The Colossian Forum

09/29/2026

Join us October 21 from 6–8 p.m. at Allendale Township Library for a free One Anothering workshop exploring practical ways to listen, stay connected, and choose one another when we disagree.

Everyone is welcome! Learn more and sign up at ChooseOneAnother.com.

How do we choose one another when we disagree about politics?

Talking about, or even thinking about, politics can feel challenging, uncomfortable, and divisive. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Join us for a FREE workshop led by The Colossian Forum, using pieces of their One Anothering curriculum and model. This workshop is coming from a bias-free place and is not about convincing anyone to change their political views or telling you what you should believe.

Instead, we’ll explore practical mindsets and habits that can help us have more constructive, respectful conversations with people who see things differently.

The goal isn’t agreement. It’s learning how to hold different beliefs while still choosing relationships, and navigating disagreement with love and grace instead of contempt and defensiveness.

📅 October 21, 6-8pm
📍 Allendale Township Library
🍽️ Free food & snacks provided
🤝 Led by The Colossian Forum | Funded by Valley Church

Come ready to learn, listen, and practice what it looks like to choose one another even when we disagree.

Sign up or learn more at
ChooseOneAnother.com

09/21/2026

When a relationship feels stuck, it can be hard to imagine anything changing. You expect the same reactions, the same frustration, and the same outcome.

Sometimes, seeing another person differently begins by giving yourself something new to notice. Visit an unfamiliar place. Learn a story you haven’t heard. Pay attention to what surprises or stretches you.

New experiences can interrupt old patterns and help you return to a difficult relationship with a wider view of the person in front of you.

If someone came to mind as you watched, we invite you to share this video with them for encouragement.

09/17/2026

Some relationships are hard to see with hope. After enough disappointment, we can stop seeing the person in front of us and start seeing everything we’ve come to expect from them.

That’s where Beholding begins.

Our new Practicing Hope series explores what it means to see others in light of Christ’s love — especially when a relationship remains difficult and we can’t control how the other person responds.

We’ll talk about loving faithfully, navigating disappointment, and practicing hope without pretending everything is okay.

Join us this September with new episodes every other Wednesday. Follow along at colossianforum.org/podcast or wherever you get your podcasts!

09/03/2026

When a group has an important decision to make, disagreement can feel like something we need to resolve before we can move forward. Eventually, a choice has to be made.

But making a decision doesn’t mean we have to leave every other perspective behind. Someone who disagrees with us may see a risk, consequence, or need that we can’t see from where we’re standing. Even when their preferred option isn’t chosen, their perspective can still shape how we move forward.

What might change if we kept listening, even after the decision was made?

Explore more reflections on following Jesus in conflict in The Colossian Forum newsletter.

Subscribe at the link in the comments.

08/20/2026

What does faithfulness look like when the church you love is changing and you’re not sure where you fit anymore?

For guest writer Margot Eyring, that question isn’t theoretical. After years in the same congregation, changes within her church left her wrestling with disagreement, belonging, and whether staying might ask something different of her than she expected.

In her article, Finding My Place in a Changing Church, Margot reflects on what she’s learning about remaining in relationship when there are no easy answers.

Read Margot’s reflection on The Latest, where we share stories, practices, and perspectives for following Jesus in the midst of conflict. Link in comments.

08/19/2026

Practicing Hope is the podcast from The Colossian Forum. The name reflects something at the heart of who we are: hope isn’t only something we believe in or talk about. It’s something we practice — especially when conflict makes it difficult to see one another clearly.

This September, we’re returning with a new series on one of those practices: Beholding — learning to see others in light of Christ’s love, even in the midst of difference and disagreement.

We can’t wait to share it with you. Follow Practicing Hope at colossianforum.org/podcast

08/17/2026

We all long to be fully known and fully loved. It's easy to begin looking to our relationships for what only God can give.

When another person becomes the source of our hope, every disappointment feels heavier than it should. And when we depend on our own strength to keep loving, even our best intentions eventually wear thin.

"We love because God first loved us."

This is where hope begins again. Not in trying harder or expecting more from one another, but in receiving the love that has already been given. From there, we discover we have something real to offer the people in front of us.

Continue the journey with our Beholding workbook through the link in the comments.

08/10/2026

In a divided world, hospitality is one way we resist fear, suspicion, and distance.

This short video shares three simple practices for welcoming others with openness and building genuine connection across difference.

If this practice encouraged you, share it with someone who’s longing for healthier relationships or looking for a different way to navigate disagreement.

Peacemaking is something we learn together.

08/06/2026

We often assume a long decision-making process is a sign that something has gone wrong.

Sometimes it is. Sometimes it's avoidance. Sometimes it's complexity. Sometimes it's grief. And sometimes there isn't a quick or obvious answer.

Whatever the reason, prolonged discernment can be spiritually and emotionally taxing. This prayer is an invitation to bring that reality before God — not only to ask for clarity, but also for wisdom and the ability to recognize God's presence in the midst of an unfinished process.

If this resonates with you, read our latest reflection by Rev. Dr. Tanner Smith, "There's hope for decisions that take a long, long time." Link in comments.

07/30/2026

When a relationship becomes difficult, hope grows through small, sustainable acts — not dramatic gestures.

As a way of seeking hope, choose one act of faithfulness that stretches you a little, but still honors your limits.

Here are a few ideas to get you started: Daytime texts. 20-minute visits. Curious questions that take a break from tense topics.

Then entrust this small act to God with a prayer: “Lord, take this small act and weave it into your larger story. Give me courage, give me wisdom, and let my hope rest in you.”

The Beholding Workbook offers simple practices, guided reflection, and prayer to help you continue seeking God in difficult relationships. Each exercise is an invitation to take one small step in hope and entrust the rest to God.

Order your copy through the link in the comments.