Joe Ramsay

Living Waters Presbytery – Clusters and Networks

During the fall of 2017, Allan Reeve and I have been the consultants for Living Waters Presbytery to begin developing a culture of congregational collaboration through "clusters and networks." In less than one year, Presbyteries and Conferences in the United Church of Canada will be replaced by Regions. The mandate of the Regions will NOT include helping congregations and local ministries work collaboratively. That will be up to local churches and members. The Clustering and Networking Project was initiated by Living Waters Presbytery to help local churches prepare for this change. Over the coming year Allan and I will help Living [...]

Creating Sacred Conversations

From an article recently posted on the United Church of Canada website:   Joe Ramsay and Allan Reeve are big fans of talking. Not just casual dialogue, but focused dialogue that explores specific issues. For the last year, these two United Church ministers have been leading “Sacred Conversations” in Ottawa and in the Bay of Quinte Conference. These “conversations that matter” involve both lay and clergy members, allowing participants to get to know each other better and explore complex issues in a structured, respectful environment. ... Joe says he and Allan are using a three-step process to involve more people [...]

Hosting Sacred Conversations – Kingston

What if we learned new ways to host conversations that mattered? This past July, I co-hosted a learning event sponsored by the Transformation Fund at Kingston’s Providence Spirituality Centre. Twenty participants enjoyed three days of conversations that mattered. The church is a place where our stories get heard. The church is a place where we feel listened to, known, and appreciated for the gifts we offer to the wider good. This is the heart of church. But instead of sharing these storied gifts in the wider community we too often find ourselves spending more and more energy working just to keep […]