Seeing Beyond Tomorrow a Great Beginning

On Saturday, May 5, parish representatives gathered at the College of Southern Idaho's Herrett Center in Twins Falls to explore what they knew about vital worship, irresistible leadership and communication that works. As each entered the door, they walked beneath a young explorer caste in bronze, soaring through the sky on a paper airplane. The sculpture, Journeys of the Imagination, by Gary Lee Price, was an apt image for the work of appreciative inquiry and vision building that filled the day.

Small groups gathered to share their best experiences of worship and communication and to ask one another, in the words of the collect, "What is being raised up"; "What is being made new?" and "What is being brought into perfection as God works out the plan of salvation here in Idaho?" Groups also explored more deeply the topic of irresistible leadership, sharing their experience of leading and being led by leaders that are irresistible because of their ability to raise us up, to help us discover something new within ourselves, and to engage us in God's plan of salvation. As the day progressed and the process unfolded, it became clear that everyone's experience was valued and valuable. Participants began answering the bishop's opening challenge, "What do you want to do in this diocese?" The answers were many but could be summed up in these five wishes.
• We want more connectedness. We want to feel part of something bigger.
• We want to know one another better, to share, to visit, to celebrate together more.
• We want to take more risks in worship and outreach. We want our work of worship to be creative.
• We want to step out more boldly in ministry to youth, in welcoming strangers, in doing the work of mission.
• We want to grow. We want to grow spiritually, numerically, and financially.

This is what we long for. This is what is being raised up by the Spirit among us. So what is new? Perhaps the commitment by each person present to take up their part of this work of the vision God is giving us for salvation in the Diocese of Idaho. Perhaps the permission to dream, to imagine the diocese as God is showing us it could be. Perhaps affirmation from one another that we are strong and capable and willing to be God's faithful people in this place.

The results from the event on May 5th:

• Group results, discovered in small groups and reported the entire workshop.
• Communications wishes, taken from the poster board where they were compiled as a group.
• Three Wishes, taken from the interview responses from Discovery Sunday.