Metanoia is collaborative, relaxed, and results-oriented with a strong culture and reputation that depends on everyone being open to growth and transformation. It is the nature of our work together to experience days of both exhilaration and heartache but faithfulness to our mission remains more important than any victory or loss we may experience. We ask that those interacting with us remain open to growth in our community and within themselves during their time serving with us. When we work together, we see positive changes both around us AND within us.
To quote rev. angel kyodo williams, we embody our belief that “love and justice are not two. Without inner change, there is no Outer Change.” For these reasons:
Taking time to reflect and reconnect ourselves to God and one another is as important as any work we do in our community.
We are a learning community where personal growth is critical to the success of our work together.
We seek to envelop learning and growing practices in our work. For example, one of Metanoia’s practices woven into the fabric of team meetings is a moment of silence. It is this practice of silence that allows us to:
Locate ourselves (including our thoughts and feelings).
Hold the tension between our intentions and where we are.
Listen generously to ourselves.
Slow down enough to see one another.
The practice of silence provides the opportunity for us to return to ourselves.
In these practices, Metanoia makes progress. This progress individually and collectively leads to change. Fundamentally, we bring ourselves to the work every day open to change and to also be changed.
Our Training. Metanoia values life-long learning and education for individual growth, skill advancement, and assuring Metanoia leads with best (and next) practices. We express this value through budgeting ongoing employee training and professional development, and by creating training opportunities for our board and volunteers. In addition, we are one of the YWCA’s Racial Equity Institute training partners and require all employees to attend the YWCA’s two-day training. Most of our board members have attended this training as well.
At Metanoia, we collectively understand that training is a module. We define practice as the day-to-day application, implementation, and integration of our training.
Simply stated, training sets the table but PRACTICE is where the real meal of personal and community transformation is eaten. It is easy to do the training. It is hard work to stick to practice because practice requires intention, application, tools, and consistency. Investments made in training and development require supplemental day-to-day practices that keep us true to our values.