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January Pastors’ & Leaders’ Breakfast:  Join in the discussion January 12, 2012, 8:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m., on peace and justice learnings and witness that is happening and being envisioned in our congregations.  The Pastors’ and Leaders’ Breakfast will be held at the Mennonite Conference Center.  Several pastors will report on current study and action in their congregations as well as dream of possible new initiatives.  There will be opportunity for all to share thoughts and ideas.  In this anxious age let us seize the opportunity to give witness to the Gospel of Peace in our congregations and communities.  A $6.00 donation is suggested for the breakfast.

 

Sister Care is coming to southeastern Pennsylvania!  This seminar, sponsored by Mennonite Women USA, will be held at Souderton Mennonite Church on Friday, March 23 (7:00-9:00 p.m.) and Saturday, March 24 (9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.).  We believe this will be an excellent resource for women in your congregations and hope that you will help us promote it.  You will be receiving a letter by email shortly with more information.  Cost is $40 and scholarships are available.  Lodging arrangements will be offered for those traveling from a distance.  Translation will be available in Creole, Indonesian, Spanish, and Vietnamese.

New resources posted on the Franconia Conference website for pastors:

1.  Be sure to visit the School for Leadership Formation page of the Franconia Conference website for a complete listing of upcoming Pastors’ & Leaders’ events as well as a listing of previous presentations and links to the their respective video or podcasts (http://mosaicmennonites.org/mission/school-for-leadership-formation).

2.  Kairos School for Spiritual Formation is offering the following free Saturdays for Pastors:

• “Noticing God’s Nudges” with Nancy Bieber – Saturday, January 7 only (Register by December 23, 2011)
• “How Do I Know It’s You Speaking, God?” with Barry Young – Saturday, February 4 only (Register by January 20, 2012)
• Guided Silent Retreat – Saturday, March 3 only (Register by February 17, 2012)
• “In the Image of God: Beauty & Creativity“ with Richard Weaver
  Saturday, March 31 only (Register by March 16, 2012)
• “A Contemplative Heart Engages the World“ with Susan Classen – Saturday, May 5 only (Register by April 20, 2012)

For more information, please visit the Equipping Opportunities and Resources page under School for Leadership Formation or the Kairos website at http://on-the-journey.org.

3.  The video cast of the Pastors/Chaplains and Spouses breakfast is now on line and can be viewed from the Franconia Conference website under Media and Video gallery.  Hopes were to have it posted last Thursday, but we encountered some unexpected delays—but it is there now!

If you are unable to attend next week’s Pastor-Spouse appreciation breakfast you are still invited to join the festivities via the Internet.  It will be broadcast live or can be watched at a later time from www.mosaicmennonites.org  [go to the “Media” menu across the top].  While we wish you could all be there in person, we know that is not feasible . . . yet we believe that this will still be a time of refreshment and encouragement for all our faithful credentialed leaders across our conferences.  Live broadcast of the program is expected to begin just before 10:00 a.m. with music by gifted musician, Duane Hershberger.  Mark and Kathy Weaver Wegner will provide a meditation on Leading without Fear:  being Missional Christians in a Fear-filled World. 

 

Please note:  If you are joining for live broadcast for the first time, you may wish to log in earlier to complete the login process.  It is free.  Also, feel free to browse the library of other Pastors’ and Leaders’ speakers and other resources we hope will be useful to you.

 

Reminder to RSVP for the Pastor-Spouse appreciation breakfast!  All credentialed leaders from Franconia and Eastern District Conferences … and leaders of Kingdom Builders … are invited to a time of refreshment and encouragement on Tuesday, December 6, 9-11 a.m., at West Swamp Mennonite Church, Quakertown, PA.  Mark and Kathy Weaver Wenger will be the speakers.  This will be a time of refreshment and encouragement to our faithful credentialed leaders across our conferences.

Hold the dates for these upcoming Pastors’ and Leaders’ Breakfasts…

• Thursday, January 12, 2012 – “Sharpening our Current Vision for Peace and Justice: A conversation on pressing peace and justice issues.  A $6 contribution is requested for the breakfast.  Location:  Mennonite Conference Center, 569 Yoder Road, Harleysville, PA 19438.

