A Report from the Field - Another One - Short!

[Michael Herman]

hi jim...

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.

a guy called me some time ago.  said he did open space with a diocesan
ministry group over the previous weekend.  said it didn't work.  said
all they did was talk about the past and never got into future action
planning.  i asked what the theme was and he replied: 'what are teh pros
and cons of xyz ministry.'  my learning from this is that you get what
you ask for.  the trick is daring to ask for what you *really* want,
recognizing that *a lot* can happen in open space.

i find that with a straightforward theme like you/harrison have
stated... issues and opps for the working together in faith... you can
add a paragraph that sets parameters like sept-may, defines the scope of
'activity, or whatever...  but also that includes a peppering of spirit
words that invite a stretch... words like love, passion, compassion,
healing, hopes, dreams, vision, experience, skills, movement, flow,
wisdom, power, fire, transformation, difference, responsibility,
ripples, create, light, surprise...

i recently generalized a pretty interesting invitation template from a
piece harrison wrote for a project we worked on together.
http://www.globalchicago.net/ost/practice/62direction.html  lots of good
fodder and good examples of what i mean about some of the words i've
listed above.  it's greatly simplified my invitation-writing life.
another lesson from harrison in the art of less is.

m


--

Michael Herman
300 West North Avenue #1105
Chicago IL 60610
312-280-7838 voice
312-280-7837 fax

http://www.michaelherman.com
...an invitation.

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