Saturday 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. Workshops
Saturday 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. Workshops
Saturday, April 28 offerings include a luncheon session with PLTS, followed by a choice of all afternoon service projects or two consecutive afternoon workshops. Registration is required.
Click HERE for pre-assembly discussions with our workshop presenters!
BELIEVE
Presented by The Rev. Glenn Chase, Oregon Synod Director of Evangelical Mission, and members of the BELIEVE team.
This workshop will focus on creating and identifying BELIEVERS in the communities throughout the state. BELIEVE started in 2009 and has changed the way we are BELIEVERS here in the great northwest. The BELIEVE TEAM has been meeting and has grown to over 15 people who meet in person or through Skype on a monthly basis. Team members will introduce the idea of developing local BELIEVE teams and helping empower people to tackle the important questions in their locales.
The Trees Shall Clap Their Hands: Grace-Based Creation Care
Presented by Rev. Solveig Nilsen-Goodin and Rev. Brian Brandt, Ph.D.
Is it possible to be motivated by grace, joy, and freedom rather than guilt and despair in our efforts to care for God's creation? Oregon Lutherans are partnering with Lutherans Restoring Creation to offer just such an approach of integrating care for creation into every area of congregational life. You will receive an overview of this effort, learn about some of its Biblical underpinnings, explore one Lutheran understanding of creation care-based discipleship, and network with others regarding what is and is not working in our congregations.
"Disorganizing and Reorganizing for Mission - Listening for a Change Part I"
Presented by Wendy Hall, Organizer/Developer for Leaven Project, and The Rev. Terry Moe, Lead Pastor, Redeemer Lutheran Church, Portland
This workshop will teach the value, practice and art of one to one relational meetings in order to build community, discover and develop leaders and get to the real issues people care about in our congregations. No experience necessary, just a willingness to give it a try. Very hands on and practical with lots of participation.
Presented by Stacy Kitahata and Donna Hertzfeldt-Kamprath
Why are they not showing up and what can we do about it?
Presented by The Rev. Michael Keys, Oregon Synod Director of Evangelical Mission
Has your congregation asked the question: Why are young families not connecting with our church? We are friendly, nice people. Why not join us? This workshop begins with a conversation of what is changed for people under 50 and why they are very unlikely to connect to a congregation. We will explore how this impacts God's mission and our local ministry.
Learning to Walk the Talk of Welcoming
Presented by Gretchen Brauer-Rieke
Most of our church signs say "All are Welcome!" but is this as true as we'd like to believe? We will explore the barriers and difficulties in welcoming the stranger and brainstorm ideas for creating more genuine hospitality in our congregations.
Can your congregation handle a major gift or bequest?
Presented by Bob Cornie, St. Andrew Lutheran Church, Beaverton, and Kathy Horton, West Linn Lutheran Church, West Linn
You can establish an Endowment Fund or Foundation for receipt of significant gifts to your congregation. You can provide your members with a meaningful presentation focusing on personal wills and other legal documents. You can encourage your members to leave a bequest to continue meaningful ministry. Come with questions.
A Trip Into the Food Forest – Afternoon with the Nativity Garden and Common Table programs.
Presented by Ron Werner from Nativity in Bend
This workshop option will take both afternoon sessions, beginning at 1:00 p.m. at a common meeting place at Sunriver and ending back at Sunriver no later than 4:30 p.m.
The session will take participants to Nativity’s garden (including the 75-tree orchard known as the Food Forest), and on to the non-profit café operated by a multi-denominational partnership of Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Episcopalian communities in downtown Bend called Common Table.
This afternoon will provide an in-depth and in-context learning experience about how these two programs were envisioned and developed as a direct expression of faith being ‘brought outside’ the walls of the church. The garden draws over 50 community volunteers each week during the growing season, who make it possible to provide fresh, locally sourced produce for the Common Table café, where on any given day, people from different walks of life and faith find themselves sharing an excellent meal and conversation together where some pay—and some don’t.
The afternoon will include time for participants to ask questions about the two programs and how they might be adapted to other places, along with an opportunity for participants to talk together about how their own localities are working on community involvement focusing on positive change.
Questions? Call the Synod Office at (503) 413-4191.
