Workshops

How is your church doing with helping people grow in the faith? We all know that making disciples is the primary mission of the church, but are we sure this is happening with the programs and ministries that are offered? By the end of the workshop participants will:

• Learn how (and why) any congregation can build an intentional plan to invite and form Christian disciples
• Receive an overview of a workbook that outlines a step-by-step process to build and/or improve the way a congregation forms disciples
• Outline several next steps to use the workbook in their own local congregation

Come join with us and help your congregation “chart the course” for an intentional discipleship plan.

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Each congregation has its own unique soul and spirit. How can Christian leaders, lay and clergy, strengthen and nourish the shared life of a local congregation? How do we move from the traditional activities and functions of ministry into those attitudes and practices that are formational and transformational? These are the key questions that will be addressed in this 3-part workshop designed to help you (and your church) discover a deeper awareness of God's presence, learn spiritual practices, understand the fundamental elements of an effective discipleship system, and embrace the transforming journey of Christian discipleship.

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Through exercises each day, participants will create and refine a draft of a devotional to be considered for possible publication in The Upper Room magazine. Successive sessions will help writers edit their work to increase its effectiveness and the impact of its message. Participants will also learn about other daily devotional magazines as possible markets for publishing their writing. In addition to writing, participants will experience the ancient Christian practice of lectio divina.

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This workshop will be an exploration of our natural tendency to cover up our weaknesses rather than bring our frailty to God for renewed faith and strength. We will explore different aspects of our needs and God’s gifts.

• Monday: My Weakness – God’s Opportunity
• Tuesday: My Need – God’s Gift
• Wednesday: My Hope – God’s Promise

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Our soul’s health determines so much, yet many of us have never even considered the well-being of the soul—or intentionally cared for it. This workshop provides ample time for learning, individual reflection, honest discussion, and exploration of some core practices that restore life and health to the soul. You will better recognize the cries of your own soul, understand how the process of spiritual formation relates to you, and identify specific ways to restore health and life to your soul. Thankfully the great truth, "He restores my soul" (Psalm 23:3) is as true today as ever.

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All youth (ages 12 - 18) are invited to join us for interactive mornings of prayer, journaling, and discussion as we explore our rich tradition of prayer. We, as pilgrims, see prayer as the heart of the journey. We will expand beyond "Dear Lord" and "Amen"; listening more, speaking less. During this time we will learn to create more space in our days and in our lives for prayer so that prayer becomes the way of life for us as pilgrims.

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Living a life of gratitude is much more than writing a good thank-you note or saying grace before meals. This 3-part workshop will explore the nature of Christian hope, including our beliefs about gratitude, the barriers we erect that keep us from thanksgiving, the bridges that lead to gratitude, and how we can actually become thankful people.

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Coming Soon

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Short-term mission trips play a significant role in the Christian formation of young people and adults. Such immersion experiences challenge groups to share life together as a Christian community, especially as community is forged in ministry with others and beyond the group's comfort zone. And such ventures present an ongoing challenge to participants as they return home and seek to understand and sustain the way of life that a mission trip has nurtured in them. This workshop explores Christian practices for pondering the body as groups prepare for, engage in, and interpret mission trips and outreach projects. Our bodies are not incidental to a mission trip, an encumbrance to “the real, spiritual aspect” of the travel experience. Life in the body is at the heart of Christian faith. What wisdom might the Spirit whisper as mission team members ponder their own bodies and the bodies of others? As they get immunization shots, pack bags, fill water bottles, lace up walking shoes, strap on cameras, and pull out maps for the journey? Attuning ourselves to these basic, necessary travel activities can help us live more fully the loving, challenging life that Jesus himself lived and gave to his followers. Focusing on faith practices can shift mission trips from being episodic and event-focused to being woven into the larger fabric of a way of life, weaving human activities into God’s redemptive activity for the sake of the world.

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Seeking God’s yearning for our lives and the decisions we make becomes a journey toward the heart of God. Discernment places God at the center of all we do. When we ask the question: “God what is your longing for my life?” we begin a pilgrimage toward a deepening relationship with God as we continue to live into the answers. This workshop will guide participants as they begin their own pilgrimage of discernment.

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The interactive hands-on workshops will focus on how to stick close to God, even on those days and through those times when life comes unglued. With humor and humility, you’ll learn how to stop “shoulding” on yourself – how to free yourself from the baggage that holds you back, weighs you down and prevents you from enjoying the life that God has called you to live. You’ll discover how to apply the Chicken Power Principle to your daily walk with God, in order to take back the joy that is rightfully yours. Finally, you’ll learn how to “lily” – putting your concentration on being, rather than on doing or having – so that you can savor the daily glimpses of God that are there for you to enjoy. When you come unglued, you have to start somewhere and where you are right now is that somewhere.

