10:00 AM June 14–2:00 PM June 16, 2010
Open to priests and lay leaders interested in developing their ministry and the health of their communities.
For parish priests and lay leaders who are looking to enrich parish life, the Orthodox Parish Renewal workshop is a three-day conference that provides skills, insights and tools for meeting the challenges of twenty-first century parish life.
This session offers no silver bullets or magic formulas.
It can, however, provide insights and inspiration to change the way you do things in your parish–leading to a brighter future for the parish.
Does Your Parish Experience these Issues?
- Declining worship attendance and falling membership?
- Members in name only?
- Rapidly advancing median age of parishioners?
- Minimal stewardship – financial and service?
- A tired worn out set of “clubs” – in need of replacement by real Christian ministries prepared to do the work of Christ in the world?
- An atmosphere of too little mutual respect, love, forgiveness, generosity, charity, hospitality and cheerfulness?
- Visitors come once – but do not return and new members rarely become active?
- A feeling we could be doing and being more than we are as we live our life in Christ?
- A sense that we waste a lot of energy? We need to get organized and harness the gifts of our faithful!
- A heartfelt desire to strengthen our parish – but we don’t know what to do or how to start?
If you answered “Yes” to any of these questions, this workshop is particularly appropriate for you.
What Will You Learn?
During this highly interactive session you will leave understanding the following:
- Where to focus – the essential dimensions of healthy hopeful 21st Century Orthodox parishes
- A Model – what are and are not critical characteristics & practices of healthy American Orthodox parishes.
- A Method – an overall approach to parish revitalization.
- Key barriers and obstacles to renewal – and how to deal with them.
- What works and does not work – when it comes to driving new life and vibrancy into your parish
- Inspiration to drive change – There is hope. Orthodox parishes across the country are focusing on strengthening their core commitment to the Gospel of Christ.
- Some clear next steps – to begin your journey
How Will You Learn?
This workshop will engage participants in questions and discussions. It will include a variety of opportunities to learn from the workshop leaders and from other attendees including:
- Brief, topically fresh presentations;
- Facilitated group discussions; and
- Collaborative Case Studies and cross parish problem solving – cross parish subgroups will learn from one another to discuss not-so-mythical parishes and to tackle revitalization issues
All pre-registered attendees will be surveyed in advance to determine the key issues to be addressed and to allow maximum customization of seminar content to relevant situations.
Who Should Attend?
Parish leaders and leadership teams from any Orthodox Christian parish desiring for their parish to become more vibrant and to live a life in Christ including:
- Priests
- Deacons
- Parish council members and officers
- Ministry leaders
- Lay educators
Please register by June 1, 2010.
Because attendance will be limited to 24 attendees, we reserve the right to limit attendance from any single parish leadership team to four persons.
Workshop Leaders
The workshop will be led by:
- Rev. J. Sergius Halvorsen, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Patristics and Rhetoric, Holy Apostles College and Seminary; attached to Christ the Savior Church (OCA), Southbury, CT.
- Joseph Kormos, Parish Health Ministry Leader, Diocese of the Midwest (OCA)
Comments from Previous Seminar Attendees
“This is a great course, lots of helpful ideas. Every Orthodox council, clergy and others will learn ways of improving the parish.”
Lay Leader
“Good material. If parishes prepare for growth then it is more likely to happen. This is a great start to putting some knowledge and ‘know how’ behind a parish’s desire to grow and become, or remain, a vibrant community of believers.”
Parish Priest
