I see time-keeping as a matter of social justice, which is why I enthusiastically agreed to be timekeeper for an all-congregational half day meeting at my church this weekend. ⛪️ Have you ever considered how when one person or group of people are allowed to spill over on their time, they are in effect silencing the voices of those who didn’t speak up first?
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And whose voice doesn’t get heard in those situations? The contemplative ones. The people who think and then speak. The people whose insight you really need as part of the mix.⁣
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In a free-for-all discussion, you also don’t hear from historically marginalized groups. The people who have been taught to defer to the majority. The people who need to figure out how to say it in English. The people who want to consider how to say something sensitive, but know that the hard things need to be said. ⁣
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So this weekend I kept time, and everyone played along beautifully, and we heard from all types of people about where our church should go in its next chapter. ⁣
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How do you make sure that you truly hear from the people around you so that everyone gets a seat the proverbial table?