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

2. 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

3. 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?

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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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.  

8. 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

9. Characteristics of Experiments

10. Possible Experiments

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