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Facilitator’s GuideR��w��W��k�™

An Episcopal Planning Tool to Help Your Church Advance Spiritual Growth

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REnEwal woRks | facilitatoR GuidE

RenewalwoRks | ©2013 forward Movement

introduction & Expectations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

welcome to Renewal works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Preparation and setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Role of the facilitator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

workshop 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

workshop 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

workshop 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

workshop 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Contents

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all workshop products including the facilitator Guide, workshop design, Participant workbook and templates are the intellectual property of Renewalworks, a forward Movement Ministry . this includes sequencing of exercises detailed in the facilitator Guide, all assignments, exercise descriptions and processes outlined or described . a special thanks to church of the Holy spirit, the 12 pilot Episcopal churches, and the Episcopal diocese of chicago as they were instrumental in developing a custom survey and improving the Renewalworks process . this workshop was originally created by the wca and the wildworks Group . the wca graciously granted permission to customize the intellectual property for the Episcopal diocese of chicago .

all materials can be found online at: www .renewalworks .forwardmovement .org

© 2013 Renewalworks, a forward Movement Ministry . all Rights Reserved .


RenewalwoRks | ©2013 forward Movement 3

Introduction & ExpectationThis workshop series is designed to deeply understand the basis for spiritual growth, examine your congregants’ profile, identify actions which help increase spiritual maturity, and create a plan to do so.

The original foundation was developed for a wide range of denominational and non-denominational churches. In 2011-12, over a dozen churches from the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, in conjunction with the Bishop’s staff and key thought leaders throughout the country, took their congregations through the process, building custom content along the way. The result has been a complete update and deepening of the materials. Even the survey and reference materials reflect Episcopal beliefs and traditions.

Along the way, these 12 pilot churches also learned the importance of setting the right expectation: If you go through this process, you will grow—spiritually, relationally and closer to God.

We are thrilled and grateful that you will be part of the next wave.

The Reverend Jay Sidebotham,

The Church of the Holy Spirit and lead sponsor

This Facilitator’s Guide is organized in five sections:

Getting Started

Workshop 1: Understanding FOLLOW ME

Workshop 2: Understanding Your Data

Workshop 3: Identifying Actions

Workshop 4: Taking Actions



Getting StartedR��w��W��k�™

Welcome to RenewalWorks.This chapter, Getting Started, is designed to address the pre-work necessary before the four workshops commence.

As a pilot church, you are encouraged to modify or redesign the process and materials. The intent should be the same:

understand FOLLOW ME and the Episcopal Beliefs & Practices, your congregants spiritual life profile, identify ways to

strengthen their spiritual maturity, and deliver a detailed plan to your Vestry.

The key to a productive workshop outcome is selecting the right team. The pilot churches treated this effort the same way

they would in selecting and conducting a rector search committee. Then they fully empowered the group to pursue what

was best for the church.

The other important expectation to establish is the importance of being prepared for each workshop. Normally 1-2

hours of pre-work, which we positioned as homework, is required. This starts with reading FOLLOW ME before the first

workshop. Typically, it takes about 90 minutes to complete. This is essential as FOLLOW ME provides a philosophical and

empirical basis to understand spiritual formation. If your team is not thoroughly grounded, it becomes more challenging

to have an effective outcome.

For the clergy and wardens, we also suggest you read MOVE. This is a complete summary of the eight years of research

and insights. This book requires more time, and may call for some translation to the Episcopal world, but permits a deeper

examination into the concepts and provides more case studies.

If you have any question or need some help, email ([email protected]) for assistance.



Preparation and SetupEach workshop is designed so that it can be delivered without formal facilitator training. However, like any good meeting, good preparation is required. Use the following guidelines to help you prepare for your workshop series.

Pre-work select members from your congregation who should attend these workshops – this should include key leaders within your

church .

it is highly recommended that participants read follow ME before the first workshop (understanding follow ME) . You can purchase this from the diocese of chicago .

set the dates for all four workshops . The first should occur after your church signs up for the Spiritual Life Survey but before the results have been delivered.

take time to prepare for the knowledge Presentations before each workshop . during these presentations, feel free to bring in your own anecdotes or examples to help support the material presented and make it more relevant to the group .

alert participants to the reading for the Reading segment so they may complete it ahead of time .

Items included in the workshop kit workshop facilitator Guide

spiritual Growth framework Pre-Reading and Best Practice Principles (refer handouts section)

Participant workbook

cd with all materials in digital form, ready to print, including templates for each exercise

Additional items required for the workshop (not included) Markers

Masking tape

Pens

computer, screen and projector for video

Printed templates

Group sizethe ideal group size is 7-24 participants .

Room setupthese workshops can be conducted in just about any room or space . use the following guidelines to set your environment:

Have a table and chairs for each breakout group (3-8 participants per breakout) .

tables should be open and clear for the participants to work on (no water pitchers, glasses, candy dishes) .

there must be a place to display the templates during reports, within the view of the participants (on a wall at the front of the room) .

if the breakouts are around tables, place the templates on the tables in the order they are to be used .

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Breakout Group Assignmentsthe assignments for each exercise are printed on the templates and are referenced in this guide .

Breakout Group GuidelinesBreakout groups will be used throughout this workshop . Below are some guidelines for setting up these groups:

assume three breakout groups per activity unless otherwise noted .

Breakout groups should be three or more people – if you have less than nine participants, only use two breakout groups .

try to make breakout groups of equal size .

Mix participants between exercises – try not to have the same people working together for each activity .

Role of the FacilitatorThe facilitator’s role is to create a working environment that allows the participants to have the most robust conversations possible. The facilitator manages the overall process and the transitions from one exercise to the next. The breakout groups are self-managed. This creates group ownership and accountability for the work accomplished.

it is recommended that the facilitator be a respected parishioner, not a member of clergy staff or senior lay leader (e .g . warden) . numerous lessons and tips were learned from the pilot sessions:

seek a balance of guiding the workshops and welcoming creativity, ideas and insights of the participants . think of the group as a jazz combo improvising on the theme of the workshop .

do your homework, including the prescribed exercises well in advance of the respective workshops . Encourage the rector to share his/her insights before the workshops .

Remember to be clear when you give instructions as the facilitator or when you are entering the discussion as a participant/leader .

do have a relentless timekeeper and stay on schedule; don’t act as the scribe to capture the work on flip charts or templates .

do de-brief with 3 key leaders (1 from each breakout group) immediately after the session . take only 10 minutes, get positives and ways to improve . acknowledge at the next session .

Pre-work for Workshop 1All participants should read FOLLOW ME.

Read pages 11-32 and 54-76 in the book follow ME . acquire and photocopy for each participant your church’s data Pack . Provide or pass out the link/address for Brian c . taylor’s introduction in “strength for the Journey” by Renee

Miller .

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Workshop OneR��w��W��k�™

The SpiritualContinuum


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Purpose and Outcomes of the WorkshopThe purpose of this workshop is to help participants understand the spiritual growth framework as expressed in FOLLOW ME and MOVE, to reflect on the individual spiritual life framework journeys of members of the workshop, to become aware of the dynamic state of their own faith and to consider how their congregation helps their faith grow.

“Understanding FOLLOW ME” outcomes: understanding the spiritual growth framework

understanding the biblical basis for this framework

applying the framework to personal and church experiences

affirming the framework as a mode for organizational action based on the findings from your church’s spiritual life survey

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Workshop 1: AgendaTimes listed are suggested, your group may move more quickly through some activities and more slowly through others.

