Equipping the Servents: Day of Workshops

Leaders: Numerous leaders, both lay and clergy, from our diocese and beyond

A day of workshops designed to equip the “servants of God” for service to God and ministry in and beyond the congregation.  The theme for this year reflects to the diocesan vision initiative: Spiritual Renewal.  You may select up to three workshops, each one hour and 15 minutes, from offerings such as Lectio Divina, developing your spiritual personality, different ways of praying, exploring the call of a deacon, and reflections on the Millennium Development Goals.  

Workshop Descriptions

A1-Temple of the Spirit. St. Paul said that the human body is a “temple of the Spirit,” a holy space. What does that mean in terms of our own bodies, our life, and our prayer? We will explore the theme not merely through spoken reflection but through simple “spiritual exercises” which help us to integrate body and spirit: movements drawn from hatha yoga and t’ai chi, breathing exercises, walking meditation, circle dances, and movement mantras. This workshop is suitable for people of any age or ability. Wear comfortable clothes in which you can move freely. The Rev. Nancy Roth—Author, Retreat Leader, Assisting Priest, Christ Episcopal Church, Oberlin, OH, Adjunct Faculty at the General Theological Seminary
A2, A3-Labyrinth. What is a spiritual journey... a holy pilgrimage? Come and experience this ancient tradition of walking the path of healing, of insight, of discernment and of exploration. This workshop will be held twice since space is limited. Bernard McMullan—Trinity Cathedral, Trenton; Sister Cassandra Grace—Anamchara Fellowship; Sister Kara Aidan—Anamchara Fellowship
B1-Faith Formation for Children with Learning Differences and Their Families. “Educate each child according to his ways.”—Proverbs 22:6. We’ll map the basic tools that clergy and staff who work with children with learning differences and their families need to welcome those families and to be aware of the broader social and emotional landscape those families find themselves in. The goal is to help staff increase understanding and support for the children and parents in their particular parishes and to feel more comfortable with their own questions and uncertainties. The Rev. Dr. Susan Richardson—Assistant Minister, Christ Church, Philadelphia & Episcopal Church Foundation Fellow
B2-The Theology of Difference and Disability: Children with Special Learning Needs and Their Families in Faith Formation. Ministering to and with those who seem different from us, including those whose learning and intelligence styles differ from what we see as the norm, gives clergy, staff, and congregations both the challenge and opportunity to look more closely at their own assumptions, comfort zones, and discomfort zones. This workshop will be a space for dialogue around the theology of differences and disabilities, all toward the chance for parishes to look more deeply at their “radical welcome,” their belief in the breadth of God’s love, and the way it affects faith formation for those in their individual parishes. The Rev. Dr. Susan Richardson—Assistant Minister, Christ Church, Philadelphia & Episcopal Church Foundation Fellow  
B3-Spiritual Development in Spouses & Families. How do you include Christ, the third person, in any marriage? How does this make its mark on family life? Discover the value of praying and studying the bible together—as a couple and as a family. The Rt. Rev. Sylvestre Romero—Assistant Bishop of New Jersey
C1-Ministry with Emerging Adults. Why are twenty-something missing from the church, and how can we bring them back? The Rev. Gregory Bezilla—Chaplain of the Episcopal Campus Ministry at Rutgers, centered on Canterbury House on the New Brunswick/Piscataway campus.
C2-The Spirituality of Hospitality. The practice of hospitality can help a congregation grow, but hospitality is more than just another program of the church. Biblical hospitality is central to the spiritual life and affects all of our relationships, including those within our congregations, families, and communities. This workshop will help participants understand the spiritual basis of hospitality and how its practice can deepen your self-understanding as well as your relationships with others and with God. The Rev. Debra K. Bullock—Vicar, St. Barnabas by the Bay, Villas and Assistant to the Rector, St. Mary’s, Stone Harbor; Dr. Cynthia Sosnowski—St. Mary’s, Stone Harbor
C3-Seeking Deacons. Who are deacons? What do they do? How are they called? Is this ministry for you or someone in your parish? The Rev. Carol Sue Cumings, Dcn.—Committee on the Diaconate, Deacon, St. Stephen’s, Waretown; The Venerable Victoria Cuff, Dcn.—Archdeacon for Discernment
D1-Being Bartimaeus: Welcoming LGBT People to the Church Family Using the story of Jesus and Bartimaeus as a model, this workshop will examine the role of personal and church-wide healing on the journey to full inclusion of LGBT people in the Body of Christ. Resources will be available to share with individual congregations, including updates from the recent General Convention. Kristen Claire Foley—Grace Church, Plainfield; Members of the Oasis Ministry of the Diocese of New Jersey
