Guidelines for Verbatim

Congregational Ministry Event

Eastern Mennonite Seminary: Spiritual Direction Seminars and Practicum

Introduction

A verbatim offers an opportunity to observe an event, and our experience of the event at a particular moment Group review of the reflection in verbatim form helps us to continue to gain insight into the nature and experience of offering spiritual guidance within the congregation. The verbatim is another invitation to listen and reflect. We listen the first time as we prepare (see “spiritual Guidance within Congregational Ministry Event” handout). We listen a second time as we are leading/ministering the ministry event; a third time as we reflect and write a ministry log or verbatim, and a fourth time as we process the verbatim in small group.

Initial reflection

Reflect on why you are choosing this particular ministry event on which to write a verbatim.

What questions does it raise for you? How dies it touch your growing edges? What are new insights you have gleaned or received?

Content

  1. Background and spirituality of the group/congregation
  2. Confidentiality

Names, places, and identifying information may be changed to disguise and protect identity as needed.

  1. Other helpful information

In addition to biographical facts and a general description of the congregation, include a brief summary of your understanding of the congregation’s life and spiritual tradition/expressions. How is God known, addressed, understood, responded to, possibly resisted? In what ways is the congregation growing spiritually? What seem to be main blocks to further growth and change? Pay attention to the congregation’s inward and outward journey of life and faith,.

  1. Background and context of this ministry event.

Briefly describe the context of the meeting/event that your are presenting. How did you prepare for the event?

  1. Verbatim Form

Prepare your verbatim in two columns.

In the right hand column write the “conversation.” Depending on the ministry event. there may not be an actual conversation to record, but there will be various components within the event to include here. If there was conversation of some kind, include that here along with any other pieces of the event which you judge to be significant.

In the left hand column write a few words to describe the feelings, interior movements and counter-movements occurring within yourself as you are leading, participating in this ministry event.

Below is a sample of what a verbatim on a ministry event could look like:

Interior Conversation

/

Ministry event “conversation”

I am nervous. This is the first time I have lead the elders meeting attending to Spiritual guidance.
Lord, help me to be centered, focused, to remember you are present. / M1 Welcome.
…. I say a bit more, noticing how everyone could be present.
A bit more conversation followed….
As we begin our time together, I would like to read from Acts 20: 17-21, 28-36 and 2 Peter 5:1-11. Before we read, let’s pause and open our attention to God, asking the Holy Spirit to help us as we read scripture.
(We pray and read the scriptures).
M2 When we were called to serve as elders, one of our job descriptions was to give spiritual oversight in the congregation. Since becoming the pastor here a year or so ago, we have not talked a lot about this. So I would like us to take some time to look through these two passages and to notice what Paul and Peter say to elders in the church in their day. And then to see how it connects with our work together here.

Silence and time to reflect

M3 I invite you now to share something that you noticed, that stood out for you.
E1 The thing that stood out for me was how important this was in the church.
I am thankful. / E2 I noticed the connection between being an elder and being a shepherd—there’s something different between shepherding and controlling or dominating. It says something about how we lead, or how we tend the flock.
E3 Yes, like Jesus—the chief shepherd, and the good shepherd.
Wow!
Follow up / E4 I had never read this Peter passage and connected it with the work of being an elder and how that work can cause anxiety or fear in us, and how that we as elders are invited to bring our anxieties to God in prayer.
Something to follow up on / F1 It was the being humble that stood out for me: to clothe myself with humility, and in the Acts passage, to support the weak. I guess that changes my attitude towards people in the church that need a lot of help, and often.
Following up / M2 I reflect back in short summary what I hear them saying, and then seek to bring what they have said into a bit clearer focus:
I invite each of you to think of one or two ways in which you have been serving the body here (maybe an individual, maybe a small group, or even the congregation) and to notice in what ways these passages speak to what you do, and what happens in you as you serve.
(Time for reflection)
  1. Discussion of the relationship and work of the director
  2. As you reflect on the ministry event, ask the Holy Spirit to help and companion you. Trust the Spirit’s presence and help as you begin.
  3. In this section you make a critical (both positive and negative) assessment of the dialogue with the persons present.
  4. Notice the movement and countermovements within their experience.
  5. Notice how God seems to be coming to them, individually or as a group, and how they are noticing, paying attention, responding to, or resisting God’s presence and activity.
  6. Notice any patterns which show up in the group’s experience.
  7. Be attentive to your own inner experience before, during and after the session.
  8. How does any of this show up in your verbal responses, body language?
  9. What do you notice is appearing in the left hand column?
  10. Identify your responses, reactions: your own movement and countermovement.
  11. Was this session mostly one of peace and encouragement to you, or one of frustration/desolation?
  12. What was the strongest feeling/response within you?
  13. Describe God’s felt presence during the session. Which is stronger? God’s felt presence or absence?
  14. Reflect on your own presence during the session, the essential nature of your style:

Focused / Fragmented
Companioning / Self-absorbed
Evocative / Impatient
Discerning / Talkative
Free / Trying to fix, problem solving
Caring / Advice-giving
Reflective / Anxious
Assertive / Open
Interpretive / Closed
Directive / Detached

In what way were your own issues triggered? How did you respond?

  1. In what way can you/did you relate this group’s story to the biblical story?
  1. As you bring yourself and the group into the presence of Jesus, what do you notice?
  1. What question(s) do you bring to peer group?

Sources: Maureen Conroy, Looking into the Well. Loyola University Press, 1995.

Guenther, Margaret. Center for Spirituality verbatim material. General Theol. Seminary, NY.

Spiritual Direction resources, EMS. Wendy J. Miller.