The Future of the Church

Transcription

1 The Future of the Church Hope & Leadership Rev. Dr. Michael Jinkins

2 4:00 p.m. Conference Registration Begins 5:00 p.m. Early Bird Choir Rehearsal (Tentative) 5:30 p.m. Dinner 6:30 p.m. Registration Ends at Front Desk 7:00 p.m. Opening Conference Gathering Rev. Dr. Michael Jinkins 8:00 p.m. Session A Workshops 9:00 p.m. Choir Rehearsal (Tentative) 9:00 p.m. Conference Social Gathering 7:00 a.m. Breakfast Main Dining Room (Check out early if possible) 7:30 a.m. Choir Rehearsal 8:15 a.m. Session B Workshops Brown and Jones Buildings 9:30 a.m. Keynote Speaker Brown Auditorium Rev. Dr. Michael Jinkins 10:45 a.m. Check out 11:00 a.m. Panel Discussion with Michael Jinkins, Ann Philbrick, Sterling Morse & Chad Hyatt Brown Auditorium 12:00 p.m. Lunch Main Dining Room (dining room closes at 1:00 p.m.) 1:15 p.m. Session C Workshops Brown and Jones Buildings 2:30 p.m. Closing Communion Worship Jones Auditorium Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Each participant must clearly and completely fill out both sides of the registration form, which is on a separate sheet included in this brochure. Extra registration forms may be copied or can be downloaded from Each participant must turn in their completed registration form and payment to his or her church. Each church must send all participant registration forms in one package, along with a single check from the church covering payment IN FULL for all participants by the registration deadline. Please Note: There are no exceptions to the registration deadlines. Registrations with full payment must be postmarked on or before the deadlines to receive the fees listed on the next page. We are pleased to offer special activities for the children aged six months through fifth grade who accompany a registered adult. The sessions will coincide with the times of the adult sessions and workshops. The children will eat with you during meals. We will have crafts, games, Bible stories, and loads of fun!! The Kids Camp Fee covers only the program and meals, and not accommodations. Children stay for free at LDC when they accompany a registered adult, and pay only for meals and programs. Room rates apply to the numbers of ADULTS in each room; the Kids Camp Fee is additional for each child participating.

3 The Conference Room Rates listed include the cost of the conference, room charges and three meals beginning with dinner Friday night. The Commuter Fee includes dinner Friday night, breakfast and lunch on Saturday and the conference. In order to receive the January 22 nd Early Bird discount, payment IN FULL must be postmarked on or before that date. There are no exceptions. After January 22, 2016 all registrations must include full payment of the regular fee. After January 30, 2016, registration may be limited to commuters and housing cannot be guaranteed. Registration Fees & Deadlines By Jan 22 Jan 23-Jan 30 After Jan 30 Commuter Fee (includes meals) $50.00 $60.00 $65.00 Double Room Rate (two adults) $99.00 $ $129; May Not Be Available Single Room Rate $ $ $170; May Not Be Available Kids Camp Fee $25.00 $30.00 $40.00 Robertson Inn Upgrade* $20/room Not Available Not Available *Robertson Rooms are limited in number and available on a first come first served basis. Registration deadlines are met only when completed registration forms AND payment are received. Savannah Presbytery is required to finalize the number of rooms needed with Epworth by January 30th. Any cancellation that arrives after that date is charged to the Presbytery at the full room rate. In an effort to be good stewards of the Presbytery s money, the Ministry Team requests that the churches reimburse the Presbytery for any unused rooms reserved at Epworth for the Leadership Development Conference. In giving to the Savannah Presbytery, member churches support each other in the opportunity to attend the Leadership Development Conference at an affordable rate. The presbytery supplements a portion of the cost of the conference. So that we can be good stewards of your money, we ask our churches to continue to do two very important things: 1) Adhere to the rules and deadlines on fees, hotel costs, and cancellation policies and 2) Give generously each year to the Budget of Savannah Presbytery Thank you for your support!

