clf unitarian universalist military bridge builder kit facilitator guide: 1 welcome

Facilitator Guide: 1CLFUnitarian UniversalistMilitaryBridge Builder Kit

Welcome


UU-Military Bridge Builder KitFacilitator Guide

Provided by the Church of the Larger Fellowship


Acknowledgments

•Church of the Larger Fellowship•UU Military Chaplains•UU Ministers and Lay-members•UU Church of Birmingham•Arlington Street Church•Community Church of New York UU•UU Congregation of Central Nassau


Facilitating theBridge Builder Program

• Concerned about whether you are best suited to facilitate this program.– Like other ministry, a humble open

approach will offer the needed credibility.– Invite veterans to participate.– Resources: books and essays in the kit.– Maybe lack of knowledge/experience is part

of the call to do this ministry.


Your Goals for the Bridge Builder Program

• Possibility of many hopes and goals:– Exploring peace and war in UUism,– Ministering to veterans in our congregations,– Ministering to spartners*/families of deployed

service people,– Reach out to veterans in your community.

*Spartner: used informally in the military to indicate married and non-married partners.


Where Does this Program Fit in Your Congregation

Worship:Celebration

Of Life

Gilbert Model: Dimensions of Church Life


Considerations for Forming Goals

• Matching your goals to your congregation.– Grounding

• Roots in Unitarian Universalism?

– Fit• Resources, aspirations, and ability match up?

– Accountability• Striving for right relationship with veterans and family

members?

– Opportunity• Available for local action, tie in with neighbor action,

consistent with wider strategic aims?


Forming Goals: Grounding

• Traditions around peace, war, and military (make a list, you may be surprised)

• Who are the veterans in your congregation. Be prepared to meet new ones.

• Congregational participation in CSAI or other study of peace and war.

• What history in your congregation can serve as the foundation for your goals?


Forming Goals: Fit

• Guests from district and other churches.• Possible conflicts? How to respond.• Expressed desires in congregation.• Prevailing attitudes regarding military.• The theme of bridge building:

– Coexistence is possible,– Unexpected cooperation and understanding,– Willingness to preserve the conversation.


Forming Goals: Accountability

• Veteran or spouse to help plan.• Feedback on the program.


Forming Goals: Opportunity

• Almost certain to discover trauma and pastoral need. How to respond?

• Is there a military facility nearby?– Family Readiness Officer– Military Chaplains

• Is there a “Vet Center” nearby?• People within your congregation.


Encountering Trauma

• From experience– Longtime members reveal military service.

• Some for the first time.

– Veterans reveal previously unspoken details.• Including the moral burden of killing.

– Trauma survivors• September 11th,• School shootings,• Notorious events in war (Abu Ghraib, Cambodia).

– Survivor guilt surfaces.– Grief over loss of friends, loved-ones, strangers.


Handling Revelations• Little things count…

– Ask a caring member to sit by a distraught person.

• If appropriate, ask the trauma survivor about generativity…– What good were they able to create from this event?– What can they offer others?

• Acknowledge the community of care that now surrounds them.

• Acknowledge that by sharing, they have helped others understand and empathize.


Pastoral Care

• Role for pastoral care team?• Are veterans willing to share stories?

– Written or spoken testimony.

• Role for small group ministry?– Including veterans.


Encountering Resistance

• Thesis: The quality of our ethical response to the problem of war and our pursuit of peace hinges on the quality of our description/understanding of war.


The Experience of Being Military in UUism

• Like many other of our constituencies, military members may feel marginalized.

• Lifting up the blessings and challenges of all of our diversity.– Theological, Political, Occupational.– Exposing class, diversity, and prejudice in our

congregations.

• Military UUs live/work in a diverse setting.


Can a Person Be Military and UU

• Short answer: Yes.• Long history of military service:

– Ethan Allen, John Murray, Julia Howe, Jenkin Jones, many others

• UU history is tied to American history• We share much, right up to the point of difference.• Military personnel seek spiritual homes like everyone

else.• We may find many points of cooperation in

understanding war and peace.• UUA has never been a peace church. We do not have the

theological foundation of other peace churches.• Being respectful in asking will preserve the conversation.


Assessing Your CongregationHow inviting is your congregation to military people and

their families?

• The intersection of our commitments– Some toes may get

stepped on.– These are

opportunities for us to pause, reflect, and slowly explore our values.

• Examples– P&D TF table.– Anti-recruiting.– Litany of those killed.– Expectation to

represent the military.


Leading Part One

• The first 30 minutes– Introducing the Bridge Builder program,– Participant introductions,– Making safe space by covenanting,– Chalice lighting.

• Balancing lecture and participation,– Part 1 is meant to be informational.

• Ending with hope,– Extinguishing the chalice.


Leading Part Two

• Introducing Part 2– Reconnecting with Part 1,– Participant introductions,

• Naming our experience of Part 1

– Revisiting safe space and your covenant,– Chalice lighting.

• Where two worlds intersect,– Part 2 is meant to be conversational.

• Ending with gratitude,– Extinguishing the chalice.


Leading Part Three

• Discernment of Parts 1 & 2• At least three possible topics:

– In-reach,– Outreach, – Moral discourse on peace and war.

• Assessing Grounding, Fit, Accountability & Opportunity.

• Realizing your success.


Guiding Thoughts

• This is a first step.– Not everything can or should be done at once. – Prophetic action requires multiple

perspectives.– The legacies of Clausewitz and Erasmus can

be seen as mutually enlightening.

• Even a small audience will have a variety of needs and interests.

• Be ready to offer care during the program.


Conclusion

• War changes the identity of people and communities.

• It is a difficult topic,– Intensely personal,– Poorly defined in our public media.

• There is an ideological gap between the legacies of Clausewitz and Erasmus.

• An opportunity for ministry, – Building a bridge between UUs and the

military.


Questions and Comments?


We are glad to be here, thank you for inviting us.

clf unitarian universalist military bridge builder kit facilitator guide: 1 welcome

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