Program Summaries
"Opening The Ear Of Your Heart"
Spiritual Conflict Resolution Program
Overview
The goal of the workshop is to give participants the opportunity to open themselves to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. This is done by entering into a time of spiritual discernment together around a question that is confronting the group, e.g., "God, how are we to live authentically as the body of Christ while we struggle with issues of [leadership / sexuality / authority / scriptural interpretation / other issues] within our organization?" The retreat builds on the Discernment Listening Guidelines contained in our publication, Grounded in God: Listening Hearts Discernment for Group Deliberations. As in our Spiritual Consensus Building and Decision Making workshop, participants learn to incorporate a new approach to addressing concerns and differences of opinion. The intent is to move away from a strictly secular, Robert's Rules of Order way of trying to resolve issues, one that all too often leads to increased, rather than reduced, anger and animosity.
Intended Audience
The retreat can be beneficial to groups of all shapes and sizes, both large and small, concentrated or widely dispersed. It can be a group as small as a committee or body of church officers at the parish level. It can be an entire parish or congregation. It can be a commission on ministry or even an entire diocese. The program can be beneficial at almost any stage of the conflict's evolution. Ideally, it can take place before emotions become inflamed. But even after an issue has broken out into the open and rifts have evolved, the opportunity for healing and reconciliation this program can engender still exists.
Program Content Summary
The retreat is designed to move the group to accomplish a number of objectives. First, it focuses on creating an atmosphere where each person is able to become open and vulnerable to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. It outlines the building blocks for discernment in community. And, it works to promote healing and reconciliation within the body of Christ in a time of strife over divisive issues.
Through silence, song, creative engagement with Scripture, and sharing the thoughts of their hearts, they open themselves to God's reconciling love and truth. They return home spiritually fed and ready to help cultivate a culture of deep prayerful listening in the church.
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