Over three workshop blocks, this in-depth Bible study will dig below the surface of the seven I AM declarations in the Gospel of John. The sayings, such as “I AM the Bread of Life,” “I AM the Light of the World,” are remarkable, yet appear in no other gospel. Why? Who is the audience? What is the context? How does the author use familiar concepts and settings to hammer home the importance of Jesus and God being one? Over and over the writer of John uses these particular images to reveal the reality of God come to earth through Jesus. Bring your Bible and join us as we explore together these rich statements and more. This workshop is a continuation of workshops 100 and 300.

When a new family comes into our faith community, we typically invite the adults(parents) to a New Members class. There they learn all about our faith community and being Presbyterian. Yet, when youth and children come into faith communities, we send them off to Sunday school, Youth group, or Mid-week programming without an opportunity to learn. The assumption is that they will get it in Confirmation! This workshop will give you some ideas on how to have an intergenerational gathering to welcome the whole family into the faith community!

This workshop will help participants dig deeper into trans and queer approaches to the Bible in ways that can help them transform their teaching, preaching, and personal interpretation/devotional practices. The workshop goes “beyond the basics” by skipping over the traditional “clobber passages” and questions of “what the Bible says about LGBTQ people.” Instead, it will use unexpected passages to help participants understand how trans and queer approaches can inform how they read and teach any story or text from the Bible. These approaches are heavily informed by current, cutting-edge work being done in trans and queer Biblical Studies, including but not limited to the workshop leader’s work on queer approaches to Paul’s letters and the New Testament. The workshop will be highly interactive in order to show participants how they might incorporate these methods into their work with adults, youth, or children. Instead of telling them what a queer or trans approach to a text is, the leader will challenge participants to learn and embody these approaches using guided examples and collaborative learning techniques. Participants will leave feeling empowered to dig deeper into the Bible using these approaches and skills–and with resources that help them adapt and apply these reading techniques to their many different contexts for faith formation.
Although this workshop is pitched as “beyond the basics”–in order to be a resource to LGBTQ leaders and allies who have already done the equivalent of “Inclusion 101”-type workshops–the workshop welcomes folks with all levels of experience–with the note that we will not be going over basic concepts of gender, sexuality, or usage of pronouns.

Pop culture influences the clothes we wear, the music we listen to, the attitudes we hold, and even the language we use. In fact, the average American spends two hours per day consuming digital media! Yet church educators are often unsure how to leverage television and film in their adult faith formation groups. Through this workshop, we will examine three real-life groups who have successfully used shows like “Ted Lasso,” “The Good Place,” and “Good Omens” as a catalyst for faith formation. Participants will then consider their own context: what shows would speak to their congregation, what setup would be most appropriate, and what buy-in would be needed. Finally, participants will learn how to design and execute an 8-session adult small group study that explores faith through the lens of popular television or film.

My story: In 2021, I lost both of my parents suddenly to Covid within 10 days. As a worship leader, I was immediately struck with how little room our faith communities provided for grief, let alone a framework or language for offering Christian lament. Interestingly, my children became my worship leaders, teaching me the rhythms and practices of daily lament, as we grieved together.
Proposed Workshop Content: Like adults, children and youth experience loss, trauma, transition. They encounter deep disappointments and grief, sometimes even the loss of a family member, or friend, or a special pet. Like us, younger generations often learn to inhabit the liminal spaces of waiting, disappointment, illness, moving, divorce, and so much more. We live in a world full of bullying, violence, racial injustice, poverty, and discrimination. But do we, as God’s children, no matter our age, know that we can approach God honestly with our pain and confusion? Do we realize that God invites us to practice daily rhythms and rituals that allow us to lament with one another, no matter what age, in community?
In this workshop, we will discuss the following:

• a brief theology of lament as a spiritual practice for worship and daily life that enables us to approach God and community with honesty, vulnerability, and authenticity
• an exploration of how we might make room for lament in our faith communities and at home
• new language to aid us in practicing lament with children and youth together utilizing the Psalms of lament and biblical examples (Job, David, Hannah, Jesus)
• practical resources drawing from culturally diverse faith communities and experts (over 22 interviews I conducted in 2023) in this field to facilitate and create practices of lament through rhythms and rituals.

*We apologize for the change, but this workshop has been canceled at the request of the workshop leader.

The reality is that we know very little about death. It’s the greatest mystery know to humankind! The certainty that we will die, coupled with the complete uncertainty of when, how, or what (if anything) happens next is truly a fantastic paradox. We live in a death-denying culture. Our personal relationships with death impact how we show up on behalf of others during times of death and/or the dying process. How the church responds to the particular needs of its congregation, its community, as it relates to caregiving and walking alongside those directly affected by death, or are in the dying process themselves, is reflective of who the church is called to be “on earth as it is in heaven” (Mt. 6:10b) – as the living embodiment of the “new heaven and new earth” (Rev. 21:1).
Through critical discussion as a means to explore the theory and practice of group talk, this workshop aims to achieve the following purposes:

• To help participants reach a more theologically and critically informed understanding about death and dying.
• To act as a catalyst in helping people take informed action in journeying alongside others – as spiritual caregivers – during times of death and dying.

Centering the question, “What must one do to be at peace with themself so that they may live presently and die gracefully?” participants will engage in theologically-grounded, critical discussion as a way to build connections; with the goal of learning how to identify and use their spiritual gifts in support of care seekers during their most vulnerable time of need.