• Friday, February 10, 2012 – “Worship and Mission After Christendom” with Alan and Eleanor Kreider, authors of the book by the same title.  Alan and Eleanor served at the London Mennonite Centre in London, England for many years as well as faculty at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary.

Winter Peace Retreat – Peace Church within the Empire

Alan and Eleanor Kreider will be speakers at this years’ Winter Peace Retreat at Spruce Lake, February 10-12, 2012, sponsored by the Eastern District and Franconia Conference Peace & Justice Committee.

Upcoming Pastors’ and Leaders’ Breakfast!

Ertell Whigham* thought he knew about the Worm Project. But recently he became aware of the potential of this ministry that it has the power and potential to change the economic structure of whole communities! If you think you already know about The Worm Project, there is much more to it! On Thursday, November 17, 8-10 a.m., join us at the Mennonite Conference Center in Harleysville for an enlightening breakfast and presentation entitled, “God Worming a Way Into our Conferences.”

A $6 donation is requested to cover the cost of breakfast. Registration deadline: Monday, November 14.
*Ertell Whigham serves as the Executive Minister for Franconia Conference

Don’t forget to RSVP for the Pastor-Spouse appreciation breakfast! All credentialed leaders from Franconia and Eastern District Conferences are invited to a time of refreshment and encouragement on Tuesday, December 6, 9-11 a.m., at West Swamp Mennonite Church. Invitations went out this week, if you didn’t receive your invitation, it must have gotten lost in the mail.
Hold the dates – more information to follow shortly:

· Thursday, January 12 , Pastor and Leaders Breakfast-presented by the Eastern District and Franconia Conference Peace & Justice Committee
· Friday, February 10, – Alan and Eleanor Kreider (AMBS faculty)

Don’t Forget to sign up for the Upcoming Pastors’ and Leaders’ Breakfast…

If you think you already know about The Worm Project, there is much more to it than de-worming children around the world!  On Thursday, November 17, 8:00 – 10:00 a.m., join us at the Mennonite Conference Center in Harleysville for an enlightening breakfast and presentation entitled, “God Worming a Way Into our Conferences.” Claude Good, Volunteer Staff for The Worm Project, and Merrill Moyer, a member of The Worm Project board, will join us for enlightening presentation and conversation about how we, the people of Franconia and Eastern District Conferences, stand to gain much from our involvement in this work.

Seminary announces discounts for online courses and spring class offerings:

Tuition will be cut in half for first-time online students at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary in a new arrangement that will begin with spring semester.  To be eligible for the discount, students must be taking their first online course from AMBS and must not be enrolled in any theological education program. The 50 percent discount is for tuition only, but registration and online course application fees will be waived; student service fees will be charged. Two online courses are offered from AMBS for spring 2011:

• Biblical Foundations of Peace and Justice, taught by Mary Schertz, professor of New Testament;
• Turnaround Strategies for Churches, taught by Gerald Shenk, sessional instructor.

AMBS teaches courses from an Anabaptist perspective, emphasizing core values of worship, community and mission that integrate evangelism and peacemaking.

Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary invites you to participate in the following: Webinars
Engaging the Bible in the Congregation
Presenter: Robert J. (Jack) Suderman
Tuesday, November 8, 1:45-3:00 p.m. EST

Identity Crisis in the Pulpit: What is the Preacher’s Purpose and Authority?
Presenter: Ryan Ahlgrim
Wednesday, November 16, 2-3:30 p.m. EST

Re-forming Anabaptism: Recent North American Experiments in Discipleship
Presenter: Joanna Shenk
Thursday, December 1, 2-3:30 p.m. EST

 

Leadership Clinic
Turning Disgust, Demoralization and Depression into Empowerment for Ministry
Presenter: Gregory A. Hinkle
Monday, January 23, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. EST

Pastors Week 2012
Understanding Revelation for Today
Presenter: Loren L. Johns, with a special session by J. Nelson Kraybill
Monday, January 23, 7 p.m.-Thursday, January 26, 3:30 p.m. EST