Imagine sitting at a table of 6-8 people you don’t really know and sharing in a conversation. The topic is related to how your faith or spirituality influences your life. You might be at a table with others from different congregations: Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Baha’i, with possibly an atheist, a Wiccan and maybe someone who doesn’t identify with any specific faith.
Imagine having a conversation from the heart, where you feel comfortable to stay silent, just listening or to share an opinion you’ve not shared with others before. This isn’t a surface conversation about the weather or sports. It’s a personal conversation about a simple topic that can affect people at a profoundly deep level.
After a typical stressful or hectic day, imagine having the opportunity to really connect with others – to feel truly heard and to listen to others in a meaningful exchange. This is a safe, respectful environment where there’s no pressure to be a certain way. There is a trained table host at each table to guide the process. You don’t have to prepare anything ahead of time; the only thing you need to bring is your own true self.
People talk about feeling inspired, rejuvenated or at peace with their personal struggle by the time they leave. Often there are personal insights, discoveries or new perspectives explored.
In the last six months, I’ve felt particularly grateful for the opportunity to hold our Red Bench events at various congregations. It’s been delightful to meet people from the Baha’i Community, feel at home at First United Methodist Church, learn about the Raindrop Foundation and feel welcomed at Congregation Agudas Achim.
Our next Red Bench will be another special event as we visit the Fo Guang Shan Xiang Yun Temple located ay 6720 N Capital of Texas Highway. Please mark your calendars, invite your friends and join us as we share the topic of “gratitude.”
Please click here to RSVP for The Red Bench conversation on May 27th.
May 21st for Red Bench Host Training
Red Bench could not happen without our trained hosts! Having someone at each table to guide the process and ensure the agreements are upheld makes all the difference to our participants, especially those who are new to the Red Bench process.
Hosts have shared that the training deepens the Red Bench experience for them. For me personally, it is an honor to be a table host. Being more involved gives me the opportunity to reflect on the topic more and to see how the topic works, or doesn’t, through the course of my life.
The Red Bench process was developed based on years of experience in dialogue and was customized for our purposes. The Red Bench training allows participants to understand the process and the underlying intention of each round of the dialogue. It provides hosts with a tool for holding safe, respectful conversations.
Being trained as a Red Bench table host is a way of being more involved with Red Bench and assisting in the growth of the program. We hope you’ll join us and take your Red Bench experience to the next level!
If you would like to attend The Red Bench Host Training, please click here to RSVP.
written by Karen O’Neal, The Red Bench Committee Chair and Member of iACT’s Boards of Directors
