Let’s Choose Different.
Easier said than done though, right?
We’ve all experienced moments where a disagreement happens, and you feel like either fighting or fleeing — On a hike with a friend, in your small group, around the table at Thanksgiving dinner, scrolling social media, at home with your spouse or family, during a church meeting — these are the moments when we encounter differences, and are unsure how to love the other person…or if we even should.
We don’t think conflict and relationships need to divide us. The very things that drive us apart could bring us together. We’ll show you how.
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Valley Church, in partnership with The Colossian Forum, is offering four different, 2 hour, Totally FREE workshops (with good food!) hosted at the Allendale Township Library.
1. Choosing one another in the messy middle of relationships.
2. Choosing one another when we’re under pressure.
3. Choosing one another in political differences.
4. Choosing one another in the stressful holidays.
👉 Led by The Colossian Forum -- Come to all four or pick and choose the ones that intrigue you the most! (Learn more below about each one.)
We promise you’ll find them life-giving and life-changing. You’ll discover reflection, possibility, growth, and most importantly, the HOPE of Choosing One Another.
Check out the workshops below and let us know you’re coming!
Choosing one another in the messy middle of relationships.
Life together is rarely neat and tidy. We find ourselves caught between differences, whether in our families, workplaces, or communities. This two-hour workshop will introduce four simple practices to help you stay grounded in love and curiosity, connected with others, and courageous in the “messy middle” of tension and disagreement. You’ll leave with tools you can use right away to strengthen your relationships and lead with clarity.
Under Pressure: Growing in Times of Stress
You know that moment. The meeting or conversation gets tense, and your stomach knots or your face reddens. Those reactions aren’t random. Pressure changes us. When the stakes feel high, our vision can narrow, and our own reactions can confuse us.
This workshop will help us shift our own patterns and what’s inside of us when the pressure is high - helping you stay calm, clear, and connected under pressure. We’ll discover how fear and self-protection sometimes shape those reactions. Through practical learning and clips from TV Shows like Ted Lasso and Abbott Elementary, we’ll form new ways to respond to stress from a place of hope and peace.
One Anothering: Choosing one another in political differences.
Talking about (or even thinking about) politics can be challenging, hard, and divisive. But, it doesn’t have to be this way.
Using pieces of the “One Anothering” curriculum and model - This workshop will help you cultivate mindsets and habits to grow in constructive and respectful conversations about politics. This isn't about changing political positions, but learning how to hold others' beliefs—and still be in relationship with them. You'll learn how to navigate disagreements with love and grace, rather than contempt and defensiveness.
Choosing one another in the stressful holidays.
It’s that time of year again. And you’re already stressed out about it.
As the holidays approach, many of us brace for more than full calendars. The weight of family strain, heavy griefs, and political polarization often shows up around the tables.
This engaging workshop offers simple practices for staying centered in love when tensions rise. We’ll explore how to enter the season with steadiness, presence, and peace that can ripple outward, beyond the table and help you find joy again.
Learn more about The Colossian Forum
Conflict can be an opportunity to build deeper relationships with God and each other. The Colossian Forum works with people to cultivate connection across difference.
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