<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class="">Good go Marshall, should be an interesting and promising event. My take on the UMC is that it went off the rails a while back by adopting a business model, more members - more money, disguised behind the notion of making disciples. Unfortunately, few had any real training in what the Xian faith was all about. Fortunately, there are clergy and congregations striving to live the faith. We have a growing number of reconciling congregations in the Austin area (plus several sanctuary congregations) and some clergy and laity who are making quite a witness. Sadly the Bishops and “leaders” with a few exceptions are lagging and tied to a failing model. We have a Presbyterian church in our neighborhood, St. Andrews, Jim Rigby, pastor, who currently houses an immigrant family and is inclusive.<div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Let us know how the conversation comes out.</div><div class=""><br class=""><div class="">
<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class="">George Holcombe<br class=""><a href="mailto:geowanda1@me.com" class="">geowanda1@me.com</a><br class=""><br class="">"Whatever the problem, community is the answer. There is no power greater than a community discovering what it cares about." Margaret Wheatley<br class=""><br class=""></div>
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<div><br class=""><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div class="">On Oct 20, 2017, at 12:20 PM, W. J. via OE <<a href="mailto:oe@lists.wedgeblade.net" class="">oe@lists.wedgeblade.net</a>> wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><div class=""><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml><o:OfficeDocumentSettings><o:AllowPNG/><o:PixelsPerInch>96</o:PixelsPerInch></o:OfficeDocumentSettings></xml><![endif]--><div class=""><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: "times new roman", "new york", times, serif; font-size: 24px;" class=""><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_66785" class="">Sometimes, even after we're been put out to pasture, the old guard is called upon to teach our tried and true old stuff to a new crowd.</div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_67982" class="">So here's my latest simplified take on how to structure a movie conversation--boiled down from the Golden Pathways, but with a few updates ("Where did you see transformation in the movie?").</div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_68129" class="">Turns out there wasn't anything this simple in the archives that I could find.</div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_68120" class="">So tonight I'm facilitating a planning/screening group that will develop a film discussion series for a local church.</div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_68179" class="">Given that it's a UMC--with all the angst and cultural warfare that's been swamping us--the topic will be 'human sexuality.'</div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_68198" class="">Next Wednesday we kick off the series with a screening of <a class="edited-link-editor enhancr2_f0a37a5e-c5da-9149-db04-2d0735c98de3" href="http://www.anactoflovefilm.com/" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_68380">An Act of Love</a>.</div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_68402" dir="ltr" class="">Here's the key conversation questions I came up with (for Methodists who are moved to show the film):<br class=""></div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72139" class=""><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72140" class=""><font id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72141" size="3" class="">What for you was the key human issue in the film? (get a variety of answers from across the group)<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72142" class=""></font></b></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72143" class=""><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72144" class=""><font id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72145" size="3" class="">What triggered the underlying conflict in this church?</font></b></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72146" class=""><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72147" class=""><font id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72148" size="3" class="">What was this conflict <i id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72149" class="">really</i> about? (push for deeper insights here)<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72150" class=""></font></b></div><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72151" class=""><font id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72152" size="3" class="">How was the conflict handled or <i id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72153" class="">not</i> handled by the conference leadership? <br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72154" class=""></font></b><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72155" class=""><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72156" class=""><font id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72157" size="3" class="">How did you respond emotionally to the film?</font></b></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72158" class=""><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72159" class=""><font id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72160" size="3" class="">What emotions did you notice?</font></b></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72161" class=""><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72162" class=""><font id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72163" size="3" class="">Did you feel sleepy? wide awake? distracted? uncomfortable? upset? bored? relaxed? on the edge of your seat? or what?</font></b></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72164" class=""><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72165" class=""><font id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72166" size="3" class="">What in the film made you feel that way?<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72167" class=""></font></b></div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72168" class=""><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72169" class=""><font id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72170" size="3" class="">Where did you notice the group's emotional response?<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72171" class=""></font></b></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72172" class=""><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72173" class=""><font id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72174" size="3" class="">How would you be a reconciling presence in Frank Shaefer's church?</font></b></div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72175" class=""><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72176" class=""><font id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72177" size="3" class="">Imagine
that you are the bishop. As a minister of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18),
what would you say to the members of this church who were opposed to
Frank Shaefer?</font></b></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72178" class=""><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72179" class=""><font id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72180" size="3" class="">As
