Like many Synods in the United Reformed Church,  the National Synod of Wales is wrestling with the question of how to deploy stipendiary ministry. Jason Askew uses Appreciative Inquiry to bring a fresh perspective.

Siggy Parratt-Halbert decribes how she combined her practice of appreciative inquiry with her skills as a graphic recorder to facilitate a process over three months with a spirituality centre in Sheffield. 

As a team vicar in a rural multi-parish benefice, Sarah Cawdell has used Appreciative Inquiry (AI) with churches emerging from the Covid-19 lockdown. She sees AI  offering a more hopeful lexicon, and a way of reflecting forwards which ties in with the Christian hope of being transformed from one degree of glory to another.

Drawing on five distinct experiences of working with groups and projects, Elizabeth Gray-King discusses the use of the core principles of Appreciative Inquiry in participatory methodologies.

Kathryn Price describes how she used appreciative inquiry to help a pastorate in North Wales to prepare for changes in patterns of resourcing when her ministry there concluded.

Jim Coleman describes using Appreciative Inquiry as an invitation to churches to think together about their life going forward. Inviting Forward, developed by the URC’s Yorkshire Synod encourages congregations to have a positive vision for the future, starting from looking at what is working well in the present.

In a short video, Eddie Boon describes how Appreciative Inquiry practice is making a difference to his role as Discipleship Enabler for Thames North Synod of the United Reformed Church.

Fiona Thomas reflects on using a SOAR to clear the fog and encourage generativity for her role in a community project. 

It could be argued that the Climate Emergency is the biggest possible frame for the work that any of us do as appreciative inquiry practitioners

Building on strengths rather than dwelling on negatives has brought healthy change to many secular organizations.