The Center for Leadership Excellence is excited to announce a free webinar on Embracing Conflict and Building Understanding with the Rev. Linda Harris on Tuesday, March 26, 12PM. This webinar will continue our spring focus on Living in Community Across Differences. About the Webinar: In this webinar, Linda will invite you to journey with her to… Continue Reading→
What Is a “Facilitated Conversation”?
To speak out of our hearts, to listen lovingly and well, to grow in grace–those are the goals of a facilitated conversation. These facilitated conversations happen in the sacred space co-created by facilitators, participants, and the Holy Spirit. Our Conflict Transformation Ministers use a relational covenant to facilitate safe(r), sacred spaces for holy conversations. The main… Continue Reading→
Analog Conflict
“We are living in an upside-down world. Our wild, strong bodies are sedentary. Intimacy is down, and passivity and isolation are up. Our weak, needy hearts are lonely. We are anxious, tired, overwhelmed, and addicted to technologies we don’t fully understand, yet our culture has little to say about something we all feel. We are… Continue Reading→
Lean Not on Your Own Understanding
Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Philippians 2:4 The Apostle Paul is writing to followers of Jesus Christ in the Greek town of Philippi. Apparently two Christian sisters, Euodia and Syntyche, had been quarreling. Paul first requests that Euodia and Syntyche “be of the… Continue Reading→
Why Speak from Personal Experience?
Lately I have been thinking about the importance of speaking only from personal experience in mediation and listening sessions. One of the reasons speaking with “I” statements is important is because it spurns reliance on popular narratives and platitudes. In this reflection, I will discuss how Dr. Hooker’s concept of narratives challenges us to acknowledge… Continue Reading→
connections: Creating strong and healthy communities
Bishop Ward reflects on the unfolding tension in days leading to the Easter story and reminds us conflict transformation is possible. To learn more about Just Peace and “Leading in Anxious Times” visit: http://justpeaceumc.org/.