Workshops and Descriptions
“Dealing with Limited Financial Resources“
Leader: Kevin James
Description:
We will discuss how to continue and grow ministry even if giving is in decline. How to talk about money at church without stress? And we brainstorm new possibilities to fund church ministry.
“Avoiding/Surviving Burnout: Soul Care/Self Care“
(1 session for clergy/ministers only; 1 session for everyone)
Leader: Steve Allsbrook
Description:
Anyone can experience burnout, including ministers, and burnout can harm more than the one who feels burned out.
Soul care and self-care help guard against burnout. Caring for soul and self can also help you or your minister survive it and find a healthier life. This session will address some factors that lead to burnout, some warning signs and symptoms of burnout, and some ideas to help you or your minister avoid or survive it.
“Sabbath: The Rest of the Story for a Restless World“
Leader: Scott Spencer
Description:
Yes, the biblical Sabbath focuses on rest and restoration, taking time off to recover and recharge from the busy week’s work. But Sabbath is more than a healthy life tip. It marks God’s central command, equipping us for faithful, loving service to God and neighbor. It is also deeply countercultural, resisting a world riddled with anxiety and avarice, unrest and unrestraint. The title of Walter Brueggemann’s book puts it well: Sabbath as Resistance: Saying No to the Culture of Now (Westminster/John Knox, 2017, recommended reading). We might also add, “Saying Enough to the Culture of More.”
Come and explore the “rest” of the Sabbath story in its multiple vital dimensions, offering much-needed comfort and challenge in our complex society.
“SPACE Exploration: What Do You Do with Too Much Space?“
Leader: Ken Kessler
Description:
COVID-19 has created a different type of problem for many churches. Many of our churches have much unused space in their buildings. Even churches that are somewhat “full” on Sunday morning are still confronted with lots of unused space during the week. What are some creative solutions for the use of our unused space?
“Jesus, Juicing, and the Blessings & Benefits of Spiritual Fasting“
Leader: Win Davis
Description:
Jesus, in his most iconic teaching, begins with the assumptive word, “When.” He emphasizes “When you give,” “When you pray,” and “When you fast,” and yet, according to some surveys, less than 3% of evangelical Christians fast with any regularity.
In this session, Jesus, Juicing, and the Blessings & Benefits of Spiritual Fasting, you will learn:
1. A brief history of spiritual fasting
2. The benefits, blessing and bargaining with fasting
3. The different types of Spiritual fasting
4. Why Spiritual fasting is important and how to incorporate it in your walk with Jesus.
“Anybody Out There? Experiencing Grief and Loss During the Pandemic“
Leader: Judith Cain-Oliver
Description:
What is the impact of experiencing grief and loss in isolation? What happens when our assumptive world is shattered and we are limited in our ability to share with others? This session explores the effect of the pandemic on our traditions and norms for dealing with grief and loss and consequently the impact of these changes on each of us.
“Richmond’s Racial History“
Leader: Ben Campbell
Description:
Looking at Richmond’s Racial History over 350 years, and ways in which structural inequities are continued.
“COVID and Kids: How Can I Help?“
Leader: Elizabeth Davis-Crane
Description:
This session will take a look at some of the ways that the COVID pandemic has traumatically impacted our most precious and vulnerable resource, our children, with an emphasis on youth mental health. Ways that the church community can provide encouragement and resources to children in the local school system will be discussed, along with ways that we can assist our children in moving forward with hope.
“Online and In-Person: Finding the Right Balance“
Leaders: Jean Dart & Lindsay Ray
Description:
At the start of the COVID-19 Pandemic, many churches shifted to online-only services. Now that most churches have returned to in-person gatherings, how do they find the right balance between offering online activities and in-person activities? Should some activities be in-person only? Should some be online only? Participants will have the chance to discuss what is working and what is not working at their own churches as we contemplate the future of online ministry.