Pre-Conference Institutes are a great way to add in-depth training and networking to your conference experience.
The following are currently scheduled Pre-Conference Institutes. Please note that the Institutes may be modified.
Global REVM Explore your calling to ordained ministry
Interim Ministry Training Become certified as an interim minister
NEW! Personal Spiritual Retreat Take some time for reflection before GC begins
Ibero-America Gathering Gather with others in the Ibero-America Network
NEW! A Transformative Institute on Diversity Explore diversity in a congregational setting
NEW! Network Team Leader Gathering Share best practices with other Network Team Leaders
Schedule:
Wednesday, 29 June
9-5: Interim Ministry Training
5-9: Global REVM
CLM Train the Trainer
Thursday, 30 June
9-5: Interim Ministry Training
Global REVM
Friday, 1 July
9-5: Interim Ministry Training
Global REVM
Saturday, 2 July
9-12: Global REVM
9-5: Interim Ministry Training
Ibero-America Gathering
10-4:
Personal Spiritual Retreat
Sunday, 3 July
10-12: Ibero-America Gathering
10-6: A Transformative Institute on Diversity
1-5: Network Team Leader Gathering
Pricing and More Details:
Global REVM – $300
Readiness for Vocational Ministry (REVM) is the official denominational in-take program for MCC designed to help individuals discern and/or further their call to ordained ministry in MCC. This program is designed for individuals at the very beginning of their process as well as for clergy in good standing from other denominations who want to transfer their credentials to MCC. Total commitment to this REVM process is essential and will require time, effort, and goodwill on all of our parts.
This General Conference REVM will be limited to 20 participants and priority will be given to applicants outside the US. This event starts at 5:00pm on Wednesday, 29 June 2016 and ends at 12:00pm on Saturday 2 July 2016.
The tuition for the International REVM is $300 US. Persons must be pre-approved to register. To apply for this REVM please complete the process per your protocol and submit to Rev. Dr. Kharma Amos at RevKharmaAmos@mccchurch.net by May 1 ,2016.
To complete your county’s particular protocol contact the person listed below:
UK contact: Rev. Maxwell Reay at maxwelljay101@gmail.com.
Australasia contact: Rev. John Fowler at johnfowler28@gmail.com.
Latin America contact: Rev. Elder Hector Gutierrez at revhectorgutierrez@mccchurch.net.
US contact Rev. Dr. Kharma Amos at revkharmaamos@mccchurch.net.
All other students contact revmonawest@mccchurch.net.
PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THE APPLICATION TO ATTEND A REVM USUALLY TAKES SIX WEEKS TO COMPLETE SO PLAN ACCORDINGLY.
Interim Ministry Training – $175
Transitional Pastoring: A Training and Certification Institute is MCC’s core training course for clergy who would like to consider the option and calling to serve churches in pastoral transition. It is also open to interested lay leaders. At present, the OCLH offers three appointments in transitional ministry: Interim, Provisional or Gap Pastor. This is a comprehensive course incorporating standard ecumenical interim models; community change, conflict and transformation tools; strategic processes and systems theories; and spiritual discernment from a range of sources on the sea of transformation Christianity is experiencing, often revealed locally and vividly in this finger-on-the-pulse ministry area.
Cost: $175
Included in Cost: Course instruction, MCC Transitional Pastor Training Manual and Session Handouts Not included in Cost: Meals, accommodation, travel expenses, and course reading
This training is open to clergy for certification and interested lay leaders may attend. Participants are asked to purchase and read the following two books:
- Transitional Ministry Today: Successful Strategies for Churches and Pastors. Norman B. Bendroth
- Temporary Shepherds: A Congregational Handbook for Interim Ministry. Richard S. Nicholson.
Personal Spiritual Retreat – FREE!
Holy Wholly Imperfect: Moving from a Spirituality of Liberation to a Liberating Spirituality
Saturday 2 July, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
There are as many definitions of what it means to be spiritual as there are people. For some it might mean striving for perfection, for others it might mean spiritual diversity, or even a spirituality beyond God. We invite you to leave your notebooks behind and bring your hearts to this one day retreat that will use stories, poems, parable and art to share our experiences and harness our collective wisdom with regard to spirituality. This retreat will be a time to center ourselves for General Conference and to build some connections that will carry us through the conference.
