 2008-2009 Workshops and SeminarsPre-Registration
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Ministering in a Different Land: Hispanic/Latino Pastors in the USA Given the extraordinary growth of the Hispanic/Latino population in recent years, pastors from Latin American countries have been invited to serve denominational programs and develop Hispanic/Latino congregations. This seminar will address the challenges these pastors face in transitioning from their native country to U.S. society and the impact of this transition on present and future ministry. This seminar is open to pastors and lay leaders who want to reflect on their experience as transplanted ministers and who want to respond to the challenges of ministering to God’s people in a foreign land. The course is also open to pastors of Hispanic/Latino origin that minister in Anglo churches and denominations. Ministrando en una tierra diferente: Una mirada a los desafíos de líderes, pastores y pastoras de origen Hispano/Latino en los Estados Unidos Dado el crecimiento extraordinario de la población Hispano/Latina en años recientes (particularmente en el sur-este de los EEUU), iglesias y denominaciones han invitado a pastores y pastoras de países Latinoamericanos para venir a servir en programas en comunidades Hispano/Latinas y para ayudar en el desarrollo de congregaciones. Es por ello que este seminario busca prestar atención a los asuntos, problemas y desafíos que pastores y pastoras Hispano/Latino(as) enfrentan en la transición de venir de sus países a los EEUU y el impacto que ello tiene en su ministerio presente y futuro. Este seminario está abierto a pastores, pastoras, y líderes laicos que quieren reflexionar sobre su experiencia de ministerio en este país y que quieren buscar maneras de responder a los desafíos que esto conlleva. Este semanario está abierto también a pastores y pastoras de origen Hispano/Latino que han vivido en este país y que ahora sirven en congregaciones o programas asociados a iglesias o denominaciones anglosajonas. Tuition: $130
Established Church and Emerging Church: A Creative Engagement? Both traditional mainline and evangelical congregations tend to reach older generations. Many of the emerging generation (20–35 year olds) are starting congregations of their own. The first generation to be shaped by a postmodern world view, their priorities—as well as their way of seeing things—is different. What can we learn from each other? What is our common future in a society where many view the church as irrelevant or even harmful? Why has the church been shrinking in Western Europe and North America while growing rapidly in Asia, Africa, and Latin America? What kind of church can serve a nation where tremendous wealth has led to greed instead of gratitude and where we are now beginning to experience the consequences? Tuition: $395
Grace in the Ordinary What are some of the ways contemporary society addresses God? How do we contemplate the presence of the divine? You are invited to enter the world of contemporary literature to explore biblical and theological themes useful for pastors and educators in preaching, teaching, liturgy, and administration. Participants will receive resources for accessing literature and will be provided bibliographies of contemporary literature. The seminar will include an overview of biblical and theological themes in literature, and will examine Ann Weems’s poetry for the church, Leif Enger’s Peace Like a River, Gail Godwin’s Evensong, Tim Farrington’s The Monk Downstairs, and short stories by Alice Walker and Sue Miller. Seminar participants will discuss practical applications of the material in the service of the church. Tuition: $195.00
The Dillard Forum Bible scholar and Presbyterian pastor Dr. James Efird will speak at Trinity United Methodist Church, 903 Forest Ave, Richmond, Virginia on Sunday and Monday evenings at 7 p.m., and at Union-PSCE, 3401 Brook Road, Richmond, Virginia on Monday afternoon at 12:30 p.m. in Lingle Hall. Contact Trinity United Methodist Church (804) 288-6056 for more information. The program is free and open to the public.
Worship for the 21st Century Join us for an exploration of worship renewal that centers on reclaiming the sacraments in life-giving, embodied ways that connect to our daily practices. How can sacramental practice overcome the distortions in the past that limited the frequency and visibility of celebrating the sacraments? The course will seek to nurture a greater sacramental awareness as we explore ways to link worship to our daily lives. Tuition: $195.00
Reforming Ministry in the Small Church The event will enable leaders to respond faithfully to the emerging challenges of small church ministry. The seminar will include using demographic information to assess the ministry context, dealing with issues of change within the congregation, and reforming specific areas of church life such as worship, nurture, evangelism and local mission. Each segment will include small group discussions where participants apply their learning to their unique congregational setting. This event is partially funded by and is offered in partnership with the PC(USA) Small Church and Community Ministry Office. There are ten $125 scholarships available for pastors of small churches in the PC(USA). The scholarships are provided by a generous grant from the PC(USA) Small Church and Community Ministry Office. To apply for a scholarship please select the box found on the online registration form. Tuition: $130
Interim Ministry Registration Deadline: October 13, 2008. Week I Week II More information about Interim Ministry can be found at: http://www.pcusa.org/ministers/ or call the PC(USA) at 502-569-5751. Tuition: $395.00
The Mission of the Church in Higher Education With nearly 20 years experience in ministry in higher education in Virginia and North Carolina, Dr. Rivero offers a model of partnership for local churches and campus ministries. This course will explore the church’s incarnational and connectional identity, mission, and presence in higher education. Attention will be given to missiology, ecclesiology, discipleship development, and spiritual formation of college students. It will provide an overview of the current trends in campus culture and resources for addressing particular needs in this setting. Advanced readings required. Tuition: $195.00
Strategic Leadership for a Change The church both yearns for and is resistant to leadership, especially leadership that is transformational in nature. With this premise as a basis for understanding, participants will explore the opportunities and challenges of leadership as their congregations face the need for change, the pain of change, and the embracing of change as they engage in ministry in the future. The central role of vision as a bridge between the past and future will be examined as congregations make transitions from an established past into a lesser-known future. Participants whose congregations are interested in or working on mission statements, vision statements, and strategic plans are encouraged to bring materials with them for discussion. Tuition: $195.00
