Called to Witness: All Means All Training

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Called to WitnessAll Means All Training

• A Program of Reconciling Ministries Network

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Called To Witness

• Called to Witness is a five year strategic plan
  to equip, encourage and empower Reconciling
  volunteers across annual conferences as they
  build relationships both across ideological and
  theological divides and within the Reconciling
  movement.
• Over the course of this training, we will learn
  how to
• Tell Our Stories
• Organize Volunteers
• Create and Carry Out Strategic Plans

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Call to Worship

• ONE God, you call us through your Spirit that
  we may gather in celebration of your beloved
  community.
• ALL Open our hearts that we may feel
  acceptance and respect for our differences.

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• ONE We are all different and yet we share a
  yearning that touches us and compels us to
  join together in unity with one another.
• ALL Open our minds that we may learn from one
  another. Use our stories to bridge gaps and
  build a community of faith for all.

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• ONE Empower us that through our witness we
  might reconcile the Body of Christ and live
  out Gods vision of a fully inclusive church.
• ALL Open our doors that we may create
• a church where All Means All! Amen! Amen!
• This Call to Worship is adapted from Shaping
  Sanctuary, a liturgical resource from Reconciling
  Ministries Network (Edited by Kelly Turney, 2000).

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For Everyone Born

• Words Shirley Erena Murray
• Music Brian Mann
• GBGMusik 2008

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For everyone born, A place at the table.
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For everyone born, A place at the table. For
everyone born, Clean water and bread.
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A shelter, a space, a safe place for growing,
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A shelter, a space, a safe place for growing,
For everyone born, a star overhead.
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And God will delight when we are creators of
justice and joy, compassion and peace.
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Yes, God will delight when we are creators of
justice,
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Yes God will delight when we are creators of
justice,
justice and joy!
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For woman and man, A place at the table,
Revising the roles, deciding the share
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With wisdom and grace, dividing the power,
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With wisdom and grace, dividing the power,
For woman and man, a system thats fair.
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And God will delight When we are creators of
justice And joy, compassion and peace.
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Yes, God will delight When we are creators of
justice,
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Yes, God will delight When we are creators of
justice,
justice and joy!
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(No Transcript)
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For young and for old, A place at the table,
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For young and for old, A place at the table,
A voice to be heard, a part in the song,
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The hands of a child in hands that are wrinkled,
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The hands of a child in hands that are wrinkled,
For young and for old, the right to belong.
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And God will delight when we are creators of
justice
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And joy, compassion and peace.
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And God will delight when we are creators of
justice,
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Justice and Joy!
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For just and unjust, a place at the table
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Abuser, abused, with need to forgive,
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In anger, in hurt, A mindset of mercy,
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For just and unjust, A new way to live.
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And God will delight when we are creators of
justice and joy, compassion and peace.
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Yes, God will delight when we are creators of
justice,
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Yes God will delight when we are creators of
justice,
justice and joy!
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For everyone born,
A place at the table,
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To live without fear
And simply to be,
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To work,
To speak out,
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To witness and worship,
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To witness and worship,
For everyone born, the right to be free.
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And God will delight when we are creators of
justice and joy, compassion and peace.
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Yes, God will delight when we are creators of
justice,
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Justice and joy!
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Justice and Joy!
Justice and joy!
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Justice and Joy!
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Our Communal Covenants
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CTW Team Building and Introductions

• Turn to a person you do not know well.
• Spend 5 minutes answering the question Why are
  you called to be United Methodist?
• Each person will have 2 minutes to tell their
  story.
• At the end of 5 minutes, we will come together as
  a group and each person will have 20 seconds to
  introduce their partner, including their NAME,
  their CHURCH and ONE word of why they are United
  Methodist.

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CTW Past, Present, Future

• CTW 1 2007-2008
• 1 National Trainer
• 22 Annual Conferences
• 500 Volunteers
• CTW 2 2008-2009
• 6 National Trainers
• 35 Annual Conferences
• 750 Volunteers
• CTW 3 2009-2010
• 10 National Trainers
• 50 Annual Conferences
• 1000 Volunteers

• CTW 4 2010-2011
• 15 National Trainers
• 62 Annual Conferences
• 1250 Volunteers
• CTW 5 2011-2012
• 20 National Trainers
• 62 Annual Conferences
• 1500 Volunteers

See page 3 of the Resource Guide.
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CTW2 All Means AllCampaign Goals

• Learn to Tell Our Stories
• Build Relationships
• Create Regional Action Teams
• Strengthen Our Movement
• Pass Constitutional Amendment to Article IV
• See page 5 of the Resource Guide.

