Category Archives: Workshop

Center for Congregations August Workshops

Congregations & Community: Reinvesting in Health & Wellness

In-Person Event with Two Options:
Tuesday, August 27 | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM EST
Hilton Garden Inn Northwest Indianapolis
Tuesday, September 10 | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM EST
Parkview Field – Fort Wayne, IN 

Join us for a transformative in-person workshop with author and medical director Dr. William Cooke. 

Congregations are the heart of our communities, and faith leaders can be powerful agents of change. Discover how to address the social determinants of health and foster a healthier, more resilient community. Learn about the seven vital community factors and gain actionable strategies to tackle health disparities in your area.

Register Here


Clergy Transition, Passing the Baton

Live Online Event with Two Options:
Wednesday, August 14 | 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM EST
Thursday, August 15 | 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM EST

Are you a congregational leader preparing to pass the baton? Join our free live online workshop led by Pastor Bob Russell, designed to help churches and parachurch organizations plan smooth and healthy leadership transitions.

This workshop will focus on how leaders can effectively select and mentor their successors, ensuring your congregation continues to grow and your ministries thrive.

Register Here


7 Common Human Resources Mistakes in Congregations

Live Online Event with Two Options:
Tuesday, August 20 | 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM EST
Thursday, August 22 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM EST

Are you juggling a long to-do list and don’t have the time or experience to figure out what you should be doing for Human Resources within your congregational staff? You are not alone.

Register for our free, live online workshop with Justin Romine and Gina Rock of HR Ministry Solutions to learn about the most common HR mistakes in ministry and learn tools for fixing those gaps!

Register Here

Center for Congregations Opportunities in May

Leading with Hope for Rural and Small Town Congregations

Live Online Event with Two Options:

  • Wednesday, May 8 | 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM EST
  • Tuesday, May 14 | 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM EST

Embark on a journey of enlightenment with Rev. Brad Thie in this captivating workshop, where he will unveil a profound theology and practice of hope for congregations. Drawing upon his extensive experience, Rev. Thie will illuminate inspiring examples of hope-filled ministries that catalyze transformative change within local communities.

Register for Leading with Hope


UPCOMING WORKSHOP – IN PERSON

Caring for Yourself While Caring for Others

For Southeast Congregations:

Thursday, May 16 | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM EST at The Copper Top in Seymour, Indiana

While you prioritize caring for your congregation, it’s essential to also prioritize self-care. Join Dale Sellers, Executive Director of 95Network, as he draws from his own experiences to impart the essentials of soul care.

With a deep understanding of the demands faced by leaders in small to midsize congregations, Dale aims to equip leaders with the tools to nurture their own well-being, enabling them to better serve their communities.

Workshop registration is $30 per person, with a $5 discount per registrant for congregations with three or more members attending.

Register for this workshop


Preview of June 2024 Workshops

From social media strategies in today’s digital age to reframing your congregation’s calling, each workshop is a unique opportunity for growth. These events will be hosted twice to provide more scheduling options for attendees. Don’t miss out!

View all workshops

Low Ropes Course Open House 4/24/2023

Hanover College is hosting a Low Ropes Course Open House on April 24th from 4-6 p.m. for interested churches and non-profits at Hanover College.

The Open House will include tours of the facility for those who may be interested in using it in the future.

For more information, contact Rev. Catherine Knott (knott@hanover.edu).

The Art of Transitional Ministry Training Event

Register now for The Art of Transitional Ministry Training, Week I & II. May 22-26, 2023 at the beautiful Mercy Center, St. Louis, MO

We live in a crazy time of transition in our churches and culture. Transitional Ministry Education is not limited to those presently engaged in or inquiring about transitional ministry. Anyone interested in learning how to walk through change alongside your church is invited to join in. PLUS, we have expanded to include a more diverse faculty and re-worked curriculum for this spring.

