An Abundant Life Through Impermanance And Insecurity
Viterbo University, a Catholic University in LaCrosse Wisconsin, with Franciscan roots, has a masters degree in Servant Leadership. They have formed a cohort group that has been meeting in the Twin Cities.
Viterbo Univ Servant Leadership
The pictures at the heading of this post are from a class yesterday, in which the Servant Leadership program course on prophetic leadership invited Faithful Fools and City House to present. The Faithful Fools is a charitable and educational organization created in 1998 to be present with and to address the existence of poverty in the midst of material wealth. They do ministry in the Tenderloin District in San Francisco. They are in the Twin Cities this week to conduct street retreats and put on some plays about the homeless. Faithful Fools web site
You will notice that people in the pictures are wearing funny court jester hats. The Faithful Fools see themselves as playing the role of court jester in society. Thus the hats.
It was an engaging two hours. The Faithful Fools were articulate and passionate. As a community, The Faithful Fools are very relational, organic, and trusting that God will bring them whatever they need. They move in new directions based on who shows up to be a part of them, and they commit to meeting each others’ needs - and somehow that is always enough, even as they live among the poorest of the poor. They are definite examples of prophetic leaders - so effective in telling the stories that make up their collective story.
The Viterbo University faculty and learners were very attentive, curious, and open. They were so hospitable. They asked about overcoming the fear of walking with the poor and what impact the work of the Faithful Fools has on both persons on the margins and on those taking street retreats. This is the only Servant Leadership masters degree anywhere in the country. I was struck by the vibrancy of their vision.
I talked about the challenges of following one’s call and the financial cost it can often entail. I divulged that God has been making it clear in my prayer time lately that my path to an abundant life comes through impermenance and insecurity. Both the Faithful Fools and Viterbo University’s Servant Leadership program understand what I mean by that and the countercultural nature of that commitment.
