Workshop Block 2: Thursday, 11:15 AM
Church Video, Better - Alex Haralson
Video is everywhere. You probably have a camera in your pocket right now, and it’s probably able to make some pretty good images. The accessibility we have to decent cameras these days, coupled with instant upload to the Internet, makes it a breeze to record video and send it out to an audience in a matter of minutes. So how do you stand out above the crowd? How do you connect with your audience? Visual storytelling can take many forms, whether it’s documentary, dramatic narrative, or experimental. Inspiration is all around us in the Church, and seeking out those stories will keep the content flowing. Whether we’re preserving a part of the church’s history, showcasing an important ministry, or creating a tool for prayer/meditation, there’s a way to make it into a captivating visual story! Join Alex to find ways to make church video better!
Fresh from the Field: What Your Church Can Learn from A New Church Plant - The Reverend Dr. Gray Lesesne
In 2015, the Diocese of Indianapolis chose to do something risky. We decided to plant a new congregation in a thriving new suburb, but with a twist: we are a church without walls. Good Samaritan Episcopal Church officially launched last fall in Brownsburg, Indiana, and we are focused on building a community of open-minded followers of Jesus who love and serve others. Come to hear what we are learning in the mission fields, to learn where we’ve had successes and failures, and to take home ideas that your congregation or ministry can use whether you’re brand new or have been around for many years.
Supporting Parents in Faith at Home - Wendy Claire Barrie, Christie Hord, Di Pagel
The research is in, and it clearly shows that regardless of what we in the church offer children, parents are still their primary pastors. The primary indicator of whether children grow into an adult faith is having parents who are active in their faith and who talk about matters of faith at home. Come and explore ways to support parents who are hesitant with their own understanding of faith talk to their kids about who God is, why we pray and how to read the Bible, and how we can help them connect what we do in church to what they do at home.
The Maker Movement and the Church - Missy Morain
God is the original maker and God made us in God’s image. This makes us makers at our core. We inhabit the first “makerspace” and were created to join God in this space to co-create. Churches are already “makerspaces”, physical locations where people can come together and make, places where it is safe to wonder and to explore. Makers push each other to build and invent new things, to create and innovate. We already know that being formed as a Christian isn’t about a teacher transferring knowledge to a student and measuring success isn’t about how well a student can regurgitate that information. Christian formation leaders in the church are already deeply engaged in creating space where the People of God can be made in the image of God. This workshop will help you tell that story and discover new ways of creating “makerspaces” in your Holy spaces.
What is EYE and why should we go? - Bronwyn Clark Skov
The triennial international Episcopal Youth Event takes place July 10-14, 2017, in the Diocese of Oklahoma in Edmund on the campus of the University of Central Oklahoma. If you have never attended an EYE, are a diocesan registrar, or are one of the adults planning to lead a diocesan delegation, we would love to give you some tips and open up space for questions and conversation.
What is Special Needs Ministry? - Lisa Puccio
We will explore the components of special needs ministry including training for volunteers, how to set up a self-contained classroom, what is respite care and alternative, inclusive worship.
