Small Group Sessions

Monday, June 9  •  10:30 - 11:45 a.m.

Discussion Forum Topics

How Do We Talk about War and Peace?

Leaders:  Dwaine Hemphill, Chair, and members of War Working Group, Eastern Ohio Association Church in the World Department

The forum will briefly discuss the preliminary question of whether our churches should be talking about the war on terrorism.  We will identify fears and concerns that might impact of discussion of war and peace in the church.  The forum will then seek to identify the role of the church in a nation at war.  We will ask if there are distinct roles for the different levels of the denomination; and seek to identify the best role for the local church. 

The bulk of the forum will focus on the primary question:  How do we talk about war & peace?  There will be brainstorming and a sharing of experiences about integrating war and peace concerns into the primary components of the church: worship, education, fellowship, service, and evangelism.

Climate Stewardship/Global Climate Change

Leader:  TBD
 

Workshop Topics

1.  Conversation about Keynote

Kenneth Samuel, Pastor, Victory for the World Church, Stone Mountain, Georgia

2.  Friendly Is Not Hospitable 

Charlene J. Smith, Minister of Evangelism for Church Development and Vitality, United Church of Christ

Hospitality means more than being “friendly.” Vital churches understand that radical, extravagant hospitality requires an attitude, authenticity and trying new things. Explore ways to move your church from friendly and welcoming to radically, extravagantly hospitable.

3.  Creating a Space for Grace

Susan Blain; Minister for Worship, Liturgy and Spiritual Formation; United Church of Christ

How do we create room in our ordinary worship for God to do God's transforming "new thing" with us and in us?  A conversation about silence, space and surprise in our worship.

4.  The Global Church and Us - Mission Today

Ruth M. Brandon, Association Minister, Southwest Ohio Northern Kentucky Association

God’s Mission? Church for Others? Partnership in Global Church? Reconciliation? Explore “global mission” today in the light of scripture, history and understandings from around the world.

5.  What Matters? Discovering a Vital Resource for UCC Identity

Leader:  Sidney D. Fowler, interim pastor of Hope United Church of Christ in Alexandria, VA, editorial director for the Human Rights Campaign’s online lectionary resource, Out In Scripture. He also teaches at Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation and is former staff with Local Church Ministries in Cleveland. He now lives in Washington, D.C.

How do you introduce new people to the UCC?  What kind of people are we?  This workshop will engage you in the What Matters resources created by the Congregational Vitality Initiative of the UCC.  Discover the six What Matters themes: (1) We are people of God’s extravagant welcome, (2)  We belong to Christ, (3) We are a people of covenant, a united and uniting church, (4) We are one at Baptism and at the Table, (5) We work for a just and loving world, and (6) We listen for the still-speaking God. You’ll explore, with the author of the resources, how they may be used with seekers and in new member, baptism, and pastor classes.

6.  Generational Tectonics v. 2.0

Steve Gifford, Pastor, Trinity UCC, Canton

Nearly every congregation wants to reach out to young families.  What do younger families look for in congregations?  How are their needs and perspective different from the generations that are currently active in your congregation?  Generational Tectonics is a workshop about the various generations present in our society and how congregations might accommodate their needs in their ministry.  Stephen Gifford, formerly on the staff of the UCBHM, has offered a version of this workshop for nearly 15 years.  This latest edition includes important information on the Millennials and the importance of internet outreach.

7.  Still Listening - A Stillspeaking Dialogue about Church Identity,      Proclamation & Communication

Gwen Thomas, Assistant Stillspeaking Coordinator, United Church of Christ

Join Stillspeaking Assistant Coordinator Gwen Thomas in a conversation about the opportunities, joys and challenges of “marketing” your church.  Has your church embraced the Stillspeaking identity?  Does it embrace the message but fear the methods? Come prepared to share stories, ask questions, learn from friends and energize yourself to spread the good news about your church community.

8.  Explore Your Church’s Call

Christy Trudo, Minister for Parish Life in Local Church Ministries, UCC, contributes to Congregational Vitality in areas of local church leadership and organizational life.

Why am I here? What is God’s will for my life?  We all want to know the answer to these questions.  As Christians we believe that God calls us by name, to a purpose uniquely ours, and discovering it is important. The search for meaning and purpose happens in communities too. Each congregation has a unique call from God. Vital congregations have a widely shared sense of who they are and how they called.  This discernment is part of any visioning, mission statement or planning process.   What is the purpose God may have for our church, for us, here and now? We’ll share some answers and discuss some tools to help explore this question in your own community.

Kelly Burd, Associate Minister, Dover Congregational UCC, Westlake

Every year it’s something different:  Ipods and IMs, Myspace and Facebook.  For those of us in pursuit of a vital and relevant youth ministry, what must change with the times and what must remain the same?  Join us as we explore this question, share our successes and failures, and offer helpful resources and ideas for connecting with youth in changing times.

9b.  Youth Speak Out: Open and Affirming and Growing

Lori Tisher, Minister of Youth & Young Adults, First Congregational UCC, Columbus

Several youth will share their experiences as young people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning or allies, living out their faith in the UCC in Ohio.  This workshop is designed for the young people attending the Annual Gathering.

Discussion Forum Topics

Is There a Role for Conferences in the UCC?

Leader:  Bob Molsberry, Ohio Conference Minister

As we go through a time of change, transformation and creative challenge in the life of the church, questions are being raised about the nature and value of the structures that have served us in the past.  This forum will focus on the question whether conferences are necessary in the United Church of Christ.  Come and share thoughts and concerns and be in dialogue with our Conference Minister, Bob Molsberry, about the vision, possibilities, and potentials for the future.

