Details:

The Schedule:

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When: Saturday, January 21, 2017
Where: Oak Grove United Methodist Church
              472 N Battlefield Boulevard
              Chesapeake VA 23320
Cost: $12 for box lunch catered by Panera Bread
Deadline: January 8, 2017
Register: Scroll down to register online! 
9:00am - Registration  
9:30am - Worship
10:00am - Session 1
11:30am - Break
11:45am - Lunch
12:15pm - Session 2
​1:45pm - Depart
Brochure and print registration form.
​(The listing below is the most current listing of workshops.)

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​If you have questions, email Rev. Jason Stanley at jasonstanley@vaumc.org.

Workshops:

1. Reclaiming Christian Servanthood: Marc Brown, Conference Director of  Connectional Ministries. A paradigm shift is being required of the church as people are invited to define meaning in their lives through their faith through the context of service in the name of Jesus. This workshop explores ways churches can shift from making people volunteers to making people disciples of Jesus Christ as they claim their identity as Christian servants. Offered during both sessions.

2. Renewal for Existing Churches (“Fresh Expressions”): Mark Ogren, Conference Director of Congregational Excellence. This workshop will present information about “Fresh Expressions,” which is a movement that is cultivating new forms of church alongside existing congregations in order to reach a changing world. At its heart, Fresh Expressions is about empowering and equipping God’s people to develop creative expressions of church that can reach the increasing diversity of our society.  Offered during both sessions.

3. Who Are My Neighbors? Using MissionInsite: Kim Johnson, Conference Center for Congregational Excellence. This workshop will be a hands-on demonstration of the Virginia Conference demographic resource - MissionInsite, taking a look at the demographics and information the site offers. Learn how to draw a customized area around your church in order to have the most accurate reporting, how and when to upload your congregational data to make use of the people plot features, how to run reports and analyze the data presented, how to use the new “neighbor center” options, and what to do with all that information to move the church forward. Offered during both sessions.

4. VBS Preview: Theresa Reiter, Director of Children’s Ministries, Oak Grove UMC. VBS will be here before you know it.  Come experience what Group and Cokesbury has created to make your VBS a success.  This hands on workshop will help you choose the best curriculum for children in your community.  You will also discover how to have a VBS experience with any age group, number of children or budget. Offering during both sessions.

5. Local Church Communications: Being more than just “white noise”: Madeline Pillow, Conference Editor and News Associate of the Virginia Advocate. Join in a discussion-based workshop about how communication works within and outside of your church. Don’t let your words just become “white noise” to your members and your larger, local community. Learn about the best ways to communicate within your congregation and community as well as assessing your efforts. Discuss new techniques that can add to your communication plan, best practices and how you can share the ministries of your church. Session 1 only.

6. It All Starts Here: The Role of Nominations & Leadership Development: Cheryl Edley-Worford, Conference Director of Inclusivity & Lay Leadership Excellence. Lay leadership is the heart of local church ministry. Yet, far too often, people are merely picked and chosen to fill positions when we should be helping members identify their gifts, explore their calls, and be prepared for service. This workshop will focus on building a year-round equipping ministry system - preparing, connecting, and equipping people for ministry. Session 1 only.

7. Teach Them to Pray: Introducing new generations to the power of prayer: Paulo Lopes, Conference Director of Ministries with Young People. When the group of (mostly) young disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, Jesus didn’t answer with a formula, or “5 best practices of prayer,” neither did he offer them books or resources on the subject. He simply prayed, asking them to do the same. Discover ways to move from information to imitation as you encourage young disciples to powerful lives of prayer. Session 1 only.

8. The Role of the Trustees: Dennis Bagley. An overview of the responsibilities of the Board of Trustees in the local church, including to supervise and maintain all church property so that the ministries of the congregation will be effective. Session 1 only.

9. What if We Boomers Reinvented “Senior Adult Ministry” & Changed the Church?: Martha Stokes, Director of Church & Community Relations, Virginia United Methodist Homes, Inc. Trends tell us that Boomer Generation folks aren’t interested in traditional Older Adult Ministries. A huge number of Boomers are what we would call “unchurched,” but may actually be very interested in spiritual matters in general. Rather than wait for churches to minister to us, what if we mentor our successors to spread the Gospel and make a difference in our communities? How we do that will be our legacy. If we do it well, wouldn’t that change the church and the world? Session 1 only.