4 Michael Jinkins is President and Professor of Theology at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Before coming to Louisville in 2010, Michael served on the faculty of Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary where he was also an Academic Dean. An ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), Michael served congregations in suburban Dallas, and in Itasca and Brenham, Texas, prior to his academic career. While living in Scotland, he served the historic Beechgrove Church in Aberdeen, Scotland. He earned his Ph.D. in Theology at The University of Aberdeen (King's College) under the supervision of the late Professor James B. Torrance. He also holds a DMin from Austin Seminary, an MDiv from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a bachelor's degree from Howard Payne University. Michael has been a prolific writer throughout some thirty years in ministry and twenty years in theological education. His most recent book, published since coming to Louisville and edited by Dean Susan Garrett, is The Church Transforming: What's Next for the Reformed Project? (Westminster John Knox Press, 2012). Michael's blog, "Thinking Out Loud" (available on the Louisville Seminary website), is the most recent of many shorter publishing projects. Michael is also a writer for the Huffington Post and has blogged for Duke Divinity School's online publication, Faith & Leadership. Michael and his wife, Deborah, have two adult children, Jeremy and Jessica, and two grandchildren. Amid the anxiety and distractions of today s society, we are often tempted to become cynical, jaded and discouraged about the future of the church. Our Christian faith calls us to hope, a quality that is profoundly different from mere optimism. In this address we will explore how the irreducible core of our faith provides the foundation for our future together. Drawing especially on the thought of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, we will consider what it means for us to take seriously the reorientation of life and perception our faith requires of us not only as individuals, but as a community. Leadership would be a safe undertaking if your organizations and communities only faced problems for which they already knew the solutions. Thus write Ronald Heifetz and Marty Linsky of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. We often ask, What is required for leadership today that will serve well the future of our church? We ask this question especially because we know that leadership is difficult and dangerous not least because we are faced with problems for which we do not already know the solutions. We will explore some of the things leaders need to understand and be able to do if they are to be faithful. We will also explore what leaders need to be and become if they hope to lead well. Among the issues we will reflect on is how to sustain the leader s emotional and spiritual health, how to sort through the many things that distract us so we pay attention to those things that really matter, and how to focus on the transformative when some others are focused on security, short-term gains and safety. Along the way we will consider the politics of leadership, the differences between being successful and effective, and the art of keeping our eyes on the horizon. Epworth by the Sea is located at 100 Arthur J Moore Drive, St. Simons Island, GA From US-17 in Brunswick, take the F.J. Torras Causeway to St. Simons Island. Once you reach St. Simons Island, follow the new round-about left towards Sea Island Road. Go straight through the light. Take first left at Hamilton Road, then right on Arthur J. Moore Drive. Go through the Entrance Gate, and the Front Desk/ Pitts Building will be on your left. Registration will occur near the front desk until 6:30 p.m. Late registration will be available in Brown Auditorium. Savannah Presbytery 3590 Darien Hwy, Suite 8 Brunswick, GA

