Several resources are below that may be helpful to religious congregations discerning having a commissary (appointed leader).
Values Shaping the Practicalities of Moving Towards an Appointed Leader
This session lifts up the key values that ground the practical aspects of moving toward an appointed leader. This journey is as much a transformational journey as it is practical.
Commissaries: Exploring the Question and Learning from Experience
Presenters Patsy Homan, OSU; Gladys Guenther, SHF; and Mary Jo Nelson, OLVM share about the challenge of leaders as members age and institutes become smaller. At this session, attended by more than 200 leaders, these panelists addressed the questions of leadership capacity and shared their experiences and the learnings their institutes faced at different stages as they looked at their need for future leadership. They addressed what is
needed for competent leadership regardless of model or structure, the importance of engagement of members in processes leading to decisions, and initial learnings about having a commissary.
The session includes a question and answer period with the three panelists. The recording of the presentation and the text of the panelists can be found below.