Assignment | Tending the Seed of your CRC Renewal Project | Reflective Question

Design Thinking for Social Change
Week 2 — Forum Responses

Question 1: What shimmers for you from the material you have watched and read this week?

What shimmers for me this week is how much we can miss when we focus on gathering responses without fully understanding the person responding. Professor Goldberg’s discussion about surveys stayed with me. A survey may tell us what someone thinks, but it does not always show us what they are experiencing or give us the opportunity to ask the second and third “why.”

My first thought was that we should remove surveys from the listening project our earlier Congregational Renewal Cohort developed. Then I had an afterthought. What about someone who cannot attend a listening circle? What about someone who has something to say but does not feel comfortable saying it in front of other people? I began to see that we may need several ways for people to participate. Listening circles, private conversations, surveys, and email could each create an opening. What matters is how we follow that opening into deeper understanding.

The Field Guide’s “Interview,” “Group Interview,” and “Immersion” methods helped me think about this more clearly. People’s stories and circumstances matter. So does making room for voices we might otherwise miss. In my own ministry, I have learned that people are often carrying much more than what is visible. Sometimes what they first share is only the beginning of what they need us to understand.

I also keep thinking about how our assumptions shape what we hear. We can care about someone and still misunderstand them. Professor Goldberg’s emphasis on compassion, humility, and patience reminds me to slow down, ask another question, and allow people to explain their own experience.

“Nothing About Us Without Us” in Design Justice raises another question for me. Will our congregants help shape how this listening happens? Have we asked what would help them feel comfortable participating? Those questions need to be part of the design itself. The chapters on intentional adaptation and nonlinear, iterative change in Emergent Strategy also reflect how my thinking unfolded. My first response changed as I considered whose experience I might be overlooking.

What shimmers most is the responsibility that comes with listening. When someone trusts us enough to share a concern, what happens next matters. We may not be able to resolve everything, but we can acknowledge what we heard, consider what is possible, and communicate back. I want people to be able to see how their voices are reflected in the life of our church.

References — Question 1

• IDEO.org. (2015). The Field Guide to Human-Centered Design. “Interview” (p. 39), “Group Interview” (p. 42), and “Immersion” (p. 52).
• Costanza-Chock, S. (2020). Design Justice: Community-Led Practices to Build the Worlds We Need. Chapter 2, “Nothing About Us Without Us.”
• brown, adrienne maree. (2017). Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds. Chapters 4, “Intentional Adaptation,” and 6, “Nonlinear and Iterative.”
• Goldberg, N. (October 10, 2026). Design Thinking for Social Change. Pacific School of Religion, Zoom classroom discussion.

Question 2: How is your team formation going?

My team formation is growing out of relationships and work that already exist. I serve on the Member Services team at City of Refuge UCC, and our earlier PSR Congregational Renewal Cohort developed a listening project around people’s experiences of belonging, communication, participation, and trust. That work gave us a foundation. What we have not yet established is an ongoing process for listening and responding to what people share.

Today I prepared a two-page proposal called “More Than Being Heard” and emailed it to Ursula and Pastor Maria. It includes possibilities for listening circles, private conversations, surveys, and email. It also outlines how we might acknowledge responses, review concerns and suggestions, and communicate back to the congregation. I sent it to begin a conversation. I am not asking anyone to start running a program at this point.

That matters to me because I know Member Services and our clergy are already carrying many responsibilities. An idea can sound helpful and still require more time and energy than people have available. Before moving toward implementation, I want us to have several conversations about what already exists, where the gaps are, and what we could realistically sustain together.

I may also ask Sheree, who helped develop the original cohort project, for her perspective. Her experience could help us think through the proposal, but I do not want to assume that asking for her thoughts means she is available to take on more work.

The Field Guide’s “Build a Team” method reminds me to pay attention to both people’s skills and their availability. “Group Interview” also reinforces the importance of hearing different perspectives. The Design Justice chapter “Nothing About Us Without Us” makes me think about including congregants alongside the people who would be responsible for carrying out the work. Each may see something the others do not.

