HOW CAN I HELP? The project’s focus at this point will be to source content to populate the resource library and your stories of success and the challenges you have faced will be of huge benefit to other womxn across the church community. If you would be willing to share your experience or words of wisdom please review the information below and then reach out to the program manager Jennifer DeCoste by email (elementalcommunities@gmail.com)
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Thank you so much for your willingness to offer your wisdom and your biggest questions at The United Hosts’ Table – a partnered project with LifeSchoolHouse. This is truly a cooperative project – we will have contributors from all over the world who are offering their stories as learning opportunities for others who are on a similar journey in their church community. I’m excited to see what comes together when everyone shares their lived experience in this simple, boundaryless way. Remember, we welcome all contributions so we will follow your lead in selecting a story or topic to share that feels right for you.
To build out this online space we are looking for the following content from any contributor:
- A bio and picture
- A bit of an overview – history of your journey in the church, primary areas of impact, etc (if applicable)
- Any of your own writing you’d like to share/link to
Please upload your files and name them with your first and last name then the name of the document so they are easy to find (ie: “JenniferDeCoste-Bio” or “JenniferDeCoste-”How to Dance With Strangers”):
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1T7GZIbD2AYv6HEJTQyKDqobpk1XDZTQQ
Next up: your content! As mentioned this can show up as a reflection in writing, or we can meet up for a back-and-forth recorded dialogue that our brilliant podcast editor can cut into short clips if a recording is easiest for you? Ideally, we’d like to capture your experience as a womxn in your church community, advice you have to share, challenges you’ve experienced and questions you are carrying. The questions below are those we are keen to explore but please feel free to add your own content if you need more space!
- Tell us a bit about yourself, your story and your life experience.
- What kind of things are giving you joy right now and what is taking that joy away?
- What aspects of doing hands on work in your community do you feel you were least prepared for following your formal education? What have you learned for yourself to address this unexpected challenge?
- What does “hosting” or “caretaking” mean to you? In your community?
- Why are you working on right now in yourself? What are you most challenged by?
- Tell us a story about a time when you felt strong in your role as a caretaker in your community OR about a time when you knew you were being well taken care of by your community. What felt different about that experience OR about a time when you could have used more care or connection and what was missing as a result?
- What’s one big question you are holding right now about your work in the world?
- What are you reading/listening to right now?
Happy to chat about what form of contribution is best for you – drop a line anytime and thanks again for helping bring this sanctuary into being. We believe strongly that womxn in the United Church need dedicated space to connect, rest and re-energize for the journey.
Jennifer DeCoste (She/Her)
Community Host
www.facebook.com/lifeschoolhouse
(902) 802-0160
LifeSchoolHouse is headquartered in K’jipuktuk, Mi’kma’ki in traditional and unceded territory of The Wabanaki Confederacy
