Notes to Pastors

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

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.  A $6 donation is requested to cover the cost of breakfast.   

Attention:  Parents, Youth Workers and Anyone That Works With Youth!

The Eastern District and Franconia Conferences are excited to offer to parents and youth workers a special program featuring Dave King.Dave King is the Athletic Director at Eastern Mennonite University. Have you felt today¹s youth and families are stretched thin by the busy-ness of our culture and the demands of the sports our kids play?  Please join us for a great evening with Dave King on Tuesday, November 1, at Franconia Mennonite Meetinghouse fellowship hall, 7:00 p.m.  We will discuss issues such as:
Does family time, sabbath or rest actually exist anymore?
What are we sacrificing?  And for what?
Dave will describe the current state of youth sports and explore the impact on our children, family and church.  While his experience is with sports, the applications can be made to any other activity that seems to control our schedules.  Together we will discover resources to help parents find their way through this challenging time. The evening will include a question and answer time.  Come to be challenged, encouraged and find resources for your journey.
Attached is a flyer for your mailboxes or bulletins or to pass out to individuals. Here is a facebook link to a new page for this Parent Event, which will also be updated for future events.

Questions?  Contact Mike Ford
215-815-1672

CORRECTION:  The Pastors, Chaplains, and Spouses Appreciation Breakfast, which was announced last week … to be held on Tuesday, December 6, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., will be held at WEST Swamp Mennonite Church in Quakertown, PA (less than 3 miles from the Quakertown Exit of the turnpike).  Please note this correction in your calendars … and watch for more information to follow.

 

 

Conference Assembly Scattered:

One opportunity remains for you and your delegates to join the conversation at Conference Assembly Scattered:  Wednesday, October 19 at Philadelphia Praise Center, 1701 McKean Avenue, Philadelphia, PA  19145, 7-9 p.m.  If you are unable to attend in person, you are invited to join this meeting via live stream, now available on the Franconia Conference website:   http://mosaicmennonites.org/media/video-gallery.  We will be live streaming this meeting in English, Spanish, and Indonesian.  You can also watch the video from the presentation at Perkiomenville Mennonite Church any time from this same web page.

 

 

Upcoming Pastors’ and Leaders’ Breakfast:

On Thursday, November 17, 8-10 a.m., join us at the Mennonite Conference Center in Harleysville for breakfast and presentation entitled, “God Worming a Way Into Franconia Conference.”  If you think you already know about The Worm Project, there is much more to it than deworming children around the world.  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 Conference, stand to gain much from our involvement in this work.