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Facilitator’s GuidelinesFor 1-Hour Meetings

Updated: June 5, 2014

Responding to the Call: Discerning God’s Direction for a Third Century of Mission

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Notes for the Facilitator...........................................3

Meeting Space and Materials...................................5

Background Information..........................................8

Appreciative Inquiry Overview ..............................11

Agenda .................................................................13

Checklist of Needed Items.....................................16

Media Waiver Form................................................17

Participant Sign-in Form.........................................18

Updated: June 5, 2014 2

Notes for the FacilitatorThis document provides facilitator guidelines for those who will be leading Responding to the Call 1-hour meetings. It includes:

1. Relevant background on the Responding to the Call process.2. Important information about pre-meeting preparation

(including room set-up, materials and equipment needed, and things to do).

3. A detailed agenda and step-by-step instructions for facilitating the meeting.

4. Instructions for how to capture the results of the meeting and how to feed them into the Responding to the Call process.

Materials for the SessionThe following materials have been developed to assist you with the 1-hour meeting: the Facilitator’s Guidelines, the Participant Workbook, and a PowerPoint template. Please review all of these materials to prepare for the session. (Note: All materials are available on the IM website.)

Roles to be FilledThese roles can be filled by one or more persons:

Registrar (if needed) Welcomes and signs in people; hands out name tags; gets Media Waivers signed; etc.

Coordinator Ensures that the room is set up; places supplies on the tables; assists with microphones; captures data through digital photographs and data entry.

Facilitator(s) Plans and facilitates the session; ensures information is captured; ensures that information is sent to IM.


Technical Support Ensures that computer, projector, and sound systems are functioning.

Checklist of Needed ItemsSee page 16 for a listing of the items needed for the 1-hour

meeting.


Sending Results of the Meeting to IMThe following items must be sent to International Ministries after a 1-hour meeting:

Meeting Report Forms (completed by participants in Activity #2).

Facilitator Notes (from Activity #3—optional). Media Waivers and Participant Sign-In Forms. Any digital photos from the event.

Submit all of this to Karen Smith, IM's Lead Facilitator for the Responding to the Call, by email ([email protected]), fax (610-768-2115), or snailmail (P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851). Be certain to include your name and contact information, and when/where/with whom the meeting took place.

Notes for Success Pre-plan. Ensure that the appropriately sized room is

secured, the supplies obtained, and the computer projection and sound equipment are available and functional. Ensure that all roles have been filled.

Ensure that the room is set up and supplies are set on the table at least 30 minutes before participants arrive.

Make a list of all the people attending the meeting and their affiliation with IM. To ensure that the greatest mix of people within each small group is achieved, assign participants to a table. Put table numbers on each table and include the participant’s table number on his/her nametag. If it is not feasible to assign participants to tables ahead of the meeting, then invite people as they enter to mix it up, joining tables with people they do not know and/or with people most unlike themselves in age, gender, race, etc. The more diverse each table, the richer the experience will be!


Timing is crucial. Stay on track with the specified time-table to ensure that all activities are completed. To ensure that activities conclude in a timely manner, consider applauding when the specified time period has elapsed.

Greet guests. During breaks, walk around and talk to the participants. Ensure that they are comfortable with the process. At the end of the session, thank everyone for participating.


Meeting Space and MaterialsFront of the Room

A chair and a small table off to the side for the facilitator and his/her materials. An LCD projector and screen at the front of the room (if desired). The LCD projector should be placed on a small table facing the screen that also has room for a laptop computer. Do not use podiums or anything else that would hide the facilitator from view.

Tables, Chairs, and Seating Arrangements

Round tables create a face-to-face space for good dialogue and interaction among participants. Five-foot rounds with space for six people at each table are ideal for this purpose.

