The 1^st Seminar for Holy Synod Members was hold on “Service is Leadership & Caring” from Monday, March 11^st to Thursday, March 14^th, 2013 at the papal residence at St. Bishoy Monastery, in the presence and patronage of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Holy Synod Secretary and the presence of 86 of Holy Synod Members.

This seminar aims to unify thought and exchange experiences about the service of the Bishop, which embodies:

– A model of God’s fatherhood to humans. – Active membership in the general church. – Enlightened and influential leadership in the diocese. – Comprehensive development of the parish, clergy and people. – Live testimony in society.

The Seminar axes were as follows:

1. The Church as an institution: targeted, fruitful and developing. 2. Enlightened leadership: its features and fruits. 3. Effective Church Administration: its features and conditions. 4. The developmental curriculum in service.

The Seminar program contained the following:

First: The Topics

1. Church as a targeted and fruitful spiritual institution … His Holiness Pope Tawadros II 2. Change will and change management … His Holiness Pope Tawadros II 3. Bishop’s Role in Crisis Management … Metropolitan Pakhomious 4. Effective Leadership Characteristics … Bishop Mossa 5. Developmental curriculum in service … Bishop Thomas 6. Service aiming … Bishop Youssef (SUS). 7. Church as an Institution: Presenting a Framework for Performance Analysis … Dr. Magdy Latif. 8. Service System Management … Dr. Magdy Latif

Second: The Workshops

The fathers were divided into 4 groups to discuss the following: 1. A proposal for the New Bishop Selection Regulation. 2. A proposal for the Priest Regulation. Each group had a dialogue coordinator & an opinions and proposals recorder.

Third: Questionnaires about Unity Regulations preparing:

– Questionnaire (No. 1) for Bishop Regulation. – Questionnaire (No. 2) of Priest Regulation. – Questionnaire (No. 3) for Church Councils Regulation. – Questionnaire (No. 4) of Church Education Regulation.

Fourth: Administrative and Development Experiences:

In it, experiences were exchanged between fathers, and 5 different experiences were presented to each of: 1. Bishop Pephnotious … Samalout Diocese 2. Bishop Marcos … Shubra El-Kheima Diocese 3. Bishop Danial … Maadi Diocese 4. Bishop Youannes … Public Services Bishopric 5. Bishop Macarius … Minya & Abu Qurqas Diocese

The Seminar concluded with final recommendations session:

– Seminar Evaluation – Seminar Results Summarize – Open Discussion – Closing speech by Pope Tawadros II

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II announced Holy Synod secretary’s plan to develop a strategic plan for the Church, activate Holy Synod committees, set regulations and management systems for all church activities and services, as well as develop a plan to train the priests, members of church councils and service leaders on leadership, management and development, so that all of this will be presented to the Holy Synod in its periodic meetings. To adopt it, God willing.

The atmosphere of the seminar was dominated by the spirit of love, communion and joy.

The fathers thanked His Holiness, the Pope, and expressed their joy at this seminar and demanded that it be repeated periodically.