The Spiritual Essence of Leadership

Julia Chester Emory

In preparing for a homily, I came upon an article about Julia Chester Emory in the Episcopal Café  written some three years ago.  

In this article the author stated that Julia was not the kind of person one would expect to see in a calendar of religious commemorations.  She was not martyred  for her faith, nor does her story involve extraordinary feats of courage.   Julia was an "ordinary laywoman".

Well, I beg to differ.  Julia was no ordinary laywoman. After reading about her life, what came to mind was "leadership".

Leadership.  It has kind of a mysteriousness about it, doesn't it?  For no matter how many studies have been done, or how many books have been written about it, leadership is still somewhat of a mystery.

Ever notice most leadership books tend to be in the business section in bookstores?    Why is this?   What does this say about us?    

Speaking of bookstores, remember those?  I miss bookstores!       So many have closed recently.  Sigh.

Yes leadership is more than running a business, more than having  higher degrees, and more than a title.  It is more than a position in an organization and definitely more than rank.  The rank, title or position may be external "thing" that gives the person authority, but the essence of leadership as we know, comes from within. 

I have served with many commanders over my years in the military.  And the officers, NCOs and commanders I have served with were not great leaders because of the little rank symbol on their collar, sleeve or shoulder.

Leadership includes the spiritual.  This is often an overlooked aspect of leadership.   It takes much spiritual awareness and inner strength to be a good leader.  

Some people just emerge as leaders, in the time, place and circumstances in which they live. 

And so, just who was Julia Chester Emory?    Well, she lived from 1852 to 1922 and served as a missionary.  

She was the daughter of a sea captain and the sister of two Episcopal priests.  Like her father and brothers, she had an adventurous spirit and lots of energy.  Not content to sit around the office and be a paper-pushing bureaucrat, she got out and about and made things happen.  

She served for forty years as the National Secretary of the Episcopal Women’s Auxiliary for the Board of Missions.  This organization is now known as Episcopal Church Women, or the ECW.

During her forty years with the ECW, she visited EVERY Episcopal diocese in the USA (and there are dozens!) encouraging work in the support of missions.  She also visited many countries around the world; England, China, Japan, Hong Kong, the Philippines and many other countries. 

If that was not enough, Julia also created and founded the "United Thank Offering".  This worked by giving each woman a small box with a little slit at the top.  In recognizing our daily blessings, the box was there to encourage a contribution, a ‘thank offering’.  Then each year, the parish would gather the contributions, and send the money to the National Headquarters to be used for mission development.

It takes extraordinary courage, strength and energy to travel the world like she did.   I have been on global travels and deployments and it was tough enough flying around the world in jetliners and modern conveniences.   Julia did it all before the era of air travel and modern day comforts. 

To do the work she did, the things she created and accomplished, the lives she touched…is leadership in every sense of the word.  She did not rely on titles, or degrees or credentials, she just got out there, and did it!

And yes, Julia may not have been martyred for her faith…BUT, she lived her faith…with her entire life.  A leader, a servant of God and humanity in every sense of the word.

As Jesus said, "… whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, ...For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve…."

And that, I dare say, is the essence of leadership.

Amen.

[NOTE:  This was based on a homily I gave on January 9, 2013 the feast day of Julia Chester Emory at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, Phoenix, Arizona.]