Below is an example of how one church introduced and discerned the call to Restorative Actions.
Learning & Exploration
- Engage a team of people who are passionate about restorative actions, to explore what it could mean for your congregation.
- Center on what Jesus expects from us in our relationships with others.
- Listen to voices of African Americans & Indigenous people.
- Seek to understand the history of oppression in the U.S. and the churches’ complicity.
Anonymous Questions
- Like many conversations about money, this may be uncomfortable for some or many.
- Create an option for parishioners to submit questions anonymously and address those questions in live learning sessions and with written feedback.
Small Group Conversations
- When meetings and learning sessions have great attendance, break into small groups of 4-5.
- Take notes of affirmations, concerns, and questions and share with advocates to ensure follow-up.
1:1 Conversations
- Offer one on one conversations to Ruling Elders and parishioners for questions, concerns, and affirmations.
Session Votes
- The Session made the decision after a number of meetings and dedicated time of discernment.
- Breaking into smaller groups for initial discussions was important to ensure all voices were heard.
Have Faith
- Surrendering is not easy when we do not have absolute clarity of the outcome, we must have faith.
V1.0: 3.3.21
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