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In his three-part workshop, Derek Maul explores the distinction between the rudimentary label of "Christian" and the more dynamic call to deliberate discipleship. Many people reject faith because Christianity is often tragically misrepresented. What does it really mean to follow Jesus? What steps can we take? Rather than being "optional", "add-on", or "after-market", the spiritual journey engages our most natural and fundamental nature. We were created to be in relationship with God.

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Are you in transition? It might be changing jobs, a child going off to school, retirement, a new relationship, illness or death. Do you know the pain, loss, joy, confusion, or feelings of uselessness that transitions can bring? Or have you stuffed such an experience deep within you? Come reflect on what transitions are and can be, what can happen on our spiritual journeys during transitions, and create tangible prayers from your soul experiences.

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Story has staying power. We remember the illustrations from Sunday’s sermon for months afterward, but by coffee hour we’re struggling to recite the pastor’s three main points. Why? The key is the human imagination, “baptized” by the Holy Spirit. And it’s about more than just using story as one way to spark the imagination, but about story as a way of life—the Christian life. Over the course of three sessions, we will consider the importance of the imagination for spiritual formation, and we will explore what it means to live into the Bible-as-Story and Worship-as-Story, with lots of hands-on activities that you can take back to your home congregation.

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Now’s the time to prepare to lead a Companions in Christ® small group. We’ll spend our three mornings together preparing to lead adults in formational small groups using the Companions in Christ resource. If you have wanted to participate in a Companions training or are planning to offer Companions groups at your church, this workshop is for you. (This three part workshop is comparable to a one-day Companions in Christ training. Participants will need to bring a Companions in Christ Participant’s Book and Leader’s Guide or purchase these at the workshop.)

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This workshop is for individuals looking toward retirement, those who already retired, and congregational leaders seeking to minister to growing pre-retirement and retiree populations. We will draw on original research identifying what people in the church are experiencing as they enter retirement. Some of the key personal, relational, and spiritual challenges posed by this life transition will be discussed. Retirement can be a time for discernment of a call to a new vocation of ministry and service, and the church is in a unique position to offer guidance and support.

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Walking the labyrinth is a contemporary way to remember the ancient pilgrimages made to the Holy Land. The physical steps that take us to the center of the labyrinth represent the spiritual steps that we each make to the heart of God. Come experience this intimate journey with God and discover the blessings that await you in the labyrinth.

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Recent neuroscientific research indicates that the greater the number of senses engaged, the more a message is likely to be remembered and become an integral part of our living. This workshop will look at why and how to create worship that goes "beyond words" with visuals, sound, and action, and answers the question, "How can we embody the gospel which we proclaim?”

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Rocket scientists know that "initial trajectory" is critical to the success of any launch; just a few degrees off and we can miss the destination by hundreds of miles. Too many of us miss the meaning of Christmas by a similar margin. But there's hope – actually, there's hope, peace, love and joy. Join Derek Maul for this inspirational lecture.

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This session will share the best practices of prayer ministries in local congregations and from around the world. Participants will be invited to learn from one another as we, like the first disciples, ask, "Lord, teach us to pray".

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Enjoy an overview of the rich and varied contents of the new Worshipbook, which supports worship in congregations and choirs, small groups of prayer and formation, and personal prayer. Explore classic and fresh liturgies; new texts to be sung with beloved tunes; global music of Taize, Iona, and Africa; and diverse ways of singing the Psalms - as we "dance" through this wonderful new resource.

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Come and experience The Way of Pilgrimage, the latest in the Companions in Christ family of resources. This workshop will be an experiential time practicing spiritual disciplines and reflection, and will offer strategies for sharing this resource and journey with older youth and young adults.

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Just like the two disciples in the Gospel of Luke 24, Emmaus participants are already on a journey, a pilgrimage. After their eyes are opened when the risen Christ breaks the bread at Emmaus, they were called to a deeper level of commitment. So it is with Emmaus pilgrims who complete the three day Emmaus weekend and continue their walk in their Fourth Day; the rest of their lives. Join us as we discover all of the possibilities that God provides for us in our Fourth Days.

