Newer People Outreach Idea

Maybe I'm the only one feeling and thinking this way. If I am, tell me and I'll go about taking care of myself.

As a new person at the Temple, the recent and public unrest is very unnerving. I've been tempted to leave, to do only the IP with no social or personal stuff, to pester people with questions when it's obvious they are trying to take care of the things... I've gone from hating the idea of novice-only forum to kinda hoping for one.

I'm told things like this come and go here, but that this is one of the worst, and certainly the most public, storms to hit TOtJO.

There are members here who haven't had a chance to put down roots and the high winds can be a bit frightening.

I'd like to ask the people who have been here longer, the Apprentices and Knights, to maybe reach out to a few newer people. Be their more experienced buddy for a bit, help them understand that this here now will be ok and the Temple isn't crumbling around us.

I know it would help me, anyway.

This is being spoken on in the Apprentice forum currently. If you need an ear I am always available via PM and currently, I am on a break between semesters so I will have very high available hours for anyone that wants to talk.

I'm not going to patronise you, this is by far the worst storm the Temple has encountered in the 4 years or so I've been here. In a post in a non-public forum here I literally just made a post on this exact subject. So I'll share that here.

"They're right. There's good reason to be frightened right now. This place seems to be coming apart at the seams. Sometimes fear is appropriate.

I'm against making out this is anything other than it is, just to keep people calm. They're adults. They have a right to know what they're getting into here.

Hiding the truth is not a supportive act."

Sorry that it's not what was asked for. Personally I feel the truth is more useful to you.

My inbox is always open , chaos does not have to be bad , we are still here for the ones that need us

Hi River,

A thread just began in the Apprentices and Up forum talking about doing exactly this. I am sure many will post here to offer their ears.

It is difficult to know who needs to be heard. So, there are a couple of options for those of us who want to talk to somebody.
A. You can always contact the clergy. They have been trained to listen and offer a cyber hug. lol. Here is the form to contact them: https://www.templeofthejediorder.org/contact-clergy It is also in the navigation bar up top.

B. I will offer my inbox too (I'm sure others will come by and offer theirs as well). I have been here since 2012. I was once a Knight here and a Licensed Minister. That training did not just disappear. hahaha. Happy to listen.

-Connor

tzb wrote:
Sorry that it's not what was asked for. Personally I feel the truth is more useful to you.

Truth is support too. I'd be all about truth. But this was something I feel comfortable asking for, and to know the inner workings of a system I haven't earned yet, is not.

tzb wrote: I'm not going to patronise you, this is by far the worst storm the Temple has encountered in the 4 years or so I've been here. In a post in a non-public forum here I literally just made a post on this exact subject. So I'll share that here.

"They're right. There's good reason to be frightened right now. This place seems to be coming apart at the seams. Sometimes fear is appropriate.

I'm against making out this is anything other than it is, just to keep people calm. They're adults. They have a right to know what they're getting into here.

Hiding the truth is not a supportive act."

Sorry that it's not what was asked for. Personally I feel the truth is more useful to you.

Hiding the truth isn't supportive, but being more open about the steps to overcome such troubles would be nice. As of right now, those under the rank of Apprentice can't see even people acknowledging the issues. It'd be nice to know that people are working towards fixing the problems.

To everyone, not just River...

Firstly, I'm sorry that we have created an atmosphere in which the sense of turmoil has become overwhelming.

Part of the reason for the sense of confusion is because within the members particularly involved in these issues, there are a huge variety of different opinions and mindsets. Any public thread on the issues would likely descend into chaos very quickly.

Talking - maintaining that sense of personal, human relationships - with other members, is probably the best reassurance there is. Whether those conversations are to talk through the issues facing the Temple, or to give a voice to feelings about the atmosphere, or to discuss studies, or just to chat about something completely random and retain that sense of connection within the Temple - as Connor mentioned, the Clergy are always available to listen (ordained clergy members being bound by the oath of confidence) and most Councillors, Knights and Apprentices will always consider their inboxes open too. I'm sure there will be plenty more similar sentiments expressed here by such members who have not yet had a chance.

I am always happy to listen, so please do not hesitate to contact me should you feel that I might be able to be of assistance.

I appreciate as well that it is difficult sometimes to reach out in times like this and that some of the onus is on us, as more experienced members, do to this. I personally promise to try to do better, and, as others have mentioned, we have also this evening started discussing this same issue between the Knights and Apprentices, so it may be that we will be able to formulate some ideas on how collectively we might better provide support to the members at large in such times.

Thank you for raising these concerns and making this suggestion, River. I'm sure many others who have been feeling similarly are glad to see this thread.

Truth be told, I was thinking about leaving this place due to all of the issues I've seen in my short time here. Steamboat28 (my roommate who introduced me to this place to begin with) advised me to not let the recent issues keep me from improving myself. I thought it was good advice. I just thought I'd share it.

Nami wrote: Truth be told, I was thinking about leaving this place due to all of the issues I've seen in my short time here. Steamboat28 (my roommate who introduced me to this place to begin with) advised me to not let the recent issues keep me from improving myself. I thought it was good advice. I just thought I'd share it.

I guess what I've been thinking is, couldn't I do some of this learning on my own... Thereby bettering myself and avoiding this mess.

If learn more here... but right now it feels like, at what cost?

Even knights and apprentices I'd considered personal friends seem unavailable.