Mercy Center is a beautiful convent and retreat center which provides: good food for gathering, lovely grounds for unwinding, a labyrinth for spiritual centering, AND great space for meeting and learning from other motivated pastors, CREs, and all who serve the church on committees.

Basic Transitional Ministry Education consists of 60 contact hours plus a practicum. The contact hours are divided equally between two residency weeks: Week I (30 hours) and Week II (30 hours), separated by a practicum that combines reflection on, and experience in, some aspect of interim/transitional ministry.

The faculty this spring includes: Rev. Dr. Barbara Wilson, Chicago Presbytery Director of Collaboration & Community Partnerships; Rev. Dr. Eric Thomas, Pastor of Siloam Pres, Brooklyn, NY; Rev. Bruce Jones, Transitional pastor, Milwaukee, WI; Rev. Dr. Tassie Green, Bridge Pastor of Hope Pres, Wheaton, IL;  Rev. Gail Doering, Southern Kansas Transitional EP; and Tony de la Rosa, Transitional Exec, Synod of Mid America.

LEARNING CIRCLES

Six weeks of communal learning this January and February

NEXT Church is offering a six-week training and conversation Learning Circle focused on antiracism during January and February 2023.  Each circle is curated with similar content while creating space focused on a specific context or lived experience. Learning circles will unpack the six values upholding white dominance and practice the transforming values to create conditions for equity.  Circles will meet once a week for six weeks and will be led by trained NEXT Church antiracism facilitators.

Through the Myrtle Collaboration 2.0, the Matthew 25 Cohort churches of First Presbyterian Columbus, First Presbyterian Bloomington and Fairlawn Presbyterian Columbus, are offering a limited number of scholarships to cover registration fees for those wishing to attend.  This Learning Circle provides another step towards our shared Matthew 25 Vision of dismantling structural racism.

The cost is $99 and spaces are limited for optimal conversation. Because People of Color will labor in a more costly way as participants in the Learning Circles, the participation cost for People of Color in any circle is $49.

To apply for a scholarship, please email Reverend Felipe Martinez (felipem@fpccolumbus.org), then sign up at the link (Learning Circles – NEXT Church). Registration expenses will be reimbursed through Christy Jerman, First Presbyterian Church, 512 7Th Street, Columbus, IN 47201 by mailing in your receipt.

Workshop: Creative Strategies for Inclusive Digital Worship

Stone Belt Arc Presents:
Creative Strategies for
Inclusive Digital Worship

Time: Apr 22, 2021 02:00 PM (ET)

As pastor of a church where people with and without intellectual, developmental, and other disabilities lead and participate together, Rev. Dr. Bethany McKinney Fox has had the opportunity to lead an ability-inclusive community every week over Zoom during the past year of the pandemic. This has given her lots of opportunities to experiment and discover some interesting ways to engage folks across the spectrum of abilities and disabilities. In this presentation she will guide participants through a selection of rituals, practices, and ways of engaging with God and one another during virtual worship. People of all faith traditions are welcome!

Click here for more information and to register.

Center for Congregations: Faith Formation for Gen Z

Cultural changes have made it increasingly difficult to develop the faith of younger generations. Recent research by the Barna Group gives good reason to be hopeful. This workshop explores the practices that can aid your congregation in forming the faith of children, youth and young adults. Author and youth leader Mark Matlock will present ways your congregation can take steps to pass along Christianity to the next generation.

In this workshop, Matlock explains the concept of resilient discipleship and explores new research-based insights from Christian research company Barna Group.

This workshop is 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (Eastern time) Thursday, September 5, 2019 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Indianapolis. The cost is $30 per person. When congregational teams of three or more register together, the cost is discounted to $25 per person. This fee includes continental breakfast, lunch and a copy of the book Faith for Exiles: 5 Ways for a New Generation to Follow Jesus in Digital Babylon.

For more information, and to register for this workshop, visit the Center for Congregations webpage for this event.

Workshops limited to Indiana congregations.