Nashville District Leader Training, Brentwood United Methodist Church, Tuesday, January 27, 2009, 6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
So that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3.17)
Leadership: From Maintenance to Mission
Radical Hospitality, Passionate Worship, Intentional Faith Development
Risk-Taking Mission & Service, Extravagant Generosity,
Communications, Staff-Parish Relations, Martin Methodist College Representatives
The core workshops will be organized around the essential practices of any fruitful congregation. The various and many “committee functions” of our conventional congregational organization will find their roles included somewhere among these five essential practices. The range and titles of these core workshops follow those described by Bishop Robert Schnase in his popular book Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations, Abingdon Press, 2007. Copies of the book can be purchased at Cokesbury and will also be on sale at the training event. Abingdon’s most recent addition to this ground-breaking resource is Practices: Leader Manual and Media with DVD and teaching material for each practice.
The sessions will feature how our own Nashville District congregations are actually working at and practicing Radical Hospitality, Passionate Worship, Intentional Faith Development, Risk-Taking Mission & Service, and Extravagant Generosity. Other workshops include: Leadership: From Maintenance to Ministry for church council chairs, lay leaders (and anyone interested in leading), Pastors and Pastor/Staff-Parish Relations Committees, Communications, and Martin Methodist College Representatives.
Leadership: From Maintenance to Ministry
How can our congregations do more than maintain the church as a beloved institution and move to engagement our neighbors and communities? How can the efforts of the church be focused on reaching new people? How can lay leaders and chairs of church councils help the congregation move beyond “business as usual” and “the same old thing”?
This workshop aims to assist chairpersons and congregational leaders in focusing the congregation’s efforts toward strategic direction that will make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of people’s lives and our communities. Attention will be given to ministry planning, follow-through, and how we work through inertia and resistance.
Who should attend? Chairs of the church council, lay leaders, strategic planners, Lay Speakers, visionaries, and anyone who wants their church to move forward.
Radical Hospitality
How can our congregations be living examples of God’s welcome? How can our congregations be so filled with God’s hospitality that people feel they belong from the first “hello”? How can our practice of hospitality be deep, transforming, ongoing, and radically inclusive of the diversity of people in our neighborhoods?
This workshop will delve into the nature of the inviting and welcoming body of Christ as the community of God’s hospitality. Ideas and practices of hospitality will be explored and shared with regard to evangelism ministries, ministries of greeting, befriending, belonging, and incorporating persons into the life of our congregations. Radical hospitality reaches even to those on the margins – the poor and homeless, the left out, and those who are wounded and hurting.
Who should attend? Persons involved in evangelism, greeting & welcoming, sponsoring and incorporating newcomers, congregational care, healing ministries, care & support groups, and ministries with inactive members,
Passionate Worship
How can our worship services make us feel that we’ve been with God? How can they mediate God’s welcome, acceptance, love, and forgiveness? How can all that we do in worship be a sacrament for what God is doing among us?
This workshop will feature Nashville District congregations who practice passionate worship in differing styles and settings. Participants will build a catalogue of ideas.
Who should attend? Persons involved in all elements of worship planning and leading: musicians, liturgists, liturgical artists (visuals, banners, table displays), altar guild members, dancers, writers of prayers, projection & sound operators, ushers, and greeters.
Intentional Faith Development
How does the whole life of our congregation help form people spiritually? What do we teach, and how do we teach? How do we shape our Christian education ministries to encompass life-long learning and the practices of living as Jesus’ followers? How do we actually disciple one another and new people in the faith? Can mission and ministry be means of spiritual formation? And what are our opportunities with children, youth, and seniors?
This workshop will share how some of our District congregations are creating “discipleship systems” and core curricula for teaching Christian life and practice for people of all ages and stages. The session will envision new and compelling approaches to faith development.
Who should attend? Persons involved in teaching, education, discipling, mentoring, stewardship of gifts, spiritual formation, the fellowship of belonging, and community building.
Risk-Taking Mission and Service
How can the missions and ministries of our congregations be more than a series of disconnected “service projects”? Can we do more than give money? How are some of our congregations pushing the conventional envelope of mission, outreach, and service? How do we actually get involved in the lives of the people we attempt to serve? How do we transform lives and neighborhoods?
Who should attend? Persons involved in missions, outreach, Volunteers in Mission, United Methodist Women, United Methodist Men, Sunday School class outreach, Room in the Inn, Pencil Partner, Community Care Fellowship, Miriam’s Promise, Bethlehem Centers, etc.
Extravagant Generosity
How can our giving come alive with joy, freedom, spontaneity, and even extravagance? How can the giving of our time, talents, and money follow mission? How can we give out of our dreams and not our fears? How do we nurture a culture of abundance instead of a culture of scarcity? How can the use of our facilities and assets be ministries of extravagant generosity?
