Church Mediation and the Healing Process

Elspeet, The Netherlands

 

This two-day seminar will focus on the importance of seeing Church Mediation in a framework for understanding human functioning in relationship to Healing. The particular value for conflict consultants has to do with how one manages self in the midst of healing, while gaining deeper insight into the way healing impacts both individuals and groups who are in conflict.

 

With today's rising level of anxiety in society and its resulting impact on families, such anxiety will impact the church with increasing intensity in the years ahead. The resulting heightened pressures in congregations and the increasing demand that places on clergy and boards insures that the demand for coaching and mediation will increase. Thus, it is vital that those serving in churches - whether as mediators, clergy, or boards - step back occasionally from the fray to assess their own capacity for managing themselves in a calmer, healing way.

 

This master class in Church Mediation and Healing y is designed to enhance the ability of conflict consultants to function as self-differentiated leaders in their dispute resolution work. It will provide a safe forum for processing challenging situations encountered in mediation, while also facilitating reflection on a way of thinking about the human condition which has implications for all aspects of life.

 

Course content:

The sessions will start with plenary sessions, focusing on the basic concepts of with didactic presentations by Richard Blackburn. During part of each session small group work will focus on case studies brought by the participants as a way of reflecting on the material presented during the plenary sessions.  Each day will also include time for meditation.

 

Presenter:

Dr. Richard Blackburn is executive Director of the Lombard Mennonite Peace Centre, Chicago, USA. He has broad experience as a trainer, mediator, and consultant with conflicted churches and their leaders.

 

The seminar will be in English.

 

This program is offered to you by:

Dutch training and mediation centre "Geweldloos Samenleven" (for a Non-violent Society) in cooperation with the Lombard Mennonite Peace Centre and the Dutch Mennonite Association and Seminary.

 

Logistics:

Date: 31 August and 1 September, 2009

Place: Conference Centre Mennorode in Elspeet.

Finances: The conference fee is: € 410, 00.  Included are also the overnight stay, the meals and refreshments (tea/coffee) during the class hours

 

Information and registration:

Drs. Annelies Klinefelter, coordinator WGS (Dutch Mennonte training and mediation center)
Blaankamp 15, 8341 PA Steenwijkerwold, The Netherlands
Tel: (00-31) (0) 521-588553
Email

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