This document summarizes a discussion at St. Georges Church about how to build community and reconciliation. It discusses checking in with each other, grounding themselves in scripture, and principles of reconciliation communities from Natalie Finstad. Small groups generated ideas like accepting diversity, taking risks like advocating for others, remaining open to influence, seeing potential in each other, speaking truth, and accompanying one another through transformation. Shared spiritual practices could include learning about each other, supporting other faiths, sharing stories, and exploring spiritual questions together.
2. Checking in at tables
Share your name and the names of anyone with whom you share a
household currently.
Share a brief story about a time this past week when you received a
“gift.”
3. Grounding ourselves in the Word
• 2 Corinthians 5:17-20
• So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has
passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God,
who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the
ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the
world to himself,not counting their trespasses against them, and
entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are
ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us;
we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
4. What does this passage tell us about God?
What does this passage tell us about our mission?
5. Communities of Reconciliation
4 principles from Natalie Finstad and the Katalasso movement
-We pattern our lives after Christ’s radical love as an alternative way of
being in the world.
-We practice solidarity through sharing power, vulnerability, and
accountability.
-We hunger for transformation and offer ourselves as living witnesses
that resist the powers that corrupt and destroy life.
-We commit to shared spiritual discipline that opens us to receiving
grace from unexpected sources.
6. Questions from the Compassionate Community Weekend –
based in John 4 The Story of Jesus and the woman at the well
How are we welcoming the “messiness” of relationships with each
other and with “strangers,” within and beyond our walls?
How are we being “risky” with how we share our love?
How do we remain open to the influence of others (insiders and
outsiders)?
How are we seeing what is possible in one another and in those in the
wider community?
How could we be bolder about speaking truth?
How can we accompany one another through transformation (perhaps
instead of trying to change one another)?
7. Messiness (ideas suggested during small
group sessions in the workshop)
•Accepting of the Differences (Diversity)
•Wear Name Tags
•Call a Communicant by Name when LEM
•Music Camp for children
•Friday Night Dances
•Fredericksburg All Ages
•More Mission trip/Work
•Collaborate with other Churches
8. • Stephens Ministry
• Reach out on a personal level, e.g. coffee hour
• Invitation to participate
• Use space but…..
• Increased Partnerships
• More interfaith dialog
• Increased visibility of availability
• Cultivate Outreach
• Instigate conversations: One on One and Community
• Partner as individuals
9. Taking risks (new ideas that were suggested in
our workshop small group sessions)
• Go to Different Liturgies
• Communication
• Encourage Interaction during the service
• Invite others to our church (i.e. volunteer community events as St Georges
• Continue to advocate for the homeless
• Write letters to editor
• go public with our message
• posters on the fence
• Continue visible support for Muslim Community and for Refugees
• Vulnerability with sharing ideas
• Small group discussions—not feeling pressure to share
• More connections with people outside of church (eg connecting interfaith families)
• Awareness and sensitivity to issues that people in the community face
• Let broader community know what we offer
10. Remaining Open to the influence of others
(ideas suggested)
• More Seminars/Opportunities outside regular worship
• Vulnerability
• Maintaining an Open, Loving Heart
• Open house
• Listen
• Invitation to Communion
• Sharing our space
• Integrity Service
• Increase the ways in which we welcome people
• Engage/Initiate conversation with visitors
• Be open: View ourselves as an open ciricle—we are not complete – there is other’s to be
a part of us
11. Seeing what’s possible in ourselves and
others and in wider community?
• Small Group opportunities e.g. Bible Study during lent “Bring Them Back”
• Backyard Bible School
• Share stories
• Keep conversations open
• More intergenerational activities
• Be more attentive to environmental stewardship e.g. all of these disposable cups
• “Shoot more arrows” e.g. go to more community forms host city council meetings
• Can we offer use of this facility for other faith communities?
• Survey: Tell us your gifts, talents and skills – suggest/ask without pushing
• Don’t keep people in their same “box”
• Keep things open, fresh and changing
• Social Media – Extend our reach
• How can we be in solidarity with “youth?” – Ask that question.
• Go to other churches, celebrations, events
12. Speaking truth
• Keep asking questions
• Keep pushing through boundaries
• Be more truthful about our own lives –Making ourselves more
vulnerable
• Ask our African American and Muslim churches how we can build
reconciliation
13. Accompanying one another through
transformation
• Better Promotion and Identification of Services offered
• Improved New Comers information
• Reach out to persons who refer to themselves as “spiritual but not
religious”
• Address culture of Fear/Anxiety
• Provide Spiritual Solutions through Community Meetings/Interfaith
• Continuing to show up
• Inviting others to church
14. • Letting go of pre conceived notions
• Recognizing we are all broken
• Learning one another’s stories
• Remembering each other’s brokenness
• Being present – walking with person in need
• Accept invitations/Listen for Invitations
• Step outside our comfort zone
• Be supportive
• Separate yourself – really listen – try to put yourself in the others shoes
15. Shared Spiritual Practice
Natalie Finstad reminded us of some wisdom adapted from Fr. Richard
Rohr in his book, Breathing under Water.
“To finally surrender ourselves to healing, we have to have three spaces
opened up within us –all at the same time: 1. Our opinionated head. 2.
Our closed down heart. 3. Our defensive and defended body. This is the
work of spirituality- and it is work!”
16. Topics for deeper exploration and potential shared spiritual
practices – topics and ideas were generated during the
weekend workshop
• SHARING WHAT WE DO
• Commitment to sharing through providing a venue/process to share
what’s available – What we are, Our story (or maybe even who’s
available)
• Represent as individual members of the church to activities in the
community :
• Being Public (eg) wearing St Georges T Shirts to a walk for cancer
walking groups
•
17. • “A ONE-BODY RESPONSE TEAM FOR CAUSES”
• Identify causes that align with ours and show up to support
• ACTION IN GREATER COMMUNITY
• Showing Up
• To all activities and events in T-Shirts:
• (eg) walks for breast cancer, walking in groups
• Clarifying our values through writing letters to the editor
• Listening to the community
18. • GET TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER BETTER, TO DEVELOP DEEPER RELATIONSHIPS
• Secure commitment to attend events
• Bible study to help accomplish mission
• Discernment to determine common goal and length of time (short vs long term)
• Pilgrimage
• Retreats
• Trips to share with other congregations
• Optimum number of 12 people for small groups
• Seasonal: Lenten, Advent, Epiphany, etc
• Book Study
• Structure in place to institute or organize a group with clergy support
• Communication with invitation
19. • ACCEPT INVITATIONS
• Attend alternative service at least once during Lent – shared discipline in Lent
• Extend your “walk” outside your own neighborhood
• Grab a fellow St. Georgian and accept an invitation to an event/worship service
• Engage in campus ministry/events
• SUPPORT MUSLIM COMMUNITY
• Prayer partner program with Muslim community during Lent
• Interfaith service with food (Saturday Night Supper)
• Share worship space
20. • OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE STORIES
• Faith Sharing Cards
• Meditation
• Comfortable sith silence
• Open meetings with a story sharing
• One on One meetings
• Prayer Partnership
• Comfort with Name Curiosity
• Course in Active Listening
• Parish Pen Pals
• Checking in at Meetings
• One on One Meetings
• Active Listening Class or coaching
• Checking in at Meetings (church, family, friends) – group committed to this discipline during Lent
21. • SPIRITUAL NUTRITION
• Create a space/time to explore questions/topics related to
beliefs/spiritual journey
• Create Holy Space
• Create an on-line discussion
• Physical small group sessions
• Individuals could explore topics to share with the group.
