Upcoming Pastors’ & Leaders’ Breakfasts:

• Thursday, January 12, 2012, 8-10 a.m. – “Sharpening our Current Vision for Peace and Justice: A conversation on pressing peace and justice issues.”  The joint Peace & Justice Committee of Eastern District and Franconia Mennonite Conference will resource this event.  Click here to register for this event. A $6 contribution is requested for the breakfast.  Location:  Mennonite Conference Center, 569 Yoder Road, Harleysville, PA 19438.

• Friday, February 10, 2012, 8-10 a.m. – “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.  They were part of founding the Anabaptist Network in the United Kingdom and have done much work in what it means to minister in a Post Christendom world.  You won’t want to miss this lively and engaging interaction with them! Click here to register for this event. Please note, depending on the response for this event, a location other than the Mennonite Conference Center may be announced.  Should this occur, you will be notified in advance.

Also, enjoy video and audio recordings of earlier Pastors’ & Leaders’ events:

• Pastor/Chaplain & Spouse Appreciation Breakfast – held Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at West Swamp Mennonite Church.  Music by Pastor Duane Hershberger and meditation by Mark & Kathy Weaver Wenger titled, “Leading without Fear: Being Missional Christians in a Fear-filled World.”  Available under Media/Video Galleries from the Franconia Conference home page and here – http://vimeo.com/33461748
• “God Worming a Way Into Our Conferences” – the video shown as part of the presentation by Claude Good, Merrill Moyer, and Fred Cole of The Worm Project Board at the November 17 Pastors’ & Leaders’ Breakfast – http://vimeo.com/30687921
• “Managing Conflicts from a Christian Perspective” by Rev. Dr. Barbara Moses, Principal of Philadelphia Mennonite High School on Thursday, September 15, 2011.  http://vimeo.com/30340644
• “The Age of Convergence: Practical Tools for Effective Intergenerational Leadership” by Sheldon Good (Mennonite Weekly Review and Salford Mennonite Church) and Steve Kriss (Franconia Conference Director of Communication and Leadership Cultivation and LEAD Minister, Philadelphia Praise Center) on Thursday, August 11, 2011.  http://vimeo.com/30340405
• “Adopt a Street” led by Pastor Peter Smith of Hope Valley Community Church, Red Hill, Pastor Charlie Ness (Perkiomenville Mennonite Church), and Pastor Scott Landes (Frederick Mennonite Church) on Thursday, June 9, 2011 – podcast available from http://franconiaconference.org/category/media/audio.
• “Building or Burning Bridges: Searching for a Way Forward in Christian and Muslim Relations” by Dr. Andrew Bush, Professor from Eastern University and member at Methacton Mennonite Church.  Portions available by podcast on http://franconiaconference.org/category/media/audio.
• “The Why, What & How of Social Media: Engaging Your Community in the Context that is Revolutionizing the Way the World Connects” by Todd Hiestand and Scott Hackman (Salford Mennonite Church). Available by podcast on http://franconiaconference.org/category/media/audio.
• “Celebrating Shared Leadership Across Gender Lines”  – October 21, 2010 Available by podcast on www.FranconiaConference.org/media/audio.
• “The Naked Anabaptist” with author Stuart Murray Williams – November 4, 2010 Available by podcast on http://franconiaconference.org/category/media/audio.
• “A Place to Call Home: Our New Immigrant Neighbors” – September 29, 2010 Available by podcast on http://franconiaconference.org/category/media/audio.

COLLABORATIVE
Franconia Mennonite Conference launched the School for Leadership Formation with inaugural sessions in the Summer of 2007. Rooted in the formational, missional, and intercultural core values of Franconia Conference, the School for Leadership Formation is an embodiment of the conference’s equipping, resourcing, and cultivating initiatives. Collaborative in nature, all of Franconia Conference’s equipping and educational resources will be considered part of the School for Leadership Formation.

CONTEXTUAL
With seminars, courses, and opportunities intended for experienced and emerging leaders, the School for Leadership Formation is set to become a resource for persons across the conference and beyond. Centered in Christ and recognizing our historic commitments to community and reconciliation, the School for Leadership Formation will take on many forms, adapted to the different contexts that make up Franconia Conference communities and commitments.

CULTIVATING
The School for Leadership Formation focuses on cultivating the call to God’s work through encounters that are transformative and have practical value. Transformation is ultimately the work of God but steps toward transformation are practical and tangible. Experienced and emerging leaders need to be refreshed and equipped for changing times and communities. The School for Leadership Formation connects an array of resources to equip leaders with a focus on healthy relational patterns, identity formation, and lifelong learning. Leadership is both practice and identity. Leading takes both Spirit and skill.

