Learning Opportunities
Friday, June 30, 2017 - 3:00pm-4:00pm
Saturday, July 1, 2017 - 3:45pm – 4:45pm
Sunday, July 2, 2017 - 2:45 – 4:45pm
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- MMBB Financial Wellness: Know Your Benefits
Nobody understands the complex financial issues facing ministry the way we do. Whether you are an employer or an employee, we offer peace of mind and financial security. This session will introduce MMBB’s benefits, investment options and financial planning services. The facilitator is Rev. Dr. Patricia L. Hunter, CFP*, Director, The Financial Wellness Program, Financial Planning Manager.
Saturday, July 1, 2017 - 3:45pm – 4:45pm
- Innovative Models of Pastoral Ministry – The POST and The Circuit: Raising Leaders for Region-wide Ministries
Led by Rev. Marie Onwubuariri
In this learning opportunity, Rev. Marie will share the vision and implementation process for and early learning from two current ABC Wisconsin initiatives that seek to meet the discipleship needs of various populations of under-served Christians while also fostering gift-based service to regional stakeholders and their communities. These initiatives can briefly be described as 1.) a hybrid in-person/online faith community with a mission of service and 2.) a collaborative approach toward interim ministries with struggling traditional churches. - Women in Ministry
American Baptist churches have been licensing and ordaining women to Christian ministry for over 100 years. But this has not been without controversy. Come learn how and why churches and regions have made the decision to include women as full partners with men in ministry. Join this informative discussion. Co-led by Rev. Laura Ayala, Chair of the American Baptist Women in Ministry Advisory Team and Senior Minister of Primera Iglesias Bautista de Rio Piedraw, the first ABC church established in Puerto Rico, and Rev. Dr. Al Fletcher, Executive Minister of the American Baptist Churches of Maine and Acting Associate General Secretary for Mission Resource Development. - Anti-Violence
This learning opportunity will discuss the impact of violence in our society and its impact of individuals, communities and congregations. It will also actively engage participants in developing creative ways for followers of Jesus to address and counter violence through faith and action! Led by G. Travis Norvell and Justin Thornburgh, sponsored by the ABC Task Force on Race and Race-based Violence. - Discipleship – On Earth as in Heaven: Discipleship in Action
Led by Judson Press author Rev. Dr. Alice Burnette Greene, sponsored by ABHMS.
For clergy and laity alike, this learning experience will explore the Lord’s Prayer as a resource for spiritual formation and community transformation. Accept the challenge to be part of the answer to the needs expressed in the words of the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples, past and present, to pray.- ABOUT THE FACILITATOR:
Alice Burnette Greene, MDiv, DMin, has most recently served in interim pastorates and other ministerial roles for churches in Washington, DC. She has also served on the boards of the National Ministers Council of American Baptist Churches USA and American Baptist Women in Ministry. Previously, she pastored Irving Park Baptist Church in Chicago, and served in various roles at Shiloh Baptist Church in Washington, DC. Her blog Moving Mountains can be found at aliceburnettegreene.com, and she is also author of the new book, The Revolutionary Power of the Lord’s Prayer (Judson Press, 2017).
- ABOUT THE FACILITATOR:
- Gospel in a Rapidly Changing Society - Jesus & Justice in a Rapidly Changing Society
Led by Judson Press authors Rev. Dr. Reginald W. Williams Jr. and Rev. Danielle Ayers, sponsored by ABHMS.
Explore and discuss ways to engage communities and congregations in the current era, especially in the area of social justice. Specifically, what are the theological and sociological considerations for leaders? What are the practical challenges and desired real-world outcomes? And what ministry practices might incarnate Jesus’ teachings about justice in today’s society?- ABOUT THE FACILITATORS:
Reginald W. Williams Jr., MDiv, DMin, is pastor of First Baptist Church in University Park, Illinois, outside of Chicago. He is coauthor of To Serve This Present Age: Social Justice Ministries in the Black Church (Judson Press, 2013), and a contributor to the book, Church on Purpose: Reinventing Discipleship, Community, & Justice (Judson Press, 2015). Rev. Dr. Williams’ passion is for social justice through a spiritually centered and culturally relevant praxis that brings liberation to all of God’s children.
Danielle Ayers serves as Minister of Justice at Friendship West Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, where Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III is pastor. She uses her gifts and talents to mobilize and organize around justice issues and movements. While pursuing her Master of Divinity at Brite Divinity School, Min. Ayers also serves as co-convener of the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference. She is coauthor of To Serve This Present Age: Social Justice Ministries in the Black Church (Judson Press, 2013).
- ABOUT THE FACILITATORS:
- Next Generation of Leaders – ABC to XYZ: A Multigenerational Conversation with Today’s Church Leaders
Led by Rev. Sarah Strosahl-Kagi, ABHMS, director, Emerging Leaders & Scholarships, Sponsored by ABHMS.
You don’t want to miss this panel conversation with a diverse array of leaders from Generations XYZ. Listen in as they discuss what “church” means to them and what they perceive the world needs from the “now generations” in terms of spiritual formation, activism, and community service. - Storytelling Workshop “Telling Our Faith Story”
Led by Sally Perkins
We give meaning to our lives by the way we tell our stories, and here is an opportunity for you to dig through your memories to uncover and shape stories of key moments in your faith journey. In this workshop, led by professional storyteller Sally Perkins, you will learn why telling our life stories is so important to faith development and spiritual growth, what constitutes a true story (rather than a testimony or a life timeline), and how to structure a story so you and others can benefit. Our aim? Not to create stories to perform and perfect, but to engage in a guided process of reflection and thoughtful expression of who we are on this earthly journey. Sponsored by ABCUSA Office of the General Secretary - Journeying to Racial Reconciliation: Action. Reconciliation. Transformation
Building Communities of Reconciliation In A World of Divisions
Leaders from the New Baptist Covenant will teach about their Covenant of Action Program. Covenants of Action are intentional relationships of two or more churches or organizations working for racial justice. They will share how through this program churches can find a model for building a community of reconciliation in our divided world.
