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Addressing Congregational Conflict November 15th, 2003

US religious congregations reflect significant changes in American society – changing neighborhoods, changing views on traditional values, economic pressures and global anxiety. A recent landmark study of US congregations indicated that healthy congregations that are dealing with change are inevitably involved in conflict.

Plowshares staff, with support from the Peacemaking Program of the United Presbyterian Church, USA, has led several intensive programs to equip clergy and lay leaders with skills of conflict transformation. This approach to addressing conflict seeks to use the significant energy of conflict to fuel constructive change in individuals, relationships and structures.

In October Plowshares worked with some 175 members of the Synod of California and Hawaii (a regional subdivision of Presbyterian churches) who devoted a major portion of their annual meeting to hone their skills of communication, analyzing congregational conflict, and approaches to problem solving. Four members of CERJ (Christians Empowering for Reconciliation with Justice), who were part of a national Plowshares program, served as coaches and co-facilitators: Nancy and Stan Moore, Mark Jones, and Dennis Westbrook, director of the Los Angeles-based CERJ program.

In August Plowshares led a week-long course at Ghost Ranch, the Presbyterian Study Center in New Mexico. The course was co-facilitated by Bob and Alice Evans for Plowshares, with leadership support from Dwight Lundgren, Director of the Office of Reconciliation of the American Baptist Church, and Sara Lisherness, Director of the Peacemaking Office of the Presbyterian Church. Participants came from Hong Kong, New Zealanad, and US states from Maryland and Georgia to Washington and California. The course included Bible study, mediation training, networking, sharing personal and professional resources, and reflection on national and global conflicts.