Blacknall’s Session will host a series of listening sessions in May. At each gathering, elders will facilitate a confidential, small group discussion with up to five participants. Sign up for a date to join a listening session.
Here is information about what to expect during our listening sessions:
Will groups be assigned?
No, groups will not be assigned. When you arrive, elders and note takers will be seated at designated tables. You may sit at any table you choose, provided there is space.
How will the time be used?
Each listening session will last a total of 90 minutes.
The first 15 minutes will be used to allow all participants, elders, and note takers to gather in the Fellowship Hall at designated tables, hear conversation norms, and pray together. Groups will then go to different rooms for their conversation.
Small group conversations will last 60 minutes to hear questions and offer answers.
Everyone will return to the Fellowship Hall for the final 15 minutes to hear remarks and pray together.
What are the norms of conversation?
The goal of these discussions is for the Session to listen to you and for you to listen to one another. Conversations will be guided by two important standards:
Confidentiality: We say that “Learnings can leave the group; stories stay in the group.” This means that it’s fine to repeat a thought you had during the group, or something the group made you think about, but personal stories that others may share shouldn’t be repeated after you leave.
Speak in love: Sex is a hard topic for many people to talk about. Some people have probably had hurtful experiences around sex, a conflict with someone they love, or an embarrassing conversation in the past. This makes it extra important to speak in love.
What does that mean? It includes not interrupting while others are speaking, raising your hand when you’d like to contribute, and using “I statements” to share your own thoughts, rather than commenting on or evaluating what someone has shared. It also includes loving body language – frowns, head shakes, or looking down at a phone can hurt when a group member shares something sensitive.
How will notes be taken? Will they be analyzed or shared?
A note taker will be present to capture, as much as possible, the thoughts that each person shares.
The notes will written on a computer and be available to the Session for review, and a small number of trained individuals will read them in depth, looking to capture important ideas and common themes.
Notes will include the gender and life decade of each person in a group in order to to help interpret notes, but names will not be recorded and individuals will not be identified when learnings from the groups are discussed by the Session.
What if I don’t feel comfortable sharing in a group?
If you would like to respond to our questions but do not feel comfortable sharing in a group setting, please email the Session. We will set up a time for you to speak privately with a pair of elders.