- MMBB Financial Wellness: Personal Financial Planning
Quality advice is hard to find. Now, more than ever, planning is an essential step towards financial well-being. A good financial plan along with sound advice can help make your financial future more manageable and more secure. Join us for an overview of the planning process and an understanding of what financial planning can do for you. The Facilitator is Mr. Colin E. Nass, CFP*, RICP*, Senior Wealth Manager.
- Innovative Models of Pastoral Ministry
Led by International Ministries Missionaries
IM missionaries Glen & Rita Chapman will show how leadership training (both pastoral and educational) has changed since the time of Rita’s grandparents until today. The Pastoral Institute in Kikongo has a 90 year history of training models to meet the changing needs of rural pastors in Congo. Sponsored by International Ministries - Women in Ministry
American Baptist churches have been licensing and ordaining women to Christian ministry for over 100 years. But this has not been without controversy. Come learn how and why churches and regions have made the decision to include women as full partners with men in ministry. Join this informative discussion. Co-led by Rev. Laura Ayala, Chair of the American Baptist Women in Ministry Advisory Team and Senior Minister of Primera Iglesias Bautista de Rio Piedraw, the first ABC church established in Puerto Rico, and Rev. Dr. Al Fletcher, Executive Minister of the American Baptist Churches of Maine and Acting Associate General Secretary for Mission Resource Development. - Anti-Violence – What Happens in This House, Stays in This House
Led by Laura Landgraf, author, activist and speaker.
Sexual, verbal, emotional, physical and spiritual violence exist in households across all social, economic and educational strata in America today. 42 million of us suffered these forms of abuse. It’s at epidemic levels and needs voice. Let’s talk. - Discipleship – DiscipleSHIFT
Led by ABHMS Discipleship Team, sponsored by ABHMS.
Consider an attitude adjustment … a shift in our discipleship perspective … DiscipleSHIFT! Discover how discipleship and living out our faith can be encouraged to achieve as great an impact today as the believers of the early church achieved centuries ago—truly fulfilling the Great Commission, to make disciples who are fully developed and devoted followers of Jesus Christ. - Ending Poverty – God’s People Ending Poverty
Led by Rev. Dr. Leslie Copeland-Tune, director, Ecumenical Poverty Initiative, sponsored by ABHMS.
Discover how to exercise your prophetic voice and engage in collective action to help end the scandal of poverty in the United States. An inspirational and informational learning experience for all God’s people.- ABOUT THE FACILITATOR:
Leslie Copeland-Tune, MTS, DMin, is Director of the Ecumenical Poverty Initiative in Washington, DC, after previously serving the National Council of Churches as Assistant Director for Justice and Advocacy. Rev. Dr. Copeland-Tune also contributed a chapter on leadership to the recent ABC Reads book, Church on Purpose: Reinventing Discipleship, Community, and Justice, edited by Adam L. Bond and Laura Mariko Cheifetz (Judson Press, 2015).
- ABOUT THE FACILITATOR:
- Gospel in a Rapidly Changing Society – Being the Hands and Feet of Christ to your Muslim Neighbors
Led by Dan and Sharon Buttry, sponsored by International Ministries.
IM Global Consultants Rev. Dr. Dan and Rev. Sharon Buttry, LMSW will share and encourage participants to share stories about loving our Muslim neighbors. The Buttry's will speak from ministry experiences in their home town of Hamtramck, Michigan, the Muslim immigrant gateway to Detroit. The focus will be on pastoral care of neighbors, evangelism, discipleship, 'business as Mission' and prayer.
- Next Generation of Leaders – Intergenerational Ministry: The Whole Body Living, Learning, and Serving Together
Led by Dr. Elizabeth Clewett and Pastor Reed Webster
We live in a fragmented society where people are often siloed into homogenous groups – we are divided by race, economics, politics, and age. Often times our churches mirror our society. We believe that God is calling us to a more wholistic way to be the church where we live, learn, and serve together. Join us to learn about how the church got to this place, some important principles for helping facilitate the change, and most importantly walk through the process of casting a vision for intergenerational ministries. - Stories of Who We Are
Led by JoAnn Sims and Lynn Fuchigami Longfellow
A presentation of “Act of Faith-the Rev. Emery Andrews Story” about the church and pastor who took a stand for the interned Japanese during WW II.
Sunday, July 2, 2017 - 2:45 – 4:45pm
- Baptist Talk
We recognize that it is not easy to discuss matters of importance in our churches or in our culture, but an important question to ask is, “What does our Baptist heritage teach us about the way that we ought to have dialogue?” If you would like to not only ponder that question, but engage in conversation that leads to understanding and mutual appreciation of our differences, then come and learn with us. All persons are welcome to attend this event. Facilitated by Commission Members Cecilia Dachtler, Judy Fackenthal, Zina Jacque, Don Ng, Wesley Sun and Jeff Wood, sponsored by the ABCUSA Board of General Ministries.
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