In 1991 I began serving as pastor of the Soldotna UMC. In 1997 we went through a "necessary conflict." To help me process the feelings and systemic realities I studied at Graduate Theological Foundation and earned a D.Min. in 1999, the year I became pastor at St. John. Last month I returned to Soldotna UMC and shared with them some of what I learned with a sermon and a workshop.
I called it Healthy Church Workshop and it was well received. Since then I took the workshop on the road north to Fairbanks First UMC and New Hope Methodist-Presbyterian. What fun it has been for me to be in a teaching role and to get to know our laity.
The workshop content is about church systems. People are given the chance to talk about the unspoken agreements that exist in a church. The central point of the workshop is that healthy churches don't have a bunch of unspoken agreements. They work hard to talk about most of the issues that come with doing church well.
The workshop lasts 90 minutes and I am available to come to your church. Perhaps we might explore doing it online or when I come to your church for charge conference.
During my visit at First UMC, Fairbanks I recorded this clip of a youth group game.
Grace and peace,
Dave
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