“Keep your eye on the ball” is a phrase I heard a lot as a kid playing Little League baseball. Easier said than done sometimes, but helpful advice in my quest to hit, or catch, the ball. It’s also a good description of the goal of the KINDLE Board of Directors. The ball, in our case, is KINDLE’s mission – fostering and multiplying Christ-like servant leaders to enhance the ministry of congregations in their communities and the world – and our job is to ensure that the mission is pursued passionately and effectively.
Keeping our eyes on the KINDLE ball requires us to meet three primary responsibilities. One of these is strategic – ensuring that the mission is compelling and impactful, that we have a clear vision for the future, that what we do is consistent with our core values, and that we maintain a well-defined strategic direction. Another responsibility is fiduciary – providing oversite to ensure that KINDLE is managed effectively, legally, and ethically and that we have the resources needed to pursue the mission. The third is generative – engaging the expertise and experience of Board members to assist the Executive Director as she leads KINDLE’s staff and volunteers.
These responsibilities were clearly in play during a recent Board meeting in Minneapolis. Among the ways we kept our eyes on the ball were:
- Carefully considering and adopting a realistic operating budget for the coming fiscal year;
- Affirming plans for effective operations during the sabbatical leave of Executive Director Michelle Pavasars:
- Considering the staff capacity needed to accomplish our mission by considering KINDLE’s present impact and the impact we want to make in the years ahead;
- Electing three highly-qualified new Board members, and celebrating years of service of departing Board members (Leah Anderson and Jim Bradshaw).
These efforts were wrapped, as is the case during every KINDLE Board meeting, in the context of the much bigger ball of God’s love and mercy, as we worshipped and prayed together. Being centered on our common identity as baptized and redeemed children of God helps us develop the caring and trusting relationships needed to work together effectively.
Of course, accomplishing KINDLE’s mission would not be possible without you. Thank you for “playing ball!” with us through your support and prayers!
Rick Herman
President, KINDLE Board of Directors