Mission and Objectives of the Clergy

What is the role of clergy in ToTJO?
*the role of the clergy is to maintain and ensure spiritual growth of the Temple and its individual members
*to give guidance to the ones who need it and have a listening ear
*to interfere when TotJO as a sacred and learning place sways from its mission
*to help people find the right help if talking to the clergy is not sufficient and there are more problems than the clergy can handle , this part is very important because in our zeal to help people one might not refer them to a more professional kind of help.
Should we serve people?
is this a serious question and if so , duh yeah...
Is our role really supportive?
As one who can be mixed up and confused i can safely say the clergy here is supportive , even if i don't agree with them a lot of time , i find their support a very valuable addition to this wonderful learning place
Is there a difference between being a knight and being a cleric?
Yes , i am a Knight i am kind of a workhorse not so concerned with the delicate matters that come with faith , i am protective and i am not afraid to attack when necessary, Codex is a cleric , he will be a Knight one day but he is much more at home in the diplomatic and vulnerable issues that come with being a clergy member than i would ever be.
How can we support people?
*Build more rapport with the members
*Assess what is needed
*Groupchats for sensitive issues that keep coming back , rape , suicide etc.
What kind of support should we give?
See above
How can we work directly and indirectly for ToTJO's spiritual health?
*Just BE there
*Listen
*Don't be too steering
*Make clergy member write sermons , i know , i know , i keep bangin on about that but it's a great way to learn , and they don't have to publish them.
*And last but not least , make us get interested in reading the sermons , attending them , so that our understanding of the Force grows
How do we understand our order? Priests? Bishops? Monks? Shamans?
I don't really see the difference in those ? A bit of everything and some sauce to go
What is our leadership profile?
That is up to you to decide and build , i wish you good luck and a lot of Force wisdom

• What is the role of clergy in ToTJO?
  The role of clergy in TOTJO should be the same as the role of clergy elsewhere: to provide spiritual support for those under our care.
• Should we serve people?
Clerical work is nothing but service.[/li]

• Is our role really supportive?
  100%
• Is there a difference between being a knight and being a cleric?
  Yes. Knights carry teachings to future generations and are ambassadors of the Jedi, but clergy serves from within. This is why one can be both, or neither, in addition to simply being one.
• How can we support people?
  Showing care and giving aid, rallying behind those in changes of life, counseling those who need it in what limited manner we can.
• What kind of support should we give?
  ^
• How can we work directly and indirectly for ToTJO's spiritual health?
  By being proactive about responding to membership needs.
• How do we understand our order? Priests? Bishops? Monks? Shamans?
  Guides.
• What is our leadership profile?
  We lead by example.

When I asked these questions it was only provocatively, they did not have to respond so promptly, but I'm glad most of them liked to follow that model.

I agree with SteamBoat. Clerical work is not for everyone, only for those who have this disposition and different from the knights who take care of more material questions, we have to take care of more metaphysical and often complex issues which requires special training. This is my vision, a line takes care of things related to practice and daily life while we build a religion that does not hold the old standards, but transcends the knowledge that holds us and this often passes through the immaterial.

My dream for the clergy is to have an order that works to help the people of the temple, where the people themselves come to look for us.At that moment we have many people in the temple, people who suffer from the prejudice of their ethnicity, their ideologies, disabilities, gender, physical and verbal abuse, suicidal thoughts, homicidal thoughts, depression, bipolarity, etc. Do I know how to solve some of these dilemmas? Yes, at least the ones I've lived in I can advise better. The rest I can look for solutions, even if it is telling the person to look for a psychologist, doctor or law enforcement authority. And even though I can not do anything, I can hear and console, we call it captivating (as it says in the book Le petit prince).

==> One thing I think we need to bring to the temple is the question of feminism. Not a radical thing, but bring this dialogue to the temple so that some paradigms are broken and many things are revised. Maybe I'm running into personal and delicate issues? Probably, but I'd rather be a bit rude and nosy to fold my arms.