D2-Darfur: The Crisis Continues—Organizing a Christian Response. The Crisis in Darfur/Sudan continues. Hundreds of thousands of persons have already lost their lives in one of the world’s worst human rights crisis. Thousands more have been displaced and are refugees. Thousands have been victims of brutal rape, poverty and other crimes against humanity. The killing continues; the refugee crisis continues; civil war continues in southern Sudan. The people of Darfur/Sudan desperately need a prophetic voice within the Episcopal Church, Anglican Communion, and wider Christian family. Our Baptismal Covenant calls the people of God to “strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being.” This workshop will give individuals and parishes tools to serve as advocates and teachers on behalf of the people of Darfur/Sudan and equip our congregations to be instruments of prophetic voice and partners in the work of Christian compassion with Darfur/Sudan. Come join us and receive some concrete ideas for Christian work in the area of peace and social justice within the human family, and how our parishes and our Diocese can respond to the human rights crisis in Darfur and Sudan. The Rev. Dr. Hugh Brown, III—Committee on Darfur, Rector, All Saints’ Church, Princeton
D3-Spiritual Life in a Season of War. This workshop will explore religious support to U.S. Military personnel and their families during periods of deployment. We will explore ministry to the “military” as one of the great mission fields of the 21st century. We will also consider religious support for deployed military personnel and their families at all points along the operational continuum from peace keeping to low intensity conflict to all out war to nation building. The Rev. Frank Wismer
E1, E2-Living Into the Millennium Development Goals. The purpose of the workshop is to provide resources that congregations can use to become educated and to take action in helping to achieve the Millennium Development Goals locally and globally. Resources include a short 12 minute DVD, a six session curriculum on the MDGs, and specific suggestions/information (brochures and lists) of ways to get involved locally and globally. Please note that this workshop is divided into two separate sessions. The Rev. Jarrett Kerbel—Executive Director of Crisis Ministry; The Rev. Lisa Caton—Chaplain at The College of New Jersey; Aline Haynes—Trinity, Princeton; Trisha Thorme—Trinity Princeton
E3-Desert Spirituality. Desert Spirituality comes to us from the early days of the Church’s history. It began to define its legacy as the search for God in the solitude of the Egyptian desert. Starting from without, the soul seeks insight concerning its connection to the Divine which eventually leads us on an interior journey. Have you ever experienced a paradox? The desert mothers and fathers took that for granted, after they found a way to look for and follow God. If so I invite you to another path for your faith journey. Brother Carl—Anamchara Fellowship
F1-Praying with Scripture. Christians have always believed that God speaks to us through the words of the Bible and that the words of the Bible inform our prayer as we speak in our hearts to God. In this workshop, we will explore and practice two classic ways of using Scripture in prayer. Discussions and handouts will enable participants to take these ways of praying home and build them into their spiritual lives. The Rev. Jack Zamboni—Vicar, St. Francis’, Dunellen
F2-Finding Hope in Hard Times—Seven Spiritual Practices: A Faithful Steward’s Guide. This Stewardship workshop will reflect on several spiritual practices for coping with these very uncertain times and how these times can lead to opportunities for renewal and spiritual growth.  Using the widely distributed resource from the Episcopal Church’s Stewardship Office, Finding Hope in Hard Times, participants will interactively reflect, discuss and discern possible solutions for the tensions and difficulties individuals and parishes are encountering in our current challenging economic circumstances. James W. N. Murphy—Associate Program Director, Planned Giving & Endowment Management, Episcopal Church Foundation
F3-Stewardship Is.... An exploration of the meaning and purpose of stewardship—what it is and what it isn’t. Included will be some timely hints about strengthening one’s spiritual commitment to true stewardship. This will be an opportunity to embrace a variety of stewardship values and their relationship to God. Members of the Diocesan Stewardship Commission
G1-Companions of Jesus. They couldn’t take their eyes off of them -- Peter and John standing there so confident, so sure of themselves! Their fascination deepened when they realized these two were laymen with no training in Scripture or formal education. They recognized them as companions of Jesus… Acts 4:13 in The Message, by Eugene Peterson. This presentation will focus on those corporate spiritual practices that help groups to build up trust in God and gain confidence in discerning God’s will together. Lay and ordained leaders of churches are fiduciaries. All those called to leadership are charged with holding the resources of the Church in trust. Our accountability is most often expressed as a matter of meeting legal and canonical requirements for sound business and financial practices. But, when clergy, wardens, officers, vestries and other leadership groups come together, do we seek to know and to do God’s will? If so, how? Are there spiritual resources and practices that would help us undertake all decision-making as spiritual opportunities for growth in our relationship with our Lord and an increase in our confidence to advance the mission of our Church? Are we responsible stewards and fiduciaries of our spiritual resources (prayer, Scripture, Sacraments, discernment practices)? Do we welcome our Lord to our business meeting tables as well as to our Altars? Do we see any connections between our work and God’s will? Any overlap among the following: our personal spiritual life, the spirituality of our congregation and the life of our Diocese? Does anyone ever look at, say, a Vestry, and recognize them as “companions of Jesus?” If not, why not? The Rt. Rev. George Councell—Bishop of New Jersey
