PEACEMAKER CONFERENCE @ CCC:

Every congregation experiences a time when conflict arrives at the door.  It comes in many forms, but it does arrive.  It is inescapable, but the critical question is – “How do we deal with conflict?”  From hurt feelings between members or members & pastors, differing perceptions of who really has authority, the worship style – contemporary or traditional, or when an “outside” leader and an “inside” culture clash – conflict happens. Some conflict provides energy and generates ideas, but too much conflict becomes destructive.  So how does the church foster a culture of conflict resolution?  We have an answer that will help.

Peacemakers Ministries is a biblically-based organization with a visionary goal of “equipping and assisting Christians and their churches to respond to conflict biblically.” Peacemaker Ministries was founded in 1982 by a group of pastors, lawyers, and business people who wanted to encourage and assist Christians to respond to conflict biblically. Since then, they have developed educational resources, seminars, and conciliation training to help Christians learn how to serve God as peacemakers in the conflicts they encounter in everyday life. They also provide conflict coaching, mediation, and arbitration services to help resolve personal conflicts, business disputes, church and ministry divisions, and even complicated lawsuits.

On May 19- 21, Peacemaker Ministries will be holding Conflict Coaching and Mediation training at Community Congregation Church (CCC), 4592 N. Hurricane Road, in Franklin.  As a church, we have had small group sessions on these concepts and have two members who are trained conflict conciliators.  The learning for our congregation has been life changing for some and thought provoking/behavior changing for others.  We consider it a privilege to host this event and would like to invite you to come and be a part of this training at CCC and learn with us how to resolve conflict in biblical ways.  To sign up for this training, go to www.peacemaker.net and look under Training Events and then to the Training Calendar for information on the training in May (see enclosed flyer for more information).

It is difficult to watch conflict in an environment that values unity and common values, but it is inevitable. We are a church that has had and continues to work through conflict.  No one is exempt, but we know that there are ways to calm the storms and continue to work toward peace.   Please consider joining with us as we learn more about conflict resolution from the biblical perspective and genuinely consider how to help conflict not take a congregation hostage and stop forward growth and learning.

If you have questions, please feel free to contact Pastor Dan McLaughlin at CCC (736-4281) or Diane Black (691-0015), Chair of the Deacons.  We look forward to having you join with us as we learn.

Sincerely,

Pastor Dan McLaughlin                                    Diane N. Black
Interim Lead Pastor                                        Deacon Chair