I appreciated Professor Goldberg and Alicia reminding us that community projects develop over time. We are not expected to complete this work in four weeks. That gives me room to listen, reconsider, and let the relationships shape the next step.

For now, my next step is to hear how the team responds. I want to understand what feels useful, what raises concerns, and what might fit within the life of our church. Sometimes another Lego piece can help strengthen what we already have. Those conversations will help us understand what that piece might be.

References — Question 2

• IDEO.org. (2015). The Field Guide to Human-Centered Design. “Build a Team” (p. 35) and “Group Interview” (p. 42).
• Costanza-Chock, S. (2020). Design Justice: Community-Led Practices to Build the Worlds We Need. Chapter 2, “Nothing About Us Without Us.”
• Goldberg, N., and PSR classroom discussion with Alicia. (October 10, 2026). Design Thinking for Social Change. Zoom session.
• City of Refuge UCC Congregational Renewal Cohort. (2026). Congregational renewal project report (unpublished).

What shimmers for me is from Emergent Strategy. Yes, I agree that if you step back and look at change in any person’s life, it doesn't happen in a linear march from point A to point B. The world is round, dense, and it spins, and so is life.

The author’s discussion of grief and Time Traveling Emotions shows the need to design a program that helps a community heal from individual and generational trauma. This discussion made me think of church on Sundays and the Gospel songs that regularly bring up tears, followed by the joy of greeting one another with smiles, hugs, and Kleenex tissues.

I really appreciate the author’s Spell for Grief or Letting Go. So, I realize that I have been through everything in this spell because I wrote about my grief recently in my Spiritual Autobiography. Two parts of this spell stand out to me. The parts about recognizing communal lament, and that grief is probably reciprocated because people long to connect, are certainly profound, and I have experienced this.

The good news is that Tim and I connected through the online portal at the end of the last class. We exchanged contact information.

Question 1

What shimmers for me from this week’s readings is the importance of listening, embracing change, and recognizing that meaningful growth happens when we work together. Each reading reminds me that we cannot assume we know what is best for others without taking the time to understand their experiences, needs, and perspectives.

In Emergent Strategy, Adrienne Maree Brown emphasizes that change is not always a straight path. We experience setbacks, make mistakes, and discover new possibilities along the way. I appreciate the reminder that growth requires patience, flexibility, and a willingness to adapt. Sometimes, the experiences that challenge us the most can teach us valuable lessons and help us become more compassionate toward others.

Sasha Costanza-Chock’s Design Justice deepens this understanding by emphasizing that people should have a voice in decisions that affect their lives. The principle of designing with people rather than for them stands out to me. Everyone has lived experiences and knowledge that deserve to be recognized and respected. When we exclude people from the process, we risk creating solutions that do not truly meet their needs.

Similarly, IDEO.org’s The Field Guide to Human-Centered Design reminds me that listening, asking questions, collaborating, and testing ideas are essential to creating meaningful change.

Together, these readings challenge me to approach life and community with greater curiosity and humility. Whether in church, relationships, or community work, I want to listen before making assumptions and remain open to learning from others. What shimmers most is the understanding that meaningful transformation begins when we value people's stories, embrace change, and create space for everyone to participate.

Question 2

Elizabeth and I spoke with each other about what our project will be. At Koloa Union Church, we have been discussing how to bring new families into our congregation, especially families with younger children and youth. We want to find ways to help our church grow and become more connected with families in our community.

Through this week’s readings, we have learned that there is no single right or wrong way to approach a challenge. In Emergent Strategy, Adrienne Maree Brown reminds us to remain flexible and open to change. Design Justice emphasizes the importance of including the people most affected in the process of creating solutions. Similarly, The Field Guide to Human-Centered Design encourages us to listen, learn, and understand people's needs before deciding on an approach.

