engaging present and future members the taskforce for reimagining the episcopal church contents of...

Engaging Present and Future MembersThe Taskforce for Reimagining the Episcopal Church

Contents of “TREC Engagement Kit”

1. Contents2. Design Principles3. Invitation Strategy & Invitation4. Poster/Advertisement5. Facilitator Role Guidelines6. Event Designs

1. Group of <20 for 1 hour2. Groups of 15+ for 2 hours3. One-on-one interview

7. Facilitator Guides8. Slide Deck 9. Form for documenting the meeting10. Templates for documenting

discussions

Please submit the output from your engagement session by scanning the templates and emailing them to [email protected] or sending the paper templates to TREC P.O. Box 11641 St Louis, MO 63105-1641.

mailto:[email protected]


These workshops are designed for . . .• A culture of participation, engagement and collaboration

• A feel that is open, welcoming, upbeat and stimulating

• A structure that is easy to facilitate

• A process in which it’s easy to participate

• An outcome that is easy to record and integrate

• A variety of settings, group sizes and demographics (including language and literacy)


Invitation Strategy

• Try to involve a diverse group of people who represent the future of the Church

• Try to involve people who will be active in the Church 10 years from now.

• Try to involve people who are opinion leaders and influencers (whether or not they hold official positions).

• Try to involve people who are currently active in the Church, as well as those who are less active.

• Offer to do sessions for groups that are already meeting for another purpose.

• Combine sessions with social events or other gatherings

Suggestion for Invitation

Dear (Friend, Colleague, Church Member, etc.)

We are very interested in hearing your ideas about the future of the Episcopal Church. Last year’s General Convention chartered a Task force to Reimagine the Episcopal Church. This Fall, members of the Taskforce are trying to hear from as many Church members as possible. We are holding a (1-hour/2-hour) session on (day and date) at (time) at (location). I would be pleased if you could join us and the conversation about the future of our church. Please let me know if you are interested and available to participate.


Help imagine the future of The

Episcopal Church

WHO Everyone and anyone who cares about the future of the Episcopal Church

WHY In 2012, the General Convention created a taskforce to reimagine The Episcopal Church for the future. Members of the Taskforce want to hear the memories, hopes and dreams that people have for the Church. We are meeting with as many people as we can over the next few months. We will use what we hear to help us shape recommendations for the Church’s structure, administration and governance.

WHEN ………………………………………………………….

WHERE ………………………………………………………..


The Facilitator’s Role

• Create a comfortable, welcoming environment.

• Encourage people to tell their stories and share their experiences

• Listen with appreciation (and no judgment)

• Provide just enough structure to help people feel secure.

• Don’t lecture, explain, argue, rebut, revise or otherwise get in the way of people expressing their true feelings.

• Help people write legibly on the table templates.

• Gather all the templates from the tables and send them to the Taskforce


DESIGNS

1-Hour TREC Engagement Design(for 20 or less people)

• Welcome and Overview

• Best Memory of The Church

• Hold On / Let Go

• Best Future

• What Will I Do To Help?

• Thank You

2-Hour TREC Engagement Design(for up to 40 people)

• Welcome and Overview with more time for mingling

• Best Memory of The Church with time for small group discussion

• Hold On / Let Go with more time for small group discussion

• Best Future with time for group reflection and discussion

• What Will I Do To Help? with small group discussion

• Thank You


Module 1-Hour Design 2-Hour Design Materials

WELCOME & OVERVIEW8/15

• Everyone mills around quickly to shake hands and introduce self to everyone else.

• Page 280 of Prayer Book• Overview TREC purpose and engagement

strategy

• Same design, with 7 more minutes for people to meet and greet Slides 1,2

BEST MEMORIES15/25

• Each participant reflects for 2m on their very best memory of The Episcopal Church.

• They briefly share the story with a partner and come up with 3 words to capture the memory (5)

• They write the words on a template (3)• They say them out loud to the whole group,

using a popcorn (spontaneous) process. (5)

• Each participant reflects for 5m on their very best memory of The Episcopal Church (5)

• They share their stories in a group of 3, listening carefully to each other (10)

• Individually, they come up with 3 words to capture the best memories, writing them on a template (5)

• They say them out loud to the whole group, using a popcorn (spontaneous) process (5)

Slide 3Template for Best Memories

HOLD ON & LET GO15/30

• Groups of 3 talk for 10m about what to hold and what to let go (but don’t need to agree).

