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Mutual Invitation

Mutual Invitation

In order to ensure that everyone who wants to share has the opportunity to speak, we will proceed in the following way:

The leader or a designated person will share first. After that person has spoken, he or she then invites another to share. Whom you invite does not need to be the person next to you. After the next person has spoken, that person is given the privilege to invite another to share.

If you are not ready to share yet, say “I pass for now” and we will invite you to share later on. If you don’t want to say anything at all, simply say “pass” and proceed to invite another to share. We will do this until everyone has been invited.

We invite you to listen and not to respond to someone’s sharing immediately. There will be time to respond and to ask clarification questions after everyone has had an opportunity to share.

RESPECTFUL COMMUNICATION GUIDELINES

R	Take RESPONSIBILITY for what you say and feel without blaming others
E	Use EMPATHETIC listening
S	Be SENSITIVE to differences in communication styles
P	PONDER what you hear and feel before you speak
E	EXAMINE your own assumptions and perceptions
C	Keep CONFIDENTIALITY
T	TRUST ambiguity because we are not here to debate who is right or wrong

Bible Study Method

Someone volunteers to guide the process, including keeping it on track. You have a total of 15 or 30 minutes.

FIRST READING– 2 minutes suggested

• Someone reads the following lesson:
  
  (INSERT SCRIPTURE HERE)

• Participants are invited to consider this question:
  
  What word, phrase, or image from this passage strikes you the most?
  
• Allow a moment of silence to reflect on the question.
• Each participant answers (giving the word, phrase or image without comment) and each has an opportunity to do so by means of the Mutual Invitation technique.

SECOND READING– 5-8 minutes suggested

• Another person reads the lesson.
• After a pause, participants are invited to consider this question:
  
  (The convener of the Bible Study should draft questions consistent with the committee’s work in the meeting.)
  
• Allow a moment of silence to reflect on the question.
• Each participant receives an opportunity to answer and by means of the Mutual Invitation technique.

THIRD READING– 5-10 minutes suggested

• A third person reads the lesson.
• After a pause for reflection, this question is posed:
  
  (The convener of the Bible Study should draft questions consistent with the committee’s work in the meeting.)
  
• Allow a moment of silence to reflect on the question.
• Each participant receives an opportunity to answer and by means of the Mutual Invitation technique.
• The process continues by mutual invitation.

Final Round –5 minutes (optional)

• Cross talk follows in a way set by the guide. This is a time, in light of your experience, for questioning, reflecting on what others said, and other forms of cross talk.

Closing Prayer – 3-5 minutes suggested

• Participants say concluding prayers as appropriate for the time remaining and the discussion that has ensued.