| | | | | | | TAP IS EVOLVING... TAP (Train-Access-Prepare) is evolving into MCC's iACADEMY in 2009! The time is right and ripe for us to work with staff, faculty, participants, and potential participants world-wide to assess our current program and to expand and enhance the program to a higher level of effectiveness, efficiency, and constituent focus. The 2009 TAP schedule will reveal an overall MCC curriculum as well as geographically focused opportunities. As a result, our focus will be on providing support to different areas around the globe, asking those areas to take a lead role in developing offerings addressing their unique needs and timing.
As we develop robust programs in different geographic areas, we anticipate creating opportunities for world- wide participation. In addition to content specific learning, TAP will also provide a venue for individuals to learn how to navigate in multicultural environments-a critical skill for success in today's global world. | AN EXPANDED TEAM... A REQUEST FOR YOUR HELP... I am working with Rev. Dr. Sharon Bezner, MCC Director of Resources, and a new addition to the team, MCC's iACADEMY Dean, Flo Perry. Flo is a member of Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church in Houston, Texas where she has been active in a number of ministries, including currently serving on the Board of Directors, as Team Lead for the Equality Ministry, and on the planning team for the Unbinding the Church initiative which will launch in February 2009. Flo recently retired from Shell Oil Company after a very successful 35 year career, where she was a senior leader and a Human Resource executive. Her last position was Senior Diversity Consultant for the Shell U.S. Corporate Diversity Office, where she worked primarily with CEOʼs and other senior leaders throughout U.S. businesses to implement and execute diversity and inclusiveness plans.
The TAP team is working to create an infrastructure and schedule to accommodate this expanded program. Within the next few weeks, the team will contact you to participate in an email questionnaire and/or a TAP Forum to solicit your feedback and input on the current TAP program. Directionally, we have specific goals and plans for the 2009 iAcademy; however, we are committed to integrating as much of your input as is feasible with the availability of resources. Please give some thought to your experience with TAP and offer suggestions for its enhancement. If you have never engaged with TAP, it would be helpful for the team to understand what has kept you from participating in the program. | | A TIME FRAME... MCC's iACADEMY is intended to provide educational opportunities and to provide an opportunity for individuals at MCC's world-wide to connect and create relationships around areas of mutual interest and need.
To facilitate as seamless a transition as possible and to have continuous program offerings, the enhanced 2009 TAP program will be launched in Australia in February, followed by the U.S. in March, and other geographic areas as appropriate. I've learned that some of these areas - like Australia - have a lot of energy and ideas for quickly moving into the expanded TAP program and have, therefore, selected them for an early launch. If your area of the world is ready to move forward, please let me or the team know so we can place you on the calendar.
We will provide frequent updates to keep you informed about the progress and launch of The 2009 iACADEMY! | | A REAL EXCITEMENT... Rev. Sharon, Flo, and I are very excited about moving TAP forward in 2009 as a venue to provide all MCC communities with sound, economical, efficient, and excellent educational opportunities, intending to expand the offerings to be even more fit- for- purpose as we solicit input from all of you. Current economic conditions may be negatively impacting travel and training budgets and we see this as a way of maintaining a program for continuous self-development, education, and growth. By maximizing the technical tools at our disposal, take some pressure off precious resources-money, time, and energy, we believe TAP can become a critical success factor for MCC!
We also see this as a venue for creating connection opportunities for all of us via online forums which would include such offerings as "Best Practices," "How to Facilitate an Online Meeting," "How to Best Participate in Online Meetings," and much more. The team is already working on contacting potential presenters and is open to hearing from anyone who feels he/she can contribute to the offerings. | | IN CLOSING... Without a doubt, we are facing a change because of the economic environment that we would not have chosen. However, during times of change, we are always left with an unexpected opportunity to see possibilities that we might not have considered otherwise.
I believe that one of those great possibilities during this challenging, global, economic, downturn is fully engaging the TAP program. This team is committed to making this a viable and fun learning alternative as well as a way to connect in new ways. We just ask that you give it a try!
I close with this Chinese Proverb:
"Be not afraid of growing slowly. Be afraid of standing still." Lillie The Rev. Elder Lillie Brock
Coordinating Ministry in Region 7
Nebraska, Colorado, Oklahoma, Northern Texas, Florida and Western Canada
Directing Denominational Initiatives in Resourcing, Interim Ministry Training and Placement, Church Revitalization, Large Churches, The Virtual Church, Strategic Planning | | | | |
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