The Art of Hosting Course, also called the ‘Art of Creating Spiritually Healthy Communities Course’ took place at the Woodbrooke Quaker Centre in Birmingham in February 2020. Organised by the General Assembly, it aimed to help those attending support their communities to develop and grow. It was not like any other training course; we arrived with relatively little information about it beforehand, and the first day involved learning who was present – a mix of experienced Unitarians, new Unitarians, and several people from other spiritual traditions.

This was very much not a ‘sit and listen’ course. Although there was a handbook, we spent relatively little time sitting down and listening, with information being presented by beautiful images rather than words alone – you can see the image of the course outline banner I’ve included here. Whilst not all of us have the same artistic talent, throughout the course we were prompted to think about how we might move beyond our traditional sitting and listening style of gathering and incorporate all our senses. For example, instead of simply telling us about the four main learning styles – are you an activist, a theorist, a pramatist or a reflector? we were encouraged to move around the room and gather in groups next to the heading that matched our learning style. Being Unitarians, naturally, several people had to go and stand on the borders in between different styles.

Much of Art of Hosting is about learning different techniques to bring people together and help them think in new ways, such as creating an ‘Marketplace of Ideas’ where people could suggest topics for discussion, a ‘World Café’ for developing projects, and ‘Powerful Questions’, which I especially enjoyed. Powerful Questions involve people working together to support someone to find their own solutions within themselves, always with the understanding that people have the power to find their own solutions, and the questioner responding in a way that supports this.

Powerful Questions are always based on genuine caring, active listening, and encouraging self-reflection and creative thinking. For example, if someone brings the problem: “Would it be a good thing to grow the size of our congregation?”, the person working with them might ask the Powerful Questions:

• Is the size important, or is it the quality of the people?

• What is the alternative?

• What size has been most successful?

• Who would it be good for?

As these questions show, the aim is not to doubt the person bringing the problem, but to ask open-ended questions to illustrate different aspects of the situation and help them find the answer by working together. I really liked this technique for its simplicity and effectiveness.

Hosting as a concept is an interesting idea. Everyone would probably come up with their own definition. No single one was provided, but my own description of it would be about creating a space in which everyone present can take part in meaningful and respectful discussions where we can genuinely explore difficult ideas and concepts whilst feeling safe and respected, and creative conversations can happen. It’s similar to facilitation, but more holistic, taking into account the environment, the participants, and focussed as much on having the right process as producing an end results.

We were encouraged to make the course our own, with people running morning tai chi groups, setting up ‘harvesting’ teams to gather together the learning we had experienced during each day, and organising evening prayers. I joined the ‘hosting’ team which reflected on how we could work with the space we had to make it reflect the spirit of the gathering – bringing in candles to symbolise our Unitarian faith, and tree branches and foliage from outside to symbolise the Centre itself.

The Woodbrooke Centre itself deserves a special mention for being a place of peace and learning, and provided me with my first experience of Quaker worship. I felt that it embodied the spirit of Quakerism as our own Nightingale Centre is the home of UK Unitarianism, and with similarly excellent catering and facilities. It could hardly have been a better venue – although I don’t know how many other courses held there decided to throw an impromptu dance party on the final night!

Unfortunately, I can’t think of Woodbrooke and the Art of Hosting course without mentioning the inevitable. This was my last trip away from Newcastle before the Covid-19 pandemic broke out with a vengeance. Every day the newspapers in the break room showed more and more urgent headlines as the virus crept closer. So perhaps now the challenge is to consider how we can incorporate the new things we’ve learned there in a world of virtual meetings, whilst at the same time including those who are not online. If 2020 was the year of responding to an unprecedented crisis, perhaps 2021 should be the year of looking for answers in the learning we have already undertaken over the years, and applying those lessons to help us face a changed world.