Wendy Cooper has been a member of the TCL community for many years. She joined the Board of Directors in 2020 and will serve as Board Chair for our 2022-23 year. Wendy lives in Houston and is a compliance and ethics advisor, championing ethical standards and practices in the energy industry.
Last month, The Church Lab Board of Directors met for their annual board retreat. For the first time in three years, many of the Board members were able to meet together in Austin, with others who were not able to be there in person joining online. There were the usual discussions of strategy, vision, budgets, and fundraising, but there were also the fun conversations that happen around dinner that many of us missed during the time of social distancing.
The Board Retreat began with a day of orientation for the new Board members followed by a special Thursday night dialogue. Because I am not able to attend dialogue on a regular basis, I look forward to this night every year when TCL’s dedicated dialoguers graciously agree to meet on a different night to allow the Board members to join. As always, the conversation was open and supportive, allowing everyone to share their thoughts and experiences.
Speaking of sharing, each year at the Retreat, Carrie asks the board members to share a personal story of how TCL’s purpose or practices have resonated in their lives. The story I shared reflected my experience with diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in the corporate world. Although always well-intentioned, these programs often fall short of their intended goal of creating environments that feel safe and open to all. Interestingly though, I accidentally discovered a diverse and inclusive community when I visited a Toastmasters meeting.
For those who are not familiar, Toastmasters is an organization that has been around for almost one hundred years where people can join to practice their public speaking skills. The meetings are very regimented with clearly defined roles and expectations. What I came to realize is that the inclusive nature of this group was created because there were no hidden agendas or unspoken rules. When everyone has the same set of instructions, everyone can participate.
Reflecting on this realization, I immediately drew a parallel to The Church Lab and the ground rules that are recited at the beginning of each dialogue. This simple exercise ensures that whether it is someone’s first dialogue or their fiftieth, everyone starts on the same page. And with this, TCL is able to create a level of inclusivity that is hard to find elsewhere.
The Church Lab’s unique way of creating open spaces while simultaneously bridging divides is what draws people not just from Austin, but other parts of Texas, California, and Washington DC to serve on its Board of Directors. Board members know how valuable TCL’s work is to individuals and faith communities of all kinds. We believe deeply in the mission of TCL and have set goals for ourselves and the organization that will keep it moving forward and growing into the future.