And now for something completely different!

My afternoon workshop couldn't have been more different from the morning, or more uplifting, if it tried. I spent my afternoon with Tod Bolsinger, pastor of the San Clemente Presbyterian Church in southern California and also Moderator of the Middle Governing Body Commission for our denomination. Tod has also been, along with Steve Yamaguchi, an architect of the new design for Los Ranchos Presbytery. He has got to be one of the sharpest minds and best leaders in the PCUSA today.

Tod was talking to us about leadership in times of adaptive change. I am glad to say that this workshop was ALSO packed.

A short primer on these terms: "Technical change" is, for example, the need for a new light bulb in your reading lamp. The light bulb is burned out, you change it, and life goes on. Adaptive change, however, might involve coming up with a new form of illumination altogether. In other words, adapative change is less concerned with changing the light bulb than it is with changing YOU.

Tod told the group that his power point from today's presentation will be posted on his blog - I think all you would need to do to find it would be to Google "Tod Bolsinger" and see what comes up. I strongly commend it to you.

I am coming away from this conference convinced that change does indeed need to occur in the PCUSA, and in our presbyteries - but the needed change has nothing to do with a new denomination. Frankly, I think another new denomination is not too far removed from changing that burned-out light bulb in your reading lamp. We need to be about changing US. As Gil Rendle says in his book which I have oft quoted to you, a lot of what happens in the wilderness is change in the one experiencing it: Jesus went through 40 days of it before the beginning of his ministry; Moses found some commandments during his wilderness experience, as well as manna by day and light by night.

Not only is God going to provide for us while we experience this denominational wilderness, we are going to be changed and strengthened by it. I am convinced of that. We will NOT come out the same on the other side of this as we are now. But I hope that you will stay with me while we experience together what God is up to. Whatever it is that we cannot now see, it's going to be wonderful.

I'm about to get on the plane back to Albuquerque. Let's talk more about this when I get back.