What I was up to on Sunday - Spirited Exchange

I went to a Spirited Exchange Facilitation Training weekend in Oxford run by Jenny McIntosh.

The facilitation training was for people interested in Spirited Exchange Groups or similar gatherings which help people who have left church but are still ‘journeying on’ in their faith. Annunciation Trust helped the weekend financially and I went along as supporter of Jenny’s work. I could only go for the Sunday but found it challenging and inspiring. There were five participants (plus Jenny and myself) on the Sunday morning. Another two had been there the previous two days but had needed to leave. A couple of others had to cancel just before the event.

Jenny is attempting to spread the work of contacting and supporting people who have left church down to a local level. As the sole facilitator she can only do so much centrally. This process does require skilled facilitation allowing stories to be told in an atmosphere of acceptance and respect with no agenda accept to help the individuals on their journey wherever that might lead. The training weekends are essential for this ministry to grow.

The group were people who had been on the journey themselves and had been involved in a group and/or starting a group. I chaired one session and participated in another which mainly consisted of people telling their stories. We discussed the way we can encourage groups to grow when and where they are needed and find the contacts of people who need a group. The stories of the people there were moving and reminded me of how important listening to stories is to facilitate spiritual growth.

I think the conclusion of the workshop was that gatherings such as the weekend were the way forward to encourage and facilitate local level work and that too much planning and organising could not be done. It can only be organic growth with ever changing needs and groups which will come and go and hurting people who will often be averse to joining yet another group. It is real challenge for Jenny to progress this work with limited resources in such a free flowing way. Also we touched on the need to communicate more about people that do leave churches and whether some people could remain in church if their journeys were respected and valued more by the church.

My own view based really just on my gut feel and some anecdotes is that there are a lot of people out there that are looking for a community that can support them in their faith journey outside of church. They often feel vulnerable and lonely and yet they are not that easy to find. It was excellent that Annunciation Trust could provide some support to a ministry which addresses a need which I think Ashley could also make a contribution to.

Jenny will be with us at Ashley on Sunday 15 November to talk more about her work.

Roy Gregory