Jason Dykstra

Thanks for the comments Kyle and Todd, I have seen twitter work in many different capacities, both with Tech-savy people and vice versa.  For me it goes back to knowing where your audience/client/consumer/congregation is and then spending some time in conversation with them.  Twitter is one of those things (like many others) that the more time and effort you put in to it, the more you get out of it as well.  

 

Thanks for your comments!  

Jason/@jasondyk 

Great question Mavis,

Let me start by saying that Twitter is a great tool to get to know people.  It gives you an opportunity to find out what's happening in their life, get to know their opinions, and get to know them as a person 140 characters at a time.  I fully think that Biz Stone is correct, we can be empathetic (and get to know people) over forums such as Twitter.  

Twitter is often used as a conversation between people, a place to build rapport, get to know each other, and share each other's information.  It can be used to connect people with services, connect people who are like one another, and to increase your knowledge in the interests you have.  

For example, I have a business that I have started recently and I am engaging with people online to grow that business and build my brand.  Through the use of Twitter I have made some incredible connections and friendships, and learned a lot about what is happening in my community.  Twitter has been a great conversation started for me to meet people and grow in my knowledge, interests, and expand my business.  

Twitter can be escpecially useful for getting to know someone online, and then strengthening that relationship by meeting up with each other offline (or at events).  When you first meet offline, you are already three steps ahead in strengthening that relationship and building a bond together.  I think the church could do amazing things by using social media (other sites as well as Twitter) because it would make them more aware of what was happening in the community they are in, and be able to engage with people to establish how the church could help them.  

But that's just my 2 cents :) 

 

Jason 

@jasondyk 

Mavis, 

Twitter is defintely something that the more that you put into it the more you get out of it.  I connect with people in the same way I connect in real life.  Someone says something that interests you and you respond to them.  Or, for example, you see someone went for an interview and you ask them the next day how it went.  Little things like that.  Really it works the same way  as beginning a relationship in real life.  When you first meet someone in real life, you greet them, and you start a conversation (a lot of times based on something they said), and the conversation grows from there and it starts a relationship!  

For my business I targeted specific people within the community that were influencers (had a lot of Klout and followers) and started following local Hastags (http://support.twitter.com/entries/49309-what-are-hashtags-symbols) to find out what was happening within the community that I could get involved with/meet people.  When someone tweeted something that was of interest to me then I would respond (the same way I would offline) and a conversation would begin.  

Hopefully this answers your question, if you have any more I would be happy to answer them!  Or you can also ask me on twitter (http://twitter.com/#!/jasondyk) and we'll have a conversation :) 

 

Jason

Like you said Elizabeth, Restorative Practices need to find its way into our churches.  Part of the disadvantage that you might have found with the process was that you had 50 people in the circle.  That's a large circle!  

I think this is something that can be used at council meetings, budget meetings, all through out the church!  I do think it is important to have someone that is trained in Restorative Practices to lead the circle so that it is done properly.  Questions need to be meditated on beforehand and accessible to all people involved in the circle.  

Thanks for sharing your experience!  Steve is a wise man! 

I have not used it in a council/budget meeting, but have done it with other meetings and in youth groups.  It has been a very powerful tool to use with people, as it allows everyone a time to talk and everyone a time to listen.  I think it would be ideal for council and budget meetings and would save a lot of heartache and time.  

I think it depends on what the topic/issue at hand is.  It is also possible to do a fishbowl circle (wiki article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fishbowl_(conversation) ).  Like John said, the more people that are there the less people will talk, and then it might be helpful to have a couple of small ones happening.  It really depends on what you are trying to establish from the conversation.  While the Belhar is not a Restorative Justice issue, it can be dealt with in a restorative way.  In that sense, all topics/conversations/issues can be dealt with restorative practices.