[link removed]
January 26, 2022
[link removed] District Website →
#toc2 2022 Parsonage Inspection Form - Due March 1
#toc3 GC Lay Servant Ministry Class: Intentional Discipleship
#toc4 Connecting New People to Christ Online Workshop
#toc5 Preaching Academy With Nikki Lerner
#toc6 Thinking Theologically: Home and Away
#toc7 Spring Soul Connections Retreat: JOURNEY
#toc8 Stay Connected with the Missouri Conference and the Gateway Regional District
2022 Parsonage Inspection Form - Due March 1
The Parsonage Inspection Form is due March 1. All churches that own a parsonage are required to complete this form, even if your pastor does not live in it.
A blank copy of the form can be found on the Forms page of the conference website. If the pastor lives in the parsonage, please use the Pastor form. If the church rents the parsonage, please use the "Renters" form.
[link removed] Forms →
GC Lay Servant Ministry Class: Intentional Discipleship
Summary of class
Based on a series of works from Junius Dotson and the See All the People movement, this advanced Lay Servant Ministries course looks at a way to stop “fixing” our churches and proposes a way forward by returning to our Wesleyan roots by seeing and developing relationships with the people in our communities and proclaiming the Word to them, leading them to commit their lives to God, nurturing them in the faith, sending them into the world, and then starting the whole process over again.
Description
This class will be hosted by the Gateway Central District and led by Pastor Ivan James and District Director Ken Cieslak. There are three “textbooks” (actually, they are just short pamphlets) required for this course, all available as free PDF downloads. The links for downloading will be sent upon registration. Attendance and participation are expected at all 4 sessions.
There are no prerequisites for this class, and all laity and clergy are invited to attend. Attendance is limited to 25 persons. The registration deadline is February 14 and there is no registration fee. Only a few spots left!
[link removed] Learn More →
There are multiple other Lay Servant classes being offered in other districts as well. Visit the Conference's Lay Education page for more information.
[link removed] Lay Education →
Connecting New People to Christ Online Workshop
Would you like to include a large number of new people in your church?
It’s easier than you think. But you need to know the secret. Although very few people talk about this, it is the basic building block of all healthy and vital churches. It all comes down this: you must meet and include new people.
The most common longing expressed by pastors and laypersons is: “We need to reach new people. It feels like the same people are doing the same things all the time.”
If that sounds familiar, here’s a way to turn that around. This February and March, we’re offering an eight-week online course called Connecting New People to Christ. It will run every Thursday, February 3 – March 24, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. via Zoom. There is no cost, but you do need to register.
**This course is now available for Advanced Lay Servant Ministry credit.
[link removed] Learn More →
Preaching Academy With Nikki Lerner
Virtual Preaching Academy – Feb. 21-23
This year's Academy will focus on effective storytelling and practical ways to learn from the stories of others. During the virtual Preaching Academy, you’ll learn from Nikki Lerner and others as you update your preaching toolkit, learn new narrative preaching techniques, and process the joys and challenges of preaching in a peer learning group.
[link removed] Learn More →
Thinking Theologically: Home and Away
Thinking Theologically – Christian Theology of Place Class
This March, join facilitator Rev. Rodney Aist on an exploration of place in the three-part series Home and Away: A Christian Theology of Place. This virtual class takes a nuanced approach to sacred places, explores the theological distinctions between space and place, and discusses the spirituality of differentiated places.
[link removed] Learn More →
Spring Soul Connections Retreat: JOURNEY
Join us March 31 to April 2 at Unity Village for a time of rest, renewal and reflection. Using JOURNEY as our guiding theme, together we’ll explore how pilgrimage can be a metaphor for the spiritual journey.
[link removed] Learn More →
Stay Connected with the Missouri Conference and the Gateway Regional District
Conference
As Annual Conference draws near, we want to make sure you stay informed of the exciting opportunities the Missouri Annual Conference is offering. Make sure to sign up for our email newsletters at [link removed] [link removed], like us on [link removed] Facebook and follow us on [link removed] Instagram to get the latest Missouri Conference news.
District
Please remember to encourage your new leaders to subscribe to the District Digest. If they are brand new to leadership and haven't subscribed yet, they will not be receiving the necessary emails to track deadlines and upcoming events. To subscribe, complete the Subscribe To Our Emails section on the [link removed] District Website.
As a reminder, if you feel you are receiving too many emails, we invite you to adjust your newsletter subscriptions using the “Manage Mailings” link at the bottom of this email. Make sure to take care in selecting which emails you unsubscribe to, instead of unsubscribing to all.
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Gateway Regional District of the Missouri Annual Conference | 301 Sovereign Court, Suite 100 Ballwin, Missouri, 63011-4435 | (636) 891-8004 ext. 21 | www.gatewayregional.moumethodist.org
