Jim-- I agree with Harrison and others about the theme working best when in question form. As to the second opportunity, if it were mine, I would use the first two hour meeting to do an appreciative inquiry to help people get in touch with a time when they were enthusiastic, inspired, excited, etc. If you'd like more on how I might frame the AI questions and design the two hours, feel free to contact me off-list.
BJ Peters b...@cox.net 602.279.4805 Jim Metcalf wrote:
Dear Brian and all fellow adventurers in Open Space! I am struggling with two opportunities. The first is for my own congregation, a pleasant, unchallenged group of Lutherans. I am planning an Open Space event for them, with the encouragement of the council, to plan activity for the months September 2002 through May 2003. I am working on wording for a theme, with this as the current idea: "Working Together in Faith: September 2002 -- May 2003". I am not entirely satisfied with this expression, however, and would welcome your input. The second opportunity involves a neighboring congregation, and begins next week. They are planning to spend several million bucks on some project or other, but there is no enthusiasm for the work. They happen to be an hundred plus year old congregation in the heart of the downtown, surrounded by a new medical research facility, and are neighbors to various government and private office buildings. This is not your residential neighborhood church! Members commute to participate. Their pastor's problem is that he does not know why they lack energy for this project, although intellectually everyone is lined up behind it. He has called a two hour meeting of the congregation this coming Saturday, and has asked me to lead it. I am proposing an open forum in which members can toss out some ideas, and from that I want to generate an Open Space meeting some time later. I would like to hear your thoughts on this also. Eagerly waiting, Jim -----Original Message----- From: OSLIST [mailto:osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu] On Behalf Of Fr Brian S Bainbridge Sent: Friday, June 14, 2002 5:09 AM To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu Subject: Re: A Report from the Field - Another One - Short! Dear Harrison and Judy I liked the list of topics you shared with us, Judy. Very interesting. For the record - and from a pragmatic way of helping space and Peace to grow - I opened space for one day for about 150 parishioners at a neighbouring Melbourne parish last Monday, which was a public holiday - Queen's Birthday. They generated some 116 wall topics and just 50 workshop sessions. The highest scoring included: Building stronger parish//parish elementary school links The Church needs young people ; Young people need the Church ; making the two meet. Welcoming to the parish and schools new parishioners and new families. Spiritual care & visitation to sick and elderly confined to their homes. Care for the people who feel isolated. Building parish community. To know we are Christians by our love - to each other within our community by our example. Community - merging all groups - of all ages, all types of families - individual/solo/divorced, etc. Keeping the young in and bringing them back to the Church. And the spirit growing in the group was something marvellous, too. As always. Just some of the more important Action Outcome summaries generated - to help keep peace and grow peace in this part of our world, too. Cheers and blessings, BRIAN. * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu, Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
* * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu, Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html