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In this workshop participants will discover ways of incorporating spiritual formation ministry into a local congregational ministry. This class will provide practices and experiences of individual and corporate spiritual direction and formational ministries that can be used in any size of congregation. Pastors, spiritual formation directors, and lay leadership teams are encouraged to attend.

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Remember being a small child in awe of the plastic circle hula hoop and how you could make it spin? These memories will rush back to you as we learn new moves (and brush up on our childhood hula moves) with weighted fitness hoops. You will find our time together to be challenging at times and spiritually centering at other times. All the while, your face will wear the brightest smile.

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Dietrich Bonhoeffer said that we come to scripture “to ponder the chosen text on the strength of the promise that God has something utterly personal to say to us for this day and for our Christian life.” But how can we learn to hear that “utterly personal” word? The Meeting God in Scripture series helps individuals learn to listen for God’s message to them, individually, in scripture. This workshop will introduce participants to the foundational ideas and structure of the “Meeting God in Scripture” series, using the first volume, Entering the Old Testament.

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The interactive hands-on workshops will focus on how to stick close to God, even on those days and through those times when life comes unglued. With humor and humility, you’ll learn how to stop “shoulding” on yourself – how to free yourself from the baggage that holds you back, weighs you down and prevents you from enjoying the life that God has called you to live. You’ll discover how to apply the Chicken Power Principle to your daily walk with God, in order to take back the joy that is rightfully yours. Finally, you’ll learn how to “lily” – putting your concentration on being, rather than on doing or having – so that you can savor the daily glimpses of God that are there for you to enjoy. When you come unglued, you have to start somewhere and where you are right now is that somewhere.

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Leading people in their spiritual journeys can be a challenge. Exploring the stories of Moses in the Bible helps us see how this Spirit-filled leader walked with God through his own journey. Through the times of faithfulness and certainty, through frustration and struggle to understand where God was leading, Moses teaches us. Let’s see what the Bible shows us as a paradigm for our own leadership adventures.

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Are you in transition? It might be changing jobs, a child going off to school, retirement, a new relationship, illness or death. Do you know the pain, loss, joy, confusion, or feelings of uselessness that transitions can bring? Or have you stuffed such an experience deep within you? Come reflect on what transitions are and can be, what can happen on our spiritual journeys during transitions, and create tangible prayers from your soul experiences.

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Come, experience pilgrimage through the practice of spiritual reading, lectio divina. Set out with others to seek a deepened encounter with God through the written word and guided conversation about how our lives and God’s life are woven together in love. Learn about a simple, flexible, and customized small-group process that uses articles from Weavings: A Journal of the Christian Spiritual Life as maps for holy conversation and shared wonder. Participants will learn about and practice this small-group model.

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Join Revs. Chris and Sheila Cumbest in an informal conversation about lessons learned and grace experienced through the recovery efforts following Hurricane Katrina. You will hear stories of God’s work in the midst of disaster and the continuing efforts of recovery in the Gulf Coast Area. Chris and Sheila offer a perspective of being part of the Mississippi Annual Conference staff who have been heavily involved in the church’s efforts of recovery. Sheila serves as Director of Ministerial Services and serves on the Cabinet of the Mississippi Conference. Chris was appointed post Katrina to be the Coordinator of Church Recovery for the UM Conference and presently serves as part of the pastoral team at St Paul UMC, Ocean Springs, MS. They are natives of the Gulf Coast.

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How do we pay attention to the sacred in the midst of everyday life with children? The answer is not in adding something new, rather, the answer is making everything sacred. Morning commutes, mealtimes, and bedtimes all have the potential for paying attention to the sacred. Come and explore some ideas for making ordinary chores sacred moments.

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Are you a Martha or a Mary? Or, for the guys, a Martin or a Mario? Most of us are a little of both, but many of us spend so much time in the Martha mode that we forget about Mary. Let’s come together to look for ways to choose the “better part”, and sit at the feet of Jesus. You are welcome to bring something with you in which you find comfort.

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Come and experience a restful space for coloring and reflection. After a brief meditation together, participants will choose a mandala to color. A symbol of the spiritual journey, the mandala expresses our yearning for the sacred. Coloring mandalas can be a part of a creative and rewarding meditative experience of sensing God's presence in our lives.

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How do you harness your passion for God in the discipline of writing? How is it possible to extend the reach of ministry through writing? Participants will explore ways to grow in the spiritual practice of writing and discover possibilities for publication of their work. Participants should bring writing material (paper, pen, laptop) for use in the session.