10. Finance: What You Need to Know: Mary Stroh, District Treasurer. This workshop will cover the functions and responsibilities of the local church Committee on Finance, along with training geared for the church Treasurer. Some hands on training for the Treasurers on filing the pastor’s W-2 is included, as well as an overview of the annual responsibilities of the Finance Committee. Session 1 only.

11. Radical Hospitality as the Guest Walks Through Your Doors: Michelle Louk, pastor Heritage UMC. This workshop will touch on thinking guest, not visitor; everyone is responsible for hospitality; from parking lot to greeters to pew ushers; building authentic relationships, and more! Session 1 only.

12. S/PPRC Training: Wayne Snead, District Superintendent. This workshop includes an overview of the responsibilities of the Staff/Pastor Parish Relations Committee, characteristics of effective S/PPRCs, the role of the S/PPRC with the Sr. Pastor and other staff, a model for discussion prior to completing the Appointment Preference form, and information about the VA Conf. Annual Evaluation of clergy and staff by the S/PPRC. Session 2 only. 

13. No, We Ain’t Got a Barrel of Monday, But: David Rash, retired UM Minister. This workshop will help the Finance and Stewardship ministries discover the strength they may not even know they have, and to exploit that for the Kingdom of God. Session 2 only.

14. The Method of Jesus, the Method of Methodists: Greg West, Chaplain, Virginia Wesleyan College. Jesus started a small group! They were the 12 and the women who walked closely with him. When Jesus says, “Go and make disciples of all nations …” small group ministry was implied. For more than 100 years the Methodist Class Meeting was a frontline of evangelism and discipleship. Learn how to recover some of the Biblical and historical methods for ministry today.  Session 1 only.

15. Radical Hospitality in Your Building & on Your Grounds: Michelle Lock, pastor Heritage UMC. “Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.” (Ephesians 2:20) This course will touch on the first thing your guests see and the last thing they remember; the importance of signage inside and out; taking a building assessment, and more.  Session 2 only.

16. Communications Check-up: Madeline Pillow, Editor & News Associate of the Virginia Advocate. Within a group discussion, imagine moving your church communications up to the next level with an online presence or through social media platforms. We’ll start by assessing the current communications plan of your church and what the next level would look like. Come ready to share about your church’s demographics, ideas, and imaging a new direction.  Session 2 only.

17. Small Group Leadership: Cheryl Edley-Worford, Conference Director of Inclusivity & Lay Leadership Excellence. In early Methodist communities, participation in small groups (class meetings) was required. Small groups today have many areas of focus: accountability, support, learning, service, and administration. Yet each requires spiritual leaders who are called to help members experience Christian community. This session will explore the skills needed for small group leadership. Session 2 only.

18. What Do I Want to Give Myself To? Retirement through a Spiritual Lens: Martha Stokes, Director of Church & Community Relations, Virginia United Methodist Homes. Retirement, at any age, is a major life transition impacting every part of our lives. Too often we neglect the spiritual needs faced with retirement. Remember, our vocation and call as disciples are not just areas of discernment for young people but continue across the lifespan. Come explore the church’s role in helping us rethink retirement, finding a new or renewed sense of meaning and purpose and figuring out what we should be doing to transform the world. Session 2 only. 

19. How to Reach Young People: Paulo Lopes, Conference Director of Ministries with Young People. Every church would love to reach more young people. What kind of changes would it take for our communities to become more effective in reaching younger generations? This workshop is designed to help participants begin to answer that question. Session 2 only.

20. Child Abuse Training Seminar: Betty Wade Coyle, M. A.; Gail Heath Davidson, MSW; Faye Joseph, LCSW; Debbie Shelton, Survivor. This seminar will focus on the following topics: understanding forms of child abuse (physical, emotional, verbal, sexual); the symptoms exhibited by victims; what professionals, churches, and neighbors need to know and how to respond; the responsibilities of schools and churches; how to help the child and family once the abuse has been reported; how abuse impacts children and their families. This is an in-depth seminar that requires attendance at both sessions, morning and afternoon. This seminar qualifies as Safe Sanctuaries/Child Protection Policy training for church and preschool staff and volunteers.