The retreat facilitators will be from the Council of Elders and are: Rev. Dwayne Johnson, Prof. Nancy Maxwell, Rev. Margarita Sanchez DeLeon, Rev. Ines-Paul Bauman and Rev. Dr. Mona West.
Ibero-America Gathering – $25 USD
Pre conferencia Iberoamericana: “Para que emerja la luz…”Del 2 al 3 de Julio de 2016
Language: Spanish and Portuguese
English only on demand
2 Corintios 4:6 a Porque el mismo Dios que mandó que la luz brotara de la oscuridad, es el que ha hecho brotar su luz en nuestro corazón, para que podamos iluminar a otros , dándoles a conocer la gloria de Dios que brilla en la cara de Jesucristo.
Porque Deus, que mandou a luz resplandecer nas trevas, foi quem iluminou os nossos corações a fim de conhecermos a glória divina que resplandece na face de Jesus Cristo
Descripción: Esta Pre-Conferencia le ayudará renovar sus herramientas de trabajo para una pastoral subversiva en el contexto de global.
Esta Pre-conferência irá ajudá-lo a renovar suas ferramentas para um ministério subversivo no contexto global.
Programa:
2 de julio
En la mañana: Herramientas de las teologías queer para una pastoral subversive
En la tarde: Metodología queer de análisis y lectura del texto bíblico
En la noche: Comienza la Conferencia General: y ahora qué
Introducción a la Conferencia General: tópicos centrales y cómo hacer el trabajo.
3 de julio:
En la mañana: Abriendo y cerrando fronteras: retos para el ministerio
En la tarde: Creando espacios diversos
En la tarde: Espacio de celebración de los ministerios en Iberoamérica
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For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Description: This Pre-conference Institute will help you to renew your tools for a subversive ministry in the global context.
Program:
2nd of July
In the morning Tools from queer theologies for a subversive pastoral
In the afternoon: Queer methodologies of reading the biblical texts
At night: “ the General Conference begins: now what?
Introduction to the General Conference
3rd of July:
In the morning: “Opening and closing borders: challenges for ministry In the afternoon”
In the afternoon: “Promoting diversity in our communities”
“Celebrating our ministries”
Register now!
Transformative Institute on Diversity
The Transformative Institute on Diversity will equip you to expand your church’s reach and increase your church’s impact.
Sponsored by the Diversity & Inclusion Program of the Office of Emerging Ministries, the day will help you to minister more effectively with and among young and older adults, people of colors, people with disabilities, trans* and gender non-conforming people, heterosexuals, people with HIV/AIDS, and women.
In just one day you will:
– Increase your awareness of diversity and its meaning, dimensions, and implications for ministry;
– Explore the theological basis for diversity;
– Learn practical skills and tools for working effectively with people who are different than you; and
– Become more empowered to transform yourself, your church, and the world!
Pre-requisite: Prior to attending The Transformative Institute on Diversity, all participants should complete the Diversity & Inclusion Index and be prepared to discuss the results.
Pre-reading:
Trans/Gender Non-Conforming:Do We Really Need That “T”?: Trans Inclusion in Faith Communities
Necessity of Trans women in leadership
Creating Sacred Spaces for Trans and Gender Non-Conforming People
People of African Descent: America’s White Fragility Complex: Why White People Get So Defensive About Their Privilege
Heterosexual: Is the Gay Community Scaring Away Straight Allies?
Young Adults: What Millennials Want in Church
Intersectionality: “Qraftish” on Black Girl Dangerous
Accessibility: The Case for Accessibility
Network Team Leader Gathering
This will be a time to plan, share best practices, and think about what it means to lead a network. It will be a short gathering, likely on Sunday afternoon or evening. If you are a Network Leader, the Office of Church Life and Health will be in touch with you about this time.