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Constitutional Amendment

• On May 2nd, 2008, the General Conference of The
  United Methodist Church passed a petition to
  amend Paragraph 4, Article IV of the Constitution
  that would extend membership to all persons and
  deny discrimination of any kind.
• Currently, the list of those protected against
  discrimination in our Constitution leaves out key
  groups of people. We know that when lists are
  made inevitably someone is left out. The proposed
  amendment would ensure that no group would be
  left out by eliminating the restrictive list
  altogether.
• This is just not about one group of people.
• This is about the whole Church!

See page 5 of the Resource Guide.
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Constitutional Amendment

• In 2009, each Annual Conference will have the
  opportunity to vote on and ratify this amendment,
  making it official church law. Constitutional
  amendments require
• 2/3 vote of the General Conference and
• 2/3 vote of the members of annual conferences.
• To pass, this Constitutional Amendment needs to
  garner 2/3 votes of ALL Annual Conference
  members.
• This means it is a popular vote and EVERY vote
  counts!
• See page 5 of the Resource Guide.

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Constitutional Amendment

• Paragraph 4, Article IV of the Constitution
• Inclusiveness of the Church   
• The United Methodist Church is a part of the
  church universal, which is one Body in
  Christ.  The United Methodist Church acknowledges
  that all persons are of sacred worth and that we
  are in ministry to all.  All persons shall be
  eligible to attend its worship services,
  participate in its programs, receive the
  sacraments, and upon baptism be admitted as
  baptized members. All persons, upon taking vows
  declaring the Christian faith and relationship in
  Jesus Christ, shall be eligible to become
  professing members in any local church in the
  connection.
• See page 6 of the Resource Guide.

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CTW2 Campaign Actions

• Personal Relationship Building Tell your story
  to 2 Annual Conference Members
• District Superintendents
• District Lay Leaders
• Local Church Pastors and Lay Members
• District Forums Host 2 District Listening
  Sessions
• Organize a panel of diverse people to speak in
  favor of Constitutional Amendment to Article IV
• Send Regional Team Members to District hosted
  events to give testimony
• Congregational Declarations Organize church
  groups to sign a declaration in support of ALL
  MEANS ALL
• Local Congregations
• Conference Committees
• Sunday School Classes

See page 7 of the Resource Guide.
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Campaign Structure

• CTW Coordinating Team
• Regional Trainers
• CTW Leadership Partners Jurisdictional Teams
• Mission Annual Conference Lead Organizers (80
  people)
• NEJ SEJ SCJ NCJ WJ
• Annual Conference Teams
• CTW Missionaries (Goal 750 Missionaries/ 22 per
  AC)
• Declarations District Forums 1 on 1s
• 175 Declarations 70 District Forums 700 Mtgs
• 5x AC 2x AC 2x 350 CTW

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Campaign Action Check List

• ? Organize in regional Action Teams.
• ? Meet with each District Superintendent and
  District Lay Leader.
• ? Meet with individual Annual Conference
  representatives.
• - Pastor
• - Lay Member to the Annual Conference
• ? Host two district listening posts with LGBT
  persons, their families, friends and allies.
• ? Encourage local congregations to sign on to the
  All Means All Declaration.

See page 8 of the Resource Guide.
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• The exclusion of persons from the life,
  leadership and rites of the Church threatens the
  very nature of the Church itself.
• It not only causes irreparable harm to the
  children of God but also to the Body of Christ.
• Each time a person is rejected or ejected from
  the koinonia fellowship of United Methodism, a
  new wound is inflicted and the Body of Christ is
  broken once again.
• -Rev. Dr. Don Messer

See page 9 of the Resource Guide.
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CTW2 Talking Points

• How can we claim to be the Church when we cut off
  certain members from the Body?
• How can we say ALL MEANS ALL when certain people
  are left off the list?
• When we exclude people from full participation in
  the life, leadership and rites of the Church, we
  wound
• Christs body.

