Engage

Our hope for Engage is to find create the space to dig into the challenges of what it means to be human today. We want to do that by pursuing a time that's designed with authenticity, openness and vulnerability at its heart.

To encourage this experience for all involved, we're looking to have the time be a mix of connecting, sharing, listening and learning. Each session there will be an individual pre-scheduled to submit some ideas and content to the group for consideration. That person will lead a portion of the evening and provide more detailed content designed to help us dive deeper.

Discussion, listening and sharing will be an important part of every Engage. We will create time for 1-1 conversation, small group discussion, and a time for all of us to share together.

To close out each Engage, want to set aside time to reflect on the process of dialogue, to encourage reflection on the question "So what? How might this impact my understanding of what it means to be human today?"

As we have explored the idea of starting Engage, the following people have been involved in discussion and planning. That said, we would welcome others interested in helping shape and develop this experiment.

Bruce Guenther

Shawn Neumann

Murray Nickel

Myron Penner

Jonathan & Brittany Simpson

If you're interested in planning and designing this time, there's an option in the signup sheet to indicate that. Please let us know.

Here's a few quotes from people that have experienced Engage together:

"I found that the questions that were provided led to interesting dialogue in the small groups and it was a great chance to listen to other people's views. I also loved getting to learn with and grow closer to people at Bakerview that I have known for years but didn't know well."

"I found it valuable hearing other people share about doubts and questions they have, some of them for the first time in a group setting like this."

"Just the idea that an MB church would encourage folks to express their questions of faith without being judgmental was the most meaningful."

"I heard a lot of viewpoints I’d never imagined or thought of myself. It challenged me to get out of my comfort zone every week."

"I feel more open to talk to other Engage members, Bakerview members or even friends about faith topics without being prompted or specifically in a church setting."

"The thing I valued most was learning to understand, agree, and disagree with each other in a loving way, regardless of age, experience, and worldview."

"What I valued the most was the freedom to wonder."