A Report from the Field - Another One - Short!

BJ Peters bjp1 at cox.net
Sat Jun 15 18:21:56 PDT 2002


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
bjp1 at 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:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Fr
>Brian S Bainbridge
>Sent: Friday, June 14, 2002 5:09 AM
>To: OSLIST at 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.
>
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