See page 9 of the Resource Guide.
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CTW2 Talking Points

• Full Inclusion Is About the Being the Church
• The Church I love is inclusive.
• Full inclusion is about
• Hospitality
• Unity
• Ministry

See page 9 - 11 of the Resource Guide.
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CTW2 Talking Points

• This is just not about one group of people.
• This is about the whole church.
• When will ALL MEAN ALL?

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Relational Organizing

• Relational organizing prioritizes relationships
  as the primary motivating factor for change.
• Relational organizing is an integral part of
  faithful discipleship.
• Jesus says, Whatever house you enter, first say,
  Peace to this house! And if anyone is there who
  shares in peace, your peace will rest on that
  person but if not, it will return to you. Remain
  in the same house, eating and drinking whatever
  they provide, for the laborer deserves to be
  paid. Do not move about from house to house. When
  ever you enter a town and its people welcome you,
  eat what is set before you cure the sick who are
  there, and say to them, The kin-dom of God has
  come near to you. - Luke 10 5-9
• Relational organizing is part of our call as
  Christian disciples.

See page 12 of the Resource Guide.
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Relational Organizing

• Our campaign is modeled on the work of Marshall
  Ganz.
• A Lecturer in Public Policy at the Harvard
  University John F. Kennedy School of Government,
  Ganz teaches, researches, and writes on
  leadership, organization, and strategy in social
  movements, civic associations, and politics.

See page 12 of the Resource Guide.
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Building Relationships

• What is a relationship?
• - Shared trust and intimacy
• - Exchange of interests and resources
• - Commitment

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Building Relationships

• Why do we build relationships?
• To create change!
• People dont change until they know peoples
  stories.
• Relationships help us identify common interests
  so that we can work together for change.
• Relationships are rooted in a commitment to a
  shared future.

See page 13 of the Resource Guide.
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Building Relationships

• How do we build relationships?
• We build relationships by TELLING and LISTENING
  to the stories of our journeys.
• The stories we tell reveal our VALUES through the
  choices we have made and help us identify common
  interests.

See page 13 of the Resource Guide.
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Building Relationships
See page 13 of the Resource Guide.
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Building Relationships

• Attention
• Interest
• Exploration
• Exchange
• Commitment

See page 14 of the Resource Guide.
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Storytelling Public Narrative

• Why do we tell stories?
• Stories teach and inspire.
• Stories communicate values through our emotions.
• Stories foster relationships.
• Stories encourage and inspire others to take
  action.

See page 15 of the Resource Guide.
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Telling Our Stories Moves Us From Values to Action

• Inertia Urgency
• Fear Hope
• Apathy Anger
• Self-Doubt YCMAD
• Isolation Solidarity

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Storytelling Public Narrative

• How do we tell good stories?
• Stories have a moral.
• Stories are specific.
• Stories have a plot.
• A challenge
• A choice
• An outcome

See page 16 of the Resource Guide.
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Telling Our Reconciling Stories

• Our personal stories are connected to the larger
  stories of our community.
• Our stories create a tapestry of ACTION and HOPE.
• Our stories weave together
• Story of Self
• Story of Us
• Story of Now

See page 17 of the Resource Guide.
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• Barack Obama
• Democratic National Convention
• July 27, 2004

See page 18 of the Resource Guide.
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Telling Our Reconciling Stories

• Stories should be under 2 minutes.
• Stories should be specific.
• Stories should use the language of emotion.
• Stories should include a challenge, a choice and
  an outcome.
• Stories should offer hope.
• Stories should communicate values.

See page 19 of the Resource Guide.
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Coaching Good Stories

• Attend to specific points.
• Focus on choice points.
• Ask why questions.
• Connect the dots.
• Look for themes.
• Show it, dont say it.
• Practice active listening when coaching.

See page 20 of the Resource Guide.
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Story of Self

• A story of self tells why we have been called
  to do what we have been called to do.
• The key is to focus on choice points, moments in
  our lives when our values are formed, when we
  have to choose in the face of great uncertainty.
• Why are you called to be United Methodist?

See page 21 of the Resource Guide.
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The Story of Self Teamwork Exercise 1

• Why are you called to be United Methodist?
• Challenge Values
• Choice Concrete Examples
• Outcome

See page 21-25 of the Resource Guide.
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The Story of Self Teamwork Exercise 1

• 1. Gather your team. Appoint a team
  timekeeper 5 min
• 2. Take some time to silently develop your
  Story of Self. 5 min.
• Use the worksheet on pages 23 -25.
• Why are you called to be a United Methodist?
• 3. Tell your story to your team members and
  respond to 15 min.
• each other
• 2 minutes to tell your story
• 3 minutes for feedback
• 4. Choose your most able storyteller to offer
  their story to the large group.