TIMING EXERCISE DESCRIPTION

15 min . introduction & workshop overview

the introduction sets the stage for the workshop . first, introduce all the participants, and then the facilitator should introduce the workshop and the overall process .

20 min .

Prayer & Reflection

Personal Experiences discussion Exercise 1

lead the devotion .

in breakout groups, individuals will reflect and share stories describing catalytic experiences, relationships, and practices that helped them, or others, grow spiritually . the breakout group will then identify common themes .

15 min .

15 min .

spiritual life continuum Exercise 2

spiritual Growth framework Exercise 3

Present the follow ME spiritual life continuum and spiritual growth framework . (template 1 .2 and 1 .3) . two page overview of the spiritual growth framework which describes the 4 spiritual growth segments as well as the 3 movements . this should be given to participants ahead of the workshop . Read pages 11-32, and 54-76 in follow ME .

15 min . Group Report this exercise allows the breakout groups to discuss the templates . Each group will report their own work .

20 min . Role of churchExercise 4

this exercise gives participants an opportunity to identify and gauge how well their church is helping people grow spiritually . (template 1 .4)

15 min . Group Report this exercise allows the breakout groups to report their templates . Each group will report their own work .

15 min . Group discussion and close-assign Homework

Homework:

1 . Review the Parish Profile ten Year trend data (appendix) and the Parish demographic Profile (appendix)

2 . Read your church’s survey results: Episcopal spiritual life Report (and appendix)

3 . Read Brian c . taylor’s introduction in “strength for the Journey” by Renee Miller

4 . Please conclude with the lord’s Prayer

Total time: Approximately 2 hours 20 minutes

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Introducing the Workshop

introduce the building of group norms . on a sheet of newsprint print the first few suggested guidelines leaving room to add others suggested by the group – save this sheet and post it in the 2nd and 3rd session meeting room before the meeting begins . Have the group read the collect in unison .

Participant Introductions“welcome! as we get started let’s find out who is here . Please tell us VERY BRiEflY:

Your name, how long you’ve been part of this congregation and what did you leave (or escape!) to come to this meeting?

There will be plenty of time to get to know others. “again, welcome to the first of four collaborative workshops . i say collaborative because you are going to do the work, my role is to guide the process, but the outcome is created by the group .

Everyone’s time is extremely valuable so let’s quickly build a list of ground rules to help us work together and get the most out of the time we have together . Here are a few points that might get us started:

stay engaged . turn off cell phones and Pdas

stay focused on the work at hand, don’t work ahead

Be a generous listener to others, be fully present to what they have to say rather than thinking about what you want to say

we will be moving in and out of breakout groups, so please move as quickly as possible to help us keep on schedule Everyone is in a different place on their own spiritual journeys – respect that

are there others that would help you feel most creative and safe to express yourself?

You may use your Participant workbook to take notes and record your personal thoughts at the end of each workshop .

we need your input . Your participation is critical to the success of this workshop . it may be a challenge, but this workshop is not focused on finding solutions to anything we turn up here . this session is focused on understanding follow ME and building a solid base from which we can work on solutions and actions in later workshops” .

Exercise Preparation: Hand out the Participant workbook .

Make sure each participant has a pen .

Introduction: (10 minutes) the introduction sets the stage for the workshop . the facilitator should introduce the participants, the workshop and the overall process .

Welcome and Introductions the facilitator should never assume everyone in the group knows each other . Participants may attend different services, might recognize faces but might not know names or anything beyond passing the peace . facilitators need to consciously “build” a community among the workshop participants . at each meeting names should be exchanged and a bit of their stories be told . facilitators will need to keep the group moving, brief answers; moving quickly to the next person .

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Facilitator’s Dialogue: “the first exercise of the day is a knowledge presentation that will help us better understand the overall context of the spiritual life experience and help us see where the work we will be doing fits .”

Workshop Overview: (10 mins)the facilitator needs to prepare a short talk (10 minutes MaX) to provide an overview to the entire Renewal works process .

direct participant to follow along on the wall chart (template 1 .1) which should remain available throughout the entire process . it might also help to put the homework assignments below each workshop as a reminder .

Exercise 1: Make sure workshop 1 .1 template is posted where everyone can see it .

the facilitator will deliver this presentation .

the road is curved for a reason, because you undoubtedly will have to navigate some of the twists and turns .

it’s also important to complete each workshop deliverable as there will be homework for the next workshop .

Workshop 1.1 Template

An Episcopal plan-

ning tool to help

your church advance

spiritual growth

Spiritual Continuum and Growth

Catalyst

Episcopal Spiritual Life Survey Results

Best Practice Principles & Indentifying

Actions

Your Plan for Taking Action

A Four Part ProcessRRRRwwwWWWkk™

once the presentation is finished, please move to the Group Prayer and Reflection .

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RenewalwoRks | ©2013 forward Movement 1 2

RenewalWorks consists of four distinct workshops, each with a specific purpose and outcomes. It is progressive, requiring the completion of each session before moving to the next.

Workshop #1: “Understanding FOLLOW ME”the session starts with an in-depth review of the empirical findings from the REVEal research group . first the spiritual continuum, or spiritual segments, is defined, complete with a clear snapshot of the different levels of spiritual maturity . then the catalysts for growth are shared to help define what causes movement toward spiritual maturity . this spiritual growth framework is the basis to profile your churches survey results .

Workshop #2: “Understanding Your Data”this session is all about the survey findings: what is the profile of your church’s spiritual health and vitality . the data is summarized several ways in addition to being bench marked against over 1600 other churches that have also taken the survey . the outcome is a vivid picture of where you are, which is also the baseline used for planning future growth initiatives .

Workshop #3: “Identifying Actions”this session includes two in-depth knowledge exercises, including a review of the Episcopal Beliefs & Practices . these are the basis of our traditions, language and liturgy . then the Best Practice Principles are shared, providing a structure to organize future plans, based on very healthy congregations from all corners of the globe . the last phase of this intensive workshop is called imagining: what could our church look like . it’s quite creative and will likely push the boundaries of conventional thought, a perfect point to stop and reflect on what could be .

Workshop #4: “Taking Action”this session is all about priorities and specific plans--both for the church and what you can do to help deliver the plan . it also includes personal reflection on your own spiritual health . in the end, you should have a clear plan and action steps, ready to be shared with the Vestry . these recommendations will be supported by the data and likely instill real hope for the future .

The Workshops were designed with these characteristics:

Each workshop is self-contained . no outside help is required .

Each workshop can support between 9 and 24 participants .

Each workshop uses multiple breakout group sessions to foster collaboration .

Each workshop includes:

knowledge templates to help you process the Episcopal spiritual life survey findings

action templates to help you identify top priorities and tangible next steps

a facilitator guide with easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions

a participant workbook to help participants chart their REnEwalwoRks journey

customized devotionals to help set the spiritual context for the experience

RENEWALWORKS Process: Description

knowledge templates

action templates

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Group Prayer & Reflections (20 minutes)

what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them? Yet you have made them a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor . Psalm 8:3b-5

God planned for us to do good things and to live as he has always wanted us to live . that’s why he sent christ to make us what we are . Ephesians 2:10

christ now gives us courage and confidence so we can come to God by faith . Ephesians 3:12

love should always make us tell the truth . then we will grow in every way and be more like christ, the head of the body . Ephesians 4:15

You used to be like people living in the dark, but now you are people of the light because you belong to the lord . so act like people of the light and make your light shine . Be good and honest and truthful . Ephesians 4:8

together you are the body of christ . Each one of you is part of his body . 1 corinthians 12:27

nothing in all creation can separate us from God’s love for us in Jesus christ our lord . Romans 8:39b

Collect words or phrases from Question #3 verbally (not on newsprint), keep it moving quickly. Don’t spend more than 10 minutes on this.

