Are you being called to the hearth?

New Rounds of Shape of Leadership Opening in 2026

By emilie boggis.

It is January 23, 2025. Just a few short days after MLK Day and Inauguration Day, it is well below freezing as clergy from various denominations gather around the hearth at CrossRoads Retreat Center (NJ) for our closing circle. On this first of four Shape of Leadership retreats, the takeaways from our participants center the transformational shifts that they’ve experienced together this week:

I had no idea how much I needed a community that really understands the challenges we face as leaders in this time. Going it alone has been hard….

Thank you for this time away from the demands of ministry (especially from the notifications on my phone!) so that I could see ministry more clearly…. 

Everyone is always looking to me for solutions to problems no one has ever encountered before. Shape has provided a surprising antidote to approaching these challenges….

Ministry in a post-pandemic world is not getting easier. Nevertheless, LeaderWise’s Shape of Leadership program renews our hope that we are (and still can be) the ones we’ve been waiting for. The Shape program was started by one of LeaderWise’s co-directors, Mary Kay DuChene, who studied adaptive leadership with Ron Heifetz out of Harvard University. Mary Kay channeled the lessons of embracing change through experimentation and innovation into experiences faith leaders could apply to their ministry contexts. 

Since the start of the Shape program (even in spite of the pandemic) more than 100 leaders—ministers, chaplains, directors—have graduated from the Shape program, continually using the tools they learned in Shape to elevate their ministries. One early alumna, Karen Sease, writes: 

“Shape kept me from being part of the statistic of those who leave ministry within the first five years. I was in a challenging situation that might have otherwise overwhelmed me. The building, the records, the finances, the congregation’s trust in the pastoral office – everything was in shambles. Shape gave me the tools to examine the congregational system and myself as a leader, space to dream possible ministry experiments, and relationships with other colleagues who supported me along the way. Our Shape group became ‘my people,’ and we still check in with each other 10 years later.” 

Many Shape participants are, in fact, farther along in their ministries, at critical inflection points where they are wondering what’s next or whether they are the best leader for the time or whether they have reached the limit of their abilities. LeaderWise’s year-long Shape journey offers them greater insight into who they are as unique leaders. They learn to lead from their strengths, rather than always working on their weaknesses. They dive into their power and conflict styles, and lead from a place of purpose and resilience. This beautiful video is a presentation one participant put together as our year together concluded. 

How are you being called to invest in your call and your leadership? New Shape groups are forming for 2026 in Minnesota/Wisconsin, Idaho, New Jersey, and North Carolina. Find more information at our website. You’re also invited to contact Mary Kay with your inquiries and questions.

The hearth is ready for your winter 2026 gathering. No matter how cold it is outside, no matter what challenges you face, there is room for you at Shape of Leadership.