National Workshop on Affirmation

The CWCI Australia National Management Board (NMB) holds a National Conference every three years to equip and encourage Regional Board members.  With the current COVID-19 restrictions the 2020 National Conference was re-imagined to smaller Zoom sessions held during May and June.

As a Grand Finale in August, more than 60 women, representing every CWCI Region across Australia, participated in a National Workshop on Affirmation via Zoom. During the workshop, NMB Development Director Robyn Sansbury and NMB President Heather Jackson presented on the value of affirmation — stating something true about another person in order to inform, encourage, motivate, or support them.  

Zoom ‘break-out rooms’ were used to explore the topic using prepared questions as a guide. Each discussion group had the opportunity to share their thoughts with the whole group. An assignment was given — “to send a card/letter/email of affirmation to someone we know”. The workshop was book-ended with prayer and time allowed for general conversation before finishing.

Participants appreciated:

• the importance of looking to see what God is doing in a person’s life and affirming spiritual fruit and spiritual giftedness
• the danger of joining in when others criticise, tease or be sarcastic
• considering the impact of affirmation and how that works for a whole organization
• the encouragement to pray and ask God to show us what to affirm in others
• being reminded that we are a team (the body of Christ) and that affirmation strengthens and matures us

If you want to know more about this topic check out our past blog post Good Communication:  Words of Affirmation.

Jenny Nixon,

Secretary, National Management Board CWCI Australia