In today’s society, where the demands of organized sports often collide with ministry programming, finding harmony between the two can be challenging. This workshop delves into the intersection of ministry with college students and young adults with athletics. One key focus is to explore how the Church can be a presence in the lives of young athletes and the athletic world. Participants will learn about the vital role of chaplains and a ministry presence in the sports community, whether you know everything about sports or nothing at all. Attendees will gain practical insights into athletic chaplaincy and how it can positively impact the lives of young athletes, fostering personal growth, resilience, and a sense of purpose both on and off the field. We also explore how to incorporate elements of athletic chaplaincy into your ministry. Perhaps we no longer have to wrestle with ministry versus athletics!

People are constantly texting, taking pictures, and checking social media with their smart phones. What if we took people’s preoccupation with this technology and used it for games and team building activities? This session will explore the recreation that can be led with youth or adults and their cell phones. Please come join the fun (and don’t forget to bring your phone)!

The Lilly Endowment has funded 2 large initiatives in the last few years that have the potential to significantly contribute to what we know about faith formation and how we engage and develop programs. The Christian Parenting and the Nurturing Children through Worship and Prayer initiatives have been awarded to over 100 denominations and organizations for nearly 200 million dollars. We have much to learn from their work and research! This workshop will assemble an ecumenical panel of several grant recipients. The panel will talk about their project, how leaders can engage and what they are learning about how to best support children and youth both at home and in the faith community.

When our struggles seem overwhelming, we need spiritual practices that help us move towards wholeness. Come learn to use writing as a pathway toward healing for individuals and groups. With creative prompts from poetry, scripture, photos and more, we’ll write and share as we experience a gathering of beloved community during a busy conference.
Fee: $5

A continuation of the discussion from 2024. Last year participants discussed the struggles parents, congregations, and pastors face when worshiping with infants and were presented with a Biblical, theological, and developmental foundation for including infants in the worship experience. Participants this year are presented with ways to help pastors, congregations, and parents understand the faith value of including infants in worship. Strategies (such as Serve and Return, observation, and levels of sleep) to welcome, support, and engage infants in active worship are presented and practiced. Participation in the 2024 workshop is not a prerequisite.

Student ministry is not limited to discipleship and relational time spent with students. At a time of life when students assert independence from parental figures in their lives (for good developmental purposes), there is great value in cultivating supportive and strong relationships with parents. This does not necessarily mean inviting parents into the youth ministry space. In this workshop, we will explore ways to minister to students and their families that create good boundaries, supportive partnerships, and create trust with both students and their parents/guardians. Participants will explore the value and importance of working with parents to support the faith and personal development of students. Through interactive discussions, case studies, and hands-on activities, participants will gain practical tools for developing effective communication, building relationships with parents that are positive, and addressing challenges that may arise in partnerships.
Topics we will discuss during this workshop:

• Understanding the benefits of partnering with parents
• Developing strategies for effective communication with families
• Building trust and rapport with parents
• Addressing diversity in parent partnerships
• Collaborating with parents to support student learning and spiritual development
• Managing challenging situations and conflicts with parents

Eileen VanGieson is the Associate Pastor at Christ Presbyterian Church, Carlsbad, California. She has been involved in Youth Ministry since 2003 and continues to love working with youth students. Whenever possible, Eileen will jump on a plane to discover beauty around the world, seeing God in all places and people.

Together, we will name those places and spaces where our congregations experience stress, anxiety, or trauma that impedes creating community and being fully present. By using trauma informed practices to create transformative contexts, we can help our congregations and ministry settings be open and available to engage challenging ideas, difficult truths, and being careful/caring with ourselves and others.
Transformative Teaching happens in that space where one is a bit uncomfortable, but still open to learning. For four years, Kat has studied with Breathe For Change to use the very successful TEACH method of trauma informed programming in the local church. You will learn the seven components of trauma informed teaching. Using mindfulness practices where they meet spiritual practices, teams will work together to design a class, program, or project that holds space to be an ideal context to welcome transformative learning.
Trauma informed practices are vital to emotional and social hospitality for a post-covid-church. Hear how these practices have been implemented. Try these practices out with equity sharing protocols and a template for easy use. Wonder how these practices can serve your church as we “lead with love for beginnings, presence, inclusion, harmony, creativity, compassion, collaboration, playfulness, gratitude, communication, social justice, and inspiration” (BreatheforChange values, breatheforchange.org). These practices and principles can be used for in person and on-line gatherings.

Memphis was the site of one of the longest running and most consequential church kneel-in campaigns of the 1960s. From March 1964 to January 1965 racially mixed groups of young people attempted unsuccessfully to enter Second Presbyterian Church for worship. Resistance to their efforts led to national media coverage, pressure on administrators at the local church-related college where many of the protestors were enrolled, a denominational decision to move the site of the 1965 General Assembly, and a church split. This presentation tells the story of the Memphis kneel-ins based on contemporary press reports, church documents, and interviews with those involved.

Calvary Episcopal Church in downtown Memphis is now into its 102nd year of offering its Lenten Preaching Series to the community and world. The series has attracted internationally acclaimed preachers, poets, writers, and scholars including Marcus Borg, Barbara Brown Taylor, James Lawson, Brian McLaren, and Padraig O’ Tuama. Over the years, it has added an in-house dining ministry called “The Waffle Shop” and a pop-up bookstore. The series now includes a live conversational podcast with speakers on Wednesday nights. The Reverend Paul McLain, associate rector of Calvary, will share the colorful history and year-round planning process of this amazing series!

What does it look like to be a helpful, loving presence with children and families whose lives are marked by serious illness, death, and other significant losses? This workshop will explore ways to accompany families living through their highest levels of pain and distress. The workshop will introduce a model for walking alongside families in such times and identify key factors to consider when planning meaningful ministry with them.