Flourishing Church

David R. Sawyer & Deborah G. Fortel, Consultants

Contact Info

Deborah : coachdgf@gmail.com | 502-721-8500
David : drsawyer44@gmail.com | 502-439-6465

David’s Services

Wisdom for a Change

  • CONFLICT CONSULTATION: consultations with mainline congregations and governing bodies, 75% rate of progress, In each one, I do not only deep listening and systemic assessment, but also work through recommendations to their conclusions. I also offer training for conflict utilization teams in judicatories:
    • Indian Nations Presbytery, Abingdon Presbytery, Chicago Presbytery, Giddings-Lovejoy Presbytery, Savanna Presbytery, Scioto Valley Presbytery
  • CHURCH FUTURING CONSULTATIONS: leading congregations and church organizations through a process of identifying their deep identity in order to discern the future God desires for them, using Appreciative Inquiry and Theory U as models of story gathering and discernment
    • Presbytery of the James
    • Crescent Hill Presbyterian Church, Louisville, Kentucky
    • Christ United Church, Berea, Ohio
    • Covenant Community Church of Louisville, Kentucky
    • St. Matthews United Methodist Church, Louisville, Kentucky
    • Episcopal Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky
    • Presbytery of New Covenant
    • The Mattingly Center, Louisville, Kentucky
  • MEETING KEYNOTING AND FACILITATION for large and small groups
    • National Association of Lutheran Interim Pastors, June 2016
    • PC(USA) Association of Stated Clerks, October 2015
    • Diocese of Lexington, 2013-2016
    • Georgia Cluster of Presbyteries, April 2013
    • Synod of the Sun (PCUSA), August 2013
    • Presbytery of Scioto Valley (Ohio) September 2011, January 2014, January 2015
    • Presbytery of Cincinnati, October 2010
    • Presbytery of Whitewater Valley (Indiana), September 2009
  • LIFELONG LEARNING THROUGH PEER LEARNING
    • Facilitating a Peer Learning Group for ministry innovators in Mid-Kentucky Presbytery
    • Providing peer-learning groups for recent seminary graduates in their first church assignments and for church innovators starting alternative faith communities
  • TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT FOR BOARDS, COMMITTEES, STAFF
    • Episcopal Diocese of Lexington, Scioto Valley Presbytery, Whitewater Valley Presbytery

EXPERIENCE

  • Adjunct Professor in Religious Studies, Simmons College of Kentucky, 2017-Present 
  • Consultant/Writer, Flourishing Church Consulting and Coaching, 2012-Present
  • Professor of Leadership and Administration and Director of Lifelong Learning and Advanced Degrees, Louisville Presbyterian Seminary, 2002-2012 
    • Taught in the M. Div. and D. Min. programs; developed a cutting edge Doctor of Ministry program with full classes every year; promoted qualitative (narrative) research for new insights in church leadership; designed lifelong learning programs for church leaders; introduced emotional intelligence and group process skills for M. Div. and D. Min. students. Retired in 2012.
  • PASTOR, PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (U.S.A.) 1966-2002
    • Served churches in Illinois, Ohio and Minnesota as pastor, associate pastor and interim pastor
    • Presbytery Staff for ministry and church development, Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy, St. Louis and Southeast Missouri

EDUCATION

  • Ph.D., Organizational Communication and Managerial Behavior, Ohio University, 1979
  • M.Div., Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, 1969
  • M.A., Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, 1966

Email or call for information on how Dr. Sawyer can work with you or your organization and his fees and availability.

  • About David R. Sawyer, Ph.D
  • About Deborah G. Fortel, D.Min
  • David’s Services
  • Deborah’s Services 
  • Books

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