COMING OUT OF THE LIBERAL/CONSERVATIVE CLOSET

HAVING FUN LOOSENING UP

As presbyteries experience more ideological tension and the grief of having congregations choose to leave the denomination, it is important that presbytery meetings not become a cautious gathering of strangers. We need to build relationships among the churches so that the weight of breaking relationships is felt. Friends, even those who disagree with each other, find it harder to separate from each other. We also need to name the demons if we want to exorcise them. What I propose in this blog is a fun experience in a meeting that will likely generate some laughter at the same time as it exorcises some of the tension among the churches and builds some friendships. I would propose that the presbytery set aside an hour before they break for lunch for this experience.

LIBERAL MEET A CONSERVATIVE

There should be no hidden agenda in the meeting. The leader will explain that while people often speak of liberal and conservative churches, sometimes it is hard to identify just what is meant by those terms. You want to have some fun seeing if people can identify a church that is more liberal or more conservative than theirs. The game will go like this.
The leader will spin a wheel that will identify the row number and another spin that will name the number of seats in from the aisle. When the person is identified, that person will rise and name their church and whether they are a teaching of ruling elder from that church.
Next they are asked to name another church in the presbytery that they consider either more liberal or more conservative than their church. A representative from that church is asked to stand.
The first person will tell the representative from the other church something they appreciate about their church. The person addressed can respond briefly.
Then the process begins again. The statements and responses should be kept brief so that a number of churches can participate in the process. Not everyone will agree with the label applied to them, but that is part of the fun.

FOOD FOSTERS COMMUNITY

Ushers should approach the speakers and give them a colored badge that identifies whether they are named more liberal or more conservative. As groups break for lunch, they are asked to deliberately sit with a person with another color badge. During lunch each will respond to the others how it feels to have their church identified as either liberal or conservative. In addition, each is asked to tell the other one thing they appreciate about those who hold a different theological stance than they do.
At a time designated by a leader, the people at each table are to complete their table experience with a period of prayer for the other churches represented at their table.