About Us

John Wilkerson, Director, has been consulting with churches and coaching church leaders for many years as a highly gifted and skilled interim ministry specialist, certified by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). He has utilized his skills effectively in congregational, governing body, and college settings. John helps his clients to be "solution-focused" rather than "problem-oriented," by exploring with them what is working well in their situation upon which they can build for future success, rather than focus on what is not working well. In addition to coaching and consulting, John is a gifted and experienced preacher, teacher and facilitator of seminars, workshops, and retreats. He is as passionately committed to the personal and spiritual growth of his clients as he is to his own.

In particular, his areas of expertise are:

• Coaching clergy for personal and professional growth (clergy who are either in their first call, or who are highly stressed and facing potential burnout, or who are in a highly conflicted setting, or who wish to assess their present and future ministry).
• Coaching officers for spiritual development and clarity of role as spiritual leaders.
• Coaching church and governing body staffs to build positive work relationships.
• Consulting with churches and governing bodies in transition.
• Consulting with churches and governing bodies experiencing high level conflict.
• Leading a mission study process designed to help churches and governing bodies do visioning and planning for their future.
• Providing resources to congregations considering renewal, revitalization, or transformation.
• Leading seminars, workshops, and retreats on a variety of themes for congregations or governing bodies.
• Preaching and teaching.

Some random comments about John's ministry:

"We were terribly divided. A large faction was trying to move us out of the denomination. John helped us develop a process that enabled us to make decisions based on reason instead of emotion. We did not leave the denomination, and those who chose to leave our  church were able to do so with dignity."

"John's sense of calm and gentle approach was just what our church needed during a very stressful time."

"The mission study design that John introduced to us helped us immeasurably during a time of transition and uncertainty."

"If it weren't for John's wise counsel, I probably would have opted out of the ministry."

For further information on John's educational and professional background, see resume.

Carl Dumford, Associate, has 20 years of experience in leading retreats and teaching in the field of Redevelopment and Transformational Church Development. Carl has an extensive educational background and a variety of experiences to assist you and your organization become more theologically effective and organizationally efficient. Employed previously by a high-ranking Fortune 500 Financial Institution, Carl presently uses these skills in leading corporate board and church officer retreats nationwide on transformation, stewardship, budgets, and leadership training. Carl holds a Doctor of Ministry degree in Ethics and Moral Theology.

For further information on Carl's educational and professional background, see resume.

William "Bill" Key, Associate, offers a wealth of knowledge and experience in Christian Education generally and in Outdoor Christian Education in particular. As noted in his resume, he has served the Church most ably on local and governing body levels. He is presently a member of the Consultants Network, Camp and Conference Ministries, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

• Outdoor Christian Ministry (All areas of Camp, Conference, and Retreat Center operation).
• Executive Coaching.
• Establishing and managing a community recreation ministry (including Philosophy and Theology, Sports Leagues, After school enrichment programs, Horseback riding programs, Family life Centers.
• Providing Resources for Land use and development, engineering, financial development including  budget building, managing and reporting, computer use and programs for camp, conference, and retreat centers, critique of building plans.

For further information on Bill's educational and professional background, see resume.

Edith Patton, Associate, has been leading governing bodies for more than 20 years as they have experienced change through restructuring or downsizing, through interim mission studies, through the development of new mission programs (such as International Partnerships), and through changing leadership patterns. Her emphases include: promoting a climate of openness and cooperation, dealing honestly with conflict or sexual misconduct (past or present), encouraging positive dialog among staff and between governing bodies, and inviting initiatives and responsibility among elected leaders. She is strongly committed to developing and maintaining collegial relationships among governing bodies, their staffs and their elected leaders. The fact that she is from a clergy family-father and 2 brothers-and has belonged to congregations in rural, urban, suburban and new church development equips her with compassion for the person in the pulpit as well as the people in the pews.

Her particular areas of expertise are:

• Working with Governing Bodies: Developing collegiality among program and administrative staff, planning affective personnel evaluations, leading staff retreats, training moderators and clerks, dealing with sexual misconduct and communicating productively with other governing bodies.
• Working with Congregations: Leading officer training, teaching church polity, designing job descriptions for personnel, evaluating the work of pastors and sessions, coaching sessions on how to get the "best" out of their presbytery, developing collegiality among staff.
• Congregational Singing and the Hymnody of the Church: Leading workshops and retreats on the Spiritual Practice of Congregational Song, planning and leading Hymn festivals or the dedication of a Hymnal, teaching classes on the sources, uses and values of our treasury of Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.
• Church Administration: organizing office staffs into administrative teams, developing open communication, developing spiritual leadership within governing bodies.
• Group Process: Moving from Parliamentary Procedure toward Consensus, promoting more inclusive decision-making methods.
• Verbal and written communication: Sharing information and inspiration clearly with people where they are, not relying on church jargon.

For further information on Edith's educational and professional background, see resume.

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