Listening + leading change
Let me share my wealth of knowledge to further the mission and ministry of your church or organization.
Digital Ministry
In 2011, I published my first round of Lenten Micropractices on social media, and I discovered the joy of ministry in a digital space. Since then, I’ve helped churches across all mainline denominations and around the world engage their congregations in ministry online.
Most recently, I served as the Pastor for Digital Ministry at Washington National Cathedral, serving their far flung flock from around the world.
Communications
Communications is at the heart of ministry. Priests and pastors communicate the Good News from their pulpit each week, but that’s only one aspect of sharing the message of the church.
Bulletin announcements, enews, websites, social media, and more—communicating well can make a crucial difference in who is in the room to be transformed by the gospel message.
Children + Youth Ministry
I began my work in youth ministry 25 years ago as a college student serving part-time in a local church. Since then, I’ve worked with youth in multiple churches and on a national level to grow their faith, develop their gifts, and discern how God is speaking to them.
Twelve years ago, I broadened that work to family and intergenerational ministry, seeking to integrate the raising of children and youth into the life of the whole church.
My process
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The first step in consulting is to listen. Just like in my coaching, I want to fully understand the context and situation. This is first to see if my skills and knowledge will be helpful, and second so that we can narrow down what’s needed.
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After listening, we’ll need to agree on the focus of my work. I don’t bring ready-made solutions; I tailor my work to fit your specific needs.
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Once I make my recommendations, we will meet to talk through them. We might decide the recommendations cover everything that’s needed. The conversation might also show that my recommendations need adjusting. We’ll work to get what you need out of the process.
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The fun comes in the implementation. I’ll give you action steps for how to implement the recommendations and make connections with other leaders as needed. The more you are able to implement the recommendations, the better your organization will be.
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Once enough of the recommendations have been implemented to show progress, we’ll meet again to review your progress and ensure everything is on track.
What People Are Saying
Jo is one of those rare individuals that knows how to relate and interact with everyone that she meets. Her gifts are many, but in a world that is divided and scared, Jo's ability to make people feel instantaneously at ease and that they matter is a Godsend. Her resources are exactly what I look for to use with the children, youth, and families that I work with; clear, interesting, grounded in God, flexible, and inclusive. She is one of my favorite people to bounce ideas around with because of her creativity and ability to see different aspects of human needs.
— Elizabeth Christie, Canon for Early Christian Formation, Cathedral Church of the Nativity, Allentown, PA; Consultant for Children and Family Ministries for Practical Resources for Churches
Jo not only knows the art and science of communication, she knows churches, which means she can work with our gifts and our challenges. She understands both the audiences and goals of church communications and is excited to design communication strategies to meet us where we are, and to help us grow. I'm especially grateful that Jo creates templates and processes that are easy to learn and use. She's kind, clear, enthusiastic, and a great teacher. She is a deep blessing to our ministry.
—The Rev. Karen Ware Jackson, Pastor at First Presbyterian Church, Greenville, SC; Webinar Coordinator for Practical Resources for Churches