Where to begin?
We recognise that for many leaders, lay or ordained; it can be difficult to discern how to begin introducing Faith Rooted Community Organising practices within their congregations. For some, this is because any change to a different way of working requires some space for practice and reflection before they feel confident enough to begin to share those new ways with others. For others, there is perhaps a sense of frustration. They have tried to encourage their church communities to begin with the practice of sharing stories with one another but have encountered some barriers along the way.
It can be difficult to know how to respond if people are reluctant to try having ‘one-to-one conversations’, or if time is short due to the competing demands of local church and circuit life. Maybe there’s a sense of guilt- it feels like a ‘waste of time’ to schedule in time just to sit and share together when there are so many other tasks on the ‘to-do’ list.
Yet, unavoidably, organising always begins with slow patient relationship building and careful discernment as to the next steps. We recognise that this is a significant culture change for those more used to a ‘programme-based’ method of engagement where we might see quick wins but not always lasting results.
However, even small steps can still have an impact. Making incremental changes to the way we do things in our meetings and interactions can slowly build confidence and encourage people to want to share more deeply. Our colleague, Deacon Eunice Attwood (the Connexional Church at the Margins officer) suggested we name these ‘micro-organising practices’; little changes which introduce organising and where the results are more immediately apparent. As you read through the following examples, consider which might work best in your context.
Five micro-organising practices to try
1. ‘Rounds’ – At the start of a meeting or small group gathering, everyone says their name the church/ group organisation they represent (if appropriate), and shares one brief insight or thought.
What is shared will be different in each setting, but it’s important that it is fairly light in nature and that it is inclusive, something everyone can respond to. This works well when seated in a circle, and the natural flow is for everyone to just speak in turn, but in a Zoom meeting, you might suggest each person nominate another when they’ve finished sharing.
Some example questions: what’s been the highlight of your week so far? What are you looking forward to this week?
The idea is to ensure everyone gathered has shared their name and has had a chance to speak and participate right at the start of the meeting. Over time, this builds confidence and a culture of shared participation so that all voices, not just those that tend to dominate, can be heard.
2. Roll Call – for larger meetings, such as synod, circuit stewards gathering, and circuit away days –begin with a roll call. Those chairing the meeting begin by calling out a list of churches/organisations/ groups who should be present, and one or two representatives from that group either come to the front or wave from where they are.
This encourages visible participation for all, no matter how big or small their group is in number. It puts everyone on an even footing, and that everyone in the room is aware of who is present. It helps those chairing or facilitating to ensure that a range of voices are heard; not just those from larger or more dominant groups.
3. Appoint a ‘timekeeper’ to co-chair lengthy meetings. The appointed timekeeper and chair agree, before the meeting, the length of time needed to discuss each separate item on the agenda. This ensures sufficient time is allocated for essential business (e.g., mission) and avoids the problem of minor matters overwhelming discussion time and energy. The timekeeper is then actively involved during the meeting,
letting those gathered know when the remaining time allocated for an item is short and ensuring decisions and actions are agreed in an efficient and timely manner. Good stewardship of time demonstrates respect for all who have given their time to participate in the meeting. As with all of the micro-practices described here, this does need to be explained to the meeting beforehand so that people are aware of the reasons behind this new way of doing things.
4. End of meeting evaluation. At the end of each meeting, schedule five to ten minutes on the agenda for a check-in. This can be done in the same way as the rounds at the start of the meeting. Going round the room (or Zoom), ask people to say one or two words in response to the following questions:
How did the meeting go? Did we keep to time? Have we done all that we said we would? What might we need to do differently next time (e.g., a different venue, more time on the agenda to discuss item X)? What is their next step/ action to take?
This reinforces each person’s place and value at that meeting and reinforces a culture of active participation and commitment to action in between meetings.
5. Building mini ‘1-2-1’ conversations into existing gathering time– Some of the FRCO pilot leaders are making use of times when people are already gathered together to give people a chance to try a ‘mini 1-2-1’ conversation.
For example, during a more informal or café style worship, using a photo or story as a prompt to invite people to share together in pairs for up to ten minutes. You could utilise existing resources, such as the ‘table talk’ resource or Time to Talk of God, for some inspiration.
You may want to set ‘agreed ways of working’ before doing this in your context as a reminder of safeguarding / confidentiality. For example:
- Both people get a chance to talk.
- No one should feel pressure to share more than they feel comfortable doing.
- Be aware of what you share and the impact it may have on others, particularly if you are talking about a difficult or traumatic experience.
- Stories or experiences shared are not to be repeated, but the learning from it can be.
- If you are concerned about a possible safeguarding issue, please speak with the safeguarding officer.
I am grateful for inputs from our co-author and guest writer for this post, Jo Yair. She is the ministry and mission coordinator for the Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury Methodist District and Eddy’s line manager for the Faith-Rooted Community Organising Pilot.
We look forward to hearing how these work in your church or community.
Kerry Scarlett and Jo Yair October 2023
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