Arranging Discussion Forums for the One Sunday Service Vote
The following are suggestions for discussion forums regarding the “One Sunday Service” vote. These are intentionally overlapping and redundant. The goal is to engage as many members and friends as possible within the timeframe allotted. Every effort must be made to have all voices and opinions heard, and fully recognized, so that members arrive at the congregational meeting informed and aware of all positions on the matter, and no one feels excluded. Announcements regarding the date and time of the congregational meeting may include a list of discussion forums, and perhaps a sign-up procedure.
“Forums” should include both live, in-person discussions, as well as remote, electronic means of submitting comments and reading others’ responses.
Live, In-Person Forums
1. Coffee Hour discussions, Sunday mornings prior to second service, 10:15-11:15 is recommended, coffee and donuts served. These may be every Sunday, if needed.
2. One forum following the second service, say, 12:30-2:00, this one a “brown bag” event.
3. Each live forum will be invited, but not required, to post comments or position statements in the form of documents on the “Members Only” page of the SCUU web site. These are optional written statements or comments submitted by individual members who attended the forum, or from self-organized groups; not reports on forum discussions.
4. These live forums are intended for face-to-face discussion and dialogue. It is not recommended that minutes or records be kept. Facilitators will set ground rules, and keep timing limitations flowing smoothly. I believe the SCUU covenant is sufficient as a source of ground rules.
Remote, Electronic Forums
1. These are intended to (1) create additional opportunities for members to discuss and dialogue, or at the very least “post” comments, and (2) permit the full membership to read and think about the positions or opinions stated.
2. I recommend creating a special topic blog on the “Members Only” page of the SCUU web site. For those not familiar with blogs, this will require some instructions sent out via the “All Users” email distribution.
3. An alternative is the creation of a simply “public” email folder to which folks may submit emails, and then login to read all of the postings (in simple date/time order).
4. Finally, I understand that we may create a special topic or “post” on the SCUU Wow blog to which all others would be invited to comment. I would assume that the “post” would be a neutral statement about the upcoming congregational vote, and an open invitation for everyone to comment and discuss.
Link to the Forum!! http://scuuwow.blogspot.com/2011/10/forum-for-discussing-one-sunday-service.html
“Forums” should include both live, in-person discussions, as well as remote, electronic means of submitting comments and reading others’ responses.
Live, In-Person Forums
1. Coffee Hour discussions, Sunday mornings prior to second service, 10:15-11:15 is recommended, coffee and donuts served. These may be every Sunday, if needed.
2. One forum following the second service, say, 12:30-2:00, this one a “brown bag” event.
3. Each live forum will be invited, but not required, to post comments or position statements in the form of documents on the “Members Only” page of the SCUU web site. These are optional written statements or comments submitted by individual members who attended the forum, or from self-organized groups; not reports on forum discussions.
4. These live forums are intended for face-to-face discussion and dialogue. It is not recommended that minutes or records be kept. Facilitators will set ground rules, and keep timing limitations flowing smoothly. I believe the SCUU covenant is sufficient as a source of ground rules.
Remote, Electronic Forums
1. These are intended to (1) create additional opportunities for members to discuss and dialogue, or at the very least “post” comments, and (2) permit the full membership to read and think about the positions or opinions stated.
2. I recommend creating a special topic blog on the “Members Only” page of the SCUU web site. For those not familiar with blogs, this will require some instructions sent out via the “All Users” email distribution.
3. An alternative is the creation of a simply “public” email folder to which folks may submit emails, and then login to read all of the postings (in simple date/time order).
4. Finally, I understand that we may create a special topic or “post” on the SCUU Wow blog to which all others would be invited to comment. I would assume that the “post” would be a neutral statement about the upcoming congregational vote, and an open invitation for everyone to comment and discuss.
Link to the Forum!! http://scuuwow.blogspot.com/2011/10/forum-for-discussing-one-sunday-service.html
posted by adam_styles at 10:57 AM
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