The Facilitator needs to prepare a short talk describing the steps of the Episcopal Spiritual Life Renewal process which participants can follow in their workbook on page 2.

as a way to get started, let’s spend some time reflecting on a few passages from scripture .

Prayer of Self-Dedication BCP p.832

almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to you, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated to you; and then use us, we pray, as you will, and always to your glory and the welfare of your people; through our lord and savior Jesus christ . amen .

Ask different members of the group to read each one of the readings found in their workbooks.

Here are the Bible verses as listed on page 1 of the Participant’s Workbook:

the lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to take care of it and to look after it . Genesis 2:15

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Facilitator’s DialogueHaving a life “full of God” is one way Jesus is described . this prayer asks God to fill us, as Jesus was full . as you know from experience, a vessel being filled is not filled all at one time, it’s a process – whether short or long . so it is as we are being filled, we are becoming who and what God always intended, dreamed each of us would be . we are living into our potential for relationship with God . at the same time, it may be possible that we feel that the filling process has been stalled, experiences inertia or perhaps is in decline .

take a look at the Bible verses on page 1 of your Participant’s Book . these are a scattering of the statements in scripture about who we were made to be:

Question #1

with these phrases and images in mind, turn to the person next to you and describe yourself 5 years ago:

VERY briefly describe your context then?

what were the major focus points in your life?

How would you describe your faith journey? when has it moved forward? when has it stalled? what contributed to that movement or lack thereof?

You each have 5 minutes to speak .

Question #2

now, still speaking with the same person, describe yourself now, in the present, answering the same questions . again, you will each have 5 minutes .

Questions #3

are any of you in the exact same place you were in 5 years ago? talking about your faith tell me a word or two that describes what is different now than 5 years ago .

no matter how much we may want it to nothing stays just the same . living organisms must change or they die . communities of individuals also change to respond to external issues or face extinction . life is dynamic; it is in motion, fluid .

our faith is a dynamic part of who we are as individuals, as well as who we are as members of the community . our core beliefs and experiences must change and grow in response to our daily life . this is a process which, when worked on intentionally is often called “discipling” – learning from our master, becoming more like him . when it’s more organic, less conscious, we might talk about our “faith journey” . in either case we are talking about movement which is intrinsic to an individual’s core health: body, mind, spirit .

Episcopal Spiritual Life Renewal is:

a tool to help us understand the state or condition of our own faith and how our church supports and nurtures it

a process to help us assess the way our church is best helping our members along their journey of faith, their road to becoming, specifically becoming disciples .

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in your Participant’s workbook please turn to page 2 and we’ll see how our work fits into the overall process of Episcopal spiritual life Renew .

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How does this fit with your experience?

You have 10 minutes .

Spiritual Life Continuum-Exercise 2: (15 minutes)the facilitator needs to prepare a short talk (5 minutes MaX) which is a brief review of pages 11-32 in follow ME .

direct participant to follow along on the graphic on page 3 in the Participant’s workbook . stress the different levels of spiritual maturity . invite them to make notes on their page . this is a group activity: do you see yourself in this continuum?

Exercise: Make sure workshop 1 .2 template is posted on a wall or made available individually .

in your reading for this session in follow ME you were introduced to the concept of the spiritual life framework . let’s review that briefly .

looking at the graphic of the framework on page 3 in your Participant’s Book tell the others at your table:

what did you make of that?

The Spiritual ContinuumRRRRwwwWWWkk™


once the presentation is finished, introduce the concept of catalyst for Growth

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For complete description and source documentation, please refer to Appendix at the end of this Workshop, page 21-22

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Facilitator’s Dialogue: “the first exercise of the day is a knowledge presentation that will help us better understand the overall context of the spiritual life experience and help us see where the work we will be doing fits .”

Spiritual Growth Framework-Exercise 3: (15 minutes)the facilitator will need to prepare a short review (5 minutes MaX) of pages 54-76 in follow ME . the key concept: different catalysts are associated with the stages of spiritual maturity .

direct participant to follow along on the graphic on page 4 in the Participant’s workbook . invite them to make notes on their page . this page will also be used for the activity, which is an individual task .

Exercise:Your reading in follow ME also talked about the catalysts for change . let’s briefly review this .

in the space provided in your Participant’s Book on page 4 answer these questions:

do the catalysts seem logical to increase spiritual maturity based on your experience?

these catalysts reflect a combination of individual and group activities:

what did you discover? what can you say about spiritual growth? what fosters it? what inhibits it or makes it stall?

Spiritual Growth Framework


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Bring all the participants back together to share their group’s discussion on spiritual growth: Report .

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Facilitator’s Dialogue: “at this time we would like you to present the work you did in your breakout groups . Please limit your report to no longer than 5 minutes . there is no order to the reports . whichever group would like to start us off, please come on up .”

when one group finishes their report, lead applause to thank them for their report . You should encourage applause after each group reports .

Move to the next group’s report .

once all the reports are finished, the facilitator may want to lead a group discussion to clarify and develop deeper understanding of the elements . some questions you may want to ask to generate the discussion are:

what commonalities do you see across all of the group reports?

what differences do you see?

what is your biggest learning?

are there any big questions or unclear areas that we should discuss?

Group Report: (15 minutes)this exercise allows the breakout groups to report their templates . Each group will report their own work . Have each breakout group bring their template to the front of the room so everyone can see it . during the report, the facilitator should be listening for common themes and emerging issues .

Preparation: Make sure you have an area at the front of the room where groups can post their template – have tape available .

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Make sure you monitor the time of the discussion to keep the workshop on schedule . You may need to cut off the discussion to move the group to the next exercise: Breakout Group ii .

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Facilitator’s Dialogue: “now we are going to work in our second breakout groups which will focus on identifying and gauging how well our church is helping people grow spiritually . we have a new template in your breakout area and your assignment is in the bottom right corner of the template . Remember to write legibly . You have approximately 20 minutes for this exercise and you will need to be ready to present your work to the rest of the group at the end of that time .”

Role of Church-Exercise 4: (20 minutes)this exercise gives participants an opportunity to identify and gauge how well their church is helping others grow spiritually .

Exercise Preparation: Make sure workshop 1 .4 template is in each breakout area .

Make sure markers are in each breakout area .

form the participants into breakout groups (mix up the previous groups) .

after approximately 20 minutes, bring all the participants back together to share their templates in the next exercise: Report .

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Our Church and theSpiritual Journey

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once all the reports are finished, the facilitator may want to lead a group discussion to clarify and develop deeper understanding of the elements and themes . some questions you may want to ask to generate the discussion are:

what are some commonalities you see across the reports?

what are some differences?

what did we learn from this activity?

what does this activity show us?



when all groups have completed their reports move to the next exercise: Group discussion and close .

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•WhatisoneexampleofhowGodhasbeenatworkinyou?

•Whatarethechallengesinyourlifeoffaith?Whatcanyoudotoovercomethose?

i invite you to spend one minute in silent prayer, reflecting on your own life as a follower of God .

we’ll close with the lord’s Prayer .

Homework: Please Read1 . Your church’s demographic, community and ten year trend profiles: http://www .episcopalchurch .org/page/studying-your-congregation-and-community

2 . Your church’s survey results: Episcopal spiritual life church Report (and appendix)

3 . Brian c . taylor’s introduction in “strength for the Journey” by Renee Miller

4 . Read the opening Group Prayer and Reflection, nehemiah 1 and 2

Remind Participants of Next Meeting Date and Timeinvite the group to meet 15 minutes before the official starting time of the next session . Encourage members to introduce themselves to those they may not know well .

