July 21, 2021

Charge Conference Forms Available for Download

Most of the charge conference forms are now available for download on the Forms page of the district website. Please Note - the 2022 Pastoral Support Forms are not yet available.

We are still working on the schedule. More information on that and the paperwork deadline will be sent out as soon as it's ready.

Reminder - All Forms must be completed, signed and sent to the district office by your deadline. We will not accept any forms that do not have the necessary signatures.

Developing Digital Faith Communities Workshop

Over the past 18-months, many churches have developed an online worship service and digital presence. But livestreaming worship alone isn’t enough to make disciples online.
Join Rev. Cathy Townley, your digital worship coach, for a two-part workshop on taking the next step to develop your online faith community. Cathy will teach you to:

• Connect with your worship viewers and build relationships with them

• Develop ways to help them grow as disciples of Jesus

• Provide Bible studies and member care

• Plan online serving opportunities that impact your community

• Develop participant giving to help support the work of your ministries

This learning opportunity is designed for churches seeking to go beyond just online services by making disciples in digital spaces.

Training sessions will be held from 4-6 p.m. on two Tuesdays, August 24 and 31. Registering signs you up for both sessions. Registration is $10.

Leading in Unchartered Territory with Tod Bolsinger - Sept. 9

Space is limited for this IN-PERSON event.

For the better part of a generation, the church has faced a rapidly changing world, one that has pushed the church out of the center of the culture to the margins. Then COVID-19 happened, and the disruption to church as we knew it accelerated. Join us on September 9 for a workshop on learning to lead all over again in a totally disrupted environment. Tod Bolsinger, author of Canoeing the Mountains and Tempered Resilience, will serve as our guide into the uncharted territory.

New Places For New People Grants - Application Deadline Sept. 15

Congregational Excellence is accepting grant applications from now until September 15 from churches that are establishing new places for new people. The first step is to fill out a worksheet and submit it to your District Superintendent.

2021 Leadership Institute

You're invited to the Leadership Institute 2021 for inspiration, practical ministry tools and proven strategies to strengthen your church and your own leadership. 

Whether online or in-person, all participants will have the same schedule. Nationally renowned speakers will bring their unique insights to some of today's most significant issues for the church, and you’ll come away encouraged and empowered to lead your church forward.

Emotional Health Small Group Resource

What does the Bible have to say about feelings? Using the Pixar movie Inside Out as a guide, this resource explores what scripture has to say about the emotions personified in the film: joy, anger, sadness, fear and disgust.

Inside Out (2015) follows the emotions and experiences of 11-year-old Riley as her family goes through the transition of moving from Minnesota to San Francisco. The film provides a framework to have important discussions with families or other social connections about faith and emotions.

This discussion guide can be used as you see fit in your context. You do not have to follow the questions exactly or engage in every section. Rather, it is a tool available for you to encourage natural conversations about emotional health and faith. Together we can reflect and learn how to process emotions, so we can live a full life in community.