2007 Spring Annual Meeting Workshops and Forum

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Two workshop sessions will be on Saturday from 1:15-2:30 p.m. and 2:45-4:00 p.m. The list below is incomplete. Updated versions will be posted on our website (www.ctucc.org) and will be available at the meeting. When you register, you will take a ticket for your chosen workshop. The number of tickets available indicates number of seats available. Workshop room assignments will be on each ticket and will be posted.

SESSION I: 1:15-2:30 p.m.

WORKSHOPS 1-14

1 Forum with our Keynote Speaker, Rev. Peter Sawtell, Forum Leader
(Founder, Eco-Justice Ministries)

An opportunity for further exploration and dialogue with our keynote speaker.

2 Effective Retreat Planning, Louise Holmes, Workshop Leader
(Director of Christian Education, First Congregational Church of East Hartford.)

Learn how to organize and plan your own retreats. We will develop a basic schedule, theme ideas, and activities for all ages.

3 Using Godly Play Curriculum in a U.C.C. Church, Diane Ciba, Workshop Leader
(Director of Christian Education, First Congregational Church in Bloomfield)

Godly Play uses religious language, figures, and other materials to teach parables and other scripture lessons to young children. Providing materials and opportunities for an individual response to each story, this method also tries to help children become more aware of God’s presence in their lives. Learn how our U.C.C. church has adapted the Godly Play materials for use with students ages 2½ to 10.

4 Building on Bedrock: Preventing Church Conflict and Laying a Foundation for God’s Future, Anne Coffman, Workshop Leader
(Pastor, Olivet Congregational Church, Bridgeport, and a Bandy-Easum-trained Church Consultant)

Do you want your church to have more vitality? Does conflict ever detract from your church’s mission? Do you wish that your church could remain focused on essentials? Sign up for this introduction to the basics of church transformation

5 Coffee That Gives Our Ministries Pep, Tom Angus, Workshop Leader
(Co-founder, Beneficio Coffee)

Loosely translated, Beneficio means for the benefit of all. Beneficio Coffee is a small, faith-based company that believes in giving back to the communities where we live, work, and play. We bring delicious gourmet coffee at substantially lower prices and give back more to our small farmers, their families, and their communities. We also create give-back opportunities for our customer’s organizations. Come find out how you can help make one little corner of the world—and beyond—a better place just by changing one purchasing decision you make.

6 Is Doing the Right Thing Enough?: An Overview of Legal Issues in the Contemporary Church, Rev. Dr. Ron Brown, Workshop Leader
(Associate Conference Minister for Clergy Concerns, Connecticut Conference UCC)

A brief overview of some of the emerging legal issues in contemporary parish ministry, including insurance and employment law, confidential communications, the advantages and disadvantages of incorporation, and constitutional issues.

7 Endowment Stewardship, Charlie Kuchenbrod, Workshop Leader
(Associate Conference Minister, Endowment Ministries, Connecticut Conference UCC)

Too often, when people think of stewardship, they think only of a church’s annual pledge campaign. Stewardship of endowments (whether a church currently has one or not) is often given much less attention and energy. Come learn about some of the common challenges that churches face and how to promote endowment stewardship.

8 Pushing Our Boundaries—Mission Projects Outside the U.S., Rev. Chris Nichols, Workshop Leader
(Pastor, Church of Christ, Congregational, Goshen)

Have you had a hunger to explore the planet with your group, stretching your cultural limits and learning from the world’s happiest people? Is the Third World calling you? Come find out how to answer. We’ll talk about a mission project with an environmentally friendly twist.

9 A Church Going Green: Practical Steps (both sessions), Rev. Andy Nagy-Benson
(Pastor, Spring Glen Church, Hamden), along with members of the First Church of Christ, Mansfield.

Reviewing “best practices” of faith communities in Connecticut, we will explore environmental stewardship within our houses of worship. What are religious communities doing to reduce their ecological footprint? What steps might our congregations take to glorify God’s creation? Where do we begin? Where do we go from here? Come to address these questions, to share ideas, to be inspired.

10 WORSHOPS WITHOUT WALLS: Worship Walk, self-guided (both sessions)

Pick up a self-guided meditation guide to read scripture and experience the beauty of Silver Lake

11 WORSHOPS WITHOUT WALLS: Silver Lake Tour (both sessions), Silver Lake Staff, Workshop Leaders

Take a guided tour of the campus, see the lake, and have a hayride!

12 WORSHOPS WITHOUT WALLS: Now for the Future Walk (both sessions), Now for the Future Ambassadors, Workshop Leaders

Take a look at the now and the future of Silver Lake. See it now: What a resource we have and what needs maintenance. Envision the future: What Silver Lake will be when we work together to support its amazing and sustainable ministry.