Equipment and Technical Support For larger groups, you will need a good LCD projector, a laptop to hook up to the projector, a projection screen, and a sound system. For ease of mobility, it is helpful to use a lavaliere/lapel microphone for the facilitator and two cordless hand-held microphones for use by participants. You will also need a laptop for the person who will capture the results/output of the meeting. If at all possible, when using technology, have someone knowledgeable about computers and projectors close at hand to assist you with setup and in case anything goes wrong. The only thing more frustrating than interrupting a meeting like this because of a technology snafu is not having anyone available who can fix it!

Signs of Inspiration, Fun, and Vitality Adding a few things to set the stage for these mission conversations can have a big impact on participants. When possible, create a space that communicates something about why we are together. This can be done with a wide range of things, such as inspirational posters and photos of people (including the


mission-minded people in the room!), objects from different places, cultural artifacts from the US, Puerto Rico, and around the world... the sky is the limit! People get curious and their energy rises in anticipation when they walk into a room and are surprised by what they see. A running slide show with images of members of the organization at work on the job or at prior Responding to the Call events (if there have been some) would also be appropriate.

Other Equipment and Materials An eight-foot table at the back of the room on which to put

additional materials and supplies. A table with coffee, water, break food, etc. at the back of

the room or outside the room, whichever works best. A nametag for each person, if name tags are not being

provided by a larger gathering in which this session is embedded.

Media waivers (for participants to sign to give IM the right to take pictures).

Digital camera—or perhaps just your phone—for taking digital photos.

One “Participant Workbook” for each participant. One flipchart, with an easel or stand, and markers.

If Meals/Refreshments Will be Included:Always provide a healthy menu. Healthy food keeps the energy up and gives people a feeling of wellbeing, which in turns stokes the fires of creativity and active participation. Too much sugar and caffeine can trigger cycles of energy followed by late afternoon lethargy. As energy drops, so does enthusiasm for the process and hope in the future.

For Meetings with More than 18 Participants, Please Note the Following:Room Size


The number one consideration in selecting a site is space—the size of the primary meeting room. Regional meetings will require a lot of space. The primary meeting room needs to be able to hold the number of people attending the meeting when seated at round tables of six, plus extra space for a projection screen (if desired), walking around, and so on.

The formula = 144 ft2 for every table of 6 people times 150% for everything else.

(Metric: approx. 13.4 m2 for every table of 6 times 150% for everything else.)

So, for a meeting of 48 people (8 tables of 6 people each), the calculation would be:


US(ft2)

Metric

(m2)Number of Tables 8 8Area Needed 144 13.4Extra Space Allocation

150%

150%

Total Space1,72

8 161

Note: Facilities will try to tell you that for a group of 48 people; you don’t need 1,700 square feet (160 square meters) because they think in terms of their normal categories (banquet style-seating, theater-style seating, classroom-style seating, etc). They are mistaken. For 48 people, you will need 1,700 square feet (160 square meters). Do not compromise on this.

Room Shape

Square rooms work best. They allow participants to see the facilitator and each other. The room should have windows, good lighting, temperature control, a good sound system (if over 30 people), and no visual barriers. The facilitator and the front of the room need to be visible to everyone. All participants should be able to clearly see all working areas of the room and to hear all speakers, no matter where they are standing


Background InformationSpiritual Discernment and Strategic PlanningFrom conception to consummation, mission is the work of God. It springs from God’s initiative, is guided by God’s Spirit, and is accomplished through God’s power. At the same time, the Lord has chosen to call women and men to play a vital role in this divine mission.

Consequently, to explore the way forward for our participation in the mission of Jesus Christ is to listen for the voice of God and to discern the leading of the Holy Spirit. That is why Responding to the Call is best understood not simply as a strategic planning process, but as an exercise in spiritual discernment.

Purpose of the Responding to the Call ProcessThe purpose of the Responding to the Call process is to discern and articulate a fresh vision of how International Ministries will serve the mission of Jesus Christ, together with the values, priorities, and goals that will guide the work of IM for 2015-2020.

