Beloved Community Gathering Conversations January 16, 2014

Several of us have been meeting to review and discuss Peter Block's book Community: The Structure of Belonging.

“This book is written to support those who care for the well-being of their community.  It is for anyone who wants to be part of creating an organization, neighborhood, city or country, that works for all...”

The overall premise of the book is to “build the social fabric and transform the isolation within our communities into connectedness and caring for the whole.” To do this we need to “shift our conversations from problems of the community to the possibility of community” and “commit to create a future distinct from the past.”

January 16, 2014 we met at the Redding Public Library and here are some notes from Ellen Pfeiffer regarding Chapter 4 The Restorative Community:

• “Restoration comes from the choice to value possibility and relatedness over problems, self-interest, and the rest of the stuck community’s agenda.” 
• “Restoration is created by the kinds of conversations we initiate with each other.  
• "The conversations are the leverage point for an alternative future.” 
• “Shifting the context from retribution to restoration will occur through language that moves in the following directions: from problems to possibility; from fear and fault to gifts, generosity and abundance; from law and oversight to social fabric…”
• “Restorative community is created when we allow ourselves to use the language of healing and relatedness and belonging. 
• “Our conversations and gatherings have the power to shift the context from retributive community to restorative community. 
• From conversations about problems to ones of possibility.
• From conversations about fear and fault to ones of gifts, generosity and abundance.
• From a bet on law and oversight to a preference for building the social fabric.
• From a focus on leaders to a focus on citizens” 
• "It moves us from having faith in professionals and those in positions of authority to having faith in our neighbors. 

What gifts/talents/generosity/abundance do we have that we can share with Shasta? How to increase the conversation? Consensus to look more into this both of these again and discuss at next gathering.

Idea of the Beloved Community: 

• “Volunteer Program” Lots of needs for volunteers (POP List) 
• Match needs up with Beloved Community members talents 
• Host of column in the Record Searchlight 
• Each organization describe who/what they need 
• Have the link between the public and the organization be The Beloved Community. Consensus to discuss this further at next gathering 

Upcoming Activities: 

• MLK Day of Service Celebration – Jan 20, 2014. Inside of program will be on the Beloved Community.  Eddie will talk about the Beloved Community.
• Sheriff’s Multicultural Festival at the Shasta Mall – Jan 25, 2015. Eddie has arranged for a table – needs volunteers 
• NAACP Dinner -  January 30, 2014
• Shasta Lake Multicultural Festival - February 22, 2014. Beloved Community will have a table – need volunteers.

Next Gathering: Thursday, Feb 6, 2014, 6 PM at the Redding Public Library.

• Discussion on Chapter 5 Take back our Projections – Susana to lead.
• Feedback/Interest from MLK Day of Service
• Continue conversations on above Volunteer Program
• Time Bank
• Asset Based Community Service
• Discussion of Needs:
• Craft of “Elevator Statement”
• Five Principles Design
• New logo - card

Upcoming Opportunities: Beloved Community Tables