Day of Encouragement. Living as the Family of God

Transcription

1 Saturday November 8, 2014 The King s University St. Edmonton Day of Encouragement Your Annual Day of Training sponsored by : Northern Alberta Diaconal Conference St. NW, Edmonton, AB T5N 3H3 Phone: yournadc@gmail.com Consultant: Loretta Stadt Living as the Family of God Strengthened through His power Rooted and established in His love Filled with the fullness of God. To His glory, through all generations. (based on Ephesians 3:14-20) Schedule for the Day 8:00 8:30 Registration 8:45 10:00 Opening & Dr. Schaap 10:00 10:30 Coffee 10:30 12:00 Workshops 12:00 12:45 Lunch OPENING & CLOSING STORYTELLING BY: Dr. James Schaap Author and Retired Dordt College Professor 12:45 1:30 Info Sessions 1:30 1:45 Break 1:45 3:15 Workshops 3:30 4:00 Dr. Schaap & Closing

2 About our presenters... Rick Abma After serving the Woodynook CRC for 18 years, Rick, his wife Joyce and their four children have become missionaries in the neighbourhoods of Central Alberta. As a professional broadcaster, Rick hosts a show on Central Alberta's, Sunny 94. He also roasts "Good Neighbour Coffee" and offers other tools that bring neighbourhoods together for the sake of Christ. Rick and his family look to creatively re-imagine our role in the neighbourhood, making the gospel more accessible to the many who do not participate in Christ's body. Aaron Au It's so easy for us to try and invite God to be part of our narrative. That's what Aaron did for much of his professional career, seeking to fit God into his life as a violinist with the Edm. Symphony Orchestra. After ten years, Aaron sensed that God was in fact inviting him to be part of His narrative and what a grand adventure it has been since. Along with his wife April, Aaron was called to lead a CRC Church plant Avenue Church, launched in Sept 2014, which seeks to glorify God by living out the Great Commandment and Commission. The Au s have been blessed to call Alberta Avenue home since March Roy Berkenbosch is the Director of the Micah Centre and interdisciplinary Studies at The King s University, a member of Fellowship CRC and theological advisor to World Renew. Peter Bulthuis has been a teacher and administrator at several Ontario Christian high schools and a part time instructor at Redeemer University College. His passion for teaching geography and getting to know and share the good, the bad, and the ugly of human relationships and development lead him to serve on the World Renew board from , and to return in Aug. 2013, to work as the Associate Director of Church Relations. Debbie Cameron-Laninga is the Program Coordinator for the Alberta Caregivers Association. With a background in aviation, Debbie found herself in the unexpected role of caring for her parents when both were diagnosed with cancer. Taking a compassionate leave from her career, she spent 2 ½ years being the primary caregiver for her parents and came to understand the challenges and rewards that come with providing care. Bryan Clarke is Director of Gracefinder Resourcing Network and a Campus Minister at the U of A. Bryan is nearing completion of a PhD in Secondary Education. He s interested in engaging the black and white thinking that tends to close down conversation between science and religion. Trish dejong has been on staff with CRWM since Her current role as Missions Engagement Developer involves a part of ministry she is most passionate about seeing churches becoming more active, involved and intentional about global ministry. She provides resources, consultations and training to local church leaders, and also assists new missionaries in cultivating healthy support networks. Ron DeVries Youth Ministry Consultant for Classis AB North. Ron is married with two adult children. He is passionate about empowering/encouraging/enabling/mentoring leaders, inside and out of the church building walls. He works with church/ youth leaders and parents to understand the responsibility to spiritually nurture our youth and plan for life long holistic faith formation that transcends the Sunday morning worship. Scott Drennan has been the Coordinator of Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA) Edmonton since Sept Prior to joining the CoSA program, Scott spent eight years working as a business analyst and communications professional. Scott also served as an Associate Pastor at Urban Bridge Church in Edmonton. