Shaping Congregations for Faithfulness across Divides
Jin S. Kim and Therese Lysaught
Duke Summer Institute for Reconciliation 2009
SEMINAR DESCRIPTION
This seminar will ask: What do pastors need to learn to faithfully lead their congregations in embodying the ministry of reconciliation in light of obstacles to this work posed by contemporary culture. One special focus will be congregations crossing racial/ethnic divides in their communities. We will draw from the major spiritual traditions of the early church to think about what it means to "do church" in a way that witnesses to Christ's ministry of reconciliation. Through exemplars and interactive sharing we will focus particularly on practices of submission, prayer, confession, hospitality, and Eucharist. A key goal of the seminar will be for seminar participants to identify challenges in their own settings and to develop action plans for moving forward.
SEMINAR OBJECTIVES
1. Explore what it means to be in “right relationship” with one another, seeking to live into the beloved community across divides in a congregational context.
2. Learn of churches that are taking concrete steps to promote peace, justice and reconciliation within the congregation, especially embracing anti-racism and racial reconciliation.
3. Consider how pastors can be re-oriented away from institutional management to the kind of leadership that is daring, imaginative, prophetic, countercultural, yet peace-full. How do we lead our congregations to become a high-risk, low-anxiety church?
4. Frame out some possible next steps and resources (action plan) in your own setting towards building beloved community.
BEFORE YOU ARRIVE
In preparation for the four days in class, we ask the participants to:
1. Read course texts specified below; and
2. Prepare a short piece for their portfolio that will allow them to share about their own experiences of leading congregations in the ministry of reconciliation: cultural obstacles to this work, graced experiences of crossing divides, divisions they are struggling with in their own contexts.
6/1 Introductions
Seminar Overview, Goals, Methods
Sharing of Stories (from short pieces prepared above)
Biblical framework on building a faithful and reconciling congregation
Reflecting on Bonhoeffer’s Life Together for shaping beloved community
Case study of Church of All Nations, Minneapolis, MN
6/2 Biblical framework on race and ethnicity
Reflecting on DeYoung’s United by Faith, for shaping multiracial congregations
Case study of Grace Fellowship Community Church, San Francisco, CA
6/3 Biblical framework on pastoral leadership
Reflecting on Bernardin’s The Gift of Peace for shaping pastoral leadership
Case study of Englewood Christian Church, Indianapolis, IN
6/4 Pastoral leadership in the midst of cultural and historical complexity
Sharing of action plans
ADVANCE READING:
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together
Curtiss DeYoung, et al., United By Faith
Joseph Cardinal Bernardin, The Gift of Peace