Jesus' command to make disciples of all peoples kindled a fire in the hearts of Ann and Adoniram Judson. That fire led American Baptists to come together as a national movement 200 years ago and form the mission organization now known as American Baptist International Ministries (IM).

For two centuries, God has graciously sustained IM and used it as an instrument to advance the mission of Jesus Christ. The best way to honor what God has done so far is to commit ourselves to join in what God will do next. So, as we celebrate God's faithfulness in the past, we seek a fresh word from the Lord for the future. We want to hear, as John puts it, “what the Spirit is saying to the churches” (Revelation 2:7).

We believe that God calls to International Ministries not in isolation, but together with those with whom we are privileged to share the mission of Jesus Christ, both around the world and


across the United States and Puerto Rico. We believe the Spirit of God will call IM into God's future as we listen to the voices of fellow servants of Christ with whom we share this present moment. As the African proverb tell us: "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with others." In the service of Christ's mission in the world, IM wants to go far.

The eternal God's saving, redeeming purposes in mission remain constant: to bless all the families of the earth, to bring the nations to the obedience of faith, to gather up all creation under the Lordship of Jesus Christ (Genesis 12, Romans 16, Ephesians 1). In every age and context, the Lord pursues these purposes with amazing flexibility and creativity. IM seeks the renewal of its mission vision in order to respond faithfully to our creative, flexible, faithful Lord.

Trajectory of Responding to the CallIn 1998-1999, IM used a very similar discernment process to develop the vision known as Go Global. Originally framed as a vision for ten years, Go Global needed to be adjusted and adapted twice to respond to the tumultuous experiences of 2000-2010. But the core principles of Go Global have continued to be an effective guide for IM's work to this day.

Because our experience confirms the lasting value of careful listening, IM is dedicating significant time and energy to the Responding to the Call discernment process. We expect the core vision elements that God gives IM through this process will guide us longer than the specific goals and objectives that will be articulated for the period from 2015 to 2020.

IM will engage in spiritual discernment conversations with stakeholders (partners in mission throughout the American Baptist movement and around the world) during 2014 and early 2015. The fruit of these conversations will be studied, prayed over, and reflected upon by a Discernment Team, itself composed of people from across the spectrum of stakeholders. The Discernment Team will present its work—a fresh articulation of


vision and goals for the work of IM for 2015-2020—to IM's Board of Directors in June 2015.

DeliverablesThe deliverables at the end of this process will include:

A shared statement of vision, priorities, goals, and operational plan for the work of IM for 2015-2020

Deepened mission relationships throughout the entire partnership network in which God has placed IM for the sake of Christ's mission.

The release of fresh energies into the transforming work of Jesus Christ in our world.


Key ConstituenciesResponding to the Call is designed to be a highly consultative process that engages multiple constituencies, including:

leaders of American Baptist regional and national mission bodies;

pastors, mission leaders and mission supporters in local congregations throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico;

leaders of partner conventions, agencies and ministries all around the world;

the Directors of IM; all those who dedicate their lives and energies to the work

God does through IM, whether as employees or as volunteers.

Stakeholder voices will be sought through interviews with individuals and groups, web-based surveys, and three summit gatherings scheduled for July 2014 at the Green Lake Conference Center: July 15-17, All Staff Gathering; July 19-21, International Partner Consultation; July 24, World Mission Conference. An interview guide and instructions are also available on the IM website, so that any group can organize their own informal meeting and make a contribution to Responding to the Call.

The Discernment Team will receive the results of all these conversations and, through much prayer and reflection, will articulate the fresh vision for mission that God gives to IM through this process.

