Community Café: Gathering the Circle – How to invite with purpose and clarity
October 24 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm EDT
You have a vision for meaningful conversation using circle process—but how do you get people in the room? Extending an invitation is itself part of the restorative process, and it is shaped by your unique context, relationships, and intention.
This Community Café explores the art of invitation: who needs to be present, who should extend the invite, and how we communicate purpose in a way that compels participation. Sharing and expanding on insights from CMN’s Conversations in Communion training, we’ll share practical strategies and language that works.
What to Expect
An hour of wisdom-sharing & informal conversation. We’ll begin by hearing from seasoned community members, then open the floor for collaborative exchange.
Key Questions We’ll Explore
- How do I articulate the “why” of this circle process well?
- Whose insight, skill, or presence does this conversation need?
- Who is best positioned to extend the invitation and how?
- What language will help to get people in the room?
After the session, all registrants will receive a compiled resource of insights and strategies shared during our conversation.
Come Prepared By
- Consider coming with a specific circle process or conversation in communion you hope to host in mind—whether you have a detailed plan or are just beginning to explore,
- or an invitation approach you’ve tried and what you learned from it.
Before the session, you’re encouraged to read “Preparing the Foundation” (p. 23) in the Conversations in Communion facilitator guide.
Date: Friday, October 24, 2025
Time: 12-1 p.m. ET / 11 a.m.-12 p.m. CT / 9-10 a.m. PT
Location: Virtual via Zoom
Community Cafés are offered monthly through CMN’s RJ Ministry Community of Practice. They’re designed for people implementing restorative justice practices and circle process in their ministries and communities. All sessions are free and not recorded.