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Chaplains Corner

On [change of] Leadership

Leadership comes and goes: how open are we to the changes that is needed? The constant in life is change. Chaos arises when we become stiff to that change. You see, Peter was a good leader as well as Paul, yet their leadership style was never the same. And in the end, we recognise the two of them as saints. No two journeys with the Lord will ever be the same, just as God will never repeat the same human being.

Leaders are given different mandates regarding their time, cultural trend, and sitz im leben. Like human beings, they are shaped by their different backgrounds and experiences in life. Leadership is a service that is temporary. The focus of Christian leadership is service. We should not allow what is temporary to colour our focus on the One who is the Good Shepherd or destroy the lasting relationships we are supposed to share for the advancements of the Kingdom of God.

Leadership is a service why then do people kill themselves through maligning and tenaciously clinging to “power” (service)? The focus is that no one ordinarily struggles for service; all are called to it by others. Christian leadership is not about titles, but living for others, and being ready to be spent for others. 

And when they refuse to spend you again, Christian leaders must learn either just walk away or return to the background from which they were highlighted from, just like Matthias and Joseph Barsabbas. We should learn from Samuel’s dialogue with God in Samuel 8:7 – and the LORD told him: ‘Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them.’ (NRSV)

And even when some leader should think that they wield some power, these words are pertinent: ‘Nothing should be as strong as gentleness, and nothing should be as gentle as strength.’ (St. Francis de Sales) A more poignant saying from Sun Tzu “An evil man will burn his own nation to the ground to rule over the ashes.” We have to be careful not to burn the house of God down so that we can rule over the ashes since the humans in it, by their sheer will don’t want us to rule.

Josh Lynn

New Dominican Novices including one of our Council Members Josh Lynn. Please consider becoming a Dominican Novice prayer partner. Click on the link for further information, thank you.

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After weeks of preparation, our 10 new brothers have finally received the Dominican habit and their religious names! We are pleased to introduce you to:  Back Row (L to R): Br. Moses Paul, Br. Edward, Br. Bede Middle Row (L to R): Br. Clement, Br. Paul Mary, Br. Charbel Ambrose, Br. John Gabriel Front Row (L to R): Br. Jacob Mary, Br. Isaac Maria, Br. Joshua Matthew

Dr. Bill Freeman

State Chaplain

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