Clergy-Laity Congress: Parish Leaders: Effective Succession Planning and Equipping Parish Council for Ministry

One of the Clergy-Laity Congress’s ministry panels, held on July 4, 2024, was entitled “Parish Leaders: Effective Succession Planning and Equipping Parish Council for Ministry.”

The panel focused on the formation and development of strong parish leaders who serve the Church and its mission. Attendees received thoughtful presentations about the role of lay leadership and were given access to practical tools and resources by presenters Steve Tibbs, Nicholas Chakos, Rev. Fr. Panagiotis Boznos, and moderator Steve Pappas. These speakers shared wisdom from their considerable experience in Church leadership: Fr. Boznos from his decade of experience as a parish priest; Chakos from his time as Executive Director of FOCUS North America and in multiple leadership roles at International Orthodox Christian Charities; Tibbs from his 25 years on parish councils, implementation of the Metropolis of San Francisco’s Strategic Plan, and current position as head of the Orthodox Parish Leadership ministry for the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco; and Pappas from his current position as Stewardship Ministry Lead for the Metropolis of San Francisco and decades in numerous lay leadership positions.

The session’s central discussion themes included how to effectively train and equip parish leaders as well as how to ensure that leadership is ministry-oriented. If we all understand that the fundamental reason that our churches exist is to bring people closer to Christ, our ministries will succeed. Offering practical advice and resources throughout the session, the panelists also discussed helpful strategies and best practices in succession-planning for lay leadership. In response to a question from the audience, the panelists remarked that regarding the resistance to change that exists in so many parishes, we must honor and celebrate the past while also realizing the potential for the future. Attendees left the session having received information that will encourage and enable the proper training and equipping of their parishes’ emerging leaders, ultimately aiding parishes in achieving their stability and growth goals.

Photos: GOARCH/Brittainy Newman