G2-Bringing Hymns to Life: Praying with Hymns. Have you ever wondered about the stories behind the hymns you sing in church? Did the words surprise you, challenge you, or inspire you? These poems from every era of Christian history can beckon us into the presence of the divine. They also reveal to us something about the context and historical periods in which they were written, as well as the personalities and spiritual outlook of their writers. During our time together, we will discover the background of selected texts and explore how they can be used in Christian formation and prayer. Finally, we will sing them, for, in the words of Augustine of Hippo, “the one who sings prays twice!” The Rev. Nancy Roth—Author, Retreat Leader, Assisting Priest, Christ Episcopal Church, Oberlin, OH, Adjunct Faculty at the General Theological Seminary
G3-Saying the Daily Office. The Daily Office has a long and treasured history in the Episcopal Church. Learn about the different tools to utilize in saying the Daily Office. Gain a theological understanding of the use of the Office, in personal and corporate settings. The Rev. Richard Wrede—Rector, Christ Church, Riverton
H1-Developing Your Spiritual Personality (styles of prayer, meditation, mystical theology). Each of us is a unique person. We know that our finger prints distinguish us as well as other external aspects of our physical being. However, most of us don’t realize that we are also spiritually unique... each responding to God’s grace in particular ways with our own unique personality. Are you a person who prefers silence and solitude in prayer, or are you someone who is best nurtured by corporate worship, music and artistic expression? Learn about the distinctions of the apophatic and kataphatic spiritual traditions and how to embrace the unique prayer life already budding within you. Sister Barbara Jean—Anamchara Fellowship
H2-Prayer Beads. This workshop will explore meditation and the centered life using the spiritual aid of prayer beads. The workshop will include Christian and Muslim prayer beads and prayers. The Rev. Frank Wismer; Ms. Connie White
H3-Youth Ministry. Are you looking to start or revive youth ministry at your church? Do you wish you had the right plan for long-term youth ministry? This is a workshop to help you gain a solid and sustainable vision and structure for youth ministry to grow and thrive at your church! We will explore the basics of volunteer leadership, program, safety, behavior, and formation. Canon Kep Short—Director of Youth Ministry, Diocese of New Jersey; The Rev. Debi Clarke, Dcn.—Program Assistant for Youth Ministry
I1-ABCs of Addiction & Recovery in a Church Setting. Learn how to identify the symptoms of the disease of alcoholism and other drug addictions, and their effects on the family and the congregation, as well as treatment options. In addition, receive information about AL-ANON, its purpose, and how this 12-Step program intertwines with Alcoholics Anonymous. Learn what a Recovery Sunday service is and how to conduct one. The Diocesan policy on alcohol use at church functions will be reviewed. Ample time will be provided for questions and answers. Sponsored by Recovery Ministries of the Diocese of New Jersey. Polly Horvath—St. Andrew’s, Mount Holly; The Rev. Judy Krom, Dcn—Holy Innocents, Beach Haven.; The Rev. Joe Sweeney, Dcn.—Grace Church, Pemberton; The Rev. Cathy Brunson, Dcn.—St. Barnabas, Monmouth Junction
I2-Let Go, Let God—12 Steps for Spiritual Growth. This workshop examines the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous and explores their application as a foundation for all healthy spiritual practice. Come discover the uniquely Episcopal connection with the 12 steps as well as their fundamental principles of spirituality that have universal application for all people of faith. People inside and outside the recovery community will find this workshop to be a rich treasure for spiritual growth. Ample time will be provided for questions and answers. Harriet Stuart—Trinity Church, Princeton; The Rev. Mark Van Sant—St. John’s, Little Silver; The Rev. Cathy Brunson, Dcn.—St. Barnabas’, Monmouth Junction

Date:  10/24/2009-9:00 AM-3:00 PM-Registration starts at 8:15 AM in Synod Hall and the sessions will begin promptly at 9:15.  Upon check-in, you will receive your schedule & location of workshops.  Walk-in registrants cannot be guaranteed choice of workshops & cannot order lunch.   

Cost: $10.00, lunch provided

Location:Trinity Cathedral
                801 West State Street    
                Trenton, NJ 08618
                609-392-3805
                [Click here for directions]

The registration period has closed for this event.

Registration Ends:  10/20/2009 11:59 PM (ET)