Peacemaking Programme

CSI: ULSTER
Cohesion - Sharing - Integration

A morning conference sponsered by the Peacemaking Panel

Conciliation Service

"to assist Presbyterians in dispute to finding resolution"

It is assumed in scripture that disputes and conflicts are part of our life in the church. (Mat 18 v15-17, Acts 15 v1-34) It is also assumed that believers have resources for handling conflict when it arises.

Most disagreements are resolved by people speaking directly to each other. However, sometimes this simply does not work, and it is necessary to use conciliation to help deal people work through their conflict.

Conciliation is...

Assisting people in dispute to finding resolution.
Facilitating difficult conversations as people work through their issues.
Helping people find creative ways to deal with conflict

How the service works...

Any Presbyterian lay member or minister in dispute can contact their clerk of presbytery as a first step in finding resolution
If the clerk's efforts prove unsuccessful, contact the conciliation co-ordinator by phoning the General Secretary's Office, Church House on 90322284.
Contact details will be taken by GSO and forwarded to the conciliation co-ordinator.
In due course, a conciliator will contact the person and arrange to meet the parties
The conciliation process involves a number of confidential meetings with the parties, where they will be facilitated in working through their conflict.

Could Conciliation be useful for you?

Yes, if...

You want to deal with the issue
You are willing to be reasonable
You wish to work at restoring the broken relationship

No, if...

You are not ready to work through the issues because you are too hurt or angry
You do not wish to build a better relationship

Note: Conciliation should be sought as early as possible

Policy on Confidentiality

Information gained during the conciliation process will be confidential to the conciliators and will not be divulged without the consent of those concerned, except where the evidence proves or suggests that an individual may be at risk physically or mentally or where information is compelled by a civil court.
Conciliators will not be required to act as witnesses or to divulge information to any Church court.

Training available

Workshops/courses are available on the following subjects:

Building Good Relationships
Skills for Handling Conflict
Decision-making in Congregations
The Art of Facilitation
Introduction to Mediation
Prejudice Awareness
Cultural Diversity
Managing Change Effectively

These training courses can be adapted for any congregation, group or presbytery. They are free of charge and can be delivered as a workshop session (2/3 hours) or a longer course (a full day or more).

For more information, please contact the peacemaking officer, Laura Coulter, on (028) 9041 7211.