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Closing Group Reflection and Discussionin the last activity for today, i’m going to ask you to open your Participant workbook to the section entitled workshop 1 – understanding follow ME and complete the question regarding your personal key learning from today .

for the last 10 minutes of the workshop, i invite you to consider the following passage of scripture:

therefore my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your faith in fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure .

Philippians 2:12-13

spend the next 5 minutes journaling a response to any or all of the following questions:

•Howdoesthispassageintersectwithyourlife?

•WhatisoneexamplethatyoucanpointtoofhowGodcallsyouto“workoutyourfaith”?

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Appendix - Spiritual Life ContinuumSpecial Note to the Facilitator: we anticipate that you may wind up fielding questions like this in your discussion about follow ME’s spiritual growth framework:

Is spiritual growth really as linear as the framework shown on this template?

Your response to this should be “no” because, at an individual level, spiritual growth takes a wide variation of pathways . in fact, many might say that their individual spiritual journey seems to go backwards as often as it moves forward!

the key to this framework is that it reflects the spiritual experiences of a large number of people (we have 250,000 people in our database now) . when we look at data from large numbers of people, their individual spiritual pathways merge into this image of linear progression . a metaphor for this might be the migration patterns of birds . in the fall, birds generally migrate south for the winter . any individual bird may take a non-direct path, flying east or west before it heads south . But ultimately, birds as a group migrate south .

ultimately people in general move toward a deeper relationship with christ . But, as individuals, their pathways can be very non-direct .

Segment Descriptionsnote: as you work with these materials, you may note that the language of the book follow ME describes the spiritual continuum in four segments: Exploring christ, Growing in christ, close to christ, and christ centered . in our work preparing these materials for Episcopal congregations, we were impressed with feedback that indicated high value in trinitarian expressions of faith, which led us to describe these segments as follows: Exploring life with God, etc . we aimed for a broader articulation of the spiritual journey, allowing for participants to reflect on the continuum in ways that include a vision of God the creator, God the son, God the Holy spirit . this does not preclude or exclude christ-centered language, but rather welcomes the richness of belief in the mystery of the trinity .

Briefly, to quickly review, the four segments are:

Exploring a Life with Godthe people in this group are taking first, small steps in an intentional spiritual journey . they have a basic belief in God, but they are not sure about their own commitment to many aspects of the christian faith .

Growing in a Life with Godthe people in this group are more committed to their christian faith . they have increased confidence that the christian path is the way they wish to follow, but there are still a lot of questions .

Deepening in Life with Godthe people in this group have a faith by which they rely on God’s presence and power in their daily lives . they count on their faith for help and guidance .

Life with God in the Centerfor the people in this group, the christian faith is the most important relationship in their lives . they make it the highest priority . it determines everything else .

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the four segments identified in follow ME are seen in scripture, particularly in Jesus’ earthly ministry to his disciples . the first phase, Exploring christ, is seen in John 1:35-39, where Jesus invites the disciples to “come and see” where he is staying . the Growing in christ segment is found in Matthew 4:19 where Jesus calls disciples to “come and follow” him . Here the disciples leave their nets and follow christ, illustrating an increased commitment and recognition of Jesus as Messiah, like we see in the Growing in christ segment . the third segment can be seen in Mark 3:13-14 where Jesus invites a close group of disciples to “be with Him .” those in the close to christ segment depend on christ daily for guidance . finally, since Jesus’ mission involves the cross, those who follow him must be willing to “deny yourself and take up your cross” as Jesus states in Matthew 16: 24-25 . self-denial and surrender characterize people in the christ-centered segment .

in addition to the segments themselves, it is important to look at what moves a person from one stage of spiritual growth to the next . spiritual growth is not linear or predictable . it is a complex process as unique as each individual, and it progresses at a pace determined by each person’s circumstances and the activity of the Holy spirit . while the growth process is complex, the research from follow ME has found a general progression of stages of growth that evidence a simplicity that might help us to think differently about how best to resource and encourage spiritual growth . the follow ME findings suggest that certain spiritual catalysts are generally aligned with three spiritual movements .

Movement 1

in this early movement of spiritual growth it’s all about christian fundamentals . Building a firm foundation of spiritual beliefs and attitudes is particularly important . the impact of church activities on spiritual growth is most significant in this movement .

Movement 2

this intermediate movement of spiritual growth hinges on developing a routine of personal spiritual practices that feed a growing intimacy with christ .

Movement 3

Movement 3 is the advanced movement of spiritual growth, made up of christ-centered followers who fully surrender their hearts and bring God’s kingdom on earth by making a significant impact on the lives of others .

References for Knowledge Script II

John 1:35-39 NRSV

the next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, ‘look, here is the lamb of God! ’the two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus . when Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, ‘what are you looking for?’ they said to him, ‘Rabbi’ (which translated means teacher), ‘where are you staying?’ He said to them, ‘come and see .’ they came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day . it was about four o’clock in the afternoon .

Matthew 4:19 NRSV

and he said to them, ‘follow ME, and i will make you fish for people .’

Mark 3:13-14 NRSV

He went up the mountain and called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him . and he appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, to be with him, and to be sent out to proclaim the word .

Matthew 16:24-25 NRSV

then Jesus told his disciples, ‘if any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow ME . for those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it .

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Episcopal SpiritualLife Survey


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Pre-work for this session:• Eachparticipantshouldhavereceivedacopyofyourchurch’sDataPack

• Provideorpassoutthelink/addressforBrianC.Taylor’sintroductionin“StrengthfortheJourney”byReneeMiller

Prepare Data Pack, Parish & Community Profilesduring this workshop, participants will be digging deeper into the data . the REVEal spiritual life survey provides you with a complete report detailing the spiritual growth profile of your church . However, in order to make this workshop as productive as possible, we have reduced the number of pages participants will need to review down to those that will provide them with the most pertinent drivers and barriers of spiritual growth for their congregation . this file is labeled “Participant data Pack” . Make a copy of this file and hand them out to each participant at the start of t he workshop . Remember to make a copy for yourself .

use the form provided and the last 10 years of Parochial Reports for your congregation and the parish data base (or your best idea) to determine the age breakdowns in your church .

Prepare copies of spiritually Vital churches: Best Practice Principles and Episcopal Examples . these summaries can be found in the handout file (pages 9-25) – for each participant as their homework .

Purpose and Outcomes of the WorkshopThe purpose of this workshop is to bring together the key leaders in your church to create actions based on the learnings and takeaways identified in “Understanding Your Data”.

“Understanding Your Data” outcomes: agreeing that the profile identified in the survey creates an accurate representation of your church

Gaining a better understanding of the survey results for your church

identifying who you are spiritually as a church

identifying key learnings and insights based on the spiritual life index data

developing priorities to guide possible actions in the next workshop

Welcome: 15 minutes before starting the sessionEncourage your group to meet and get to know each other better .

the facilitator should never assume everyone in the group knows each other . Participants may attend different services, might recognize faces but might not know names or anything beyond passing the peace . facilitators need to consciously “build” a community among the workshop participants . at each meeting names should be exchanged and a bit of their stories be told . facilitators will need to keep the group moving through this activity, brief answers moving quickly to the next person .

Remind the group of the norms they set up in the last meeting . do this quickly; ask if anyone has anything to add .

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Workshop 2: AgendaThe times listed are approximate and may be adjusted according to the pace of your group. You should make sure to include breaks as you deem appropriate.


