Community leaders’ workshop
A Workshop for Community Leaders of the Province of Nigeria was held at the Marist Brothers Provincial House, Iva-Valley-Enugu, from 13th to 14th Novembers, 2020.
The Workshop was a follow up of a similar workshop for Community Leaders held in Kigali, Rwanda in 2019.
The Workshop was facilitated by Br. Samuel Okebaram and Br. Nathaniel Odo. These two Brothers participated in the Kigali workshop. It was centered on three themes: building a Community (Bridge Builders); Servant Leadership and Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults.
The Br. Provincial of Nigeria, Br. Vincent Abadom welcomed the participants. He encouraged them to put the outcomes of the workshop into practice in animating their various Communities.
Some outcomes of the Workshop were:
- Community Leaders are bridge builders.
- A Community Leader should be a good listener. He should develop and build trust and confidence among the members.
- Our Community and apostolate are inseparable. They are integrated.
- Brothers are called to live as a family.
- We should listen to the calls of the 22nd General Chapter and live as a Global Charismatic Marist Family.
- Community Leaders are encouraged to live and practice servant leadership.
- Community Leaders are to be transparent in communication, open and available to their members.
- Our organization and structures must be flexible.
- The world needs leaders who are committed to serve people and to live by example.
- As leaders we are to mitigate poverty, hatred, violence, and ecological destruction.
- Community Leaders should use fraternal dialogue, forgiveness, and friendship in resolving issues.
- Community Leaders should involve the members in the running of the Community.
- They should be light to others that show the direction to Christ.
- Find energy in the weakness of the Brothers, like tolerating and understanding them.
- Community Leaders should make their community a home.
- Share meals together. Use mealtime to bond as a Community
- The Marists have to safeguard Children and Vulnerable Adult
The workshop ended with a call for the Community Leaders to put the outcomes of the workshop into practice in their various Communities.