Step 3: Experimenting Presbytery of the Inland Northwest Congregation Guiding Teams January 24, 2015 Step 3: Experimenting

Today’s Agenda 10:45 Discerning reflections 10:00 Dwelling in the Word 10:45 Discerning reflections 11:30 Introduction to Experimenting 12:00 Lunch 1:00 Experiments 2:00 Sharing and discussion 3:00 Next steps

Dwelling in the Word: Luke 10: 1-12 How does this passage speak to us about receiving hospitality? What does this passage say to us about being the “stranger”? Does considering ourselves as “the stranger” change our perspective in any way? Why or why not?

Discerning Reflections Stories of conversation groups in your congregation What have you found challenging? Rewarding?  

Accomplishments Listening Continuing practice of Dwelling in the Word Conducted Listening Interviews Began simple neighbourhood “walking about” exercises Discerning Continuing practice of Dwelling in the Word Listening Report Conversations Groups in Progress Continuing simple neighborhood “walking about” exercises

5. Living Into the Future 4. Evaluating 3. Experimenting 2. Discerning End 9:15 – 9:20 We are on our way, engaging in new practices and habits for listening and discerning – Lets take a moment to look back at the focus of each of these steps Listening/Awareness – what’s going on offstage in your congregation (most things of which are not voiced or understood)- beginning to listen to the stories that are shaping people– classic pastoral care (story . . .Bless her heart . . . ) Most people in our congregations have no way of making sense of the world we live in Helping people give voice to what it is that they are experiencing (the tip of the iceberg) Theologically – Genesis – in giving names to animals, in giving name to our experiences, we are co-creators with God This is not about therapy, it’s about inviting people into spaces to dare to give voice to what they’re experiencing Creating safe spaces (congregations generally aren’t safe spaces) When we give language to something, then we want to jump to solutions – but that’s not helpful in this space Discerning/Understanding – inviting people into the safe spaces to continue dialoging, deepening their sense of what is going on Clergy have huge role in bringing biblical text to what’s going on with their experiences Those in my congregation are not the objects of my goals, purposes, ends, because that objectifies them - and the world that we live in objectifies all of us If you are in the suburbs, you are already in objectified bricks and mortar How Alan preached – went to the coffee shop all week – then he would talk on Sundays about one of the stories he heard, then say “isn’t it funny how this story connects with the text” – but wouldn’t say how to do it – Poet of the Ordinary – let the people make their own connections – Spirit of God at work! Experiment Small experiments – like viruses Small wins Create experiments, then bring people back together to talk about what’s happening Then iterate experiments E.g. viruses multiple exponentially; initially you don’t even know you contracted something, things go on as normal; then, very suddenly, it has gone through the roof, a full-born disease Reporting 6 month window – need some “wins” for people to continue 3. Experimenting 2. Discerning 1. Listening

Guide Posts God is already ahead of us in our neighborhoods and communities. We are looking at how we might join with what God is up to in the neighbourhood. We want to pay attention to the stories of people in our neighbourhood and listen to what this might mean for us as a church.  

Tying it all Together: Listening, Discerning & Experimenting Success of an experiment is considered in terms of how much we are transformed by the experience rather than about our impact on others

Characteristics of Experiments

Possible Experiments

Finish Conversation Groups & associated notes Continue Neighborhood Listening Exercises Identify/Design/Conduct two (2) experiments Next Meeting: April 25, 2015