20 min . introduction Prayer & Reflection

the introduction sets the stage for the workshop . the facilitator should introduce the overall process and ground rules . opening devotion .

15 min . Parish Profiles: data Presentation

discuss the Parish Profiles: what are the patterns? what are the trends? what are the key conclusions?

10 min . Group discussion this exercise summarizes the key findings .

10 min . spiritual Profile the facilitator will present the spiritual findings from your congregation . the purpose is to describe how the group will be using this data in the next exercise . (template 4)

45 min . spiritual life: Breakout Groups

in breakout groups, participants work to better understand the spiritual life data by analyzing three key spiritual areas: Personal spiritual Practices & Beliefs, faith in action and church’s Role . (template 5)

30 min . Group Report and discussion

this exercise allows the breakout groups to report their templates . Each group will report their own work .

the facilitator will lead a discussion identifying the key learnings and takeaways of the group . these findings should be summarized and distributed before the workshop . closing reflection and end the session . (template 6)

15 min .

close

assign Homework

1 . Read the opening Group Prayer and Reflection, nehemiah 1 and 2


Homework:

•Understandingyourdata:Emergingconclusionsgeneratedby your teams

•SpirituallyVitalChurches:BestPracticePrinciplesand Espicopal Eamples (handouts p . 9-25)


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Conducting Workshop 2

Facilitator’s Dialogue: current vocation: as we begin our work today let’s take a moment and remind ourselves who is here . Tell us your name

and what you do with the bulk of your time when you are not at these workshops.

“welcome to the “understanding Your data” collaborative workshop . My name is ____________ and i will be your facilitators for the day . the purpose of this workshop is to better understand the spiritual life index data and what it means to our church . the outcomes from this workshop will include:

agreeing that the profile identified in the survey creates an accurate representation of our church

Gaining a better understanding of the survey results for our church

identifying who we are spiritually as a church

identifying how our church is doing in terms of helping our congregants deepen their relationship with God

identifying key learnings and insights based on the Episcopal spiritual life Renewal data

during this workshop, you may feel compelled to begin solving things . as a reminder, this workshop is not about solutions, but understanding the Episcopal spiritual life Renewal survey data as it applies to your church .

Everyone’s time is extremely valuable and in order to get the most out of this let’s review the ground rules we established at our last meeting .

as a way to get started, i would like to have us spend some time reflecting on passages from the book of nehemiah .”

Lead the devotion yourself, or ask someone from the group to lead you through the devotion on the following page.

Workshop 2 Overview: (20 minutes) the introduction sets the stage for the workshop . the facilitator should introduce the workshop and the overall process . lead the devotion .

Exercise Preparation: Make sure each participant has a Participant workbook .


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Group Prayer & ReflectionLOOKING AT THE FACTS, SEEKING GOD’S GUIDANCE

collect for Guidance:

Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being: We humbly pray you so to guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our life we may not forget you, but may remember that we are ever walking in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

as background, nehemiah was a displaced Jew . He and his whole family of Jews had been taken into captivity and were removed from their land and their main center of religion, the temple . nehemiah was a worker in the king’s palace and heard news of the state of Jerusalem, the temple and the walls . when we hear facts about the condition of something or someone who is very dear to us, it evokes certain emotions and actions . we can do nothing, give up and get discouraged or we can do what nehemiah did . note the actions that took place .

Please pre-read before Workshop Two.

The First Reading, as found in the Participant’s workbook 1 the words of nehemiah son of Hacaliah: in the month of kislev in the twentieth year, while i was in the citadel of susa, 2Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and i questioned them about the Jewish remnant that survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem . 3they said to me, “those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace . the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire .” nehemiah 1:1-3 niV

now speaking with others at your table talk about what you are doing to gather facts .

Second Reading 4 when i heard these things, i sat down and wept . for some days i mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven . nehemiah 1:4 niV

talk about some of the emotions you feel at this moment in the life of the church, with the work that you are doing .

Third Reading 5then i said: “o loRd, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands, 6let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of israel . i confess the sins we israelites, including myself and my father’s house, have committed against you . 7we have acted very wickedly toward you . we have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses . 8“Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘if you are unfaithful, i will scatter you among the nations, 9but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, i will gather them from there and bring them to the place i have chosen as a dwelling for my name .’ 10“they are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand . 11o lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name . Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man .” i was cupbearer to the king . nehemiah 1:5-11 niV

take three minutes to pray in groups of 3 for your church . continue to hold your church in prayer after this reflection is complete . Pray for your church every day throughout this process .

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Fourth Reading 1in the month of nisan in the twentieth year of king artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, i took the wine and gave it to the king . i had not been sad in his presence before; 2so the king asked me, “why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? this can be nothing but sadness of heart .” i was very much afraid, 3but i said to the king, “May the king live forever! why should my face not look sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” 4the king said to me, “what is it you want?” then i prayed to the God of heaven, 5and i answered the king, “if it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that i can rebuild it .” 6then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” it pleased the king to send me; so i set a time . 7i also said to him, “if it pleases the king, may i have letters to the governors of trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe conduct until i arrive in Judah? 8and may i have a letter to asaph, keeper of the king’s forest, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence i will occupy?” and because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests . 9so i went to the governors of trans-Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters . the king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me . nehemiah 2:1-9 niV

discuss the group’s level of consensus and support of the leadership in moving forward in this process .

Fifth Reading 11 i went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days 12i set out during the night with a few men . i had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem . there were no mounts with me except the one i was riding on . 13By night i went out through the Valley Gate toward the Jackal [a] well and the dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire . 14 then i moved on toward the fountain Gate and the king’s Pool, but there was not enough room for my mount to get through; 15so i went up the valley by night, examining the wall . finally, i turned back and reentered through the Valley Gate . 16the officials did not know where i had gone or what i was doing, because as yet i had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work . 17 then i said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire . come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace .” 18i also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me and what the king had said to me . they replied, “let us start rebuilding .” so they began this good work . nehemiah 2:11-18 niV

Discuss the five conclusions:

first, he gathered facts .

second, he wept and mourned and fasted .

third, he responded in prayer .

fourth, he pursued the steps to move toward planning and met with the king .

fifth, he gathered a team and did further inspection .

once you have completed the introduction and devotion, introduce the first exercise .

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website link for local church community profiles: http://www .episcopalchurch .org/page/studying-your-congregation-and-community

Parish Profile-Exercise 1: (15 minutes)as a large group, participants will work to understand your church’s spirituality based on its tenure and maturity .

Exercise Preparation: Hand out a copy of the parish profile

after approximately 10 minutes, bring all the participants back together to share their notes .

ask one member of the group to serve as “scribe” and capture the insights on newsprint .


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Community Profile: Ten Year Trend DataDate:Compiled by: _______________________________

Enter a number in each field

Topic 2000 2004 2006 2008 2010

Parish Lifestage• all Members• Births• confirmations• Marriages• deaths

Parish Attendance• Pre-school• sunday school• confirmation• Youth Group• study/small Groups• choir• weekend service

Parish Profile: Ten Year Trend DataDate:Compiled by: _______________________________

Enter a number in each field

Topic 2000 2004 2006 2008 2010

Parish Lifestage• all Members• Births• confirmations• Marriages• deaths

Parish Attendance• Pre-school• sunday school• confirmation• Youth Group• study/small Groups• choir• weekend service

Topic 2012

Age• age 18 and under

• age 19-24• age 25-29• age 30-39• age 40-49• age 50-59• age 60-69• age 70 and older

Gender• Male• female

Marital Status• now married• widowed

Parish Demographic Profile

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Facilitator’s Dialogue: Please refer to the Revealworks survey Report for a detailed explanation of the color coding system used to highlight high, medium and low development of the given activities . for additional explanation and support, please refer to the website at:

http://www.episcopalchicago.org/at-work-in-the-church/episcopal-spiritual-life-renewal/

Parish Profile Continued: (10 minutes) this exercise will take place at the front of the room and is led by the facilitator . the purpose is to discuss the Rules of the Road (keys to interpreting the data) and gain agreement that the church sample profile is representative enough of the church for the group to move forward .