See page 22 of the Resource Guide.
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The Story of Us

• Tells the story of who we are together.
• Weaves together our calling (self) and purpose
  (now).
• Highlights common values.
• Illustrates those values with concrete examples.

See page 26 of the Resource Guide.
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• Amy Kober
• American Rivers, 2006

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Who are We as the United Methodist Church?

• Shared experiences
• Shared values
• Shared purpose

See page 26 - 28 of the Resource Guide.
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The Story of Us

• Framing the Story of Us

Story of Us Value Shared Experiences
Story of Self Calling
Story of Now Purpose
See page 28 of the Resource Guide.
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The Story of Us

• What does it mean to be United Methodist?
• Challenge Values
• Choice Purpose
• Outcome Concrete Examples

See page 26-28 of the Resource Guide.
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The Story of Us Teamwork Exercise 2

• 1. Gather your team. Appoint a team
  timekeeper 5 min
• 2. Take some time to silently develop your
  Story of Us. 5 min.
• Use the worksheet on pages 28 - 29.
• What does it mean to be United Methodist?
• 3. Tell your story to your team members and
  respond to 15 min.
• each other
• 2 minutes to tell your story
• 3 minutes for feedback
• 4. Choose your most able storyteller to offer
  their story to the large group.

See page 27 of the Resource Guide.
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The Story of Now

• Tells the story of what we are called to do
  together.
• Outlines the challenge facing the UMC.
• Articulates the hope for a better future The
  Church as it is v. the Church as it ought to be.
• Presents a choice with the fierce urgency of
  now.

See page 30 of the Resource Guide.
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The Story of Now

• Challenge
• Hope
• Choice
• Potential Outcome

See page 30 of the Resource Guide.
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• Elizabeth Glaser
• National Democratic Convention, 1992

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What is the challenge we face together in the UMC
as we seek to be inclusive?

• Shared challenges
• Shared hope
• Shared future

See page 30 of the Resource Guide.
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The Story of Now Teamwork Exercise 3

• 1. Gather your team. Appoint a team timekeeper
• 2. Take some time to silently develop your
  Story of Now 5 min.
• Use the worksheet on pages 32 - 34.
• What is the challenge we face together as the
  UMC as we seek to be inclusive?
• 3. Tell your story to your team members and
  respond to 15 min.
• each other
• 2 minutes to tell your story
• 3 minutes for feedback
• 4. Choose your most able storyteller to offer
  their story 5 min.
• to the large group.

See page 31 of the Resource Guide.
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Conversation Tips

• Begin and end in prayer.
• Find common ground.
• Take time to tell your story.
• Be polite.
• Be patient.
• Be persistent.

See page 35 of the Resource Guide.
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Conversation Tips

• Tell your Story of Self.
• Ask the delegate, Why are you United Methodist?
• Tell your Story of Us.
• Ask the delegate, What does it mean to be United
  Methodist?
• Tell your Story of Now.
• Ask the delegate
• With what did you resonate?
• Where do you stand now on the issue?
• Are there things with which you had difficulty?
  Why?
• Identify common interests and ask how you might
  work together.
• Make a commitment to meet again.

See page 35 of the Resource Guide.
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Meeting Tips

• Be persistent in scheduling a meeting.
• Arrange the meeting at the convenience of your
  representative.
• Follow up after your meeting.
• Maintain your relationship through Annual
  Conference.
• Follow up after Annual Conference.

See page 36 of the Resource Guide.
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Strategic Organizing

• Review Campaign Actions
• Assign District Leaders and AC Members
• Goal is to have 2x volunteer
• Form Action Team
• Action Team Leaders
• District Forum Dates and Panel Members
• Next Meeting
• Highlight Website and Online Evaluation Tool

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Training Evaluation

• Key Learnings

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Called to Witness Campaign Website
www.rmnwitness.org

Regional Trainer
Reconciling Ministries Network National
Office 773-736-5526 National Field
Organizer Rev. Tiffany Steinwert tlsteinwert_at_yahoo
.com 617-372-1233