Thursday, May 23, 2013
Helping Christians Grow, Helping Grow Christians

Planting Seeds for Ministry Growth

 

Re-Claiming the Garden of God

The Church's Call for Diversity, Non-Violence and a Bully-Free World
Saturday, Oct. 27, 2012, 2 p.m.
 
I hope you will join us for the ninth annual Planting Seeds for Ministry Growth event at Hopewell United Methodist Church on Saturday, October 27, 2012 as we resource and affirm one another in this spiritual task of Re-claiming the Garden of God.  Local church ministry is not easy these days, but when we come together for training….when we encourage each other face-to-face….when we pray together, and break bread together….it’s uncanny what seeds for success are planted by the Creator.   Our faculty for 2012 is strong:  educators and community leaders who are heaven-bent on curtailing this tide of violence and prejudice and bullying which prevails in the culture these days.  We CAN re-claim the Garden!
     
Steven C. Morton, Senior Pastor
Hopewell UMC
 
 
 
 
 
 

Schedule

 
 2:00 P.M.   Registration
 2:30 P.M.   Opening and Keynote
 3:30 P.M.   Workshops
 5:25 P.M.   Worship Service
 6:30 P.M.   Dinner provided (in the Family Life Center)
 
 

Pricing

 
$25 per person for Planting Seeds Event (complimentary dinner provided
afterward) *Deduct $5 per person for reservations of 5 or more.
 
 

Keynote Speaker

 
Dr. Jerzy Nowak served as the Founding Director of the Center for Peace Studies and Violence Prevention at Virginia Tech University. Following the tragic shootings on campus on April 16, 2007 which claimed the lives of thirty-three (33) people —including his own wife, language professor Jocelyne Couture-
Nowak—he established the Center as a means of aiding his own healing as well as that of the University at-large. Over the next three years, the Center designed programs to give young people beset by poverty opportunities to make a living and avoid being victims or perpetrators of violence themselves.
Dr. Nowak’s remarks in the Opening Convocation will take us back to that horrific day at Virginia Tech University, and the personal tragedy he had to  endure. Arising from the ashes of that unspeakable ordeal, however, was a commitment to make other college campuses safer—a broader concern for
teaching tolerance, new concepts in dealing with at-risk youth, and violence prevention in general.
 

Ministry Workshops

New Leaders for this Century

Led by Dr. Jerzy Nowak
From elementary age right through early teens, at-risk young people in southwest Virginia are learning new skills for being successful in life without relying on violence and bullying. Students from Virginia Tech University’s Center for Peace Studies work in local schools among students with disciplinary problems to cultivate cooperation and group effort through hands-on education techniques, like “urban farms.” Hear from the Center’s founder about these programs aimed at violence prevention and the cultivation of principled leaders—and be encouraged to get your Church involved in the local community in some similar way!
 

What Would Jesus Do: Walking Side by Side in a Diverse World

Led by Sharon A. Brown—Director of Institutional Diversity, Moravian College
As our world shrinks, we find ourselves living in an increasingly, multicultural, multi-faith, multi-lingual, and diverse society. What does this mean for the church of today? How do we understand Jesus Christ’s call “to do justice” and “love thy neighbor as thyself?” You are invited to come and raise your awareness about the complexities of inclusiveness, cultural competency, and understanding of social justice and ministry.
Note: There will be an extended, earlier opportunity with Sharon Brown for all Christ Servant Ministers. Check the CSM website at www.gbgm-umc.org/csm for more information.


Raising Bully-Proof Kids

Patty Wiehler—Director of Children’s Ministries at Hopewell UMC
Our culture has become a breeding ground for bullies. Let’s ‘roll up our sleeves’ and begin the work of reclaiming a culture of empathy, compassion and ‘love of other’ that can pierce the heart of this bullying epidemic. We’ll learn how to mobilize every child… bullies, victims, and bystanders… arming them with the tools to change the tide, stop this crippling virus, and mend the damage that has already been done.


Back from the Brink

Frank Stalfa—Professor of Pastoral Theology and Dean of Students, Lancaster Theological Seminary
This workshop will introduce participants, both clergy and laity, to some of the skills we need when people are in crisis. It will also focus on providing support for those who are dealing with suicidal thoughts and feelings.
 

Cultivating Authentic Community with Young Adults

Rev. Amy & Tim Emmett-Rardin—Co-Directors of the Wesley Foundation of Philadelphia, and Co-Campus Ministers of Asbury Ministry at Drexel University
“We need young people” is a cry often heard in Christian churches, even from the pews of stable, vibrant congregations. Why are so many communities of faith struggling to connect with and fully include young adults? Drawing, in part, on the insights and experiences of Drexel University students, this workshop will explore some of the reasons why many young adults are less connected—if connected at all—to the church, and some strategies for engaging young adults in meaningful and authentic ways.