What is Roundtable Ministries?
Roundtable Ministries seek to express God’s work of reconciliation and restoration in worship and community action. In worship we place a round table at the center of our communion and conversation. In our communities we try to help people assemble in circle conversations to deal with the difficult issues that divide them.
A group of us in Waynesville, NC, has been exploring the various dimensions of this ministry for over six years. Some of us are involved with JustPeace, a United Methodist movement engaged in mediation and conflict transformation. Tom Porter, the founder of JustPeace, has edited Conflict and Communion: Reconciliation and Restorative Justice at Christ’s Table (Nashville: Discipleship Resources, 2006), which reflects much of our worship orientation. Many other resources can be found at the JustPeace website.
I am presently working on a book about Roundtable Worship and would welcome any thoughts people might have about it. I will be posting materials as they emerge.
Red Clay, Blood River