The Art of Listening

At the heart of lockdown many of our interactions with others were reduced to the phone or the new norm of life -  'Zoom'!  Whilst rejoicing in the means to stay in touch these brought their own challenges to good communication and healthy relationships. As we reflect not only on the lessons we might have learnt during lockdown but those that come from the ongoing restrictions placed on the way we can be with others, I wonder what we have discovered about our ability to listen?




As he reviews a new book about listening ('Habits of Grace'), Tim Challis draws
to our attention six lessons in good listening.
1. Good listening requires patience
2. Good listening is an act of love
3. Good listening asks perceptive questions
4. Good listening is ministry
5. Good listening prepares us to speak well
6. Good listening reflects our relationship with God

Flesh these out by reading his review. 




  

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Midday tomorrow!

Image
Over recent weeks, in both our morning congregations, we've been trying connect with one another's lives beyond 'Sunday' by hearing from someone about what they will be doing the following day. Obviously this has normally meant Monday morning - but this week we are shifting the question to the end of the week and asking...  'What will you be doing at midday tomorrow (Friday 27th)?' In current circumstances it might be tempting to think everyone's at home, yet the reality is that we're much more diverse than that - not only do we have a number of 'essential workers' in the church family, who are 'out' at work but whose jobs look very different to normal, but those of us working or doing school at home will be establishing different patterns and focusing on very varied things, and of course retirees will be finding their own rhythms to the day.  So whether it is gardening, a maths class (doing it or trying to teach one), accou...
Read more

Catching up with new graduate, Tom Morgan.

Image
What has the early part of 2020 held for you? I finished my Fine Art degree at home during lockdown, and although it was really disappointing not to be able to exhibit in the normal physical Final Year Degree Show, you can see some of my work here.   What are you planning to do next and why? Next year I will be based in London volunteering with a University and Colleges Christian Fellowship (UCCF):  UCCF: The Christian Unions is a fellowship of students, staff and supporters that aims to give every university student in the UK an opportunity to hear and respond to the great news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Going to university is a formative time for many. Someone has the chance to question the beliefs, ideas, and ways of living they were brought up with. It can be a key time to explore faith and make big life decisions independently. I definitely found this to be the case – I left for university as a Christian, and by God’s grace I am still walking with the...
Read more

Reaching your neighbours - the Mezei's front window!

Image
It feels like yesterday we were doing Christmas in our house. Last year we so enjoyed getting ready for it, celebrating Advent, probably the proper way for the first time. Lockdown has its uses J ! As Lent came round we asked ourselves why we give more importance to Advent and not to Lent. Surely both are as important! Both are amazing news for humanity. So we decided to do Advent the ‘right’ way this year. Of course, with a one and four year old, it might look a lot different to how others celebrate it, but we found ways to involve everyone in our family and to make it meaningful. In December, like others in the church, we made use of our front window to make a giant nativity scene. Let’s just say that if anyone had any doubts we were Christians, they now knew better! The kids so enjoyed making it and adding to it as Advent progressed (although Clara was not too sure she liked her baby doll in the window!). But most of all we loved seeing people stop to look at the scene and read ...
Read more