What ARE Open Questions???

Each year at our annual Retreat, the Board of Trustees deliberates about what will guide our work in the coming year. We consider how the previous year worked, what issues have come up, what is happening in the world, and what we’ve learned in the previous year’s Open Questions. These guide us in establishing our annual Vision of Ministry – what our focus and work should be – for the coming year. (This year’s VOM info can be found here)

At the same time, we consider what information we need to focus on the future – and what we need to know from the Congregation about their ideas and concerns. This future-oriented work is how we develop Open Questions – questions about topics we feel have ‘bubbled up’ in the previous year and should be addressed by a larger conversation with the entire congregation. The Open Question discussions are done in small groups, using prompts to help focus and facilitate dialogue.

Last year, we started the cycle of Open Questions with the help of our Committee on Ministries (COM), and this year they will be hosting the discussions again. Each Open Question will have a weeknight Zoom session with breakout groups, and an in-person session on a Saturday at the Fellowship. We hope to have more people able to hear each other’s questions and comments and make this part of the larger conversation.

Our first Open Question is on Service – What ministry does the world need from us at this time in history? - and will begin with an introduction this Sunday in the service, followed by a Zoom discussion session on Monday evening the 17th at 7pm and an in-person session on Saturday the 22nd at 10am (childcare will be available). Please register so we have an appropriate number of facilitators to work with the groups (and to get the Zoom link). You should plan to attend just one of the sessions so we can accommodate more participants.

Register here!

We look forward to hearing from the congregation on this important topic!