Initiating a spirituality at work conversation can be a very satisfying experience. Although it needn’t be time-consuming, we suggest you take it slowly and mindfully.  There are no deadlines and from start to completion, spirituality at work ought to be life-giving not life-draining for you!

Spirituality at Work suggests two ways to start an SAW-type conversation:

1. if you have a faith community, you might start there;

2. or you might prefer to initiate a conversation in your workplace or work neighborhood.

Initiating a Faith and Work Project in your Faith Community

If you are a member of a faith community, you may find others there who would reflect with you about how to begin.  Here are some thoughts about that:

Start small, praying or meditating about it.

Here are some questions to consider:

• How will I know whether others in my community are experiencing a need for this kind of conversation?
• In what ways might SAW not only be of value to members of our community but also an outreach of our community to the wider community?
• How could we cooperate with other faith communities in our area to make this sort of ministry happen?
• Could we host conversations among folks in the congregation who work in the same work culture, such as educators, health care professionals, legal professionals, service workers, high tech professionals, etc?
• How can we keep it simple?  Start small?

 You might choose one or more of these “action steps:”

1. Order a copy of SAW’s Spirituality at Work: A Handbook  for Conversation Convenors and Facilitators which gives how-to tips on starting, facilitating and maintaining an ongoing conversation group. (Order Handbook)
2. Meet with a few others in your community for 15 minutes after weekly services for a few weeks.  Simply pray and reflect together about this ministry; agreeing to pray privately about this work in-between your get-togethers.
3. Chat with a few folks you know in the congregation who work in your own work neighborhood and arrange to meet with them for lunch
4. Plan a “brainstorming evening” with others in the community who might be interested in this and see where the Spirit takes you.
5. Meet with your community’s clergy to share your interest; together think how you might get something going in the congregation.

Initiating a Spirituality and Work Conversation in your Workplace Neighborhood

Starting spirituality at work conversation in your workplace neighborhood can be a stimulating and exciting project – not terribly time-consuming but extremely rewarding.  Here are some thoughts about how to begin:

Start small.  Let yourself reflect deeply about it.

Here are some questions to consider:

• What do I need to support my own practice of spirituality at work?
• How do I find others who might share this same need? How can I tell when someone might be interested in spirituality at work? 
• How could I cooperate with other groups or faith communities to get something going?  Could my professional association be any help here?
• How can I begin simply ... but begin?

 You might choose one or more of these “action steps:”

1. Order a copy of SAW’s Spirituality at Work: A Handbook  for Conversation Convenors and Facilitators which gives how-to tips on starting, facilitating and maintaining an ongoing conversation group. (Order Handbook) 
2. Make a list of others you know who might be interested in SAW conversation and invite them to join you for lunch or at home some evening for conversation and brainstorming. 
3. Set aside some time over the next few weeks (put it in your daytimer!) to meditate on some question related to spirituality and work.  Some sample questions might be: 
   • What kind of spirituality at work community do I need? 
   • How could I find others interested in SAW conversation? 
   • How could I make saw conversation happen in my area? 
4. Go to your local library or book store and look in the business section for books related to spirituality at work.  Select and read one. Perhaps find one other person who would agree to read and discuss it with you. 
5. Make a point over the next several weeks of engaging at least five people in conversation about spirituality and work.  See what happens.