Elizabeth and I realize that we need to do more groundwork within our town before determining the best way forward. Rather than making assumptions about what families want, we need to listen to them and learn more about their interests, needs, and experiences. We also need to understand what opportunities already exist in our community and how our church might contribute in meaningful ways.

These readings have helped us recognize that developing a successful project requires patience, collaboration, and a willingness to adjust our ideas as we learn. We do not need to have all the answers right now. Instead, we can begin by asking questions, building relationships, and exploring possibilities with our community.

Our hope is to find ways to make Koloa Union Church a welcoming place where families and younger generations feel connected, valued, and encouraged to grow together.

     From the introduction, where Dr Goldberg shares Thomas Edison’s theory that there is no such thing as failure(releasing the framework of failure), only elimination of designs that don’t work, Picasso’s artistic rule breaking and Charlie Parker’s               “ practice, practice, practice - then wail!”, this week’s assignments loaded with practical applications. 

     If design is how we give form to our intentions, we must practice User Centered Design or Participatory Design. “Nothing About Us Without Us”, the rally call of the Disability Justice activists of the 1980’s and 1990’s.   We must build with and not for our community in order to empower them and better serve their needs. 

     I loved the metaphor of how birds swarm. They work together adapting and trusting their immediate companions(@7) to reach their intended destination. They are intentional with where they put their energy, coasting when they can. We have much to learn from birds. They understand the concept of design being decentralized. The importance of having the design’s purpose clear to all concerned. 

     Always looking at life in terms of the lesson to be learned, I was grateful to find an article about Chef Jose Andres, the Spainish American global humanitarian in the August/September 2026 AARP magazine at my doctor’s office. “Allowing dignity is critical to my work feeding poorer communities with World Central Kitchen. Somebody is always coming from the outside, imposing a solution rather than listening to the locals about what the response or solution should be. In the end you’re the wind behind them. You don’t need to be the boat “!  Sounds like Mr Andres has taken Design Thinking for Social Change at The Pacific School of Religion!!

QUESTION TWO  Tiffany and I have met to discuss our shared goal of attracting more youth and young adults to our church  This has been “on the table” for years now and we are both so grateful to be receiving the tools (Mindsets, Skills and Methods) to meet that goal!  Rather than being overwhelmed by the enormity of our mission, our design classes have given us permission to embrace the mystery and have compassion and patience for ourselves and the community.  We now understand that we must welcome ambiguity and trust the process  According to John Bielenberg, Founder, Future Partners “Optimism is the thing that drives you forward “.  Tiffany and I are optimistically working towards a Human Centered Design to bring the joy and fellowship of Kōloa Union Church to more of the youth on our island

1. What shimmers for you from the material you have watched and read this week?

I maybe problematically, a lot of my thinking and reflection here is related to my work because I have been doing a lot of design thinking at work and a lot of this connects to that. For instance, the divergent and convergent ideas is very similar to the flare/focus concept in a work brainstorm. I do think there will be some different lessons/applications related to spirituality as opposed to journalism but different than other design thinking projects, since I work for nonprofit news, it does feel like a lot of our work is focused on user journeys -- but also user journeys to address a societal need, not just to get people to spend money. And so what shimmers is the difference between brainstorming to get more ideas on the board, and brainstorming to answer very specifc querstions and to find alignment.  

2. How is your team formation going?

I am on the board of trustees at my church, Epworth United Methodist church in Berkeley, and one thing that is happening at our church is that we have fewer and fewer young families attenidng, which has led to a struggling and lower attended youth group and other challenges like that. But the interesting note is that I don't think its necessarily related to the move to the "unchurched" and more secular world that we all hear about. I think it actually may be more related to the aging population of Berkeley and the fact that there are fewer families that can afford to live in our community. Given that challenge, I want to form a team of families or even teens in the church community -- and outside -- to understand why that is and to address the challenges overcoming those demographic shifts to help the church itself grow.