Exercise Preparation: Post template 2 .1 on a wall where everyone can see it .

Post template 2 .2 on a wall where everyone can see it .

Hand out the Participant data Packs

once the template is complete, introduce the next exercise: Breakout Group i .

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Your Congregation’s Survey Report: (10 minutes)

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Facilitator’s Dialogue: “now we are going to work in our second breakout groups which will allow us to focus on analyzing the data of the three key spiritual areas we just discussed . (Personal spiritual Practices, faith in action and church’s Role) . included in your survey report are helpful hints for each one of the data slides that you will be looking at . we have a new template in your breakout area and your assignment is in the bottom right corner of the template . Remember to write legibly . You have approximately 60 minutes for this exercise and you will need to be ready to present your work to the rest of the group at the end of that time .”

Spiritual Profile-Exercise 2: (45 minutes)in breakout groups, participants work to better understand the spiritual life index data by analyzing three key spiritual areas . (Personal spiritual Practices, faith in action and church’s Role) .

Exercise Preparation: Make sure workshop 2 .3 template is in each breakout area .


form the participants into breakout groups (mix up the previous groups) .

Make sure everyone has a copy of the “survey Report”

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Personal Spiritual

Practices and Beliefs

Key Takaways


Church’s Role Faith in Action

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once all the reports are finished, the facilitator may want to lead a group discussion to clarify and develop deeper understanding of the elements and themes . some questions you may want to ask to generate discussion are:

what are some commonalities you see across the reports?

what are some differences?

what did we learn from this activity?

what does this activity show us?


Please stress objectivity and candor . some parts of the data will be positive, other findings will be less so . today is all about the facts and conclusions .


when all groups have completed their reports move to the next exercise: Group discussion and close .

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Key TakeawaysFrom the group:•

•

•

•

•

•

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exercise until you have identified three or four big takeaways for the group.

Once you have finished identifying key takeaways, instruct the participants to fill out their Participant Workbook.

“now, i’m going to ask you to open your Participant workbook to the section titled workshop 2 - understanding Your data and complete the question regarding your personal key learnings from today”

Next, lead the closing reflection yourself, or ask someone from the group using the guide on page 24.

Give the participants a few minutes to fill out their page, then close the workshop.

“in closing, i would like to thank everyone for attending and participating . this was the second workshop in a series of four . in the next workshop, we will start with these top 3 key takeaways and begin to identify actions our church will take to address them . today wasn’t about driving to actions, it was about identifying ways we can help our people advance in their spiritual journey” .

Group Discussion and Close: (15 minutes)this exercise is conducted at the front of the room by the facilitator . the purpose is to capture the overall thoughts of the group and identify the top 3 key takeaways the group identified in the previous breakout exercise .

during the previous report, the facilitator should take notes on ideas that may help during this activity .

Preparation: keep all the templates from the previous report at the front of the room so all participants can see .

Make sure markers are available to highlight/circle the top 3 key takeaways of the group .

In preparation for the next workshop (“Identifying Actions”) make sure you capture the Top 3 Key Takeaways that you circled or highlighted. You can record these on the next page. We also recommend saving all the completed Template 2’s.

Facilitator’s Dialogue: “in this last activity, i would like for us as a group to identify the top 3 key takeaways for our group . looking at all three templates, what is one of the big takeaways we want to capture? is this common across all the templates? is this something the group agrees with?”

Capture the first key takeaway of the group by highlighting or circling on one of the templates. Continue this

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Top 3 Key TakeawaysRemember, these takeaways will be used in Workshop 3. Make sure you capture these and/or save the completed templates.

Key Takeaways from the group:

•

•

•

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Closing Group ReflectionLOOKING AT THE FACTS, SEEKING GOD’S GUIDANCE

for the last 10 minutes of this workshop, ask participants to reflect on the very last part of the passage read from nehemiah:

“and i told them about the hand of my God which had been upon me for good, and also of the words which the king had said to me . and they said, ‘let us rise up and build .’ so they began this good work .”

invite participants to journal a response to any or all of the following questions:

• Whatmostexcitesyouaboutthegoodworkthatyourchurchisbeginningrightnow?

• Howwillthatlook,asitisfulfilled?Whatpromisedoesitholdforyourparish?

• WhatgoodworkisGoddoinginyourownlife?Whatpromisedoesthathold?

ask participants to spend one minute in silent prayer, reflecting on the good work that God is doing in their own lives, in the life of the church .

close the workshop by praying the lord’s Prayer .

Homework: Please Read1 . Emerging conclusions from understanding your data (to be emailed out)

2 . Read the Episcopal Beliefs and Practices (handout)

3 . Read spiritually Vital churches: Best Practice Principles (handout)

4 . Read Best Practice Principles: Episcopal Examples (handout)

Remind Participants of Next Meeting Date and Timeinvite the group to meet 15 minutes before the official starting time of the next session . Encourage members to introduce themselves to those they may not know well .

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Purpose and Outcomes of the WorkshopThe purpose of this workshop is to bring together the key leaders in your church to create actions based on the learnings and takeaways identified in “Understanding Your Data”.

“Identifying Actions” outcomes: Review and assess the MoVE Best Practice Principles

Gaining a better understanding of how top churches deliver spiritual growth

Review the Episcopal Examples of Best Practice Principles

identifying actions for each Best Practice Principle

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Workshop 3: AgendaThe times listed are approximate and may be adjusted according to the pace of your group. You should make sure to include breaks as you deem appropriate.



the introduction sets the stage for the workshop . the facilitator should introduce the workshop and the overall process . lead the reflection .

20 min .

Pre-workshop Reading: Episcopal Beliefs and Practices

Breakout Group i

is this what you expected? were you aware of them? what do these mean to you? How well do you connect with them? what should our church do to better bring these to life?

Each breakout group will discuss .

20 min .

20 min .

Best Practices Principles

Episcopal Examples

Participants should have read the best practice principles and examples used in Episcopal churches (handout pages 9-25) Based on the Episcopal Examples, each breakout group will recommend one example to be explored .

30 min . Breakout Group ii Given the range of ideas presented, prioritize the most appealing concepts by best practice principle .

25 min . Group Reports and discussion

this exercise allows the breakout groups to report their templates . Each group will report their own work . Participants will give feedback based on the report .

20 min .close

Homework

individuals will capture learnings and next steps . close session .

1 . circulate Best Practice Principles worksheets (summary) .






Conducting Workshop 3

Facilitator’s Dialogue: Birth order starter: “Let’s quickly go around and introduce yourself to the group. This week: your name and where you fit in the birth order in your family of origin. Are you an only? The first born, in the middle? The youngest?

“welcome to the “identifying actions” collaborative workshop . My name is ____________ and i will be one of your facilitators for the day .

the purpose of this workshop is to create actions based on the takeaways identified in the “understanding Your data” workshop .

in this session we intend to:

•UnderstandanddiscusstheEpiscopalBeliefsandPracticesweembraceasachurch

•UnderstandtheBestPracticePrinciplesandhowtheyrelatetous

•DevelopprovocationpropositionsofourPreferredFuture

•Createinitiativesfordirectaction

Everyone’s time is extremely valuable and in order to get the most out of our time together let’s review the ground rules we created .

use your Participant workbook to take individual notes throughout the workshop and record your personal thoughts at the end of the workshop .

we need your input . Your participation is critical to the success of this workshop” .

