What do these images have in common?
The grumpy folks on the left often trigger our defenses so that we look like the person on the right. After all – we are doing all the things! We are trying! Why don’t people appreciate that?
Maybe they do.
This month’s offerings are all about communication. We tend to think that communication is about information and, to a point, it is. We absolutely need to use our newsletters, email blasts, bulletin announcements and other tools. It also helps to understand the reasons folks respond the way they do.
“We tried that already”
and other helpful complaints.
I used to hate hearing that! Then, something happened, and I began to understand. Want to read my poem story?
When you know the story behind “We tried that already, it didn’t work” you can adjust your plans.
“Taking the Temperature
of your congregation”
Is our free resource and provides a tool for discovering the hopes and concerns of your congregation as they relate to a single event or topic.
“We tried that already” isn’t the only complaint that gets our defenses going. Most of us have also heard folks’ gripe that they were never told about something (often said as if you purposely left them uninformed). But we talked about the event in the newsletter, and the bulletin and even made announcements during worship- certainly, we can’t be faulted for their failure to read or listen, can we? No—but there is more to communication than advertising. This workshop will help.
How come I didn’t hear about that?
Communication Skills that Work.
Participants will:
create, establish, and maintain agreements for working together.
learn the difference between mass media-based and relationship-based communication techniques.
experience a tool that uncovers the hopes and concerns of a group.
recognize early signs of conflict.
practice a relationship-based communication strategy.
It's almost ready!!! NEW resource!!!!
How come I didn’t hear about that?
The DIY version!
This workbook makes it easy for you to facilitate the How come I didn’t hear about that? workshop--without us! It’s a Do-it-Yourself resource with a script that gives you the words to say and the activities to practice. When you complete the 3 sessions your council or team will have the tools they need to communicate in healthy and helpful ways. The topics covered are the same as those in the workshop (see above). This isn’t a lecture book, it’s a workbook. On one page you’ll learn something new and on the next you'll apply that knowledge to your congregation.
The workbook covers three 75-minute sessions which can be done as a leadership retreat, or as separate meetings: Whatever works for you and your team.
Pre-order Discount price: $75 per congregation
After launch (end of March) price goes up to $95 per congregation.
Button takes you to Contact Us page. In the "Message" section write: Pre-order How Come DIY.
Congratulations to our partners:
California Lutheran Homes and
Community Services
Living Lutheran covered some of what California Lutheran Homes does in their January article:
A place to call home.
ELCA ministry helps provide affordable housing to young people aging out of foster care.
Living the Resurrection (LtR) and our partners at California Lutheran Homes (CLH) have a lot in common. LtR’s congregational vitality process helps congregations collaborate with their neighbors for the good of their neighborhood. California Lutheran Homes partners with local agencies to provide housing for vulnerable neighbors.
CLH provided OC United with renovated apartments to help them serve young folks aging out of foster care. CLH rents a home to Biddy Mason Charitable Foundation for $10 a month. Biddy Mason uses the house as office and program space for former foster youth and has an apartment that houses four young women.
As CEO Deacon Nancy Ackerman said, “Our partnership with these two organizations furthers CLH’s mission to provide affordable housing to vulnerable populations, as well as to model the benefits of collaborations among faith-based nonprofit organizations and agencies.”
Click the button to read the full article!
Click the button to learn more about our Vitality Process.