Building Bridges (formerly “Talking Across a Divide”)
Dear Friends,
Excerpted from The Peace Center’s 2020 workshop Talking Across a Divide, which was offered as part of Pennsylvania Inauguration Committee’s 2021 MLK Day of Service, Building Bridges will explore the basics of and differences between communication and dialogue. They are not always the same!
From kindergarten through elementary school, most students learn how to build friendships in the classroom by using their words, developing shared interests, and finding common ground. Then middle and high school happen. We learn and practice the art of debate. Our communications often devolve into a winner-loser approach. We entrench. We lose opportunities to build bridges. We can unlearn this!
Danny Thomas, Executive Director of the Peace Center and I spoke about the need for helpful conversations and dialogue in these challenging times. As Dean I’ve heard from Cathedral members, their desire to work on finding ways to have constructive and helpful training.
We are proposing three sessions: March 16th, 23rd and 30th, following Mass at coffee hour. Are you willing to commit approximately forty five minutes for each?
Participants will develop styles and strategies for more effective communication.
Participants will:
- Review communication modes
- Learn (reflect) personal style
- Practice active listening
- Develop strategies to “reclaim” positive interactions
In addition to being chosen by the PA Inauguration Committee as a statewide recommended workshop, Pride In the Pews and McCormick Seminary welcomed The Peace Center to Chicago to share this program to assist predominantly black and brown congregations nationwide to have conversations with and around LGBTQIA+ topics and concerns.
The Peace Center has conducted this workshop as a 7-hour spiritual formation retreat, as well as its 2.5 hour workshop.
At Trinity Cathedral, we will divide the program over 3 sessions. Even though the sessions build upon each other, missing one session will not put you too far from catching on and catching up (although we will not go back and review the sessions that you missed.)
Danny L. Thomas is the Executive Director of The Peace Center, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to building bridges and mitigating conflicts between individuals, within schools, and with communities (www.thepeacecenter.org). They are located in Langhorne, PA (Bucks County). Building Peace: One Person, One School, One Community at a Time
Danny is professionally trained in conflict management skills. His primary focus is reconciliation and bridge building, especially around the issues of racial, economic, and educational disparity. Prior to The Peace Center, Danny served several communities in New Jersey as a pastor. The congregations he has led have become active change agents and advocates in their communities. He holds a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Virginia Tech. He has also done graduate work in HR/Organizational Development and Environmental Toxicology. He is trained specifically in Inhalation Toxicology, Developmental Behavior/Ethology, as well as Pastoral Care/Counseling, and Grief and Bereavement. He has served as a training director in a multinational corporation as well as developing leaders in the non-profit sector.
For more information, please see me on Sundays or call the Cathedral office.
Faithfully,
The Very Reverend René John
Dean