Overview: (30 minutes) the introduction sets the stage for the workshop . the facilitator should introduce the workshop and the overall process . lead the devotion .

Preparation: Make sure each participant has a Participant workbook .





Group Prayer & ReflectionLOOKING IN THE MIRROR

Mirrors can provide us with either an accurate or a distorted image of ourselves . in order to build toward a healthier future, we have to take an honest look at what we see in the mirror and work toward the vision we hope, with God’s help, to one day achieve .

collect for the Parish:

almighty and ever living God, ruler of all things in heaven and earth, hear our prayers for this parish family . strengthen the faithful, arouse the careless, and restore the penitent . Grant us all things necessary for our common life, and bring us all to be of one heart and mind within your holy church; through Jesus christ our lord . amen .

James 1:22-25

But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves . for if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like . But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing .

Discuss in small groups:

what does this passage mean in light of the discoveries in the “understanding Your data” workshop?

what makes a church a “hearers only” church?

How we can become a church that is responsive and takes action?

Pray together about becoming a church that is able to put action into the results and conclusions drawn by your survey, the interpretation of data, your discussions, and your prayers.

The next step is to review and discuss the Spiritual Life Survey Data as a recap.




Facilitator’s Dialogue: Many congregants are unfamiliar with the specific Episcopal Beliefs and Practices . in the Episcopal churches that piloted this work, some committee members actually objected to the language and direction within this document . it is important to review the sourcing, which can be found in the reference materials, and stress this is a summary of principles found throughout the Episcopal traditions and liturgy . the language for some, even felt stronger than they may be accustomed to . stress the language is a direct lift from the Episcopal source material .

Ensure there is comfort with this document as it is a reference guide for the next set of exercises .

Episcopal Beliefs and Practices: (20 minutes)the EslR survey provides a thorough review of church members’ spiritual practices and how these practices are encouraged and supported by the local congregation . the Episcopal Beliefs and Practices reference tool can also be used to reflect on member’s practices and how the church supports these practices which are more familiar to Episcopalians .

Make sure all participants have a copy of the Episcopal Beliefs and Practices – make extras available .

Discussion: is this what you expected?

were you aware of them?

are you comfortable with the language?

what do these mean to you?

How well do you connect with them?

what should our church do to better bring these to life?

This 3 page summary can be found in the handout section. Pages 3-6.

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when the group has completed their discussion, move to the next exercise: Best Practice Principles .

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Facilitator’s Dialogue: “Before we begin developing the plans for our top 3 Priorities, we have an opportunity to reflect on how some of REVEal’s top churches deliver spiritual growth . Please keep these pages in front of you” .

During the review, post Workshop 3.1 Template on the wall.

There is no additional formal presentation.

Best Practice Principles Overview: (5 minutes)this exercise will allow the participants to review an article describing how some of follow ME’s top churches deliver spiritual growth .

Preparation: instruct the participants to turn to the reading they were given ahead of time for this section .

if someone does not have their copy of the pre-reading, provide them with another copy as needed .

while the participants are reviewing, post workshop 3 .1 template on the wall as a reference .

now we will review Episcopal Examples of the Best Practice Principles (Handouts pages 16-25)

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Facilitator’s Dialogue: “we will begin developing plans for our top 3 priorities (refer back to page 35) using the Episcopal Examples as catalysts for thought . feel free to build, modify or create new” .

Best Practice Principles: Episcopal Examples (15 minutes)this exercise will allow the participants to review a handout (pages 16-25) of how Episcopal pilot churches implemented the principles .

Preparation: instruct the participants to turn to the reading they were given ahead of time for this section .

if someone does not have their copy of the handout, provide them with another copy as needed .

now turn to the breakout group exercise

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Best Practice Principles: Build Ideas for Our Church (50 mins.)Each breakout group will take one of the top 3 Priorities identified . the group will build-out and scope their priority .

Preparation: Make sure the overall Priorities template is in each breakout area .


select a priority for each breakout .

form the participants into breakout groups based on the priority they want to work and/or their expertise . use your discretion to

balance the groups .

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1: Make the destination clear.

2: Make the spiritual jump

staa non-neggiable .

3: Make the senior pastor the

champion .


after approximately 30 minutes, post the findings on the wall . conduct group discussion (20 mins .) Group leader will summarize .

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Facilitator’s Dialogue: “now we are going to work in our second breakouts where each group will work one of the top 3 Priorities . (see p .35, conclusion of workshop two) . we are going to build-out and scope each priority . Before we begin, i will assign a priority for each breakout group .”

Assign a priority for each breakout.

“now we need to identify who will work in each breakout . i want people to work in the area where they have passion . we also want to make sure we have the right expertise in the breakout group . who wants to work on priority one?”

Continue, until you have formed breakout groups for each priority.

we have a new template in your breakout area and your assignment is in the bottom right corner of the template . during this exercise, remember to think about what you learned when reading, “How follow ME top churches deliver spiritual Growth .” Remember to write legibly . You have approximately 15 minutes for this exercise and you will need to be ready to present your work to the rest of the group at the end of that time .”

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1: Make the Bible the main

course the message .

2: Take away the excuses.

3: Model Scripture as the

church’s foundation .


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1: Empower people to be the

church .

2: Equip people to succeed.

3: Hold people accountable .


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1: Set a high bar for serving

the church and the com-

munity.

2: Build a bridge into you

local community.

3: Make serving a platform

for the gospe for the gospel .


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Closing Group Reflection and Homework (20 mins.)We began our conversation with the image of a mirror as a way to see ourselves – recognizing that our image may be distorted or clear depending on the quality of the mirror or our own vision.

Consider the words of St. Paul to the church in Corinth

11 when we were children, we thought and reasoned as children do . But when we grew up, we quit our childish ways . 12 now all we can see of God is like a cloudy picture in a mirror . later we will see him face to face . we don’t know everything, but then we will, just as God completely understands us . 1 corinthians 13:11, 12

as we close our work turn to the person next to you and share how your faith journey has taken you from a child’s faith to seeking to understand God’s love for you and what that knowledge provokes in you .

if it helps you to have the scripture in front of you turn to page 17 in your Participant’s workbook . You have five minutes each .

close the workshop by praying the lord’s Prayer .

Homework: Please ReadThe homework for the last workshop will be e-mailed to you prior to the final work session. Please arrive 15 minutes early before the scheduled time for fellowship with other committee members.




Workshop FourR��w��W��k�™

TakingAction


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Purpose and Outcomes of the WorkshopThe purpose of this workshop is to prioritize the recommended actions and develop a personal spiritual plan.

“Taking Action” outcomes: understanding the Best Practice Principles

assessing our direction and ideas

depicting our plan to move forward

Reflecting on what “i” will do

Recommendation to the Vestry

at the close of the last worship, plan for a Eucharist and renewal of Baptismal vows

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Workshop 4: AgendaThe times listed are approximate and may be adjusted according to the pace of your group.



the introduction sets the stage for the workshop . the facilitator should introduce the workshop and the overall process . lead the devotion .

30 min .overall Priorities: Group discussion i

in a large group, participants will engage in a group discussion to create an overall consolidation of the group’s work .

30 min .specific actions: Group discussion ii

compose 3 very specific next steps to be accomplished in the next 30 days, including who is responsible and measurement of success .

