We just elected a new
bishop in our South-Central Synod of Wisconsin (ELCA). Pastor Mary Stumme Froiland will do a fine
job and I look forward to her ministry with interims. Along with the excitement and suspense of the
election process, the assembly was also privileged to hear Bishop Jessica Crist
of the Montana Synod speaking on the role of leadership. Bishop Crist raised a theme that especially
struck me: leadership is
accompaniment. Leadership is
neither pushing nor pulling but walking alongside. These words are especially true as I see
things from the perspective of interim ministry.
For nearly 25 years I
accompanied vocal students for solo and ensemble contests. A piano accompanist
is much different than a piano soloist.
As an accompanist for high school vocalists, I especially understand
what it means to be walking alongside that petrified mezzo soprano. The accompanist usually has to ride the “soft
pedal” through most of a kid’s solo because adolescents don’t have much volume. (It’s not “cool” to breathe from the
diaphragm when one is 15.) The piano accompanist might
be able to pull the soloist if he or she is dragging the tempo. The pianist might be able to push the soloist
by exaggerating the phrasing, etc. But,
for the sake of the soloist’s success before a judge, the accompanist walks
alongside the vocalist. Thank you,
Bishop Crist. I think I am starting to
get it.
Of course, there are the
biblical references of accompaniment as leadership.
·
On the Road to
Emmaus, Jesus accompanied those befuddled disciples about what must happen to
the Son of God—being neither doctrinaire nor apologetic but walking alongside.
·
Ruth decided to
accompany Naomi even though Ruth came from a different country and upon the
death of her husband, had no other reason to be with Naomi. But, as widows they had an unspoken bond that
accompanied them for the support they could provide each other side by side.
·
Young Mary
traveled to visit her cousin Elizabeth who was also pregnant. The two expectant women accompanied one
another for the support they could provide each other because they were on the same page.
The wonderful ministry of
hospice care also is an example of accompaniment. Hospice care is not the same as acute
care. There are no therapies. There are no target dates for discharge. Rehabilitation
is not in the care plan of the patient.
Hospice care is accompanying the patient towards the reality of death
while providing comfort and relief.
I think about all the
other possible venues where leadership could be improved by a sense of accompaniment.
The austere workplace does not foster accompaniment. Micro-managing certainly is not an example of
walking alongside. Leadership by Accompaniment is
embracing the same goals and ideals and traveling together on the same path. Successful accompaniment leadership requires
parties to be able to accommodate and to roll with the punches as needed.
Leadership by Accompaniment
becomes a necessary tool for interim ministry.
It is walking alongside a congregation while slightly nudging them and
redirecting them to leave old things behind to behold a new thing.
It has been said that John
the Baptist is the unofficial patron saint of interim ministry to whom it was
said, “Are you the one or shall we look for another?” I think we might lift up Ginger Rogers as the
patron saint of Leadership by Accompaniment for it was said of St. Ginger she
did everything Fred Astaire did except backwards and in high heels.
