One of my greatest joys is good conversation, the kind of discussion that allows me to engage with ideas and issues in an open and honest way. I find that it is in conversation I can move a leadership vision from a vague notion to clarity. When I am troubled, conversation helps me to put my concerns in perspective.
I love asking questions, finding out the “why” behind people’s opinions and feelings. The stories that people tell are often metaphors for how they view life or have experienced it. I listen to the stories to understand the speaker.
I am excited as we begin fall programing at Brighton First because I will have the opportunity to engage with many church members in good conversation. On Wednesday nights, I will be leading Disciple I Bible Study. In this 32-week course we will read 80% of the Bible, but the course is much more than this. We will engage in weekly conversation and explore what it means to be disciples of Jesus Christ.
On Monday evenings, once per month, Stephanie Nichoff and I will lead a conversation about breads of the faith. I am looking forward to hosting this gathering at my home, where we will share in “table fellowship.”
In addition, I will be leading studies at Advent and Lent, and I will be looking for opportunities to be in conversation with individual members of the congregation. I am interested in life stories and faith journeys.
Some of the most powerful teachings from the Bible come in story form, from the stories of Genesis and Exodus to the Gospels and the Book of Acts. To read the stories and wrestle with them is to be in holy conversation.
To hear one another’s stories and to hold each other’s disappointments and hopes is to be in holy conversation. If you, like me, long for conversation, join a class or group at First or gather friends and family for talk around the dinner table. Conversation in community is a holy act and Christ is present.
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