5 Session A: Fri. 8 PM; Session B: Sat. 8:15 AM; Session C: Sat. 1:15 PM Workshop Leader Affiliation Workshop Title Rev. Ed Ayers Rev. Mary Beene FPC Douglas, Chair of Discipleship Renewal & Transformation Team Faith PC, Openings: Let the Spirit In 20C. Digging the Dirt With Discipleship 12B. How Can I Help?: Spiritual Direction & Spiritual Friends Rev. Bob Brearley St. Simons Island PC 3A. Jesus and the Misfits Kate Buckley Candidate for Ministry, Savannah 21C. Introduction to Creation Care Presbytery Rev. Don Dilley Richmond Hill PC 4A. One Spirit, One Mind Rev. Rick Douylliez FPC St. Marys 18C. Reclaiming Sabbath: The Practice of Being Within a Doing World Rev. Jamil el-shair Midway First PC 11B. Theater & Discipleship Rev. Dr. Jeff Garrison Skidaway Island PC 9B. About the Funeral Rev. Rachel Greiner Chaplain, Memorial Hospital 5A. Pastoral Care: the Good, the Bad, and the Uncomfortable Rev. Chad Hyatt Mercy Community Church 15B. Marginal Mercy Rev. Dan Lewis Lois Stroman (13B only) FPC Statesboro Elder, Washington Street PC 13B. Dr. King s Unfinished Agenda: Reflections from the Conference at Montreat, August C. The Possibility of Postliberal Preaching Rev. Trip McKinnon Altama PC, Crossroads 1001 Worshipping Community 6A. Rethinking Church: Using the 1001 Discernment Process to Revitalize Your Church Dr. Anne McNair Director of Music, FPC Savannah 10B. A Child Shall Lead: Equipping Children for Musical Leadership in Worship Rev. Sterling Morse PCUSA - Office for Intercultural 14B. Intercultural Ministries: No Root to Rev. Dr. Ann Philbrick Ministries PCUSA - Associate for Church Growth and Transformation Bitterness 7A & 8B. Congregational Lifecyle and the Transformation of the Church 16C. Coaching for Congregational Leaders Rev. Dr. Ricky Porter Washington Street PC 2A. Meditative Variations on the Theme of Love and Death Nat Scott St. Simons Island PC 1A. Outdoor Leadership and Experiential Learning From a Biblical Perspective Freida Warner St. Simons Island PC 22C. Let s Pray! Creative Prayer for Children Rev. Stephen Williams FPC Savannah 17C. Stewardship is More Than Funding a Budget 5

6 Sessions 1-7A: Fri. 8 PM; Sessions 8-15B: Sat. 8:15 AM; Sessions 16-22C: Sat. 1:15 PM 1A Outdoor Leadership and Experiential Learning From a Biblical Perspective Nat Scott, St. Simons Island PC The world of video games, social media and reality TV has served to deepen our starvation for experiences that cause true transformation. If you look at every block of Jesus teaching in the New Testament, you ll discover that more than 50 percent of them occurred in the outdoors. The Bible demonstrates that the physical setting of creation, was his most extensively used classroom for illustrating Kingdom truth to his friends as well as the masses. Wilderness is more than a metaphor. It is a place to go to experience fresh air, the sounds of gurgling streams and breaking waves, the singing of birds, claps of thunder, flashes of lighting, physical challenges, sleeping under the stars, living in community, packing light, climbing peaks, paddling through storms, and journeying through desert canyons. (Participants need to be prepared to spend time outdoors- dress accordingly) 2A Meditative Variations on the Theme of Love and Death Rev. Dr. Ricky Porter, Washington Street PC This workshop will help participants gain theological insights regarding death and emotional grounding for being a more loving person so as to have a beautiful death." Participants will creatively discuss their views on death and love followed by a brief presentation, including three methods for spiritual meditation (based upon the work of Eckhart Tolle) Prayer and meditation will be used as spiritual exercises: a.) as it relates to developing effective ways of demonstrating love and b.) preparing spiritually for the end of earthly life experiences. Participants should dress comfortably and bring floor mats and/or pillows to enhance the experience. The workshop is limited to 13 persons. 3A Jesus and the Misfits Rev. Bob Brearley, St. Simons Island PC This workshop will look at the message of the Old Testament prophets as a backdrop to the ministry of Jesus. We tend to think that Jesus is ministering to well-adjusted, self-supporting, successful folks of his day. Yet that is not often the case. Most of the time Jesus is ministering to misfits that are not highly regarded by his culture. It makes it difficult on the disciples to understand what Jesus is up to, and it makes it a good, healthy challenge for us to let his example become the pattern for our ministry today. 4A One Spirit, One Mind Rev. Don Dilley, Richmond Hill PC Paul, under arrest and facing an almost certain death, wrote a letter to thank the church at Pillipi for an expected gift. What would you write to a church that gives you a gift out of nowhere? The result is one of Paul's greatest epistles. The course will focus on the second chapter, which focuses on the act of humility in the midst of disagreement. What lessons does Paul have for us as we struggle to define the character of Jesus for our time? 5A Pastoral Care: the Good, the Bad, and the Uncomfortable Rev. Rachel Greiner, Memorial Hospital Ever needed to visit someone in the hospital/nursing home or even at their house and been nervous about what to say or how to act? Have you stood at the sick bed of someone and been so incredibly uncomfortable and felt useless? Come to a crash course in pastoral care with a real-life hospital chaplain! Learn some quick tricks and tips as well as how to avoid some definite no-nos! Clergy and lay-people are encouraged to come and sharpen these skills. Be prepared for lively conversation, a few stories, and any questions you ve always wanted answered about this part of ministry! 6