POSSIBILITIES
How do I engage the School for Leadership Formation? Where is it? The School for Leadership Formation will feature initiatives* like:

• Gateway courses for credentialed leaders, collaboratively with Eastern Mennonite University
• Damascus Road anti-racism trainings, sponsored with Mennonite Central Committee and Franconia Conference congregations
• Internship experiences for students, collaboratively with Mennonite institutions
• Ongoing continuing education opportunities in Southeastern, PA, in collaboration with Eastern Mennonite Seminary
• Intercultural learning experiences that broaden understandings of what it means to be global and local followers of Christ
• Third Thursdays, pastoral leaders breakfasts focused around timely issues and possibilities
• Learning communities, intended for both credentialed and congregational leaders to engage possibilities and questions around similar goals and issues.

*Costs per equipping initiative will vary.

AN EMERGING REALITY
The School for Leadership Formation is more than a dream yet not an institution. Because of its collaborative nature, new possibilities may emerge continually. New partnerships will be possible as they align with missional, intercultural, and formational possibilities. There’s so much to learn and so many places that God is continuing to move. God is preparing us to move together into a present and future that is hopeful. Centered in Christ, all things are possible. Join the emerging reality with your ideas, your questions, your hopes and dreams.

Damascus Road Anti-Racism Analysis Training

See with new eyes—The Damascus Road anti-racism analysis training returns to Philadelphia Mennonite High School, Friday–Sunday, February 24-26. This analysis provides much of the foundation for becoming intercultural in ways that are transformational and missional. Information and registration is available at franconiaconference.org/mission or 267-932-6050.

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

Spiritual discernment is the practice of listening and responding to God as we find our way through life.  During this day of retreat, we will reflect on how we can better notice and respond to God’s nudges as we make decisions for our lives.  Drawing from Nancy Bieber’s book Decision Making & Spiritual Discernment The Sacred Art of Finding Our Way, we will consider ways of seeing ourselves and our choices more clearly, of knowing when to take the next steps and when to wait.

The rhythm of the day includes individual retreat time as well as group discussion. We will learn practical exercises to aid our attentiveness to God and to take steps into decision making. You do not need to be facing a major decision to participate: wise shaping of our lives constantly calls us to wise discernment.

“How Do I Know It’s You Speaking God” with Barry Young
Saturday, February 4 only (Register by January 20, 2012)

Is that you, God, or is it just me? How can I truly recognize God speaking? Does God really speak to me personally?

God longs to reveal God’s hopes and desires for us. Our main task is to be as equally present to God as God is to us so that we can begin to recognize that voice we so long to hear and know as God. Participate in this primary teaching session with Kairos Spiritual Formation Year One students. Be a part of the optional sessions which include a variety of prayer forms, such as Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina, and an opportunity to meet with a spiritual director.

Guided Silent Retreat
Saturday, March 3 only (Register by February 17, 2012)

Silent retreats are an opportunity to intentionally settle in and open up ourselves to the heart of God. Because our lives are often filled with the hectic expectations that shape us, we rarely have time to enter into silence long enough to notice the movement of God.

These retreats are designed to help you notice and respond to that movement of God. Retreats are designed to support those who are brand new to silent retreats as well as the seasoned retreatant–and everyone in between.

For spiritual direction received during silent retreats, a small monetary gift is suggested to be given to the director as the cost of the weekend does not entirely cover appropriate fees. This gift may be given to the director at the end of your retreat and will be appreciated.

“In the Image of God: Beauty & Creativity“ with Richard Weaver
Saturday, March 31 only (Register by March 16, 2012)

Beauty and creativity (and, of course, love) mark us as God’s own children. On this retreat day we will celebrate these gifts of God to us and to our world. “No synonym for God is so perfect as Beauty!” – John Muir

“A Contemplative Heart Engages the World“ with Susan Classen
Saturday, May 5 only (Register by April 20, 2012)

This day of reflection focuses contemplative of awareness of God’s presence in the context of our times. When we look deeply at the reality of both beauty and pain, we discover that God is inviting us to respond with gratitude and compassion. We will reflect on ways of responding that sustain us through the continuous process of receiving and giving.

For more information, please visit the Kairos School for Spiritual Formation website.

Tools for equipping and leading

• Walter Sawatzky, Customized Coaching LLC…supporting leaders in pursuit of a fulfilled calling.
  Walter Sawatzky is a professional coach who has more than 25 years of experience coaching individuals, supporting and empowering people toward implementing new visions for their work and life journeys. He offers a variety of resources for church leaders including coaching to align ministry and calling, to launch a new initiative or business, and to move toward meaning, purpose and significance by pursuing lifelong dreams.  For more information on these services click here.