==> Our current problem, in my view, is that we are stuck on issues that are bureaucratic and about identity to our order. In the meantime, we have not created a channel to help these people. So I decided to create the motivational project and so I want to create several other projects, put people to work on them and let those reap the fruits of this project.

==> First of all, my idea was to divide the clergy into work fronts. Each one or two members lead a project and give some autonomy to the people, leaving the Synod and the Council free with more bureaucratic issues.

==> Another proposal I have is to untie the authority that council has on the clergy and make our order a democratic issue, leaving the synod not with the decision function, but only with coordination, but with all decisions being voted by the members of the clergy themselves. The council could have a representative within the clergy to bring the vision of the council to us, but it is up to us to decide, obviously respecting the rules of the temple.

==> As for the ranks, I think we can wait to change those names until we have a really good idea. For all intents and purposes are just names that tell us how long we are on this walk and what we learn from it. Nothing else.

Buraeucratic issues are important ones, though, because by establishing an effective hierarchy and discussing those things in that framework, we can get to where we need to be faster.

Kyber wrote: ==> Another proposal I have is to untie the authority that council has on the clergy and make our order a democratic issue, leaving the synod not with the decision function, but only with coordination, but with all decisions being voted by the members of the clergy themselves. The council could have a representative within the clergy to bring the vision of the council to us, but it is up to us to decide, obviously respecting the rules of the temple.

I do like this idea but how to safeguard the position of the Council if the Synod takes more power? Are there ways to give the Synod more power without separating them from the Council? It feels dangerous.. :blush: Maybe the Synod could Talk with the Council to make a multi year plan. A plan that allows certain freedoms without unbinding it from the Council. Maybe an idea to make it so that if the mission of the Synod where to change change it could be requested to unbind the multi year plan, or if the council (only council) feels to do something political executive, that this multi year plan comes to expire. And forced talk again returning the granted power to the Synod back to the Council? ... :blush:

Kyber wrote: ==> As for the ranks, I think we can wait to change those names until we have a really good idea. For all intents and purposes are just names that tell us how long we are on this walk and what we learn from it. Nothing else.

The ratio of people holding a rank is weird at the moment. I am not sure but maybe it is an idea to think about that too if changing rank names? Maybe a long term plan, and unbinding the pastor`s bishop rank upon resigning, make it only not to revoke if it is given saperate from the office. :blink: I do hope that the legal titles of the ranks stay.

Again I agree with you SteamBoat, I think we need go fast, and accurate, or this question go on for months.

Codex, I love your ideia, making a horizontal plan. But I just think why council choose our pastor. We can do it with own hands.
Finaly, yes. If we change the names it is for a long long time

Kyber wrote: Again I agree with you SteamBoat, I think we need go fast, and accurate, or this question go on for months.

Codex, I love your ideia, making a horizontal plan. But I just think why council choose our pastor. We can do it with own hands.
Finaly, yes. If we change the names it is for a long long time

I would love that the Clergy is being able to choose their own Pastor. :woohoo:

I like the idea of just one Councellor representative in the Clergy and off course the other way around , only one Clergy member in the Council ...

MartaLina wrote: I like the idea of just one Councellor representative in the Clergy and off course the other way around , only one Clergy member in the Council ...

That would be a little difficult : John and I - as well as the new Pastor - would be Bishops ; Michael is a Priest. Four out of the six voting members of the Council are Clergy. So, to have only one clergy member on the Council would require some extensive trimming ... :huh:

I think it is possible with what you recommend Marta for the council to become unbalanced. If only one council member represents us, the others may end up being non clergy. There would be no reason for them to attend meetingsnand get in touch with our vision as a group. They might not even understand our usefulness.

We are not an autonomous group, but a subset of the Temple. What we do must be approved by the Council. Without sufficient representation, we will be at a distinct disadvantage