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Calgary and is a student in the Masters of Theological Studies program at Taylor Seminary in Edmonton. Hans Kater has served as Team Leader for Diaconal Ministries Canada since Prior to that, he worked for six years with World Missions in Central America. He lives in Hamilton with his wife Joanne. They have four children and six grandkids who all live nearby. They are members of New Hope Church in the east end of Hamilton. Lucinda Klapwyk works for Diaconal Ministries Canada as the Edmonton area Diaconal Ministry Developer. She holds a degree in Social work. Married to Mike, she is a mom of 3, and a member of Inglewood CRC in Edmonton. Joanne Koopmans and her husband Ted are members of Ebenezer CRC in Leduc. Working as a marital and family therapist and psychologist grew out of years of working with special needs children, teaching, raising a family, and celebrating the many blessings of family and community. Joanne has a Masters of Science in Marital and Family Therapy, studied at Loma Linda University, California, (Alberta campus) and currently works at Karunia Counselling in Leduc. Harold Roscher is the chaplain and director for the Edm. Native Healing Centre. He started full time work in 2002 after the Creator challenged him to go back to school and prepare his heart to work with aboriginal people. At age 35 he became a registered Indian. In recognizing himself as a Cree man, God launched him on this fantastic journey of discovery about self, culture and the Gospel. Cam Roxburgh planted an inner city church in Vancouver which has grown to four congregations in four neighbourhoods, seeing transformation in each neighbourhood. From this experience, Cam led an organization called Church Planting Canada (35 denominations working to plant churches across Canada) and has developed the Forge Canada Missional Training Network which helps denominations, churches and leaders become missional and to multiply into new neighbourhoods. Married to Shelley for 25 years and they have four adult children and live in Surrey BC. James Calvin Schaap taught literature and writing at Dordt College, Sioux Center, Iowa, for 37 years before retiring. He has published many short stories and several novels, as well as two books of meditations. His publications within the CRC are numerous, including Our Family Album: The Unfinished Story of the CRC. In August, New River Press (MN) released a new collection of cemetery stories titled Up the Hill. He and his wife, Barbara, live in the country just outside of Alton, Iowa. Steven van de Hoef shares his time between being a stay at home dad and working as Coordinator of the Justice and Faith project for the CRC. He lives in Belleville, ON, where he is active in local food security initiatives. Wendy VanderWal-Gritter serves as Executive Director of New Direction Ministries, is a member of Mississauga s Meadowvale CRC, and is part of the CRC Study Committee considering Pastoral Guidance on Same-Sex Marriage. Dan Van Keeken is the current chair of the Cuba Connection Committee of Classis AB North. He has been an active member of Bethel Community CRC for almost 30 years. Following a career in corporate and association communications and marketing in various sectors, Dan has been the vice-president for institutional advancement at The King's University since Rick Van Manen is the CRC Campus Minister at the U of A where he is also pursuing a PhD in Religious Studies. Rick is interested in the intersection of faith and popular culture and in the spiritual practice of early Christianity. Cecil van Niejenhuis has been telling the Story for his entire working life. He pastored congregations in Ontario and Alberta, and currently serves as a consulting pastor within the CRC, working through the office of Pastor-Church Relations. Married to Karen for 38 years, with three adult children, and four grandchildren, he has discovered that personal families and church families have this in common: sheet music is great, but the capacity to play jazz is essential. Carmen Voogd & Monica Van t Hoff Classis Alberta North Safe Church Team members and certified trainers for Winning Kids Rachel Vroege is the Regional Ministry Developer for Western Canada for Diaconal Ministries Canada. She is closing in on finishing her M.Div. at Regent College. Rachel and her husband Russ have two young children and live in Chilliwack, BC

3 AM Workshops 10:30 12 noon >>>>>>>>> AM #1 IF THE CHURCH IS A FAMILY, THEN : Meet the Jacobsons! And meet their descendants, children of Abraham all: the church of Jesus. This workshop explores the image of church as family: meals, feuds, birth-order, shared stories, conversations, rivalries, love, chores, training, sacrifice, structure, hospitality, inheritance. What might the image of family alert us to in terms of dynamics? And how might our identity as the family of God, sisters and brothers of Jesus, inform and shape our way of being together? Reclaiming the priority of our identity as being together in Christ. Cecil van Niejenhuis AM #2 FROM RELIEF TO RENEWAL: The Charge to the Deacon s in the Ordination Form indicates that