FEG Sittensen Church Workshop
Yesterday we were guests at the church day of the FEG churches in northern Germany. They had a (really well!) organized day for all the church members, with about 8 different workshops, each repeated twice so people had a chance to attend several different ones.
We were there too and got to lead a creative workshop twice on the theme of “connection.”
Well, that’s a theme you can immediately put into practice!
Everyone had to choose three very different pieces of paper and glue them onto their white sheet. The first part of the assignment was to find a way to connect those three different pieces.
Then they had to connect their sheet with someone else’s sheet. But without talking. No discussion, just nonverbal communication on paper.
And how do you actually do that? Where do you find common ground? A starting point? Do you let the other person onto your sheet? Do you feel free enough to draw on someone else’s sheet? Do you ask for permission nonverbally? How do you bring two completely different styles together? And is there a balance between what you do on the other person’s sheet and what they do on yours?
All kinds of aspects of connection start to come to the surface.
During the discussion afterward, we talked about those experiences and looked for parallels between the assignment and everyday life.
So what did the participants take home with them?
- I can give the other person more space to carry out their idea instead of immediately jumping in with my own.
- It helps to step back sometimes. It seemed like things would never come together, but when I took the picture, it had become one image.
- Sometimes it seems impossible to find something we have in common, but if you keep going, something beautiful can come out of it.
- Sometimes connecting is really easy, and sometimes it takes quite a bit of hard work.
- The final result would never have existed without connecting with the other person.
- Connection takes courage.
- Connection is only possible when I also show my own colors. And that makes me vulnerable.
- Connection brings richness.
And that applies not only to the artwork, but to everyday life as well!
Besides the workshop we got to lead, there were all kinds of other great workshops as well.
Topics included evangelism as a lifestyle, learning to share the gospel fluently, moving from life assistance to life transformation through small groups, learning how to lead a church, shaping the church service as a space for encounters where lives are changed, learning to preach simply, and religious abuse of power in pastoral care and church life (something we’ve already written quite a few blog posts about ourselves).
Loneliness was also on the agenda, and that was a super interesting topic!! There was also a great workshop called “Connecting with Others – Real and Open Communication.” Plenty of choices, and in terms of content (we attended a few of them ourselves), definitely worth it!
FEG Sittensen: thank you for your hospitality!
FEG Seelsorgeteam: thank you for organizing everything!
