Sewing the Edges Together

Sewing the Edges Together

Maylanne Maybee writes about the gathering of UCC Community and Social Justice Ministers – Sewing the Edges Together:

It was a bit of a leap to go from that meeting to a gathering of community and social justice ministers of the United Church of Canada, June 8-11, 2011 at Canterbury Hills Conference Centre in Ancaster, just outside Hamilton. Since 1992 I have been facilitating these gatherings, organized around the theme of “Energy from the Edges”, using Open Space Technology, a process that allows participants to define and set their own agenda.

This year about 28 community ministers came together from across Canada with a focus on “Energy from Community: Sewing the Edges Together”. Our first evening took place in the midst of a power blackout brought on by a “tornadic storm”, with temperatures in the mid 30s.

To add to the irony of a powerless “energy” event, arrangements had been made for congregations to knit and crochet prayer shawls to show their support for community and social justice ministers. So in sweltering heat with no air conditioning, we gathered for worship around a circle filled with warm and cozy shawls! – submitted by Maylanne Maybee