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Dear Gray, and OSLIST,<BR>
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I am grateful to you. The work you describe is exactly of the sort that I have imagined to be possible, and I am glad to have your stories to share with others, including some priest friends. <BR>
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In following with your advice, I will be sure that any process I propose moves forward only with the understanding and support of the new rector, who, perhaps along with the vestry, would properly be the sponsor, as it sounds like you have been in your parish. As Birgitt Williams has taught me, <I>it is the sponsor who opens the space in the organization;</I> the facilitator's role is to open the space in the meeting. I also agree with you that the process of articulating the "givens" will be important preparatory work in this instance in a number of ways.<BR>
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Your reference to "top-down tendencies" in church organizational structure of course rings true. For this reason I am particularly interested in Episcopal church OS work as an example of hierarchy and self-organizing interactivity being present simultaneously (which Birgitt addressed in her 1993 letter to Harrison that she posted to the list last week). The role of being a designated leader in a hierarchical structure while simultaneously serving as a space-opener and space-holder is a challenging and critically important role, and one in which a leader needs support and community to develop.<BR>
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If I find myself in discussion with priests/other church leaders about the place of OS in parish development, could I refer them to you for dialogue?<BR>
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Many Thanks,<BR>
Chris Weaver<BR>
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S P R I N G B R A N C H<BR>
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Opening the Space for Inspired Collaboration<BR>
P.O. Box 8234 / Asheville, NC 28814 / USA<BR>
Phone: 828 225-0007 / Fax: 828 225-0303<BR>
http://www.springbranch.net / chris@springbranch.net<BR>
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F A C I L I T A T I O N<BR>
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