7 Sessions 1-7A: Fri. 8 PM; Sessions 8-15B: Sat. 8:15 AM; Sessions 16-22C: Sat. 1:15 PM 6A Rethinking Church: Using the 1001 Discernment Process to Revitalize Your Church Rev. Trip McKinnon, Altama PC & Crossroads The session will focus on ways that the 1001 discernment process can be used by established congregations to enhance and expand their vision of ministry. 7A & 8B Congregational Lifecyle and the Transformation of the Church Rev. Dr. Ann Philbrick, PCUSA - Associate for Church Growth and Transformation 80% of all American congregations are plateaued or declining in numbers and engagement. Come explore the dynamics of congregational development that help us understand what might be going on when churches are struggling or not as vibrant as they once were as well as give us some clues as to the attitudes and actions that can help them find new energy and life again. 9B About the Funeral Rev. Dr. Jeff Garrison, Skidaway Island PC American funeral customs have undergone many changes in the past fifty years. Drawing on his own experiences, as well as others such undertaker-poet Thomas Lynch and theologian Thomas Long, Jeff Garrison will discuss these changes and what they mean for the church and for individuals as they plan for funerals of loved ones. What does the funeral say about who we are and to whom we belong? 10B A Child Shall Lead: Equipping Children for Musical Leadership in Worship Dr. Anne McNair, FPC Savannah This seminar will explore ways to encourage children to participate in the musical life of the church. Churches of all sizes can offer ways to provide musical opportunities for children while also providing opportunities for them to engage in worship more fully. Ideas for starting and maintaining a robust children's choir program will be discussed. 11B Theater & Discipleship Rev. Jamil el-shair, Midway First PC How do you select a play that grows you and can grow others as disciples? Do you produce and mount plays; if so, how? Or do you go see them? Or do you do both? Theatre & Discipleship will answer these questions and more through an interactive process. Come prepared to stretch, work, and have fun. Class is limited to twelve participants to allow everyone an opportunity to gain maximum benefit from the workshop. 12B How Can I Help?: Spiritual Direction & Spiritual Friends Rev. Mary Beene, Faith PC With no burning bushes to tell us what to do next, it can be hard to know God's will in times of transition or difficulty. God may not often speak through flaming foliage, but God can speak through a good spiritual companion. Sometimes just the right question makes all the difference. Learn how to be a good spiritual friend to those in need and learn when and how to look for spiritual companionship yourself. Learn how we as Christians can journey with each other through the ups and downs of a life following Jesus. 7

