Story by Erin Robinson Hall | Photos courtesy of Lisa Hargrove
He spoke in a language I do not speak, but I understood what we were saying.
The people gathered next to me in the pews sang in Spanish, even though most of us did not speak that language regularly. In this church, most Sunday services are entirely in English, and many of us stumbled over the new words.
Yet, the hundreds of people gathered in the sanctuary did their best to sing along with the words printed in Spanish. When we began the next hymn in English, my Spanish-speaking neighbors down the pew sang with gusto.
On this liturgical holiday known as Pentecost Sunday, we watched two pastors embody the idea of connection beyond language. Pastor Daniel Medina and Pastor Sara Pugh-Montgomery stood side by side and led a joint worship service in two languages. Their leadership brought together two congregations, Nueva Vida Church and Centenary Methodist Church, for a holy moment.
We did not see the work that went into preparing each congregation for this day, printing bulletins with two languages and learning new music. What we saw is leadership that weaves.
Network weaving is a leadership concept that upholds collaboration because of what it assumes about power. Author Kelley Frances Bates, a champion of collaborative leadership, reminds people that, “shared leadership assumes that power is not finite and can be meaningfully shared.”
Sometimes, organization leaders act as if sharing a platform or a microphone with other leaders means they will have less impact and less power to make decisions. Network weaving claims the opposite effect; shifting from guarding control to focusing on intention moves a group forward.
Local clergy leaders in Macon are modeling shared leadership and impacting people for good.
Houses of faith in our area are learning the beauty of leadership that weaves a tapestry rather than building a silo.
Nueva Vida Church and Centenary Church have a history of sharing space, though they are separate congregations. Planning a joint service was an effort to name trust and shared beliefs. “This year was particularly impactful due to the increase of isolation and fear for our immigration community – so gathering together was a physical reminder to us all that we are not alone,” said Rev. Pugh-Montgomery.
As the two pastors planned and worked out logistics, Medina shared a powerful idea, “Even when we think that language is a barrier, it’s usually not a barrier. We just have to think of new ways to communicate.”
Bates says this kind of leadership, “requires a shift in ‘heartset’ and mindset from ‘it’s about me’ to ‘it’s about us,’ and from ‘power over’ to ‘power with.’” The work of weaving leaders together, braided closer by a commitment to shared values, can empower a community.
Pastor Paul Little of Bibb Mt. Zion Baptist Church knows the power of weaving a tapestry. He recently issued a call to any Central Georgia clergy persons who were interested in Civil Rights concerns to gather at his church for breakfast – to learn, listen, and collaborate. I was just one of over sixty clergy members who showed up eager to learn news ways to engage a community.
Pastor Little modeled the kind of transformative vulnerability and trust that defines networked weaving. He welcomed and affirmed different leaders, inviting us to respect and heed their wisdom. Then, he handed over the microphone.
Pastor Little introduced Fenika Miller, the National Field Co-Director of Black Voters Matter. Her challenge was to coordinate each of the various congregations toward voter engagement. She reminded the group: “We got us” and reminded us that this campaign “centers love, joy, and the unstoppable power that grows when we organize together.”
Miller says, “The hardest part of this work isn’t convincing people that democracy matters. It’s helping people believe that their own voice still matters. Too many communities have experienced generations of broken promises, disinvestment, and exclusion. Trust has to be earned. Organizing is hard, patient work. It begins with listening, honoring people’s lived experiences, and supporting them along the ladder of engagement as they connect who pulls the levers of power in their daily lives.”
Listening and building trust led us toward shared collaboration despite the wide variety of denominations and theological beliefs in that room. “A coalition has to be rooted in trust — recognizing that each of us brings different gifts, perspectives, and resources. Vulnerability creates space for honest conversations, and cooperation allows us to accomplish together what none of us could do individually. Leadership is not about having all the answers; it is about creating room for others to lead alongside you,” said Miller.
The event modeled what Bates says about this kind of collaboration. Networked Leadership “dismantles concentrations of power and dominance, and prevents extraction, while creating environments where trust-building, transparency, and creative autonomy are cultivated and can flourish.”
We listened to strategies for helping people we know overcome hurdles in voter participation. People left with hope, clarity, and action items for engaging voters in their congregations. “When clergy work together across traditions, they model something our world desperately needs,” said Miller. “Collaboration transforms isolated acts of service into lasting community impact. When congregations move together, they don’t simply increase participation — they strengthen the relationships that sustain communities long after a single campaign or event has ended.”
I am eager to see what purposeful effort can grow from leaders who are willing to show up, listen, and share leadership among other people, even those with whom we disagree. I sensed a deep hope and excitement for the next clergy gathering for civic engagement.
May we look towards faith leaders who are willing to weave a shared leadership.
Want to help engage voters? Contact fenika@blackvotersmatterfund.org.