Bridge Builder Trainings and Leadership Retreats

Bridge Builder Trainings

The process of building bridges - of building understanding, trust, and cooperation with people who may look, think, or express themseles differently than you do - is not something that comes naturally to most people. It's like learning to dance. It requires us to step outside our comfort zones, to share vulnerably and authentically, to listen without judgment, and develop empathy and appreciation for those who have walked a different path. In short, building bridges, whether one on one or in group settings, is a skill that must be learned and practiced.

One of our goals at Lumunos is to help individuals and teams learn and practice the skills of bridge building to create more caring and connected communities and workplaces. We draw not just from theory or research, but from our signficant experience over the years building bridges between people of different cultures, faiths, nationalities, ages, sexual orientations, and politics in communities large and small across the nation.

We use the analogy of learning to "dance on the dance floor of diversity" as a starting point - noting that we can all relate to the awkwardness of learning a new dance. It is when we learn to breathe through the awkwardness, offer each other grace when we step on each other's toes, and take turn learning one another's "dance" (culture, faith, languge, experience in life, etc...) that bridges of understanding, trust, and cooperation begin to develop and we all begin to experience a greater sense of belonging.

"Our fellows are working to develop the skills and virtues to work constructively across difference, and they benefited enormously from Lumunos offering them a rich mix of first-person stories, general principles, and case studies that helped them to identify concrete ways in which they can bridge divides and become neighbors with those who are very different from themselves."

- Dr. Bradley Burroughs, Director of The Program for Leadership and Character in Civic Life at Wake Forest University

We offer three interactive and complimentary trainings that help individuals and teams learn and practice the skills of bridge building.

Click here to learn more

Bridge Builder Leadership Retreats

Lumunos has an extensive history in hosting and facilitating one day and multi-day retreats for community organizations, congregations, and workplaces. Please contact us if interested in having us facilitate a customized retreat for your team that incorporates our Becoming Neighbors process and bridge builder trainings.

Additionally, we are happy to offer a FAW/Lumunos Alumni Reunion, followed by our annual Summer Bridge Builder Leadership Retreat October 3rd and 4th at the Green Lake Conference Center in central Wisconsin.

On Friday, October 3rd we invite all alumni and friends of Faith at Work/Lumunos over the decades to reconnect with old friends, shared beloved memories, reflect on the legacy of our beloved organization, and provide wisdom for the future.

This will be followed by our annual Bridge-builder retreat on Saturday, October 4th, for people (new and old to Lumunos) who are called to build bridges of understanding, trust, and cooperation across lines of difference in our divided world. It is our hope that alumni attend both the reunion and the bridge-builder retreat…to help connect our remarkable past with our promising future.

We are happy to share that recent Lumunos Director Doug Wysockey Johnson will be attending, and former director Marjory Bankson will be joining online for part of the time as well 🙂

Please click here for more information on the conference center and nearby airports. We encourage alumni to arrive on Thursday, October 2nd after 4pm, and leave anytime on Sunday October 5th. We encourage folks just wanting to attend the Bridge-builder retreat to arrive on Friday October 2nd after 4pm, and leave anytime on Sunday, October 5th (if staying overnight).

Interested participants should call Green Lake conference center guest services at 920-294-3323 before July 30th to reserve a room under Lumunos. Guests will stay in the Bauer rooms (named after the remarkably generous Bauer Family, whose support is helping to make this special retreat possible). Family are welcome to join along.

Participant Testimonial

I now understand that building bridges is less about how much diversity a community has but more about what we do to proactively build bridges amongst that diversity that really matters. The Bridge Builder retreat helped me check my own stubborness/dismisivenss of those on the opposite side of my beliefs. Our time spent on centering common humanity over divisive beliefs was especially important to reaching new understanding and expand empathy to new groups.

– Bridge Builder Leadership Retreat Participant