TIIMSA) of The United Methodist Church will meet in Denver, Colorado, for their ninth annual TIIMSA Gathering 2016. The emphasis this year will be on the importance of coaching as a key skill set for the Transitional Intentional Interim Ministry Specialist (TIIMS) and all leadership roles.
 
Whether you are a TIIMS, an ordained elder considering interim ministry, or a congregational leader desperate for a way to change your congregation’s climate, the seminar plenaries and workshops will give you the tools you need to made a good start: dealing with congregational grief, emotional intelligence, deep listening, artful language, how to move past limiting assumptions and beliefs, direct communication, action and accountability, empowering others to move from good to great.
 
With the theme, “Every Pastor, Ministry Staff, and Church Leader a Coach,” the featured speaker for the event is nationally respected coach, Rev. Dr. J. Val Hastings, MCC, the Founder and President of Coaching4Clergy, He is the author of numerous books and has developed the four coach training programs that are accredited and approved at the highest level by the International Coach Federation. Hastings currently holds the designation of Master Certified Coach through the International Coach Federation.
 
In this three-day event, Hastings will provide key concepts that can take a church from “stuck” to “dynamic” from “conflicted” to “collaborating.” A member of the 2016 Gathering Design Team and an experienced TIIMS, Rev. Thomas G. Thompson, noted that, “Most of what I did in my interims was coaching. It is a usable skill for any person in leadership.”
 
Beginning with a reception on April 19, the TIIMSA Gathering will be held until noon April 21 at St. Andrew United Methodist Church in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. First-time attendees are offered a 50% discount of the registration fee of $250. A registration form and more detailed information on the schedule, speaker, workshops, and lodging are available at http://tiimsa.org/2016-gathering.