a bishop, how would you honor a rule in the Discipline with which you
fundamentally disagree? (incongruence/paradox/double bind)<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72181" class=""></font></b></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72182" class=""><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72183" class=""><font id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72184" size="3" class="">Where did you see transformation in the film?</font></b></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72185" class=""><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72186" class=""><font id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72187" size="3" class="">Where did you see hope in the film?</font></b></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72188" class=""><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72189" class=""><font id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72190" size="3" class="">Where did you see Divine Activity (or the work of the Holy Spirit) happening in the film?</font></b></div><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72191" class=""><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72192" class=""><font id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72193" size="3" class="">What do you see as Frank Shaefer's true calling? What did he discover about God's intention for him?<br id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72194" class=""></font></b></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72195" class=""><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72196" class=""><font id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72197" size="3" class="">What have you realized about your true calling?</font></b></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72198" class=""><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72199" class=""><font id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_72200" size="3" class="">What has deepened your understanding of your true calling?</font></b></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_68420" class=""><br class=""></div><div id="enhancr2_f0a37a5e-c5da-9149-db04-2d0735c98de3" class=" ymail-preserve-class ymail-preserve-style yahoo-link-enhancr-card" style="max-width:400px;font-family:'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" data-url="http://www.anactoflovefilm.com/" data-type="yenhancr" data-category="website" data-embed-url="" data-size="medium" dir="ltr" contenteditable="false"> <a href="http://www.anactoflovefilm.com/" style="text-decoration: none !important;" class="yahoo-enhancr-cardlink" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_68439"> <table class="card-wrapper yahoo-ignore-table" style="max-width:400px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_68438" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"> <tbody id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_68437" class=""><tr id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_68436" class=""> <td id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_68435" width="400" class=""> <table class="card yahoo-ignore-table" style="max-width:400px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_68434" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"> <tbody id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_68433" class=""><tr id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_68432" class=""> <td class="card-primary-image-cell" style="background:#000 url('https://s.yimg.com/vv//api/res/1.2/J2QvgN_3ybGhoQGUJCP4WA--~A/YXBwaWQ9bWFpbDtmaT1maWxsO2g9MjAwO3c9NDAw/https://static.wixstatic.com/media/57494d_8bcd026e8ff6483997a6b71bcf1869b1%7Emv2.jpg.cf.jpg') no-repeat center center;background-size:cover;height:200px;position:relative;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_68431" valign="top" bgcolor="#000000" background="https://s.yimg.com/vv//api/res/1.2/J2QvgN_3ybGhoQGUJCP4WA--~A/YXBwaWQ9bWFpbDtmaT1maWxsO2g9MjAwO3c9NDAw/https://static.wixstatic.com/media/57494d_8bcd026e8ff6483997a6b71bcf1869b1%7Emv2.jpg.cf.jpg"> <!--[if gte mso 9]><v:rect fill="true" stroke="false" style="width:400px;height:218px;position:absolute;top:0;left:0;"><v:fill type="frame" color="#000000" src="https://s.yimg.com/vv//api/res/1.2/J2QvgN_3ybGhoQGUJCP4WA--~A/YXBwaWQ9bWFpbDtmaT1maWxsO2g9MjAwO3c9NDAw/https://static.wixstatic.com/media/57494d_8bcd026e8ff6483997a6b71bcf1869b1%7Emv2.jpg.cf.jpg"/></v:rect><![endif]--> <table class="yahoo-ignore-table" valign="top" style="width:100%;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_68430" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"> <tbody id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_68429" class=""><tr id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_68428" class=""> <td style="background:transparent url('https://s.yimg.com/nq/storm/assets/enhancrV2/12/overlay-tile.png') repeat left top;height:200px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_68427" valign="top" bgcolor="transparent" background="https://s.yimg.com/nq/storm/assets/enhancrV2/12/overlay-tile.png" class=""> <!--[if gte mso 9]><v:rect fill="true" stroke="false" style="width:400px;height:218px;position:absolute;top:-18px;left:0;"><v:fill type="pattern" color="#000000" src="https://s.yimg.com/nq/storm/assets/enhancrV2/12/overlay-tile.png"/><v:textbox inset="0,0,20px,0"><![endif]--> <table class="yahoo-ignore-table" style="width:100%;height:185px;min-height:185px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_68426" height="185"> <tbody class=""><tr class=""> <td class="card-richInfo2" style="text-align:left;text-align:left;padding:15px 0 0 15px;vertical-align:top;"> </td> <td class="card-actions" style="text-align:right;padding:15px 15px 0 0;vertical-align:top;"> <div class="card-share-container"></div> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <!--[if gte mso 9]></v:textbox></v:rect><![endif]--> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr class=""> <td class=""> <table class="card-info yahoo-ignore-table" style="background:#fff;position:relative;z-index:2;width:95%;max-width:380px;border:1px solid #e0e4e9;border-bottom:3px solid #000000;margin-top:-40px;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" align="center"> <tbody class=""><tr class=""> <td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:16px 0 16px 12px;vertical-align:top;" class=""> </td> <td style="vertical-align:middle;padding:16px 12px;width:99%;" class=""> <h2 class="card-title" style="font-size: 16px; line-height:19px; margin:0 0 4px 0;font-family:'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;word-break:break-word;">An Act of Love Film</h2> <div class="card-description" style="font-size:11px;line-height:15px;color:#999;word-break:break-word;">"An Act of Love" (2015) is an award-winning documentary about Rev. Frank Schaefer and the divisions in...</div> </td> <td style="text-align:right;padding:16px 12px 16px 0;" class=""> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> </a></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508502076017_68220" class="">Marshall<br class=""></div></div></div>_______________________________________________<br class="">OE mailing list<br class=""><a href="mailto:OE@lists.wedgeblade.net" class="">OE@lists.wedgeblade.net</a><br class="">http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/oe-wedgeblade.net<br class=""></div></blockquote></div><br class=""></div></body></html>