Wealth and Poverty in Scripture: Responding to the Biblical Witness on Money We live in an era of massive wealth and extreme poverty. The gap between rich and poor is as wide as it has ever been, and the acceptance of a “get what you can” mentality has had distressing consequences. Families below the poverty level and the number of Americans without health insurance stand in stark contrast to the hedge fund bonuses doled out each December to a select few. This seminar will consider what the Bible says about such matters and how we as committed Christians can and should respond to the “New Gilded Age.” We will explore the biblical witness on such matters as lending money, charging interest, tithing, and the distribution of wealth across a diverse society. While familiar New Testament passages will be considered, discussion will focus on the Old Testament perspectives on money. These ancient authors sought to construct a framework in which all persons received adequate care and compensation, and no one hoarded more than he or she needed. We will explore the relevance of this message for contemporary American society and the life of individual congregations. Attention will be given to laudable aspects of the Old Testament witness on money, such as tending to the widow and the orphan. We will also consider practices condoned in Scripture that are no longer relevant and/or intolerable, such as slaveholding. More practical questions will receive attention towards the end of the course, matters like stewardship planning and how minsters and church leaders should handle the delicate task of addressing financial issues in their congregations and neighborhoods. Tuition: $195.00
Jesus Christ Movie Star This continuing education event is designed to consider the use and abuse of Jesus in contemporary motion pictures. From the inception of moving pictures over a hundred years ago film producers, directors, and writers have been fascinated with by the possibility of bringing Jesus to the big screen. Commercially and theologically, the results have been mixed. Those in the motion picture business have discovered again and again the major challenge presented by Jesus (a challenge the Gospel writers knew well). How does one portray a being who is considered “fully human” and “fully divine” with integrity, interest, and artistic sensitivity? This event will consider where filmmakers have succeeded and where they have stumbled. We will view (and review) Cecil B. DeMille’s “King of Kings,” George Steven’s “Greatest Story Ever Told,” Martin Scorsese’s “Last Temptation of Christ,” and Mel Gibson’s “Passion of the Christ.” This course will also consider how the movie industry presents Jesus in a contemporary mode through such Christ-figure films as “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” “Superman,” “Spitfire Grill,” “Babette’s Feast,” and “The Green Mile.” How well does the traditional story of Jesus take on 21st century characteristics? How does traditional christology (Jesus as redeemer, savior, liberator) play out in contemporary films? Finally, members of the seminar will reflect on how culture, especially media culture, shapes theology and vice versa, an especially important topic in our day. Tuition: $195.00
Presbyterian Board of Pensions Seminars
Administration in Congregations Who should attend: church administrators, executive pastors, small staff pastors, and any staff with a primary role in administration. This seminar will focus on current trends in the administration of the church with a specific focus on enhancing leadership skills needed to navigate today’s complex congregations effectively. Attention will be given to staff development and staff leadership, community-building, and issues of trust and betrayal in staffs and congregations. Participants will develop a better understanding of family systems and how they play out in congregations. Participants will take Prism: A 360 feedback tool for ministry. Using the feedback and relevant content from the seminar, participants will be led through a process to create a 12-month development plan to enhance their leadership skills and awareness. (This instrument must be completed before arriving at the event. See: www.nacba.net/prism for more information on the tool.) Tuition: $195.00
The Sprunt Lectures: Preaching in the 21st Century All lectures are free and open to the public. The speaker will be Thomas G. Long, Bandy Professor of Preaching at the Chandler School of Theology, Emory University. For more information, contact the Union-PSCE Alumni/ae Office at (800) 229-2990 or (804) 278-4226.
Using Drama and Storytelling in Worship We live in the digital, post-literate age. Neurologists and psychologists tell us that this exposure to digital input is changing human beings physiologically. All of us are now conditioned by digital media to expect multi-sensory experiences. Storytelling and drama deliver rich, deep, multi-sensory experiences and can be appropriately used in worship and Christian education. In this “Hands On/How To” seminar, participants will examine the use of drama and storytelling in sharing the lectionary scripture and in Bible study. They will consider the possibilities for using storytelling and drama with youth and children, and work on using storytelling and drama as sermon. We'll explore first-person, narrative portrayals of Biblical people. How do you develop the text? What about costuming? How do you make a portrayal a sermon and not experiential theater? Experience a story sermon and learn the “how to’s” for writing your own. Tuition: $195.00
Congregations That Fulfill Their Kingdom Potential Congregations are a means to an end, not an end in themselves. The church is called to proclaim the kingdom and to be a foretaste of the kingdom. Jesus pointed the church toward this mission in his own proclamation, “The Kingdom of God is at hand,” and in prayer looking toward the full revelation of that Kingdom, “Thy Kingdom come on earth…” How do congregations embark on the continuous journey of transformation that Jesus has called us to? Jesus challenged the church to a life of faithful service in the forming Kingdom of God. The church’s discipleship hopefully evolves into more meaningful expressions of the Kingdom of God as it grows into the vision to which God has called the church. Congregational transformation is not a one-time thing. Neither the bigness nor the busyness of the congregation guarantees spiritual growth or faithful witness. This seminar will help you to reflect on the meaning of the church today and the expressions of the Kingdom of God in response to the society in which we live. How do we follow Jesus and witness to the gospel in the midst of an empire that is driven by addictions to greed, war, and sex? How are we liberated from the fear that grips the society in which we live? How does the church live into its Kingdom potential? In this seminar participants will explore what it means to live into the Kingdom of God that is at hand. Tuition: $395.00 |
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