Healing Conversations

Friends,

Over the past few years, like many others, I have become convinced that the United States is moving toward increasing polarization and violence. There is a wealth of political science research that confirms this observation. For those of us who cherish democracy, seek the well-being (human security) of all, and seek peace and reconciliation—what can be done?

I believe that an important movement that must be born and distributed across the country is as follows. We need to engage in some of the same peacebuilding and conflict transformation processes that are used around the world in conflict zones and “post-conflict” zones by professional peacebuilders. How is peace built in Northern Ireland, The Congo, the Balkans, and elsewhere? One of the techniques is the use of small encounter groups where people in conflict come together, typically guided by a trained facilitator, to discuss what they hold in common and what differences set them into conflict. The conversations build understanding, empathy, compassion, trust, and reconciliation.

As Christians, we recognize this is one way to meet the call we are all given to be God’s agents of peace and reconciliation (e.g., 2 Corinthians 5.14-24; Matthew 5.9;38-48). I am calling the workshop training sessions that I am here suggesting, “Healing Conversations.” I organized the first set of them that were conducted at the end of March at Utah Valley University. Then, I was joined by a group of professional facilitators from the across the US and Northern Ireland, as we each facilitated a model session and offered a training workshop. I am now beginning the work of building a national network of facilitators, so that we will soon offer these encounter groups, or Healing Conversations by the hundreds or thousands, coast to coast. I am working with Peace and Conflict Studies programs in colleges and universities, and other institutions, for example, the US Institute of Peace.

This is an invitation. If you might be interested in participating in a workshop training session that I will conduct later this summer, or early fall, please send me an email and let me know. Also, please let me know which Saturdays you are available for one workshop of five to six hours on a Saturday, starting July 30—September 10.

The RFC Board has endorsed this project. I will be offering the training sessions as a ministry of Riverfront, and we will promote it as such. After participating in the workshop I will lead, we can move forward and organize a set of Healing Conversations where people in suspicion, fear, and anger with one another—across the cultural and political divides in our country—can meet in these small groups, not only as I facilitate them, but you too, might become a facilitator.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Grace and peace,

Michael Minch

"Vast New Study Shows a Key to Reducing Poverty: More Friendships Between Rich and Poor" (NYT)

This is a fascinating article from today's New York Times. The big idea of the article focuses on research that shows that "relationships between rich and poor" are a critical catalyst for reducing gnerational poverty.

The effect was profound. The study found that if poor children grew up in neighborhoods where 70 percent of their friends were wealthy — the typical rate of friendship for higher-income children — it would increase their future incomes by 20 percent, on average.

These cross-class friendships — what the researchers called economic connectedness — had a stronger impact than school quality, family structure, job availability or a community’s racial composition. The people you know, the study suggests, open up opportunities, and the growing class divide in the United States closes them off.

I think this is a really interesting hypothesis and one that resonates on many levels. Within the long Christian tradition of seeking after and working for justice, there is an interwoven narrative of relationships and kinship. This study seems to affirm that idea.

This has profound implications for those of us commited to justice and fighting poverty. If relationships can be a catalyst for change, how do we go about building those authentic relationships?

I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas...

August Experiments & New Service Time

Dear RFC Family,

As we look forward to the Fall and school year, we want to let you know about some exciting things we are working on!

With Pastor Jen leaving our staff team this summer, we have been looking at different and new options for ministering to our children and youth. We are excited an opportunity to fully partner with Immanuel Congregational Church with their children's ministry.

This would entail joining with their existing program on Sundays. Their current spiritual formation program for children is a values and justice based curriculum, led y a full time staff person. They also have two additional part time staff working with their children. The full program includes weely Sundays, outreach to families by the pastor, and combined special holiday events like the Christmas pageant and Easter party.

In order to make this work, we will need to move our service time to 10:00 AM. This way, children will be with the full community for part of worship, before heading to their own experience, similar to how we have always functioned.

We will spend the month of August testing out the Sunday, 10 AM start time. We need to see how this works in terms of sound (as ICC will be meeting at the same time). Assuming that it all works out (or can be worked out), we will continue with this service time into the Fall.

In the meantime, (1) please mark your calendars for all the Sundays in August - 10AM start time! And (2) please give us feedback about the new time, joint program, etc. You can comment here or email pastors@riverfront.church.

Thanks and Blessings!

- Pastor Ben