This Wednesday night is the first of six in a row with Fauntleroy Church inviting you to come share conversations about community – and what it really means in this much-changed day and age. The series starts with a showing of the well-received “The Fauntleroy Story” documentary (first covered here last July) and continues with a lineup of featured speakers that even includes your WSB co-publishers, as well as more-notable souls such as “Neighbor Power” guru Jim Diers and Church Council of Greater Seattle executive director Michael Ramos. As you can see on the flyer above, each evening will begin with “simple supper” (by donation) at 6 pm, followed by the forum at 7. Read on for the full text of the official news release about the series:

Since 2001, the Fauntleroy Community Association, Fauntleroy Church, Fauntleroy YMCA, and area businesses have invested considerable energy in trying to sustain and enhance a sense of community. In the wake of launching the annual Fauntleroy Fall Festival, interest grew in gaining a better grasp of just what goes into creating community and keeping it alive.

Starting on Feb. 25, we’ll dive into the deep end of this topic through a six-week series of public forums that will explore the opportunities and difficulties of nurturing a sense of belonging and the common good:

Feb. 25: The Fauntleroy Story: 100 Years of Community documentary reviews the values that Fauntleroy’s founders instilled in the neighborhood and spotlights strengths of the community today and major challenges ahead.

March 4: Leadership and Values That Make Community Possible
Bill Grace, founder of the Center for Ethical Leadership, will examine what being stewards of the common good means.

March 11: The Impact of Media on Our Sense of Belonging
Patrick Sand and Tracy Record, founding publishers of the West Seattle Blog and veteran journalists, will illuminate the emerging role of electronic media in connecting people and place.

March 18: The Interplay Of Environment and Community
Diane Shiner, former executive director of the Whidbey Institute, will focus on practices that deepen a sense of belonging to earth, spirit, and one another.

March 25: The Nuts and Bolts of Creating and Sustaining Community
Jim Diers, first director of Seattle’s Dept. of Neighborhoods, will outline practical ways to get people engaged in their communities and in the decisions that affect their lives.

April 1: The Promise and Pain of Diversity in Shaping Community
Michael Ramos, executive director of the Church Council of Greater Seattle, will examine the significant role of diversity in defining community.

The series is free and open to the public. All forums start at 7 p.m. in Fellowship Hall at Fauntleroy Church UCC, 9140 California Ave. S.W. For those interested, a simple, by-donation supper will be served at 6 p.m. Details at www.fauntleroyucc.org or 932-5600.