From the Circle Process Team:
We’re looking forward to sharing a time of Circle Process at Annual Conference 2016 on Thursday afternoon, June 16. This process builds on the Quaker belief
More about Circle Process
See a short video
Read more about the process
that each person bears a part of the Light of God, and as we hear each other God is revealed more fully. Our hope is to build relationships and trust within the Conference as each participant has an opportunity to both speak and listen. We also offer this process as a resource for deep conversation that participants can bring back to their local churches.
The topic for conversation will be finalized in the first week of June by the Circle Process Team. While it may reflect the recent General Conference, the questions will address our local context in the New England Conference. The focus of topic will not be on human sexuality or gender issues in The UMC. As soon as the questions are finalized, they will be published via Conference news so that attendees can be in thought and prayer about their responses.
The table conversation will not be recorded or collected in any way; the process is simply a time that allows each person’s wisdom to be heard in turn. Members of the Cabinet will not be present at the tables; they will be holding the process in prayer.
The Covenant that will be shared at each table is as follows.
We covenant to:
- Speak only when we hold the talking piece
- Speak with respect and from the heart.
- Assume good intentions.
- Be honest – saying what we think.
- Speak only for ourselves
- Speak in a way that encourages dialogue.
- Be brief and to the point.
- Be sensitive to cultural differences.
- Listen with respect.
- Listen for understanding one another.
- Be open to different viewpoints, new ideas, to being transformed.
- Keep confidential those personal stories shared in the conversation.
We invite all Annual Conference attendees to pray over this covenant as preparation for participation in the Circle Process on June 16. We look forward to being with you in this process, and to the Spirit’s presence among us.
