i'll share my reflections on the giving conference. you can visit http://ashleycoop.blogspot.com/2004_07_01_ashleycoop_archive.html#1089784875 40767254 to read these same words with all of the appropriate links, or you can surf on over to the giving conference wiki and play in the proceedings yourself. http://www.globalchicago.net/giving/givingwiki.cgi?GivingConferenceWikiHome
a constant joke at the giving conference was amazement at the fact that people actually showed up, from locations far and near. the joke revolved around the "why". popular opinion seemed to find the invitation fairly vague. what made people come? and who were the people that were moved to be there? from my perspective, two prominent pieces were the main attractors of this conference. the theme, opening space for giving to flourish, attracted a group of people whose visions included the gifts they personally had to offer and extended beyond themselves to giving for the greater good. the sessions generated were quite impressive, here's a few of them: * Social Venture Bank -- how to establish a "social venture bank" that could provide seed funding and planning support to help new, long-term, sustainable collaborations get off the ground. * Better World Project Stories Online Giving Auction Market -- inviting stories from all kinds of people, networks and communities, with all kinds of purposes and passions generally aligned with simple principles capturing the essence of "highest good" and enable them to offer their visions in an efficient marketplace where they can get the funding and other kinds of support they need to realize their dreams (large and small) of a better world. * Essential Foundations For Sustaining Giving -- What is essential in an organization/community to encourage and sustain giving and flourishing * Building Bridges between the Left and the Business and Professional Communities * Giving As Meaning/Purpose * Gift And The Property Of Movement -- If one of the essential properties of a gift is that it must keep moving, what does this mean or how do we relate to this? * Living In Truth the other attracting component that i noticed was that everyone who showed up had deep respect and admiration for the person(s) that they knew who had extended to them the invitation. the power of networks and personal connections was very evident as this eclectic group mixed with one another, sharing wisdom, resources, connections, and much more. i continue to be moved by the possibilities and the increased efficiency of action that is made possible when the right people are connected with one another. during one circle, a participant asked, "who are we?" if you're curious about the priests, educators, facilitators, writers, techies, philanthropists, inventors, entrepreneurs, activists, financial advisors or other types that showed up, peruse the list of participants. as i settle back into being home, it is this question that continues to echo inside my head: "WHO ARE WE?" i think about all of the people that i am connected to. i think about all of you who have mentioned the kavanah post, who are we that choose to be intentional, aware of our actions, directing our hearts to Spirit, living in truth, sharing our gifts and passions with ourselves, our neighbors, our communities? a shining network of truth livers. WHO ARE WE? and how do we continue to connect and unite with one another so that the ripples of our actions spread wider and deeper into the hearts of beings all across this planet? warm regards, ashley > [Original Message] > From: Ted Ernst <t...@chicagohumanist.org> > To: <osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu> > Date: 7/15/2004 12:51:20 AM > Subject: Re: [Fwd: The Giving Conference - Chicago - July 9-11] > > Not sure if anyone's already reported back, but this was an amazing > conference. I'm not sure that I can articulate any more than that at the > moment, but perhaps this message will spark some reflections from MichaelH, > ChrisC, DougG or SusanK who were all in attendance. Hopefully I'll find a > way to add my thoughts along the way as well. One outcome is that I've > started a blog at http://tedernst.blogspot.com Want to come play with me? > :-) > > peace, > ted > ___ > Humanize the Earth! http://www.chicagohumanist.org > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: OSLIST [mailto:osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu] On > > Behalf Of Chris Corrigan > > Sent: Friday, May 14, 2004 6:43 PM > > To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu > > Subject: Re: [Fwd: The Giving Conference - Chicago - July 9-11] > > > > > > Michael Herman wrote: > > > > > maybe chris will say more now, but > > > either way, we will certainly report back with whatever > > results show > > > up. > > > > Hi folks: > > > > I will say a few things more. This conference is exciting to > > me because it's all about offering what we have to give and > > making connections to direct that effort towards something. > > It certainly has its lineage in the current work going on > > around the world with Practice of Peace, and in fact, it's > > rooted in the very spirit in which Harrison offered OST to all of us. > > > > I'd love to see OST facilitators there because I think we > > bring something very valuable to offer people who are > > motivated to create networks and align resources towards > > action. I have no idea what will come of this conference in > > Chicago, but I am sure that if Open Space is involved, then > > whatever we do will be widely replicable elsewhere. It's > > about finding the most efficient way to get people and > > resources together to get down to work. > > > > You can keep up with some of the thinking behind the > > conference by visiting the weblog of our little movement at > > http://www.gifthub.org > > > > If you can make it to Chicago in July, it'll be great to see > > you and have you join the mix as we explore some seriously > > interesting possibilities. > > > > Cheers, > > > > Chris > > > > -- > > CHRIS CORRIGAN > > Bowen Island, BC, Canada > > (604) 947-9236 > > > > Consultation - Facilitation > > Open Space Technology > > > > Weblog: http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot > > Homepage: http://www.chriscorrigan.com ch...@chriscorrigan.com > > > > * > > * > > ========================================================== > > osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu > > ------------------------------ > > To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, > > view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: > > http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html > > > > To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: > > http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist > > > > > > * > * > ========================================================== > osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu > ------------------------------ > To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, > view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: > http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html > > To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: > http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
