Post a thread providing your response to 1 of the 4 case studies located in the Assignment Instructions Folder (Missions Meltdown, Birthday Tug-a-War, Threatening Trustee, or the Church Library). Create a response letter incorporating the ideas from your reading in the Peacemakers text. (“Dear ____, After hearing your situation. . .”)
Case Study #1 – Missions Committee Meltdown
Imagine that you receive the following email (or letter or phone message) from a Christian friend.
Help! I wish I had never agreed to serve on our church missions committee! One of the other committee members is so irritating! Pat delights in using cutting humor and seems to look for ways to ridicule others’ ideas and suggestions, especially mine.
When Pat disagreed with me on a financial issue during last night’s meeting, I finally lost my patience. Knowing that he is self-conscious about not going to college, I said something like, “I can see why these figures are hard for you to understand, Pat, but if you had just a little more education, it would all add up.” He just sat there stunned, and the rest of the group moved on with the discussion. It was awkward. I felt sort of sorry about saying what I did, but I also think he had it coming.
This morning I found a letter from Pat under my door––he must have delivered it late last night. The letter goes on for two pages, harshly accusing me of all sorts of wrongs. I can see why he is angry with me belittling him in front of others, but he has made all sorts of other accusations that are exaggerated or completely untrue. He concludes by saying I am unfit to serve on the missions committee. And he had the nerve to send a copy to the committee chairman!
I’m torn between writing him a letter pointing out how he brought this on himself, or discussing it on the phone. What do you think I should do?
Although you would normally try to talk in person or by phone about such a delicate issue, your schedule won’t allow that in this case. So you decide to mail your friend a copy of the Peacemaker Brochure, along with a personal letter explaining how he (or she) might apply the basic principles of peacemaking in this situation. What would you write? (Assume that your friend is the type of person who would appreciate as much detailed advice as you can possibly provide, so suggest specific wording on how to confess, correct, forgive, or negotiate.)