This workshop will get at the deeper currents of life in the church that result in gratitude and generosity and illustrate how we might let go of our fears and celebrate our joys.
Who should attend? Persons involved in stewardship, finance, time & talent ministries, gifts discovery, trust funds & endowments, property & facilities, treasurers, business administrators.
Pastor/Staff-Parish Relations Committee
How can the relationship between pastors and congregations become a loving and mutual covenant of ministry, one of sharing complementary gifts and strengths? How can committees nurture pastors and pastors nurture congregations? How can committees help pastors with self-care, spiritual health, and growth in effectiveness?
This workshop is for pastors and members of the P/SPRC. The workshop will cover the essentials of how to develop a covenant of ministry between the pastor(s) and the congregation built on complementary strengths, love, effectiveness, and honesty. The workshop will also cover important matters such as compensation, benefits, personnel policies, and conflict resolution.
Who should attend? Pastors and members of the Pastor/Staff-Parish Relations Committee.
Communications: Getting the Word Out
How do we keep our members and participants connected? How can our people know what’s going on and how to get involved? How can we tell our communities about our life and ministries and invite neighbors to participate? How do we “modernize” our communications? How can we be heralds of the Good News across our congregation and community through all sorts of media?
This workshop will feature examples of a range of communications methods and channels: oral, visual, newsletters, technology, Web sites, List Serve, e-mail, conference calling, automated messaging systems, community advertising, etc.
Who should attend? Persons involved in any form of communication with the congregation & community: newsletter/paper editors/producers, Webmasters, bulletin board artists, etc.
Martin Methodist College Representatives
What does our Tennessee Conference College have to offer our churches? What training is available for our laity? How can our college support pastors? How can we help our high school graduates and members know about the exciting adventure of Martin Methodist College and its rapid growth and expansion?
This workshop will focus on how local church representative can keep our congregations, members, and students related to Martin and how our members can take advantage of the training and resources of our institution of higher learning.
Who should attend? Prospective high school students, elected MMC representatives, persons in charge of lay training, persons interested in a church related vocation, and alums and friends of Martin.
Cokesbury Bookstore
· Bishop Robert Schnase’s resources will be available for sale or order: Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations and Abingdon’s new packet of helps Practices: Leader Manual and Media.
· New 2009-12 leadership booklets for committee chairs.
· Other leadership books and materials for the core ministries of the church.
Schedule
6:30 Plenary / All Together / Chapel (Old Sanctuary)
Worship and Orientation
7:00 Workshops
9:00 Adjournment
Leadership: From Maintenance to Mission
Radical Hospitality, Passionate Worship, Intentional Faith Development
Risk-Taking Mission & Service, Extravagant Generosity,
Communications, Staff-Parish Relations, Martin Methodist College Representatives
The core workshops will be organized around the essential practices of any fruitful congregation. The various and many “committee functions” of our conventional congregational organization will find their roles included somewhere among these five essential practices. The range and titles of these core workshops follow those described by Bishop Robert Schnase in his popular book Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations, Abingdon Press, 2007. Copies of the book can be purchased at Cokesbury and will also be on sale at the training event. Abingdon’s most recent addition to this ground-breaking resource is Practices: Leader Manual and Media with DVD and teaching material for each practice.
The sessions will feature how our own Nashville District congregations are actually working at and practicing Radical Hospitality, Passionate Worship, Intentional Faith Development, Risk-Taking Mission & Service, and Extravagant Generosity. Other workshops include: Leadership: From Maintenance to Ministry for church council chairs, lay leaders (and anyone interested in leading), Pastors and Pastor/Staff-Parish Relations Committees, Communications, and Martin Methodist College Representatives.
Leadership: From Maintenance to Ministry
How can our congregations do more than maintain the church as a beloved institution and move to engagement our neighbors and communities? How can the efforts of the church be focused on reaching new people? How can lay leaders and chairs of church councils help the congregation move beyond “business as usual” and “the same old thing”?
This workshop aims to assist chairpersons and congregational leaders in focusing the congregation’s efforts toward strategic direction that will make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of people’s lives and our communities. Attention will be given to ministry planning, follow-through, and how we work through inertia and resistance.
Who should attend? Chairs of the church council, lay leaders, strategic planners, Lay Speakers, visionaries, and anyone who wants their church to move forward.
Radical Hospitality
How can our congregations be living examples of God’s welcome? How can our congregations be so filled with God’s hospitality that people feel they belong from the first “hello”? How can our practice of hospitality be deep, transforming, ongoing, and radically inclusive of the diversity of people in our neighborhoods?
This workshop will delve into the nature of the inviting and welcoming body of Christ as the community of God’s hospitality. Ideas and practices of hospitality will be explored and shared with regard to evangelism ministries, ministries of greeting, befriending, belonging, and incorporating persons into the life of our congregations. Radical hospitality reaches even to those on the margins – the poor and homeless, the left out, and those who are wounded and hurting.
