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<\/a>Alastair McKay juggles three big responsibilities: directing an organization called Bridge Builders in transforming church conflict, pursuing a doctorate of ministry, and raising children with his wife Sue.<\/p>\nBetween 1997 and 1999, the McKays settled their family of four \u2013 their daughter was then age two and their son three months \u2013 in Harrisonburg to enable Alastair to earn his master\u2019s in conflict transformation. As foreign nationals on student permits, neither Alastair nor Sue was permitted to work in the United States. They had to rely on their savings and support garnered from other sources. Yet, Alastair says, \u201cwe never, never regretted it [the financial sacrifice].\u201d<\/p>\n
At the time, Sue and Alastair were members of the Wood Green Mennonite Church in London. This was closely linked to the London Mennonite Centre, where Alastair co-founded Bridge Builders in 1996, becoming its full-time director in 1999.<\/p>\n
As the children entered their teen years, the family circled back to Alastair\u2019s Anglican roots. In fact, Alastair is now exploring whether it is God\u2019s call for him to be an Anglican priest, \u201cforever influenced by my years in the Mennonite Church.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bridge Builders\u2019 focus is on training church leaders from diverse British denominations in order to improve their handling of conflict. In 2009 alone: 90 leaders attended four week-long foundation courses; 57 leaders attended four follow-up courses on topics such as family systems and interpersonal mediation; 161 leaders attended nine customized workshops arranged upon request; and 81 people came to nine \u201cnetwork days\u201d run for \u201cgraduates\u201d of its courses. In addition, Bridge Builders led four group consultancy processes and two interpersonal mediations.<\/p>\n
Bridge Builders struggles, however, with attracting the funds necessary for its work. \u201cBritish churches are not used to paying for outside help, and they tend to have much smaller budgets that those in the US,\u201d says Alastair.<\/p>\n
Alastair supplemented his CTP courses with coursework at EMU\u2019s seminary. CJP professor Dave Brubaker has done trainings with Alastair in the UK, and Alastair returned to EMU in 2007 to co-teach a seminary course on congregational conflict with Brubaker.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"