benevolence involves a lifestyle of respect and compassion encompassing attitudes and behaviors that guide how we relate to people in need. In this workshop you will learn guidelines for benevolence, reflect on how to create partnerships that lead to flourishing and growth, and be provided with practical resources for walking alongside members of your community or church family by identifying their strengths. Hans Kater and Rachel Vroege AM #3 CARING FOR THE CAREGIVER: Many in your community and congregations are caregivers. You may know who some of them are, but surprisingly, ¼ of Albertans are caregivers, and this number is expected to increase. They need your help and support and this session will focus on how to do this effectively. The focus will be on supporting caregivers and will begin with an overview of who is a caregiver and what are their challenges, Alberta Caregivers Association programs and services, and other resources available. Tips for self-care including stress management, defining self-care, and the importance of health and wellbeing for the caregiver will be touched on. There will be time for questions and discussion. Past/present and future caregivers welcome. Debbie Cameron-Laninga AM #4 NURTURING GENEROUS SPACIOUSNESS Responding to Gay Christians in the Church. How can we navigate diverse perspectives on homosexuality, extend hospitality, encourage discipleship and promote unity in our churches? We will reflect on the stories of gay Christians and encourage transformational dialogue. Wendy VanderWal-Gritter AM #5 SINGLED OUT A conversation of being solitary (alone/isolated) and the church. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus asks, who is my mother, who are my brothers? When we walk into church, immediately we are categorized into statistical classifications. And so when our normal (widowed, single by choice/ or not by choice, no children etc.) is not the "family or statistical norm, what does church look like for me? How can the church "community" respond? A panel discussion facilitated by Ron devries and Rick VanManen AM #6 CALLED TO DO JUSTICE: God calls us to do justice, but what does this mean? How do we do it? This discussion-based workshop will present results of the Justice and Faith project: a national study of how Christian Reformed people in Canada think about and do justice as an integral part of their faith and life. Steven van de Hoef

4 PM Workshops 1:45 3:15 pm >>>>>>>>> PM #1 GOD SETS THE LONELY IN FAMILIES (Ps. 68:6) From creation, the family has been a core of life. Reciprocity, growth and love are all learned and practiced in families. Family is both metaphor for and the basis of community. This interactive workshop will highlight the idea and role of family in community development, especially as it relates to the way World Renew does its work in the context of the Free a Family program. Peter Bulthuis PM #2 THE MISSIONAL CHURCH Loving God through Loving One Another. So many are asking the What do we do questions? No problem we are wired that way most of the time. But it is not the primary question we need to ask. In fact if we start with that question, we often will come to the wrong conclusions. Instead, we need to ask the primary question of identity Whose are we? This workshop will explore the verse 1 Peter 2:9 and reflect biblically on issues of identity, character and cause. We have drifted into the cultures perspective that we are first individuals that will live better lives if we live with Christ. But this is not the perspective of scripture. Instead we need to understand that we become part of the people of God and one of the greatest opportunities that we have to witness to our culture is to live as one people, who follow Jesus on mission in every aspect of our life together. Cameron Roxburgh PM #3 TRUTH & RECONCILIATION Participate in The Blanket Exercise. It will, for a time at least, get you to walk in someone else's shoes, and will raise your awareness and understanding of Aboriginal people in Canada Rev. Curtis Korver The Blanket Exercise is a tool that literally walks participants through the history of relationships between Aboriginal and non-aboriginal people in Canada from the point of contact to It helps participants understand why reconciliation is needed and how to take steps toward reconciliation and new relationships. Harold Roscher & Roy Berkenbosch PM #4 EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY FAMILIES The anxiety and fears of our parents will dwell in us to the third and fourth generation. But those who trust in the God of Love will be blessed for countless generations. Are we anxious? Really? Does anxiety play a role in how we interact with our family and friends? How can we be true to ourselves and at the same time