Formational Goals 2013

Define your long-range and short-range goals. Even though you may not be certain about some of your goals, you need at least a tentative goal to guide some decisions you need to make. Based on your best understanding at this point, describe your short-range and long-range goals in ministry.

My short-range ministerial goals include:

• resting and finding a balanced life
• pursuing some things that I’m passionate about (particularly gardening and homesteading kinds of things)
• writing more about the things that interest me (for fun, but also as a potential springboard for a PhD program)
• attending to the communities in my life (particularly the St. Ann Community and my house church)
• teaching a good class for the Missional Life program in the fall of 2013

Long-range goals for me at this point are:

• discerning whether or not it would be wise for me to pursue a PhD
• discerning community relationships
• discerning potential ways forward with a community-run retreat center/alternative seminary
• being an adept teacher at the college and adult levels
• living into a healthily balanced lifestyle of work, play, and relationships, with every aspect of life as worship

Most ministry positions have minimal standards. Some of the qualifications are academic; others reflect a person’s personality, giftedness, experience, and maturity. You need to learn the minimal requirements for your desired short-range and long-range goals. You can learn what they are by contacting ministries that employ persons in those roles. Describe below the normal requirements and qualifications for entry into the ministry positions you have designated in your short-range and long-range goals.

I’m not sure just how much the description above of “minimal standards” for a ministry position applies to some of the goals that I’ve set forth. So, while I’ll try below to address what will be required of me to reach my goals, it may not follow the above expectations perfectly.

short-range goals

resting and finding a balanced life — experiment with different rhythms of life until I find something that works for me; allow myself to regularly rest and play; make Sabbath a habit; submit myself to God in prayer; find practices that connect me more closely to my husband and his relationship with God; exercise; not take on any new responsibilities for a time and rather enjoy the change of pace that comes with graduating

pursuing some things that I’m passionate about — learn more (through research and practice) about homesteading and gardening; experiment with new recipes, new household cleaning items, new plants, etc.; read and write about “the simple life” while actually pursuing it; use these interests as a new way to connect with my parents more deeply

writing more about the things that interest me — compile a reading list of books that I’d like to peruse about community, sustainability, ethics, etc.; read these books; set aside time each week (or more often) to write short snippets; eventually, find a theme to write a longer, quality paper about (possibly to use as a writing sample for PhD work); seek feedback from others about my writing

attending to the communities in my life — continue my involvement in my house church; explore/discern future possibilities with the house church; spend more time in prayer about these community relationships; journal my thoughts about/to the St. Ann Community members and ways I wish we and our relationships were healthier; open myself up in humility and vulnerability to discuss the failures (and successes) of the SAC

teaching a good class for Missional Life — finish compiling the syllabus; spend time over the summer reading and perusing resources for the class; dedicate focus and time to constructing lesson plans; browse helpful resources on pedagogy; contemplate student feedback mechanisms (in addition to end-of-course reviews); submit my plans to experienced professors and the ML team for constructive criticism; do self-evaluations throughout the semester (strengths, weaknesses, delights, dreads, hopes, etc.)

long-range goals

discerning whether or not it would be wise for me to pursue a PhD — spend time in prayer and in conversation with trusted friends and mentors; examine potential programs and advisors to see what might be a good fit; determine my overall priorities and calling and how PhD work might fit in with those; have in-depth conversations with any potential PhD advisors; attend to financial commitments

discerning community relationships — spend time in prayer and in conversation with members of the SAC and my house church; determine my overall priorities and calling and how these two communities might fit in with those; pursue reconciliation of broken relationships; learn to speak honestly and forthrightly; follow God’s guidance despite hesitations and fears

discerning potential ways forward with a community-run retreat center/alternative seminary — discern community relationships alongside this dream; pursue opportunities to learn about what is required for this kind of lifestyle; spend time in prayer and in conversation with trusted friends and mentors; make short-term steps forward in lifestyle changes; read and write about this

being an adept teacher at the college and adult levels — see above (teaching a good class for Missional Life) for my general ideas

living into a healthily balanced lifestyle of work, play, and relationships, with every aspect of life as worship — accept limitation and weakness in myself; know my strengths and passions; further develop my current friendships and mentoring relationships; give guilt-free time to hobbies and relaxation; set healthy boundaries on time spent working; examine opportunities closely to see if they fit in with my life’s goals and calling; learn to say no; see above (resting and finding a balanced life) for further ideas