Conflict Resolution- Essential for Community

Alumni Event Announcement and Story on Keynote Speaker, Rev. David Dignal.

Anyone who works with people knows that appropriate conflict resolution skills are crucial for maintaining positive relationships. That is why the IWU Alumni Association is hosting an event this month to help equip community members with the tools to effectively maneuver conflict. Rev. Dignal, IWU alumni, Adjunct Professor at the Fort Wayne IWU campus, and pastor of Edgerton Wesleyan Church will be the keynote speaker at this event.

Dave Dignal

“I hope to facilitate a discussion where I can share my experiences and help give other professionals tools with which to resolve their conflicts.” As a pastor and Director for the Northern District of the Wesleyan Church in Indiana, Rev. Dignal understands the power of effective conflict management within interpersonal relationships.

“Conflict can be a negative thing, or it can be positive,” Dignal explained. “My church, at which I pastor has grown almost double, and it is because my congregation has learned to deal with conflict well.” Before becoming the senior pastor at Egerton Wesleyan, Dignal shied away from working in a small, rural church. “Conflict is always present in church settings,” he mentioned, “I knew that if I were going to lead the church in the way that I hoped, it would cause conflict. I wanted to change things, and change can bring conflict. We as a community, however, have learned to do conflict well.”

Rick Carder, director of Alumni and Church Engagement at Indiana Wesleyan, has been in conversation with Dignal for some time about the possibility of him speaking at an alumni event about what he has learned about conflict. Carder is very excited to see the outcome of this work next week at the event.

“It has been a pleasure to work with Mr. Dignal in this particular field of conversation. I anticipate this time will lead to many good things,” Carder stated, “Also, I am very excited to see the alumni family become better engaged as they see opportunities to connect with the life of the IWU network.”

Dignal stated that he sees his role in the meeting as directing a dialogue among professionals on how to improve their modes of interaction.

“I want to help people learn to identify sources of conflict and learn to develop a model for Biblical conflict management in both group and individual settings,” stated Dignal, “I want this to be a conversation. I will discuss what I have learned and welcome others to do the same.”

This seminar is intended to be a time of professional enrichment experience for professionals of all ages. The Alumni Association has scheduled the event for February 11th, 2016 from six until eight at the Fort Wayne Education and Conference Center. A $10 registration cost is required to help cover the cost of the Chick-fil-a dinner which will accompany the seminar. Interested participants should register here today!

“As a culture, we’re more disconnected than ever before,” Dignal stated, “this is an opportunity to create bonds between the members of the IWU alumni community and learn to build healthy relationships and professional networking.”

 

Details on registration can be obtained  here: https://iwu-prof-training-conflict-resolution.eventbrite.com

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