Seven Leadership Community Topics Kicking Off A Leadership Community is a select group of strategic church leadership teams with similar bold goals for growing their focused ministries over the next two years. They are the innovators and pioneers setting the course for those who will follow. The following Leadership Communities are still in formation stage. If your church or someone you know is interested in participating, contact Dave Travis or the Leadership Community Director named for each ministry. Halftime in the Local Church is now forming new groups under a new director, and with a new name: Marketplace Success/Kingdom Significance Leadership Community. Participating churches are building specific programs to help people in midlife transition to find significant kingdom engagement. Director: Wayne Smith. Next launch: January 2006. After a successful six-year pilot program, Leadership Network is beginning a Church Planting Leadership Community. Participant churches must be committed to launching at least one new church per year. Director: Margaret Slusher. Launch: January 2006. The Recovery Ministries Leadership Community focuses on churches that help people with addictions, hurts and related issues of personal and family dysfunction. Each participating church should expect to at least double its recovery ministry and create ongoing systems for even more growth. Director: Liz Swanson. Launch: January 2006. The Externally Focused Churches Leadership Community, which has already run several groups, is forming additional groups under its ongoing Director, Eric Swanson. Next launch: February 2006. Generous Giving and Leadership Network have partnered to begin a new Generous Churches Leadership Community. The focus is to help churches take their creative strategies for financial stewardship and generosity to higher levels. Director: Byron Van Kley. Launch: March 2006. Multi-Site Churches Leadership Community, which has also run several groups, is forming additional groups under its ongoing Director, Greg Ligon. Next launch: April 2006. The Global Connection Leadership Community will gather churches that are taking global missions involvement to new levels as they deploy financial, personnel, partnerships, volunteer and other resources to targeted areas with a holistic gospel. Director: Linda Stanley. Launch: Fall 2006. Research in Healthcare, Senior Adult Ministries Leadership Network is engaged in a research project to discover innovative ways churches are addressing healthcare and wellness issues. If your church is pursuing ministries in these areas--especially through programs serving local communities--we want to hear your story. To contribute to this potential Healthcare and Wellness Ministries Leadership Community, contact Tim Dammon. Thanks to a grant from Atlantic Philanthropies, Leadership Network is conducting a research project focused on Innovative Ministry with Senior Adults. We are looking for churches with growing, creative ministries that engage older adults in ministry, mission, service and care. The research, which could lead to a new Leadership Community, is being led by Don Wilcox.