Last night, I had the pleasure of facilitating a meeting of the leaders of career ministry groups from about 20 different metro Detroit churches (ironically, held at my patron saint’s parish, St. Therese of Lisieux!) I was struck by the commitment of this group to help our area’s unemployed build the skills necessary to conduct an effective job search. Their track record is respectable – success stories were shared that demonstrated that – but what struck me most was their desire to collaborate to get our region back on track. You see, the whole goal of this meeting was to share best practices and establish a more formal means of communicating among groups who are engaged in the same mission – to get their people back to work!
Yes, Michigan is in a world of hurt. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Our people have spent many years on autopilot, especially when it comes to their careers. Now, faced with the challenge of conducting a job search in the worst possible economy, these folks are feeling everything from discouraged to desperate.
But there IS hope. We can get out of this mess. We can do it by working together. Last night was a testimony to that. Last night, that group of leaders realized that by working together, they can harness some amazing power (and resources) that will translate into enhancing their groups’ effectiveness and accomplishing their shared mission.
I applaud this group, and I challenge them to keep the momentum going. I challenge other community groups to align with these church ministries: coaches, speakers, job search resources like libraries, and schools. You all have something to offer to the people of Michigan who need help.
And remember that change isn’t an event. It’s a process. Let’s dedicate ourselves to taking the next step together, and I KNOW the next step will be revealed.