Calendar of Key Events Advisory and Implementation Team Meetings: January and

April, 2014 Interviews at Emerge/Orientation to AB Life: January 2014 ABC region interviews: Spring 2014 Online survey participation: April - August 2014 First Discernment Team Meeting: May 20-21, 2014 Green Lake Summits with stakeholder groups: July 2014 Second Discernment Team Meeting: September 16-17, 2014


ABC region interviews: Fall 2014 Third Discernment Team Meeting: January 20-21, 2015 ABC region interviews: Spring 2015 Fourth Discernment Team Meeting: April 21-22, 2015 IM Board of Directors inaugurates new vision and priorities:

June 2015 IM Directors & staff complete the operationalization of new

plan: March 2016


Appreciative Inquiry OverviewWhat is Appreciative Inquiry?Responding to the Call is built around appreciative inquiry, an approach to organization change that has been used successfully in small and large change projects with hundreds of organizations worldwide.

Appreciative inquiry is based on the simple idea that organizations move in the direction of what they ask questions about. For example, when groups study human problems and conflicts, they often find that both the number and severity of these problems grow. In the same way, when groups study high human ideals and achievements—such as peak experiences, best practices, and noble accomplishments—these phenomena, too, tend to flourish. Thus, appreciative inquiry distinguishes itself from other change methodologies by deliberately asking positive questions to ignite constructive dialogue and inspired action within organizations.

The positive and hopeful approach of AI is particularly well suited to an organization like IM that seeks to be faithful to the call of God. In the first place, AI fits well with Paul's invitation to the Philippian believers: "Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things" (Philippians 4:8). In the second place, the AI commitment to include all voices fits well with the recognition that followers of Jesus belong to one another and depend upon mutual exercise of the gifts that God distributes among all members of the Body of Christ.

How is Appreciative Inquiry Used?As a method of organizational intervention, appreciative inquiry differs from traditional problem-solving approaches. The basic assumption of problem-solving methodologies is that people and


organizations are fundamentally “broken” and need to be fixed. The process usually involves: (1) identifying the key problems; (2) analyzing the root causes; (3) searching for possible solutions; and (4) developing an action plan.

In contrast, the underlying assumption of appreciative inquiry is that people and organizations are by nature full of assets, capabilities, resources, and strengths that are just waiting to be located, affirmed, stretched, and encouraged. The steps include: (1) discovering and valuing; (2) envisioning; (3) designing through dialogue; and (4) co-constructing the future. In other words, the appreciative inquiry 4-D model includes discovery, dream, design, and destiny.

In keeping with this appreciative approach, the questions in the interview guide focus on discovering and building on the times when IM and its partners have been at their best. This means uncovering the forces and factors through which God gives life to their ministries and partnerships when they are most vibrant, effective, successful, and healthy in relation to the whole system of stakeholders.

Even though the questions are appreciative in nature, sometimes you will find interviewees going down a negative path. If this occurs, acknowledge the negative perspective and then encourage the interviewees to focus on “what they really want” rather than what they “don’t want.” Help them to tap into their dreams and aspirations for moving forward. For example:


"I see your point about X, Y, or Z being a problem. From your perspective, what would it take to transform this situation? What is your image of the ideal? What could we do to make this possible?"

“I hear you saying that X, Y, or Z is a problem. Tell me about an experience where this was done well. How was it done? What did you, others, and the organization do to make this possible?”


Agenda Overview

10 minutes Welcome, Devotions, Overview of the Responding to the Call Process; Purpose, Objectives, and Agenda for the Meeting

30 minutes Opening Dialogue: IM at its Best - Past, Present, and Future (Individual Interviews, Activity #1)

10 minutes Complete Meeting Report Form (Each Participant, Activity #2).

10 minutes Share Key Themes and Dreams in Large Group (Large Group, Activity #3)

Agenda Detail

10 minutes Welcome, Introductions, Prayers

Welcome and Opening Prayero Welcome people.o Introduce the people filling the various roles.o Briefly describe the purpose of the meeting

(Participant Workbook, page 3).o Give thanks to God and pray for the leading

of the Spirit.

Describe the Responding to the Call process (Facilitator’s Guidelines, pages 8-10/Participant Workbook, pages 4-6).