Politics and the Church 

Leader:  Donald Clark, UCC National Counsel

The 2008 Presidential campaign has raised the question of the relationship between politics and the church to levels not seen since Kennedy's campaign in 1959-60. Did Senator Obama make a political speech at General Synod?  Should the words of his pastor make a difference to Obama's candidacy?  How should UCC pastors respond to the concerns of the members of their congregations?  This forum will deal with what we can say, legally and faithfully, in our churches about political issues and candidates.

Workshop Topics

1.  Creating 21st Century Stained Glass

Rev. Michael Piazza, Dean, Cathedral of Hope UCC, Dallas

Multimedia is an integral part of the worship experience at The Cathedral of Hope, and the congregation is blessed to have all the technology that makes it possible. However, the Cathedral of Hope is planting two churches simultaneously, so “I am having a lot of experience doing multimedia worship with limited resources,” says Rev. Piazza.  Learn how multimedia can enhance worship for your congregation, even if you don’t have a large technology budget.

Kate Huey, Minister for Covenantal Stewardship, United Church of Christ

There’s no doubt that the world around us is spiritually hungry, and many times, we in the church hunger for a deeper life of the spirit, too.  But the church can be a green garden of growth and nourishment that responds to spiritual hunger and helps us to find our spiritual center once again.  At that spiritual center is generosity – of spirit, of heart, and of mind.  Generosity overflows at times, but other times it’s the result of intentional, regular spiritual practice.  We’ll explore how vital churches nurture a sense of generosity, tap its theological roots, and share our ideas and experiences of the rich harvest of giving in the life of the church. 

3.  Friendly Is Not Hospitable

Charlene J. Smith, Minister of Evangelism for Church Development and Vitality, United Church of Christ

Hospitality means more than being “friendly.” Vital churches understand that radical, extravagant hospitality requires an attitude, authenticity and trying new things. Explore ways to move your church from friendly and welcoming to radically, extravagantly hospitable.

4.  What Matters? Discovering a Vital Resource for UCC Identity

Leader:  Sidney D. Fowler, interim pastor of Hope United Church of Christ in Alexandria, VA, editorial director for the Human Rights Campaign’s online lectionary resource, Out In Scripture. He also teaches at Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation and is former staff with Local Church Ministries in Cleveland. He now lives in Washington, D.C.

How do you introduce new people to the UCC?  What kind of people are we?  This workshop will engage you in the What Matters resources created by the Congregational Vitality Initiative of the UCC.  Discover the six What Matters themes: (1) We are people of God’s extravagant welcome, (2)  We belong to Christ, (3) We are a people of covenant, a united and uniting church, (4) We are one at Baptism and at the Table, (5) We work for a just and loving world, and (6) We listen for the still-speaking God. You’ll explore, with the author of the resources, how they may be used with seekers and in new member, baptism, and pastor classes.

5.  Stimulating Church Vitality and Growth through the Open and  
     Affirming Process 

Jan Griesinger and Carolyn Mann, LGBT Coalition

Research has already shown that ONA churches are growing faster and increasing their budgets faster than the average for churches in the UCC.  This indicates congregational vitality. Opening up the ONA discussion itself engages church members in a very significant way and gives them a new sense of mission if they agree to become ONA. In this workshop a group of people from Open and Affirming churches in Ohio will share their experiences. The emphasis will be on how the churches have grown both in spirit and in numbers as a result of their open and affirming experiences.

6.  i.UCC:  Building Online Community for Local Churches

Andy Lang, the founder of i.UCC, is Minister for Web Community and Communication, Local Church Ministries

i.UCC (pronounced "eye-dot-UCC") is an online community for seekers and members of the United Church of Christ. Launched in 2006, it has grown into the second most-used website in the denomination. It's located at i.UCC.org.

i.UCC offers a variety of tools that can help congregations evangelize in their communities. And it offers opportunities for members of your congregation to join with UCC members and seekers across the country in interactive experiences of prayer, Bible study, spiritual growth, and conversation.

Is genuine Christian community possible online? How can i.UCC support evangelism and ministry in your congregation? How can local churches use it to draw seekers into the UCC? How can its learning spaces for Bible study and spiritual growth connect with small groups in your church? Attend this workshop and find out!
 

7.  Explore Your Church’s Call

Christy Trudo, Minister for Parish Life in Local Church Ministries, UCC, contributes to Congregational Vitality in areas of local church leadership and organizational life.

Why am I here? What is God’s will for my life?  We all want to know the answer to these questions.  As Christians we believe that God calls us by name, to a purpose uniquely ours, and discovering it is important. The search for meaning and purpose happens in communities too. Each congregation has a unique call from God. Vital congregations have a widely shared sense of who they are and how they called.  This discernment is part of any visioning, mission statement or planning process.   What is the purpose God may have for our church, for us, here and now? We’ll share some answers and discuss some tools to help explore this question in your own community.

8.  Mission Case Study:  Sudan

Henry Diehl with Sudanese guest, Atem Ajak

Understand better why many say “not on my watch” – the unspoken genocide in Darfur with the help of a fine DVD and one of the “Lost Boys of Sudan” now studying in Defiance.

9.  "Any Nominations From the Floor?...Any?...Awww, Come On!"

Barry Bordenkircher, Pastor, Ft. Seneca Community UCC

We've probably all been there — tasked with filling empty chairs on church boards, committees or work groups. It can be a real challenge, and it seems we recycle the same folks. The 20/80 Rule often applies (20% do 80% of the work.) Come to this workshop to explore tactics to break free from the traditional nomination process and learn about refocusing your church leadership through the discovery and empowerment of spiritual gifts.