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Open and Honest Conversations
by Nancy Davidge on January 8, 2013
Recent postings on Episcopal Cafe remind us of the value of establishing open and honest lines of communication within a congregation and certainly between the vestry and clergy. In each post, the author – a priest or a lay leader – shares what he is really thinking and does not feel comfortable putting into words. Reading each prompts me to wonder:
How can we create safe space for our congregational leaders where these thoughts can be shared and discussed in a prayerful and respectful manner?
Here are the two posts:
How have you created safe spaces in your congregation for open and honest dialogue about feelings and frustrations?
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Laura Toepfer on January 9, 2013 at 12:50 pm
One of the reasons we developed Confirm not Conform (confirmnotconform.com) was to allow a safe space for people to ask questions about their faith. We started with a youth program, but realized that adults needed that as well. Although not specifically about the running of the church, simply making it possible to ask the unasked questions has, in our experience, led to a healthier relationship within the congregation as well as a more robust faith.