8 Sessions 1-7A: Fri. 8 PM; Sessions 8-15B: Sat. 8:15 AM; Sessions 16-22C: Sat. 1:15 PM 13B Dr. King s Unfinished Agenda: Reflections from the Conference at Montreat, August 2015 Rev. Dan Lewis, FPC Statesboro & Lois Stroman, Washington Street PC This workshop will share some highlights and reflections from an important conference held this past summer to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Dr. King s visit to Montreat in More than just commemoration, the conference also examined contemporary issues of racial justice in light of the still unfinished work of building what King called The Beloved Community. The workshop will seek not only to relay information and anecdotes from the conference, but to open up dialogue about the possibilities for ministries of reconciliation in our own church communities here in coastal Georgia. 14B Intercultural Ministries: No Root to Bitterness Rev. Sterling Morse, PCUSA - Office for Intercultural Ministries The 21st Century calls for the Church to adopt an intercultural lifestyle. Inspired by the challenge in Hebrews 12:14-15, this workshop will focus on the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. vision to become truly intercultural and to practice cultural humility as we seek to develop deeper relationships that cross barriers of race, ethnicity, gender and class to better reflect and engage in the communities around us. 15B Marginal Mercy Rev. Chad Hyatt, Mercy Community Church Mercy Community Church in Atlanta, Georgia, is a grassroots community of people, some who live on the streets and some who live in housing, working together to make the world a little more just and peaceful for us all. Begun in a living room ten years ago, Mercy has retained a unique emphasis on fostering and nurturing healthy and liberating relationships that cross many of the lines of segregation that keep human beings divided and fearful--including race, gender, and economics. Often labeled a mission church, the congregation is adamant that the work of all churches is mission, following a truly revolutionary Jesus from the comfortable centers of our culture to the risky peripheries where grace abounds--and we encounter God's overflowing mercy at the margins. 16C Coaching for Congregational Leaders Rev. Dr. Ann Philbrick, PCUSA - Associate for Church Growth and Transformation One of the key factors that separate leaders who help their communities thrive and those who don t is the involvement of a coach. A coach is an objective companion who is invested in the leader s success (and by extension, the success of the community). A coaching relationship offers the leader a place to explore his or her priorities, goals, and decisions in the practice of congregational leadership and to make intentional choices in light of the discoveries and insights that arrive. This workshop will explore the role of a coach and give participants a chance to experience basic coaching practices. 8

9 Sessions 1-7A: Fri. 8 PM; Sessions 8-15B: Sat. 8:15 AM; Sessions 16-22C: Sat. 1:15 PM 17C Stewardship is More Than Funding a Budget Rev. Stephen Williams, FPC Savannah A workshop that will offer both the theological mandate and biblical imperative for supporting God s church. If giving is a central part of the life of faith and it is how does the church help Christians grow in their practice of financial generosity? Many practical ideas will be discussed including how to organize a stewardship campaign committee, develop a calendar of activities and prepare stewardship materials. 18C Reclaiming Sabbath: The Practice of Being Within a Doing World Rev. Rick Douylliez, FPC St. Marys How do you reclaim Sabbath time in a world of cell phones, computers, and other electronic realities? Do you know where to begin? This workshop will explore various disciplines for enfolding the distance between our minds and our hearts, and setting in place persistent and intentional spiritual practices. 19C The Possibility of Postliberal Preaching Rev. Dan Lewis, FPC Statesboro This workshop looks at a Doctor of Ministry project conducted at First Presbyterian Church in Statesboro. The project asks how a particular kind of preaching, called post liberal or sometimes narrative preaching, affects this particular congregation. We will examine a little bit about both the congregation and the preaching method in question, but will spend most of our time on actual sermons and focus group feedback from church members. Finally, we ll want to hear from you workshop participants about how this relates to the ministry of preaching in your own congregations. This workshop is especially appropriate for preachers, of course, but is open to all. 20C Digging the Dirt With Discipleship Rev. Ed Ayers, FPC Douglas This workshop will focus on Christ's call to discipleship. What it is, who you are as a disciple, who we are together as disciples, and how that is being played out in Savannah Presbytery. Together we will investigate, discuss, and seek to better understand Christ's direct call to discipleship and how we might implement that call in our own ministries and in Savannah Presbytery. 21C Introduction to Creation Care Kate Buckley, St. Simons Island PC This workshop is for anyone interested in exploring together the Christian call to be good stewards of the world that God created. It will be a combination of Kate s experience as a person of faith who came to treasure God's Creation in a new way and an exploration of the deep and knowing reverence Scripture has for all the earth. 22C Let's Pray! Creative Prayer for Children Freida Warner, St. Simons Island PC Experience prayer like children through creative ideas and stations. Learn how to create simple and quiet spaces to give children the opportunity to connect to God through prayer. Explore new ideas and resources to use in your own Children's Ministry. 9