Who should attend? Persons involved in evangelism, greeting & welcoming, sponsoring and incorporating newcomers, congregational care, healing ministries, care & support groups, and ministries with inactive members,
Passionate Worship
How can our worship services make us feel that we’ve been with God? How can they mediate God’s welcome, acceptance, love, and forgiveness? How can all that we do in worship be a sacrament for what God is doing among us?
This workshop will feature Nashville District congregations who practice passionate worship in differing styles and settings. Participants will build a catalogue of ideas.
Who should attend? Persons involved in all elements of worship planning and leading: musicians, liturgists, liturgical artists (visuals, banners, table displays), altar guild members, dancers, writers of prayers, projection & sound operators, ushers, and greeters.
Intentional Faith Development
How does the whole life of our congregation help form people spiritually? What do we teach, and how do we teach? How do we shape our Christian education ministries to encompass life-long learning and the practices of living as Jesus’ followers? How do we actually disciple one another and new people in the faith? Can mission and ministry be means of spiritual formation? And what are our opportunities with children, youth, and seniors?
This workshop will share how some of our District congregations are creating “discipleship systems” and core curricula for teaching Christian life and practice for people of all ages and stages. The session will envision new and compelling approaches to faith development.
Who should attend? Persons involved in teaching, education, discipling, mentoring, stewardship of gifts, spiritual formation, the fellowship of belonging, and community building.
Risk-Taking Mission and Service
How can the missions and ministries of our congregations be more than a series of disconnected “service projects”? Can we do more than give money? How are some of our congregations pushing the conventional envelope of mission, outreach, and service? How do we actually get involved in the lives of the people we attempt to serve? How do we transform lives and neighborhoods?
Who should attend? Persons involved in missions, outreach, Volunteers in Mission, United Methodist Women, United Methodist Men, Sunday School class outreach, Room in the Inn, Pencil Partner, Community Care Fellowship, Miriam’s Promise, Bethlehem Centers, etc.
Extravagant Generosity
How can our giving come alive with joy, freedom, spontaneity, and even extravagance? How can the giving of our time, talents, and money follow mission? How can we give out of our dreams and not our fears? How do we nurture a culture of abundance instead of a culture of scarcity? How can the use of our facilities and assets be ministries of extravagant generosity?
This workshop will get at the deeper currents of life in the church that result in gratitude and generosity and illustrate how we might let go of our fears and celebrate our joys.
Who should attend? Persons involved in stewardship, finance, time & talent ministries, gifts discovery, trust funds & endowments, property & facilities, treasurers, business administrators.
Pastor/Staff-Parish Relations Committee
How can the relationship between pastors and congregations become a loving and mutual covenant of ministry, one of sharing complementary gifts and strengths? How can committees nurture pastors and pastors nurture congregations? How can committees help pastors with self-care, spiritual health, and growth in effectiveness?
This workshop is for pastors and members of the P/SPRC. The workshop will cover the essentials of how to develop a covenant of ministry between the pastor(s) and the congregation built on complementary strengths, love, effectiveness, and honesty. The workshop will also cover important matters such as compensation, benefits, personnel policies, and conflict resolution.
Who should attend? Pastors and members of the Pastor/Staff-Parish Relations Committee.
Communications: Getting the Word Out
How do we keep our members and participants connected? How can our people know what’s going on and how to get involved? How can we tell our communities about our life and ministries and invite neighbors to participate? How do we “modernize” our communications? How can we be heralds of the Good News across our congregation and community through all sorts of media?
This workshop will feature examples of a range of communications methods and channels: oral, visual, newsletters, technology, Web sites, List Serve, e-mail, conference calling, automated messaging systems, community advertising, etc.
Who should attend? Persons involved in any form of communication with the congregation & community: newsletter/paper editors/producers, Webmasters, bulletin board artists, etc.
Martin Methodist College Representatives
What does our Tennessee Conference College have to offer our churches? What training is available for our laity? How can our college support pastors? How can we help our high school graduates and members know about the exciting adventure of Martin Methodist College and its rapid growth and expansion?
This workshop will focus on how local church representative can keep our congregations, members, and students related to Martin and how our members can take advantage of the training and resources of our institution of higher learning.
Who should attend? Prospective high school students, elected MMC representatives, persons in charge of lay training, persons interested in a church related vocation, and alums and friends of Martin.
Cokesbury Bookstore
· Bishop Robert Schnase’s resources will be available for sale or order: Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations and Abingdon’s new packet of helps Practices: Leader Manual and Media.
· New 2009-12 leadership booklets for committee chairs.
· Other leadership books and materials for the core ministries of the church.
Schedule
6:30 Plenary / All Together / Chapel (Old Sanctuary)
Worship and Orientation
7:00 Workshops
9:00 Adjournment
