PETERSHAM – A meeting will take place this Sunday at which residents will be asked, “What kind of future do you want?”

Rose Stanley, one of the organizers, said the purpose is for people to share what they want their town and society to look like.

“Clearly, we have dystopian future careening down the highway toward us, and this isn’t necessarily trying to fix this dystopian future, it’s trying to create something new,” said Stanley. “And the first step in creation is imagination. Most of us don’t get the opportunity to imagine what it is that we want? What do we want our community to look like?”

Stanley was quick to point out that this meeting isn’t meant to discuss any dissatisfaction over how the town is being managed.

“This is not to replace the town government,” she explained. “They do a great job of clearing the streets and paying the bills and that sort of thing. But it’s really the people who make the community. Of course, we’re hoping the selectmen and other join us, but this is sort of like the first step.”

Stanley said a simple notion served as inspiration to her and her co-organizers to call this weekend’s meeting.

“When I think of any man-made object, whether it’s a light bulb or an iPhone, it came into being because somebody imagined it first,” she continued. “Using that as an analogy, that’s what we’re hoping to do here.”

Stanley added that the meeting is geared toward developing solutions. This could range from energy sources to guaranteed housing or something more abstract, such as support for others.

“Let’s have restorative justice as our way of dealing with people who break the law,” she said.

Stanley said the meeting will begin with an introduction of the half dozen or so individuals who have organized the meeting, after which attendees will break up into six groups. Each group will select a recorder and presenter and will talk for approximately half an hour about what their ideal community.

“What are their dreams? What does their society, their culture, their town look like,” said Stanley. “Then each group will present its findings, and after that we’ll talk about our next step.”

One of those next steps, according to Stanley, will simply be to seek volunteers from among Sunday’s meeting to sit down with the six original organizers and plan the next meeting. She stressed that the effort will be a long-term process.

“As clever as I think we all are,” she said, “I don’t think all the answers are achievable in two hours. I may be getting ahead of myself here, but we want to replicate this in the communities around us; these are universal dreams.”

Others who have been involved in planning Sunday’s meeting include John Root, Larry Buell, Brother Northstar and Michelle Cunningham. Anyone seeking more information may call Rose Stanley at 978-549-5123. The gathering will be held at Town Hall from 2-4 p.m.

Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com.

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