麻豆约拍

When recently a meeting of a Cheshire parish council became an unlikely internet sensation, some Christians came to a surprising conclusion: they had seen and heard much worse during meetings to discuss the removal of pews, or whether or not there should be coffee after service, or changing service times!

Mary Stallard talks to four Christians about their experiences of dealing with conflict in meetings, and some of the bitter feuds that can arise between men and women who are commanded by Christ to love one another. In fifty years of ministry Leslie Griffiths has witnessed all sorts of disputes in church meetings.; Claire Pedrick works in the field of coaching, helping people in ministry to overcome the inevitable conflicts that arise, whilst Liz Griffiths works with churches across a range of denominations, helping them to deal with their buried histories. For writer and broadcaster Angela Graham this experience of conflict has marked her early life (she grew up in Belfast, the only Catholic living in a predominantly Protestant street), and informs some of the stories in her recent collection, A City Burning.