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Converge Conversations are online gatherings where we focus on a particular topic or question relevant to youth ministry and seek to draw out the wisdom in the group, and be a space for the sharing of best practice, emerging trends and fresh ideas.
01
Young people and loneliness
In this Converge Conversation, we explored the question ‘Is youth ministry the answer to the loneliness epidemic facing our young people today?’ Mindful of the sobering statistics around how many young people are struggling with loneliness and social dislocation, how might healthy youth ministries be places where young people find life-giving friendships?
02
Leading in uncertainty
While we may have emerged from the craziness of the COVID season, many things remain uncertain. A lot has changed, and we have a sense of instability and anxiety in our culture as a result. Are we now in a new normal, or will things change back? or are there more changes to come? What could it mean to lead in this kind of uncertainty?
In this Converge Conversation, we hear from Kate Dunstan-Brown on her experiences of leading young people in these uncertain times, and we take some time to share with each other about our own experiences.
03
Facilitating non fear based conversations on diverse gender and sexuality
How do we engage people in conversations around gender and sexuality in ways that are healthy and non-judgemental.
In this Converge Conversation, we look at 7 things Jesus did in his spiritual conversations with people, and see if they have anything to teach us about how we can have positive conversations with young people around diverse gender and sexuality.
04
Finding People Growing People
In this Converge Conversation we ask 'Where are all the volunteers?', and 'How do we find the next generation of leadership? ' Emerging from COVID, youth workers and clergy have more than once asked this question, as it seems the pipeline has slowed to a trickle.
How can we help those who are with us continue to grow in their ministry, and how do we support their development as leaders?
05
Beyond Black Summer
Trav Johnson from Access the Story hosts a Converge Conversation on a new resource he's developed called 'Beyond Black Summer'. In it, he takes the phases and principles of disaster recovery and applies them to a leadership context.
As we seek to support other leaders in thinking and planning in a Covid world of disruption and trauma, is there a framework that might assist them in identifying their loss, and exploring the possibility of what's next? What can it look like to move from a 'state of emergency' posture, and into a considered and deliberate posture of 'recovery'?