13 WORSHOPS WITHOUT WALLS: Low Ropes Course (both sessions), Silver Lake Staff, Workshop Leaders

Experience the fun and challenge of the Silver Lake Low ropes course.

14 WORSHOPS WITHOUT WALLS: SLS
(Silver Lake Sustainability!) (both sessions), Silver Lake Staff, Workshop Leaders

Learn about how Silver Lake is becoming a sustainable environment—from composting to gray water

SESSION II: 2:45-4:00 p.m.

WORKSHOPS 15-27

15 Synod? What Synod? There's a Synod Happening? Where?, Rev. Kent Siladi
(Regional Minister, South Central Region, Connecticut Conference UCC)

Hosting a General Synod of the United Church of Christ doesn’t happen very often. In fact, it never has happened here in Connecticut. Join us for a conversation about what Synod is in the context of the UCC and for some “pointers” on what to expect from this landmark meeting coming to Hartford on June 22nd

16 The Care and Feeding of Your Pastor, Rev. Susan Townsley
(Regional Minister, Fairfield Region, Connecticut Conference UCC)

Our pastors care for our churches, but how do we care for them? We will discuss discerning reasonable expectations and communicating them, the best use of a Pastoral Relations Committee, and why regular evaluative conversations are important.

17 A Church Going Green: Practical Steps (both sessions), Rev. Andy Nagy-Benson
(Pastor, Spring Glen Church, Hamden), along with members of the First Church of Christ in Mansfield.

Reviewing “best practices” of faith communities in Connecticut, we will explore environmental stewardship within our houses of worship. What are religious communities doing to reduce their ecological footprint? What steps might our congregations take to glorify God’s creation? Where do we begin? Where do we go from here? Come to address these questions, to share ideas, to be inspired

18 Disaster Response and Ministry, Jim Morgan
(Associate Conference Minister, Wider Church, Connecticut Conference), Rev. Ed Rawls
(Pastor, First Congregational Church, Stratford), and others

This comprehensive workshop will tell you how to be prepared for disasters, how to minister in areas of disaster, and what has been accomplished with our Back Bay and Central Christian Church partnerships in the wake of Katrina

19 Building on Bedrock: Preventing Church Conflict and Laying a Foundation for God’s Future, Anne Coffman, Workshop Leader
(Pastor, Olivet Congregational Church, Bridgeport, and a Bandy-Easum-trained Church Consultant)

Do you want your church to have more vitality? Does conflict ever detract from your church’s mission? Do you wish that your church could remain focused on essentials? Sign up for this introduction to the basics of church transformation

20 Comm,unity Team, Jay Krussell, Workshop Leader

The Comm,unity Team, composed of lay and clergy leaders, has been meeting to discern ways to improve the covenantal connections that make up the Connecticut Conference. Chair, Jay Krussell and a few team members will share the nature and direction of their conversation thus far.

21 Coffee That Gives Our Ministries Pep, Tom Angus, Workshop Leader
(Co-founder, Beneficio Coffee)

Loosely translated, Beneficio means for the benefit of all. Beneficio Coffee is a small, faith-based company that believes in giving back to the communities where we live, work, and play. We bring delicious gourmet coffee at substantially lower prices and give back more to our small farmers, their families, and their communities. We also create give-back opportunities for our customer’s organizations. Come find out how you can help make one little corner of the world—and beyond—a better place just by changing one purchasing decision you make.

22 What Happens to Your Waste, Paul Nonnenmacher, Workshop Leader
(Director of Public Affairs, Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority)

Come hear how your waste is actually managed and what you can do to participate in reducing the impact on the environment.

23 WORSHOPS WITHOUT WALLS: Worship Walk, self-guided (both sessions)

Pick up a self-guided meditation guide to read scripture and experience the beauty of Silver Lake

24 WORSHOPS WITHOUT WALLS: Silver Lake Tour (both sessions), Silver Lake Staff, Workshop Leaders

Take a guided tour of the campus, see the lake, and have a hayride!

25 WORSHOPS WITHOUT WALLS: Now for the Future Walk (both sessions), Now for the Future Ambassadors, Workshop Leaders

Take a look at the now and the future of Silver Lake. See it now: What a resource we have and what needs maintenance. Envision the future: What Silver Lake will be when we work together to support its amazing and sustainable ministry.

26 WORSHOPS WITHOUT WALLS: Low Ropes Course (both sessions), Silver Lake Staff, Workshop Leaders

Experience the fun and challenge of the Silver Lake Low ropes course.

27 WORSHOPS WITHOUT WALLS: SLS (Silver Lake Sustainability!) (both sessions), Silver Lake Staff, Workshop Leaders

Learn about how Silver Lake is becoming a sustainable environment—from composting to gray water