commit to others? Is our ability to love God and our neighbour mitigated by how we have been taught to love ourselves? This workshop will be an experiential opportunity to look at yourself in the context of your family of origin. Family structure, parenting strengths and emotional dynamics will be explored. Our goal is to recognize and name our fears, and to grow in trust for our God of love in our most important relationships. Joanne Koopmans PM #5 BEING A DEACON: Deacons, I charge you to inspire us, remind us, teach us, prompt us, realize benevolence, minister, encourage us, be prophetic critics, be sensitive counselors. These are the challenging words spoken to every deacon at their ordination in the CRC. But what do they mean? And what now? How? Lucinda will facilitate a workshop to learn and discover and share. Whether you are a first year deacon or multi term deacon. Come!. Lucinda Klapwyk PM #6 SEEING THROUGH TEARS: LAMENT IN THE FAMILY OF FAITH There are times in our lives where the hurt is so painful, the brokenness so deep, the loss so devastating that we can t continue with business as usual. In such moments often our only recourse is to cry out to God in lament. What is lament and how do we lament well? What resources are available for the lamenting community? How do we build lament into our regular spiritual practice as people seeking to carry each other in our broken world? In this workshop, Bryan and Rick, reflecting on their own recent experience of loss and lament, will facilitate a conversation on the purpose and place of lament in the family of faith. Bryan Clarke & Rick Van Manen

5 Information Sessions ( 12:45 1:30 pm) >>>>>> Info 1 SAFE CHURCH (WHAT YOU WANTED TO KNOW BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK!) Classis AB Safe Church team members will introduce you to various CRC safe church personnel. Update your information and resources regarding policy and procedure and provide discussion time about your Winning Kids membership. Monica Van t Hoff & Carmen Voogd Info 2 CUBA CONNECTION COMMITTEE Life is difficult for Cubans in general, and for Cuban Christians in particular. There is much we can learn from them about faithfulness amidst adversity and scarcity of resources. Classis AB North has had a relationship with our brothers and sisters there since the early 1990s. Most recently, this has included team visits to the isolated island nation, as well as visits by Cuban pastors to Edmonton. We are now raising $30,000 toward renovation of a dilapidated parsonage, which is also used for considerable diaconal work among the old and poor. Most important, we communicate regularly, pray for each other and encourage each other. Hear how God is working with and through our brothers and sisters in Cuba Cuban Pastors / Dan VanKeeken Info 3 CIRCLES OF SUPPORT & ACCOUNTABILITY (COSA) is a program that provides positive social supports and community based accountability to high-risk sexual and violent offenders, with the goal of having No More Victims. Our work is rooted in the belief that every human being has inherent value and dignity, and therefore, that no human being is disposable. CoSA works hand in hand with professional partners to ensure that the work we do is well supported and accountable. CoSA s approach has achieved remarkable results, with independent studies indicating between a 70%-83% reduction in reoffending rates among those offenders who participate in CoSA. Scott Drennan Info 4 DECODING CANADIAN CHARITABLE GIVING IN MISSIONS: In this workshop you ll discover how compliance with Canadian charitable giving regulations changes your church s funding of missionaries, short term teams and missions activities overseas. Understanding terms like registered charity and charitable work makes all the difference in deciding whether or not your church should receive a donation or issue a tax receipt. Real-life scenarios will demonstrate what s meant by supervision, direction and control in your church s missions activities, and what qualifies as charitable work for short term teams Trish DeJong Info 5 WHO IS MY NEIGHBOUR? THE JOYS AND CHALLENGES OF "NEIGHBOURING" Jesus commanded us to love God with all of our beings and to love our neighbours as ourselves. Like the teacher of the law though, we often find ourselves at a loss. "Who is my neighbour? How am I supposed to love them? Where do I start?" Pastors Rick and Aaron, along with their families, have been blessed to discover some exciting, surprising and sometimes difficult answers to these questions as they have begun the incredible journey of loving, and being loved by their neighbours, right in their own neighbourhood! Come and discover how the Holy Spirit empowers us to respond to Jesus' command to love our neighbours. Aaron Au & Rick Abma