Introduce Appreciative Inquiry (Facilitator’s Guidelines, pages 11-12/Participant Workbook, pages 7-8).

Review the meeting agenda (Facilitator’s Guidelines, page 13/Participant Workbook, page 3).

30 minutes Activity #1: IM at its Best: Past, Present, and Future

Individual Interviews (Participant Workbook, pages 9-11)

Invite people to pair up with the person “most different from themselves”

Ask them to conduct interviews – 15 minutes/person

Explain there are 3 interview questions Ask interviewers to take good notes Ask everyone to finish in 30 minutes

10 minutes Activity #2: Complete Meeting Report Form

Individual Activity (Participant Workbook, page 12)

Ask each person to complete the Meeting Report Form, located at the back of the Workbook packet.

10 minutes Activity #3: Sharing of Key Themes and Dreams

Large Group Activity (Participant Workbook, page 12)


Invite people to identify the themes, patterns, and surprises that they heard in their interview—particularly as it relates to what gives life, health, and vitality to IM when it’s at its best and hopes, dreams, and wishes for the future. Have participants share this briefly with the group, “popcorn style” (i.e., participants shouting out answers as they have them).

Write this information on a flipchart at the front of the room as it is shared. Then use this information to complete the Facilitator’s Notes form (Facilitator’s Guidelines, page 15).

Adjourn


FACILITATOR’S NOTES (ACTIVITY #3):1 HOUR MEETINGS

Please share the group’s contributions to Activity #3. (Table cells will expand as you type.) These notes will be of great value to the Responding to the Call discernment process.DATE:FACILITATOR’S NAME:EVENT NAME:EVENT LOCATION:What themes, patterns, and surprises did participants hear in their interviews—particularly as it relates to what gives life, health, and vitality to IM when it’s at its best and the future of International Ministries?

FREE-FORM: If you learned anything else—or had a new thought/insight yourself—during the interview and you want to share it, please do!

After the Meeting:

Collect all of the items and information listed on page 4. Send these to Karen Smith, IM's Lead Facilitator for Responding to the Call, by email ([email protected]), fax (610-768-2115), or snailmail (P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851).


Checklist of Needed ItemsTechnical Equipment:

LCD ProjectorLaptop to hook up to the projectorProjection ScreenSound Systems for Groups over 30.1

Laptop for Person Capturing Results of the MeetingDigital Camera for Capturing Meeting Activity and Results

1 For ease of mobility, use a lavaliere/lapel microphone for the facilitator(s) and two cordless hand-held microphones for participants.

Facilitator Needs & Other:Chairs and a Small Table for Facilitator(s) and his/her MaterialAn 8-ft. Table at the Back of Room for Additional MaterialA Table with Coffee, Water, Break Food at the Back of RoomA flipchart, with an easel or stand, and markers

Material/Items Needed at Each Table:One “Participant Workbook” for each personA copy of the Participant Sign-in Form, to capture the name of all participants and their association with IM (page 17)A name tag for each person (if applicable)Media waivers to be signed by each participant granting IM the right to take and use the participant’s picture (page 16)


Media Waiver

Responding to the Call Discernment Process

Thank you for giving your energy and time to global mission by taking part in the Responding to the Call discernment process! We may use photographs/video to promote or report on these activities. Your personal information will not be shared.

By signing below I hereby give International Ministries permission to use photographs/video of me as a result of my participation in this Responding to the Call event and to copyright the same. These photographs/videos may be used without identification of me by name in future publicity and communications of International Ministries for an indefinite period of time.

Further, I agree that International Ministries shall not be held responsible for any injury to me or damage to my personal property relating to use of said photographs/video.

Participant name (print)

Signature Date

Phone Email


Participant Sign-In Form

Responding to the Call Discernment Process

Please give us your name and mission experience/relationship with International Ministries (check all that apply).

Name MissionTrip?

International Volunteer?

MPTMember?

MissionSupporter?

Other?


Updated: June 5, 2014

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