2013 School for Congregational Learning

2013 School for Congregational Learning

Celebrate the Adventure

Saturday, September 7, 2013
9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Spirit of Joy Christian Church
7570 210th St. W
Lakeville, MN 55044

The Minnesota School for Congregational Learning Event will be made up of morning and afternoon worship and workshop experiences to be held all together. All gathered will remain together for a workshop experience so that we may reap the most benefit from relationship connection and renewal. Disciples of Christ churches in the area have experienced much transition in the past five years and it’s time to reconnect!

Worship both morning and afternoon will feature keynote preacher Rev. Dr. Bryan Feille, recently retired from Brite Divinity School, he continues to minister and teach in deeply authentic and connectional ways. With his help we’ll celebrate the adventure of being church!

During a morning workshop session, each congregation will be invited to present a 10 minute story, with a Google Slides or PowerPoint presentation telling how they came to be.

•What vision first inspired founding peoples to become a church?
•Were you a Bible study group that grew, an intentional mission church plant, a splinter from another congregation, a righteous remnant, a child raised up and sent, or ...?
•What do we need to know about where you came from in order to know who you are today?

These will be the questions the morning workshop will explore.

At lunch in the larger lower level community room, people will be asked to sit at tables with folks from others congregations to the extent possible and invite individual sharing and storytelling around the meal.

Following lunch, we’ll return to the sanctuary for an afternoon workshop session, this time focused on:

where each congregation is going;
what lies ahead;
what mission beckons;
and what needs have been identified that we’re trying to meet in our communities?

This won’t be a time for bragging but for sharing what excites each church moving forward. It won’t be a time to talk about obstacles, dead-ends, or false starts. The idea is that we may inspire each other with mission we can celebrate, mission that we can share together as we Celebrate the Adventure and explore our future stories together.


Women's Fall Retreat

Come Friday, September 27th to Sunday, September 29th and experience a journey to the other side at the Women’s Fall Retreat in Paynesville, Minnesota. Exploring the veil, the thin places, between the living and the dead through a variety of Biblical and cultural experiences – including Halloween, Samhain (pronounced Sah-ween), Day of the Dead, and Native American Spirituality. Come renew yourself at this faith building retreat!

If you haven’t ever been….it’s a blast! And you will meet a whole bunch of women you know and those you want to know! If you haven’t been in a while….it’s time to come back to the fold! We miss you!!! And hey, bring a friend and pass on the gift of this retreat weekend! And if you want more information about this years subject topic or you have any questions or concerns about the weekend…please email Amber Elliot at adeumw@gmail.com! Looking forward to seeing you this September! Go to www.uppermidwestcc.org/2013/08/06/womens-fall-retreat/ for more information or to register.

Christian Church in the Upper Midwest
Men’s Retreat
October 4-5, 2013

Keynote Speakers: Tim Diebel
& Bill Spangler-Dunning

Check in Friday, October 4th at 5:00 PM
Christian Conference Center, 5064 Lincoln St, Newton IA 50208

Cost: $75.00 per person: includes programing, meals and lodging in the new cabin

Cost: $125.00 per person: includes programing, meals and lodging in lodge room (lodge rooms will be shared)

Go to www.uppermidwestcc.org/2013/07/31/mens-retreat/ to register