15 min . individual PlanBased on your personal assessment, what changes will you make? How do these changes relate to the broader church priorities?

20 min . Group Report this exercise allows people to report their individual plans .

30 min .

workshop close

next steps

Eucharist: Book of occasional services (pages 139-141)

1 . develop recommendation to the Vestry .

2 . live out my ‘Pledge’ to deepen my love of God and others .


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Conducting Workshop 4: Taking Actions

Facilitator’s Dialogue: Volunteer: “let’s quickly go around and introduce yourself to the group . this week: what’s your favorite charity or volunteer

activity?

“welcome to the “taking actions” collaborative workshop . My name is ____________ and i will be your facilitator for the day .

the purpose of this workshop is to create actions based on the takeaways identified in the “understanding Your data” workshop .

in this session we intend to:

•ReviewtherangeofpossibleideasfromWorkshop#3

•Prioritizethe3-4keyinitiativestobepursed

•Createinitiativesfordirectaction

•Developanindividualplan

Everyone’s time is extremely valuable and in order to get the most out of our time together let’s review the ground rules we created .

use your Participant workbook to take individual notes throughout the workshop and record your personal thoughts at the end of the workshop .

we need your input . Your participation is critical to the success of this workshop” .

Overview: (20 minutes) the introduction sets the stage for the workshop . the facilitator should introduce the workshop and the overall process . lead the devotion .

Preparation: Make sure each participant has a Participant workbook .


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Group Prayer & ReflectionYOUR PLAN, GOD’S PLAN

a Prayer of self-dedication

almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to you, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so that we may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated to you; and then use us, we pray, as you will, and always to your glory and the welfare of your people, through our lord and savior Jesus christ . amen .

Proverbs 3:5-6

trust in the lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight .

in all your ways acknowledge God, and God will make your paths straight .

Pray together seeking God’s guidance in planning.

Read and discuss in small groups (you have about 10 minutes):

Proverbs 24:3-4

any enterprise that is built by wise planning, becomes strong through common sense and benefits wonderfully by attending to reality .

what does “wise planning” look like for your church in this particular moment of the Renewal process?

what is “common sense” and in what ways can “common sense” be used as we move forward and begin to take action?

Discuss how we will attend to reality as we plan and implement change. (Note: consider scheduling a follow-up Renewal Spiritual Life Survey assessment, 18-24 months from now)

Pray together for this planning time that the wise steps ahead will be addressed and that a plan for ongoing meetings to check progress will be set.

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Facilitator’s Dialogue: “the first exercise of the day is a knowledge presentation that will describe our priority/initiative, and show you the progress we have made so far . it will also show you how our priority/initiative will help people grow spiritually . Please hold your questions because we will have time to discuss these in breakout groups .

i would like to invite <key leader> up to the front to present this material .”

Overall Priorities: (30 minutes) the purpose of the presentation is to share the overview of your priority or initiative in terms of its scope and rationale . this will be a review of the output from the “identifying actions” workshop . it is also intended to share the background of how we selected this priority/initiative, and how it’s linked to the follow ME spiritual Growth framework .

Preparation: Make sure template 4 .1 and template 3 .1 are posted on a wall where everyone can see them .

the leader of this priority/initiative should present the material .

Remember to focus time on presenting the material rather than group discussion .

once the presentation is finished, introduce the next exercise: Group discussion

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Best Praccce Principles

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OVERALL PRIORITIES

Best Praccce PrinciplesRRRRwwwWWWkk™

GET PEOPLE MOVING

EMBED THE BIBLE

CREATE OWNERSHIP

PASTOR THE COMMUNITY

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Facilitator’s Dialogue: “in this activity, i would like for us as a group to bring together all the work from the previous exercise in a way that will help us identify the key topics to work on for the remainder of the workshop . to begin, what commonalities do you see across all the reported templates? are these things we want to add to this template? what else do you see up here? is there anything missing? any other topics we need to think about working in?”

Continue to work with the group to capture their ideas and complete Template 5.

Once the template is complete, work to identify topics to work on for the remainder of the workshop.

“now we want to identify the topics that we want to work on for the remainder of the workshop . we have about 45 minutes to work on these in breakout groups once we identify them . what are the three topics we would like to work on?”

Identify the three topics by circling or starring them.

“these are the three topics we will work on for the remainder of the workshop .”

Specific Actions: (30 minutes)this exercise will take place at the front of the room and is led by the facilitator . the purpose is to engage the group in a discussion that will help create an overall consolidation of the group’s work, and to identify topics to work on for the remainder of the workshop .

Preparation: leave the templates that were just reported at the front of the room .

Have some markers at the front of the room .

Post template 5 at the front of the room .

once the discussion is complete, introduce the next exercise: Group discussion

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Overall ConsolidationRRRRwwwWWWkk™


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Facilitator’s Dialogue: “in the last activity for the day, i’m going to ask you to complete the individual reflection that we have passed out or if you have a Participant workbook from one of the earlier workshops open to the section entitled workshop 4: taking action and complete the questions at the end .” ideally, we would like to share this with the broader group so your fellow participants can share in the experience .

Group Report (20 minutes):Give the participants a few minutes to fill out their page, and then share with the other participants . this should be a personal pledge that sustains after the workshops end .

in closing, i would like to thank everyone for attending and participating . Your next step is to make these actionable and to continue helping people grow spiritually . thank you for all your hard work . we will close with a service of Holy Eucharist in the church, but before we move to the church, i want to invite (clergy leader) up for some closing comments and a prayer .

Individual Plan: (15 minutes)the purpose is to allow individuals to capture their key takeaways and close the workshop .

Preparation: Make sure you pass out the individual reflection found in appendix B to those people who do not have a Participant workbook from

one of the earlier workshops .

this exercise will be done individually and shared back with the group, provided the congregate is comfortable sharing their individual next steps with the broader group .

5 4

Provide closing comments and prayer using the “closing Group Reflection” as a guide .

Individual Exercise

take a poster board and a couple of markers and put your first and last name in the upper right hand corner . use

the poster to create the key characteristics of your Personal spiritual Plan . use the scenario and questions provided below

to guide your thoughts . You may answer all, some or none of the questions . use diagrams, pictures and images to make your

thoughts come alive .

key questions for you to reflect on:

what Episcopal beliefs do you connect with?

what Episcopal beliefs would you like to work towards?

what Personal spiritual Practices do you want to strengthen?

How can you serve within the church?

How can you serve outside the church?

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Closing Group ReflectionYOUR PLAN, GOD’S PLAN

in the church or in your workshop space, close the final workshop with a commitment on each participant’s part to their own spiritual growth by going around the circle and naming the practice(s) they will assume (from Episcopal Beliefs and Practices) . if this takes place in the church during the Eucharist, this sharing can be done in place of a sermon . allow people the “right of reticence”, so that if they would like to pass, they can do so .

clergy will lead a Eucharist (our principal act of worship), using the Renewal of Baptismal Vows from the Book of occasional services, pp . 139-141 .

Next Steps: 1 . identify a small working group to shape recommendations for the Vestry .

2 . Each participant strive to live out his or her pledge to deepen love of God and neighbor . the more people are willing to share these individual pledges with the wider parish, the better .

Thank You: this process has been informative, challenging, awakening and hopefully guiding . we deeply appreciate your precious time and engagement . this is not the end, rather, it’s the beginning of a new chapter in our parish’s life and possibly your life too .

thanks and God bless you .

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Documents

Facilitator’s Guide - · PDF fileall workshop products including the facilitator Guide, ... key leaders within ... give instructions as the facilitator or when you are entering