Beginning in 2019, the Center for Courage & Renewal invited people in ministry to participate in one of 5 Circle of Trust cohorts as part of a program called “Flourishing in Ministry.” This program was designed to help leaders explore their inner life and their public presence in all kinds of ministry settings, in a wide array of traditions and denominations, and in states all across the country. In 2020, just as cohorts were being formed, the pandemic forced a move to online retreats. 4 mixed cohorts and one specifically for Women of Color created new, online schedules and experiences. Each cohort had time in retreat and time in smaller, peer learning groups over 12 months.
With a bit of irony one participant joked in early 2021 that it was indeed a fine time – in the middle of a pandemic – to explore the meaning of “flourishing.” But what was witnessed, and what the participants and facilitators on this video name, is how important the Circle of Trust Touchstones and community were to create safe, intimate and empowering relationships.
This video will explore the power of community, small group work, and the impact these retreats and the relationships formed during them, has on individuals in their own ministry, and its potential impact across congregations and communities of all kinds.
