By: Rev. Cindy Gregorson

On Tuesday afternoon, at the 2016 Annual Conference Session, we will engage in holy conferencing to explore how we as Minnesota United Methodists can be a good gift to the world. We will use a form of conversation called “open space” in order to engage as many voices and ideas as possible.
 
In designing an annual conference session that is more young-adult friendly, engaging in a different kind of conversation is one experiment we want to try.
 
You can help in three important ways:

1. Is there a particular issue around which you would like to engage the members of annual conference session as we explore how we can be a good gift to the world? Perhaps it has to do with welcoming refugees. Or maybe it has to do with the still-significant racial divides and discrimination almost 50 years after the passage of Civil Rights legislation. Or maybe you’d like to see us discuss climate change and how the church can engage in creation care. Those are some ideas to get you started. The team designing the open-space conversation is seeking your input to identify the holy conversations stirring in our midst. If there’s an issue you would like to see considered as a topic of conversation, let us know.  Submit topic suggestion

2. Because of the time given to the open-space conversation, we are asking that groups and individuals defer from submitting what would be considered social justice or issue-oriented legislation. For this one year, let’s use the time that would have been spent on these types of petitions to explore whether engaging in a different kind of conversation allows us to consider new possibilities and discover creative action steps. For other types of legislation that require action, the deadline for submission is March 23.  Submit legislation 

3. If you are a member of annual conference, come with an attitude of experimentation as we try something new. We are all learning together, so your willingness to engage in this holy conferencing with an open heart will be most appreciated. Most importantly, we want to hear your voice, so make sure to find your topic of interest and come join the conversation!