Embracing Change

A Spiritual Approach

Workshop/Retreat Modules on Spiritually Adapting to Change
and/or Leading Change

1. The Exodus – using the Biblical story of the Exodus as a means and metaphor for exploring spiritually adapting to change, and for common responses to presumably positive change.  Time: ½ hour – 2 hours.

2. Various team building exercises which explore different aspects of change, such as: major life changes, emotional responses to change, taking risks and committing to decisions, dealing with fear, accurately assessing the pros and cons, resiliency, switching teams, overcoming adversity, change creates opportunity for improvement, the good that can come from change, coping with rapid changes, the value of communication when dealing with change, and typical reactions to change.  Time: Each exercise - 15 minutes to 1 hour.

3. Change Responsiveness Style Instrument – an instrument which helps a person to understand their default change responsiveness style (five possible categories: Creator, Progressive, Builder, Foundational, Anchor).  Time: ½ hour – 1½ hour.

4. Conflict Management Style Instrument – an instrument which helps a person to understand their default conflict management style (six possible categories: Persuade, Compel, Avoid/Accommodate, Collaborate, Negotiate, Support).  Includes an exploration of the creative ways Jesus used conflict in His ministry.  Time: ½ hour – 1.5 hours.

5. The Disciples on the Road to Emmaus - using the Biblical story of the Disciples on the Road to Emmaus as a means and metaphor for exploring spiritually adapting to change, and for common responses to presumably negative change.  Also, an exploration of the Eucharistic elements contained in this Biblical story (Mourning/Loss, Word, Invitation, Communion, Mission) – Time: 1 hour – Full day.

6. Why We Resist Change – Exploring the various general reasons why we resist change.  Time: ½ hour.

7. Why We Resist Change in the Church - Exploring the various reasons why we resist change, specifically in the Church.  Time: ½ hour.

8. Appreciative Inquiry – an affirmative method for planning which builds upon assets and successes rather than deficits and failures.  Time: ½ hour – 3 hours.

9. Thriving Through Change – a series of five case studies (Hard Decisions, From Setback To Solution, Lemons Into Lemonade, What’s Our Emphasis?, Spending People Wisely) for use with a leadership or planning team.  Each case study has been designed to help teams deal with some dimension of leadership and change.  Time: (for each case study) 1 – 1½ hours.

10. Managing Change – a series of nine modules (Do We Need To Change?, The Angst Of Change, Are We Ready For Change?, New People, Same Church, Courage To Fulfill God’s Purpose, Change Involves Conflict, Enlarging The Family Church, Is This The Right Change?, The Cost And Payoff Of Growth, and Whose Cheese Is It, Anyway?) for use with leadership and planning teams.  Time: (for each module) 1 – 1½ hours.

11. Spiritual Change Leadership - An exploration of one practical spiritual change leadership process (contains the following elements: prayer, dream team, vision, creative tension, planning the change, planning the transition, communication, implementation, follow up), for use with leadership or planning teams.  Also includes qualities of and preparation for the change leader.  Time: 4-8 hours. 

12. Who Moved My Cheese – a workshop based on the best selling book “Who Moved My Cheese,” by Spencer Johnson, MD.  Time: 4 hours.

13. The LEAP of Faith – a method for adapting to change.  LEAP is an acronym for four of the five principles contained in this method (Learning, Experience, Action, and Prayer). – Time: ½ hour – 1½ hours.

14. Change and the Paschal Mystery – an exploration of how one can use the Paschal mystery as a way of understanding and adapting to inevitable changes. Time: ½ - 1 hour.

15. Change Liturgy – a non-Sacramental prayer ritual designed to help people find spiritual strength in the midst of change. – Time: ¾ hour.

16. Uncovering Our Internal Resistance to Change  - a workshop based on the research of Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey, two Harvard educational psychologists, designed to help individuals and organizations discover the internal mechanism which resists changes that they ostensible which to bring about.  Great for use with planning and leadership teams which are stuck or having difficulty implementing a plan.  Time: 4 hours.

17. An all day retreat for parishes which are transitioning pastors.  Begins with the staff working with the outgoing pastor reminiscing about the past and asking and granting forgiveness, where needed.  At lunch, the incoming pastor joins the staff and the outgoing pastor.  After lunch, the outgoing pastor leaves and the staff works with the incoming pastor, getting to know one another and visioning the future. Time: Full Day.

18. Stumbling in the Light – a workshop designed to help a parish, leadership or planning team develop a sustaining identity during time of change.  Time: 1-3 hours.

19. Encountering God During Times of Change – a three - five day retreat designed to pray our way through changes.  A series of three - five daily talks with resources for prayers and meditation for the rest of the day. Time: - 3 - 5 days.

20. Managing Conflict – workshop designed to give the church leader perspective and tools for dealing with the conflict which naturally arises from change.  Topics covered include: How to Read Our Critics - evaluating what they really mean, Removing the Roadblocks to Unity - 4 barriers to teamwork, Classifying Our Critics - 4 common reactions to church conflict, "God Told Me," how to respond when someone claims divine guidance, Help for handling a conflict between key leaders, The conflict-free church is a myth, My part in the Solution, Change Diplomacy - Steps to take before a major decision, 6 Rules for a Fair Fight, How to keep conflict healthy, How to Handle Criticism.  Time: 3 – 5 hours.