Contributing to the Conversation:  

A proposal from Rev. Christine

As I think about the way forward for this congregation, I keep in mind something I read in a book I used in my doctoral project, The Missional Leader  by Roxburgh & Romanuk.  Central United is in what they term the ‘performative lower zone’ .



Life in the ‘lower performative zone’
is what is possible after a time of crisis and confusion.

“The performative lower zone...has the potential of inviting people to learn again how they might imagine fresh ways of being God’s people. This is a place of choice, which is difficult because the work of moving through the performative zone is hard. At this point in its life, the congregation is caught in a significant polarity. On one side are the voices and forces demanding radical action and bold innovation. This usually comes in the form of a demand for significant shift in direction. . .

On the other side are those who want to maintain elements of the tradition and story that have shaped the congregation and its past. This is a significant tension, and the temptation is to resolve it in a win-lose direction whereby one side comes to shape the agenda. But what the move into the lower section of the performative zone does is not close down the polarity, but instead invites both sides to engage one another.

This is about leadership that manages the polarity rather than solving it by adopting one side or the other. It is in the tension of managing the polarity that the potential for creativity and new life can begin to emerge among people themselves. But this is not an inevitable or evolutionary process; the congregation and its leaders must consciously choose this direction." (p. 55-56)

The way forward is one of conversation with each other, seeking together the purposes of God for this congregation. That will require much prayer, searching the stories of scripture, and listening respectfully to all the voices in this church, including (especially) the voices of people who are often silent in group discussions.

Below is a proposal to add to the conversation. 
It is in preliminary draft form and open to changes, suggestions, alterations:


A Possible Way Forward

1. Identify 5 different areas of congregational life to which we wish to attend.  For example: governance, financial stewardship, worship renewal, spiritual formation,  outreach/proclamation.


2. For each area, identify 3 or 4 congregations that are doing a particular area well.
 

3. For each area, invite each of the identified congregations to send a team of people to Central United for a workshop (i.e. 5 workshops at different times).  Each team would be asked to describe:
 

a) what they are doing in that area

b) what they have discovered about what it takes to thrive in that area

c) what did not work for them and what they learned about that.


4. Central would have a team of people at each of the workshop whose task would be to listen to the presentations and identify some actions which they believe might work at Central.


5. The workshops would be open to anyone who wanted to attend from the congregation. They could also be open to other congregations.


6. We would pay all the costs for the invited teams:  travel, accommodation (if needed), meals.


7. After each workshop, the team from Central would review what they heard, identify two or three actions they believe might work at Central, and begin experimenting with implementing those actions.  Each team would be given a specified budget for the purpose of implementing those experiments.


8. The team would monitor the experiments on an ongoing basis. The team would conduct a review at the six-month mark: What was working? What wasn’t? What corrections or changes need to be made? What other resources do we need? 


9. Every six months, the team would make a progress report to the Board.


10. These six-month reviews would continue for a specified time period (perhaps two years from the beginning of the project). At that time (or perhaps sooner), the teams from all five areas would meet together and evaluate where we were at and what was needed next to move forward.

If you think you might be interested in being part of this project idea please contact us: Please CLICK HERE to Email us