The EMERGE 2020 cohort and their coaches celebrated the year at the IBIS Glen Waverley on December 7^th with

• a time of sharing insights and reflections about growing as missional leaders
• a delicious two course lunch
• Daniel Bullock inspiring participants and coaches about, ‘What keeps us growing as leaders!’

Daniel’s insights included being humble, staying close to God, being yourself, keep dreaming. There were heaps more!

12 Participants formed the cohort and there were 4 vital elements to the year-long experience aimed at developing missional emerging leaders. The four elements were that each participant needed a context where they were actively involved in serving in a leadership capacity. The cohort became a learning community. A curriculum covering a range of personal and leadership aspects was explored each time we gathered with input from BUV Support Hub staff, leaders of churches and agencies and leaders from the wider community. Each participant also committed to meet with a coach each month to reflect on what was being explored as well as their own leadership development.

Reflections included comments like:

• ‘This has been stretching and growing in understanding what it means to be an authentic leader.’
• ‘Being missional is a partnership with the caller – the one who calls you to follow him.’
• ‘Having access to and opportunity to interact with experienced missional leaders has been a great gift.’
• ‘EMERGE has been a vital ingredient to the internship I have undertaken this year and to do it with others from our church has been really helpful.’
• ‘Being able to unpack and explore things with a coach each month has helped me to reflect on how things are going and how I can keep growing.’

Coaches commented on the privilege of journeying with participants and how they had seen growth in participants and also a sense of excitement after the monthly gatherings with what was being explored. Local church pastors have been very grateful for the partnership in the development of emerging leaders.

EMERGE is a commitment of the BUV to help local churches identify, develop, and deploy missional emerging leaders. In 2021 EMERGE will have three tracks -an apprenticeship pathway, 8 training and resource nights called NEXT STEPS for any leader or teams of leaders, and 3 Leader Retreats (s days and 1 night) for the next generation of staff appointments. Each track is facilitated by Kim Smith, BUV Generations and Emerging Leaders Pastor and Bill Brown, BUV Pastoral Coach. Further details are available at buv.com.au/events/emerge or contact Bill on bill.brown@buv.com.au