Journey in Understanding
Background on the Group’s Formation, Naming and Purpose
Born out of a narrowly divided vote on whether to apologize to the LGBTQ+ community, the Virginia Annual Conference 2024 formed a commission that brought together clergy and laity from LGBTQ+, progressive, centrist, and traditionalist perspectives, united by a shared desire to move beyond voting. Watch a video of the full motion at Annual Conference 2024.
Moving from an emphasis on fault and reparations to a reconciliatory approach, the name of a “Journey in Understanding” was adopted. Acknowledging their mandate to pursue a more excellent way, the group committed to creating a sacred space to listen, hold, and begin to heal the harms experienced during long standing denominational discord.
Team Members
The Journey in Understanding team is made up of 10 individuals led by Rev. Mark Ogren, VAUMC retired elder, with Rev. Dr. Gary Mason as a consultant.
• Gennie Bowles, Clergy
Prince of Peace UMC, Woodbridge, Northern Virginia District
• David Edinger, Clergy
Amelon UMC, Madison Heights, Mountain View District
• Jill Gaynor, Laity
Reveille UMC, Richmond, Three Notch’d District
• Margie Hernandez, Laity
Braddock Street UMC, Winchester, Shenandoah River District
• David Jimenez-Cardenas, Clergy
Memorial UMC, Virginia Beach, Coastal Virginia District
• Darcey Johnson, Clergy
Shady Grove UMC, Mechanicsville, Three Notch’d District
• Alton Keel, Laity
South River UMC, Stanardsville, Three Notch’d District
• Claire Kent, Laity
Charlottesville First UMC, Three Notch’d District
• Hungsu Lim, Clergy
St. John’s UMC, Buena Vista, Valley Ridge District
• Kay Nicholas, Laity
Belmont UMC, Richmond, Three Notch’d District
The Group’s Approach: Intentional Holy Listening
Rejecting adversarial debate and recognizing that reconciliation is the work of the Holy Spirit, the group embraced Intentional Holy Listening—an active, non-judgmental practice of asking open-ended questions and bearing witness to each story. Over four listening sessions, invited voices were given three framing questions and uninterrupted time to speak. Although not every invitee participated, those who did found a rare space to be heard (some for the first time!), whether to recount deep wounds or to share hopes for the future. By creating safe, holy spaces and encouraging a posture of continuous learning, the group modeled an approach that could begin to bring reconciliation and true healing.
A more in-depth report of the group’s process and findings is available in the 2025 Book of Reports, pgs. 159 – 160.
Additional information is also included in the video of the team's report at Annual Conference 2025.
Books & Resources
The Journey in Understanding team found the practice of intentional holy listening to be foundational their work. They encourage you to reflect how inviting the Holy Spirit into your everyday conversations, especially the more difficult conversations, could impact your local ministry.
They have assembled four resources to assist you in your journey:
Dignity: Its Essential Role in Resolving Conflict by Donna Hicks (2011)
Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu wrote the Foreword to this book, summarizing the importance of its content, “I have come to appreciate Donna Hicks’s excellent work in the field of human dignity and to value her friendship. I encouraged her to share her insights with a wider audience. This she has now done, and I congratulate her for bringing so clearly to the fore in this compelling book the concept of dignity, that inalienable God-given right of all humankind.” Foreword, pg. ix
Active Listening: 3 In 1 by Emma Leigh Weber (2024)
Active listening “demands the listener to be fully present, suspending their judgments and preconceptions and focusing solely on understanding the speaker’s perspective. In essence, active listening is a form of communication that goes beyond the surface level of exchanging words and delves into building genuine connections and understanding.” Introduction, pg. 6
High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out by Amanda Ripley (2021)
“Good conflict can lead to radical change, tectonic shifts in how societies operate. We remain open to the reality that none of us has all the answers to everything all the time, and that we are all connected. We need healthy conflict in order to defend ourselves, to understand each other and to improve. People do escape high conflict. Individuals—even entire communities—find ways to short-circuit the feedback loops of conflict. They don’t suddenly agree, and this is important: they don’t surrender their beliefs. Nor do they defect, switching from one position to the opposite extreme. Instead, they do something much more interesting: they become capable of comprehending that with which they still disagree. Like someone who learns a second language, they start to hear the other side without compromising their own beliefs. And that changes everything. Curiosity returns. Humanity revives.” Introduction, pgs. 3-5
Hope is Here! Spiritual Practice for Pursuing Justice and Beloved Community by Rev. Dr. Luther E. Smith, Jr. (2023)
“Hope Is Here! offers readers insights and practices for nurturing a deeper relationship with hope. Yes, hope uplifts—and does so much more. Hope reveals, empowers, challenges, disrupts, transforms, and enlivens us to God’s desire for our lives and the world. Readers will perceive hope in new ways and be invited to join the work of hope in their lives and in God’s dream of beloved community. The spiritual journey with hope deepens our self-awareness, our interactions in relationships, and our involvement in social realities. All these places (self, relationships, society) disclose God’s heart. We meet God and hope anew in these places; and we then become new to express our true selves, to nurture our relationships, and to contribute to healing the world.” Preface, pg. x
Speakers Available
Members of the Journey in Understanding team are available to come talk with your church about engaging in the work of intentional holy listening. Team members can share more details about their process and how they found it to be transformative.
Contact Rev. Mark Ogren to learn more: markogren@vaumc.org