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The spiritual practice of pilgrimage began in the desire of the faithful to be close to God in places known to be of sacred importance, holy places, from Jerusalem to Ground Zero. What is it about some places that make them seem more holy? What places are sacred to you? Our guide for this conversation will be You Gave Me a Wide Place by Paul E. Stroble. Participants are encouraged but not required to read the book in advance.

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Congregations are discovering the value of an annual prayer retreat for members. This workshop explores several dynamics at play and suggests an outline for an annual weekend prayer retreat. Handouts galore!

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There’s a frequent refrain in the spiritual yearnings of many contemporary seekers: “I just don’t have enough TIME for a prayer life!” This workshop will explore integrative prayer practices that invite the entry of Spirit into busy lives of folks who often are riddled with guilt because they feel they are not “giving God enough time.” Participants will be encouraged to find creative ways to incorporate the presence of God into their lives as they are, daring to embrace the truth that God is more interested in our growth than our guilt. Innovative practices such as the car as “Rolling Sanctuary”, the Preparation Prayer, the Encounter Prayer, Parable Walk, Breath Prayer, the use of creative pursuits such as cooking, gardening, knitting, weaving, making pottery—all can be occasions and tools for a deepening prayer life.

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Do you have trouble staying awake as you pray? Do your prayers inspire your creativity? Is it helpful to have a focus as you pray? Do you search for ways to pray with children? This experiential workshop is for you. If you can sew on a button, that will be helpful, but not necessary. Bring some favorite fabrics, beads, charms, thread, scissors, needles, and more, if you have them. If not, supplies provided.

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We often get "stuck in our heads" when we reflect on scripture—thinking and talking about it rather than engaging wholly with it. In this workshop, we will practice a creative adaptation of lectio divina that involves ear, eye, hand and heart in deep listening for God's word through the art of collage. Each participant will create their own "visual reflection" on a theme from the day's scriptures, and together we will encounter the still, small voice. Who knew that kindergarten cut-and-paste could be such a means of grace for individuals and groups? All ages are welcome; no artistic talent or lectio divina experience is needed.

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For almost thirty years, The Upper Room Walk to Emmaus movement has been accused or suspected of being under a cloud of secrecy. For the first time, you are invited to attend this workshop that will answer your questions and dispel any rumors about what Emmaus or Chrysalis is or is not. We will even show you how to overcome these rumors that persist. You won’t want to miss this one!

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How can we become more aware of the sacred within the common moments of our lives? This workshop offers guidance for designing quiet spaces that call us to solitude, reflection, and sensitivity to the spiritual dimension within the everyday. Such spaces can be effectively used in church, conference, retreat, and residential settings.

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Photography can lead us on a pilgrimage to see the world in a different light. It can become a spiritual discipline as we stop to pay attention, to be patient, to center and to focus our eyes on the world in a new way. Photography is a path to stilling the heart and soul in order to sense the presence of God in the beauty of God’s creation. Bring your camera to this workshop for a hands-on experience of exploring spirituality and photography.

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Behind the best-selling books and blockbuster movies of The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia were two friends who shared a love of stories as well as faith in Jesus—but it wasn’t always that way. Come hear how twentieth-century authors J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis influenced each other’s faith and fiction, and gave us some of the best fantasy works ever written. You never know where your own friendships might lead!

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For many years the church’s primary mode of spiritual development was focused on the gathering of information. In more recent times that has given way to spiritual development as formational learning. Often these two trends seem at odds with one another, yet in a networked world we have to determine how to hold these two streams in tension with one another. This workshop will examine the relationship between the two streams and think about how these two elements function in a technological age.

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Teresa of Avila saw the soul as if it were an interior castle. In this interactive workshop of guided meditation and imagery, you’ll explore your interior castle. You’ll have an opportunity to prayerfully do a little housecleaning and redecorating if necessary, so that your interior castle becomes a place of unity with God who dwells in the inmost center.

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Join the discussion about Rueben Job’s latest best-selling book, Three Simple Rules. Retired Bishop Job reminds us of John Wesley’s call to discipleship and its relevance to today’s Christians. Tom Albin, a Wesleyan scholar, will offer commentary on the three rules and why they are still transforming lives today.

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Young people want more than just to survive. They want to be fully alive. And they want to live lives that are good for themselves, for others, and for all creation. Learn how 18 adults and 18 teens explored and wrote about a way of life shaped by Christian practices such as honoring the body, managing our stuff, welcoming others, choosing wisely, and singing our lives. Discover how to use Way to Live resources—book, leader’s guide, and website— to strengthen Christian practices where you live. All ages are welcome.

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