Many of you have questions about the announced departure of Rev Joe as our minister. The Board of Trustees welcomes you to attend a Listening Circle this Saturday, March 22 from 2:00-3:00 in the sanctuary and on Zoom. (To attend by Zoom, click here.)

The Listening Circle is another opportunity to share your concerns, listen to others in the congregation, and engage people in fostering healthy communication in this transitional time.

A Listening Circle works a bit differently than a coffee chat in that we are seated in a circle and each person will have an opportunity to express concerns and ask questions, which are then written on a flip chart sheet. Once everyone has had an opportunity to share their concerns or ask questions, the questions will be addressed by Board members to the greatest extent possible. After that, the circle is repeated so that participants have the opportunity to respond to the answers given.

Confidentiality is an important covenant of every participant in a Listening Circle, and everyone agrees to listen respectfully and maintain the confidentiality of everyone who participates. Basically, what’s said in the room stays in the room. Confidentiality is required to be maintained around personnel matters as well, but please know that what can be shared will be shared.

The Board has received some negative comments already about the nature of the departure of Rev Joe, and the trust that has been placed in the Board as it worked through the process of Rev. Joe’s negotiated resignation. In the Listening Circle we will humbly work through the processes of working together towards forgiveness and restoration.

Listening Circles are a common practice in Restorative Justice work, and several members of our congregation have been trained to facilitate them. Restorative work is about these goals:

• How can we make this relationship right?
• How can we address whatever harm has happened?
• How can we restore the covenant between us?

The facilitators have some ground rules to guide the process, and will expect all present in the Listening Circle to abide by these guidelines:

• To make sure the parties are entering voluntarily and willingly, and be open to hear other’s perspectives by being openhearted, mindful of boundaries, and avoiding judgment.
• To make sure that their intention is to restore right relations and re-enter the covenant, and not to use the Listening Circle as an arbiter of who is right/wrong and establish punishment.
• To make sure that their intention is not to get their way, exact vengeance or be vindicated.
• To make sure that the parties understand that a breach of a covenant does not mean the covenant is gone. It is still there and our intention is to help you return to it.
• To make sure there is willingness to surrender to the process that privileges the needs of the community over the needs of the individual, which is the spirit of the Covenant to create Beloved Community.

The Board wants to create a safe container for everyone who feels concerned to process feelings, and wants to offer everyone an opportunity to be heard. We sincerely hope that you will join us in loving community to hear and support one another in this difficult time.

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You can reach Board members by email at board@uusaratoga.org