• Individuals choose one thing The Church should hold on to and one thing it should let go. They write them on the template

• People say them out loud in two quick Round Robins (first for hold on; second for let go) in succinct statements of 4-5 words.

• Groups of 4 talk for 15m about what to hold and what to let go (but don’t need to agree)

• Individuals choose one thing The Church should hold on to and one thing it could let go. They write t hem on the template

• People say them out loud in two quick Round Robins (first for hold on, second for let go) in succinct statements of 4-5 words.

Slide 4Template for Hold On and Let Go

TREC Engagement Facilitator Guide


MODULE 1-Hour Design 2-Hour Design Materials

BEST FUTURE15/25

• You say “Imagine it’s a few years in the future and you are talking to a friend about The Episcopal Church. What would you tell them gives you the most joy about the Church these days?”

• Individuals create a sentence to describe what will bring them joy in the future, and use the template to record it

• Everyone shares quickly with the whole group.

• You say “Imagine it’s a few years in the future and you are talking to a friend about The Episcopal Church. What would you tell them gives you the most joy about the Church these days?”

• Individuals create a sentence to describe what will bring them joy in the future, and use the template to record it

• Everyone shares quickly with the whole group.• Invite the group to reflect on what they heard,

especially what moved them.

Slide 5Template for Best Future

YOUR ROLE5/10

• You ask, “What are you willing to do to help change happen in The Church?”

• People discuss with a partner for 4m

• You ask, “What are you willing to do to help change happen in The Church?”

• People discuss in groups of 4 for 8m.Slide 6

THANKS & CLOSING2/5

• Thank You: An on-going summary of responses will be posted on our website

• Closing prayer chosen by convener

• Thank you. An on-going summary of responses will be posted on our website.

• Closing prayer chosen by convenerSlide 7


Introduce the TREC purpose and engagement strategy

Question #1: As you reflect back over your experiences with The Episcopal Church, what is your very best memory? This could be a person, a spiritual moment, an event . . . . Whatever was extraordinary for you. Tell me about that memory. [Listen appreciatively with no interruptions or comments]. Reflect and then let me know the 3 words that best characterize this experience.

Question #2: As with all change, moving forward requires letting go of some things that were useful in the past. It also requires holding on to a few things that are core to who you are. Tell me your thoughts about what to hold and what to let go. [Listen appreciatively] As you think about what you just said, what is the one thing The Church should hold on to and the thing it could led go.

Question #3: Imagine it’s 10 years in the future and you are talking to a good friend about The Episcopal Church. You say . . . “The thing that gives me the most joy about The Church these days is . . . .” Finish the sentence, using the template to record what you imagine.

Question #4: What one thing could you do to help The Church through this change?

Thank You: On-going responses from interviews and workshops will be posted anonymously on our website.

TREC Engagement Interview


What can YOU imagine?


We want to hear what the Spirit is saying through God’s people.In 2012, the General Convention created a taskforce to reimagine The Episcopal Church for the future. The members of the Taskforce want to hear the memories, hopes and dreams that people have for The Church. We are meeting with as many people as we can over the next few months.

We will use what we hear to help us shape recommendations for The Church’s structure, administration and governance.

Today we are here to listen to you.


What is your best memory of The Episcopal Church?


HOLD ON and LET GO

In all change, moving forward means letting go of some things that were important in the past. It also means holding on to a few things that will be important in the future.

What should The Church hold on to? What should The Church let go?


Imagine it’s 10 years in the future and you are

talking to a friend about The Episcopal

Church. What will you say brings you the

greatest joy?


What can YOU do to help?


THANK YOU!


Meeting Documentation

LOCATION(Church, Town, State or Province, Country)

CONVENER NAME

GROUP PROFILE(Parishioners, Staff, Youth Group, etc.)

# IN GROUP

DATE

1 OR 2-HOUR SESSION?

COMMENTS?


Best Memories TemplatePlease record one word in each box.


Hold On TemplatePlease record one idea in each box


Let Go TemplatePlease record one idea in each box.


Best FuturePlease Record One Idea in Each Box

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