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Table Talks: Finding a Way Forward Together

What to Expect

United Methodists in the Alaska, Oregon-Idaho and Pacific Northwest Conferences are encouraged to participate in Table Talk conversations planned in various settings across the Greater Northwest Area. These opportunities will provide attendees a way to engage the church’s current discussion of human sexuality and the decisions made at the 2019 General Conference Session in St. Louis, within a structure of worship and respect for one another.

To develop that sense of respect, participants are asked to commit to a covenant for respectful dialog. In short, the covenant asks them to:

  1. Stay Curious,
  2. Be Kind, and to
  3. Listen with the same amount of passion with which I want to be heard.

Both worship and a covenant for respectful dialog are essential when we ask for God to be present in our conversations and recognize that we can sometimes get in the way of that. All across the area are asked to seriously consider participating in one of these opportunities.

Bishop Elaine JW Stanovsky sees that respectful dialog as a key to helping the church move forward, both here in the northwest, and globally.

“Christians don’t need to beat each other up when we disagree.” she says, “If you love your church, and want it to see its mission witness remain strong around the world, I hope you will come to one of the Table Talks. If you are sick and tired of opposing sides in the church fighting about human sexuality, and who should be welcome in the Church, I hope you will come to one of the Table Talks. We can find a deeper unity, and new ways of listening to God and one another.”

Table Talk 3.0 Times and locations

Table Talks are currently being scheduled again for the spring of 2019 around the Greater Northwest Area. If there is no opportunity planned near you, contact your district superintendent to express your interest in another location.

Please sign-up for a session so we can plan for enough people!

  • Sunday, March 10, Bothell UMC (7:00 PM) [Daylight Saving Time begins]
  • Saturday, March 16, Des Moines UMC (9:00 AM)
  • Sunday, March 17, First UMC – Portland, OR (3:00 – 5:00 PM)
  • Sunday, March 17, First UMC – Eugene, OR (1:00 – 3:00 PM)
  • Sunday, March 17, Faith UMC – Issaquah (4:00 PM)
  • Saturday, March 23, Kennewick First UMC (9:00 -11:00 AM)
  • Sunday, March 24, Forest Grove UMC (2:00-5:00 PM)
  • Sunday, March 24, Wenatchee First UMC (1:00-3:00 PM)
  • Sunday, March 24, Spokane: Covenant UMC (2:00-4:00 PM)
  • Tuesday, March 26, MICAH Bldg, Salem First UMC (6:30-9:30 PM)
  • Saturday, March 30, Madras UMC (1:00-4:00 PM)
  • Saturday, March 30, Olympia UMC (1:00-4:00 PM)
  • Saturday, March 30, Brownsville (2:00 PM)
  • Saturday, March 30, Meridian UMC (2:00 – 4:30 PM)
  • Sunday, March 31, Coeur d’Alene: Community UMC (2:00-4:00 PM)
  • Thursday, April 4, Canby UMC, (6:30-9:30 PM)
  • Saturday, April 6, Caldwell UMC (2:00 – 4:30 PM)
  • Saturday, April 6, Medford First UMC (1:00 – 3:00 PM)
  • Sunday, April 7, Selah UMC (1:00-3:00 PM)
  • Sunday, April 7, First UMC, Corvallis, OR (1:00 – 3:00 PM)
  • Sunday, April 7, Nehalam Bay UMC (2:00-5:00 PM)
  • Sunday, April 7, Kelso UMPC (2:00-5:00 PM)
  • Sunday, April 7, Lewiston: First UMC (2:00-4:00 PM)
  • Sunday, April 7, Rose City Park UMC – Portland (3:00-5:00 PM)
  • Monday, April 8, Stanwood UMC (6:30 PM)
  • Tuesday, April 23, Oak Harbor First UMC (6:30 PM)
  • Saturday, May 4, Crossroads UMC, Kimberly, ID (2:00 – 4:30 PM)
  • Sunday, May 5, Jason Lee Memorial UMC, Blackfoot, ID (3:00 – 5:30 PM)
  • Saturday, May 11, LaGrande UMC (2:00 – 4:30 PM)

Other Resources

Read more about the previous Table Talk experiences and facilitator training.

Visit vimeo.com/greaternw/table-talks to download a video invitation to use in your local church.