Six Conversations

Starting in 2024, we’re inviting those who are interested in co-creating the future of the Valley of Grace to come together for a series of six dialogues.

The Six Conversations is a concept introduced by Peter Block in his book Community: The Structure of Belonging. It is a series of conversations aimed at shifting the community narrative from a culture of scarcity to a culture of abundance.

These conversations are designed to confront the issue of accountability and commitment, and to open the community to an alternative future. They focus on building community and are aimed at creating lasting change by emphasizing choice, individual responsibility, and the gifts and assets that each person brings to the community. Peter Block's work emphasizes the importance of hosting conversations that embody and nurture an alternative future, focusing on the structure of gatherings, asking the right questions, and listening deeply.

We want to avoid conversations that are just talk—we’ve all participated in enough of those. Certain conversations are satisfying and true, yet they have no power and entail no accountability. For example:

Telling the history of how we got here

Giving explanations and opinions

Blaming and complaining

Making reports and descriptions

Carefully defining terms and conditions

Retelling your story again and again

Seeking quick action.

These are the conventional conversations and are often conducted through interventions, community gatherings, trainings, master plans, and the call for more studies and expertise. They are well intentioned and have face validity, but don’t change anything. Most of what we want to see changed has been explained, complained about, reported on, and defined for decades.

“Just-talk” conversations can help us get connected or increase our understanding of who we are, but we endure them mostly out of habit, for they are so ingrained in the social convention of our culture that if we didn’t have them, we would miss them. They do not, however, contribute to transformation.

Here are the conversations that produce something more than just talk:

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The Invitation⁠

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The Possibility Conversation⁠

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The Ownership Conversation⁠

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The Dissent Conversation⁠

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The Commitment Conversation⁠

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The Gifts Conversation⁠

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