Across the state, the staff of Louisiana United Methodist Children and Family Services give their all everyday in ministry to children and families. At the same time, we work diligently to prepare our ministry for the future.

This week, Mr. Gary Rambin, our Director of Staff Development, announced to all our staff the names of our fellow staff who have just completed our Leadership Program. I want to share the names with you because I am so proud of what they have accomplished.

Their completion of the Leadership Program is another of the many reasons I am so excited about our future. Here’s why: every leader among us makes us that much more able to accomplish our mission of caring for children and families – whatever the future holds!

Stepping into leadership roles requires a commitment to something larger than oneself. Devoting additional time to study requires giving more than what is required. Refining one’s personal values is work that requires deep reflection. Discovering one’s talents is risky business – because it requires one to step out and use them!

Where we are today is always between where we have been and where we will be in the future. That’s why solid leadership is so incredibly important. Throughout our agency, servant leaders are taking us from today into tomorrow.

These are the names of those who completed the 2012-2013 Leadership Program: Shelby Butler, Khalid Johnson, Nina Melton, Mike Beard, Lenard Pruitt, Sammie Collins, Shartika Hogan, Jennifer Blackwell, Matalaoa Hammock, Ramonica Modest, Shaun McMurry, Latoya Mamon, Joseph Bellamy, Sylvia Hill, Shannon Riley, and Stephanie Hunter.

Expect great things from this group! When you see one of them, say, “Congratulations!”