By Kendra Flory
The January offering from Ventures in Christian Discipleship will be “Building Bridges Between Brethren through Compassionate Listening: Let Thy Kingdom Come!” to be presented by Barbara Daté, Harriet Koscho, and Joe Vecchio.
It will be held online on two Tuesdays, Jan. 20 and 27, both at 7-9 p.m. (central time).
This interactive workshop invites Brethren from across the denomination to strengthen relationships through deep compassionate listening using the facilitated Daté Discernment Circle (DDC) process. Sharing deeply with heartfelt understandings can be a catalyst to healing. Further, any fresh understandings can foster stronger connections as relationships are built up by offering one another compassion and empathy.
Come prepared to listen. Come prepared to share if you wish. The session will teach through experiencing prompts designed to focus on what is meaningful, coaching to use the deep compassionate listening skill, micro-paraphrasing, practice taking turns speaking and listening. The DDC model is based on the belief and witness to the “breaking through of the Spirit in our midst” and nurturing sacred space for that possibility.
The leaders hope that a broad cross-section from across the Church of the Brethren denomination will participate.
For those registering, an email with further information will be sent before the workshop. In addition, an extra “hot tips” session about the DDC process will be offered a few days in advance for those who may want more preparation.
A previous Ventures session on “Deep Compassionate Listening” that was offered by Barbara Daté on April 15, 2023, introduces and teaches the skill of micro-paraphrasing. Register for this course free in the Ventures course archives: www.mcpherson.edu/ventures/archive-registration
Assisting Barbara Daté with the workshop are Harriet Koscho, a member of Olympic View Church of the Brethren in Pacific Northwest District, and Joe Vecchio, a member of Restoration LA Church of the Brethren in Pacific Southwest District. All three facilitators work intensively nurturing intercultural relationships.
Continuing education credit is available for $10 per course. The registration process includes the opportunity to pay for CEUs and to give an optional donation to the Ventures program.
To learn more about Ventures in Christian Discipleship and to register for courses, visit www.mcpherson.edu/ventures.
— Kendra Flory is advancement assistant at McPherson College.
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