What is changemaking? Can we really change the world? As followers of Jesus, our mission assumes that personal transformation will lead to social transformation. But we are not always clear about how to do that with the kind of impact that we (and God) hope for. Ashoka is a social entrepreneurship organization that is in the business of identifying people who have the inspiration, character traits, and skills to change the world for good—and then helping them do it. In partnership with Ashoka, LAUMC’s Changemaker Initiative will help translate our heartfelt compassion into practical changemaking—in our families, our schools, our church, our businesses, and our organizations. As we start this initiative, please take a short survey that will tell Ashoka (and us!) some ways in which we are already changemakers.
You are invited on Saturday, April 14, to learn more about the Changemaker Initiative and how you might be part of it. Bring your energy for impact and join us for a day of learning and exploration. All ages are welcome! About 30–35 “Fellows” will be chosen from our congregation to embark on a 10-month process of changemaking in any and all sectors, with our faith as the core. Fellows will assemble teams of collaborators and be mentored by Ashoka experts to pilot and carry out innovative change. During this time we will establish an entire ecosystem and mindset of changemaking at our church—and there is a role for everyone.
Morning Session: 9:30–11:30am (childcare provided)
Why is changemaking essential for both young people and adults to thrive in a rapidly changing world? Learn more about the Changemaker Initiative and engage interactively to create ideas for shaping our homes, schools, workplaces, and other institutions to support people to be powerful changemakers. Lunch (11:30am – 1:00pm) will be offered to all participants.
Afternoon Session (optional): 1:00–3:30pm
In what areas are we drawn to explore changemaking? If your interest is sparked by what you experience in the morning, you are invited to stay for the afternoon session—especially if you think you might want to apply to be a LAUMC Changemaker Fellow or wish to support one of the selected Fellows as part of a team. Help shape the topics that LAUMC’s Changemaker Fellows will address. Explore your passions and choose from any of the four main themes to work on: Changemaker Families, Changemaker Workspaces, Changemaker Churches, and Changemaking in the Community.
Please register by April 9 so that sufficient food and childcare may be provided. Space is limited. If you have questions, especially if you are interested but unable to attend, please contact Kim Jones, lay director of LAUMC’s Changemaker Initiative.
public workshop to empower young people to thrive. More than 80 people—from LAUMC as well as schools and the larger community—engaged in discussions about how the world is changing and how that affects us, our young people, and our interactions with them as parent, teacher, or community member. Being a changemaker allows people to adapt to a changing world and includes empathy, teamwork, leadership, and creative problem-solving skills. Anne Evans of Ashoka shared some of the ingredients of raising a changemaker: