Classes
eMinistry and Tele-Classes
Making It Real And Relevant: Christian Education in the 21st Century
February 11 & 18, 2008
A terrific, inexpensive way to take a class without leaving the comfort of your home or office! Simply go to www.eministrynetwork.org then click on "classes" in left column to see class schedule. Click on the course title (Making It Real and Relevant: Christian Education in the 21stCentury), and below the course title, you will find a registration link along with course information. Register for class, and then on the date and time of the course, call the phone number you are given in a couse information email, and you have "entered" the classroom via a tele-conference call! These courses are open to all who are interested in "attending" class.
This two-part teleclass is designed to broaden the knowledge of anyone involved in Christian Education regarding the key characteristics of the postmodern society in which we live, and how they influence peoples’ spiritual and religious development. By understanding what motivates people in today’s world, we can — regardless of the size of our Christian Education program — adapt, modify and revitalize our programs to make them more real and relevant to our members. The course will encompass two sessions. Go to www.eministrynetwork.org for more details about this class.
Creating and Supporting Families of Faith
June 2, 2008
This course, offered through eMinistry, is designed for church leaders interested in developing ways to teach families how to be families of faith in a society that does not value faith beliefs. The course will discuss the issues that families face, how the church can address these issues, and will provide discussion time to assess how your church is addressing these issues and to share ideas for supporting and promoting faith in the family.
Interested in offering this course to staff of your church or a committee within your church? Contact Heidi Hawks or eMinistry Network--an individual class can be arranged at a time and date convenient for your group! Other Course Options:
If you have a topic that you would like taught, please contact Heidi Hawks (hhawks@seespiritgrow.com or (336)816-4555) to make arrangments! Heidi is also available to teach classes (such as the Parent's Tool Chest, for example) on site (provided your location is within reasonable driving distance). Contact Heidi for details. | |
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Workshops
Being Families of Faith In The 21st Century
There are many things the church worries about; one of the most common concerns voiced is attendance. As a Christian Education director, there were days when I felt a little like Chicken Little, running in panicked circles, crying, “The attendance is falling! The attendance is falling!” As a consultant, I have found this to be the most repeated refrain I hear from the clergy and staff who request my help, second only to “Where am I going to find volunteers?” There are other often repeated worries- “The pledges are dropping! the pledges are dropping!” is a popular one. All of these concerns are a direct result of, believe it or not, the culture we live in. The Being Families of Faith workshop identifies the characteristics of our culture that are controlling our lives and then examines how these factors control the activeness of our faith lives. The workshop then invites participants to take active steps to develop a conscious approach to intentional faith rather than accessory faith.
How does this workshop help the church? When people become aware of what they are doing, they become conscious of the fact that they have choices, and they have to choose or someone will choose for them. By helping people see the value of an active faith life, they become more active members of church community life, which in turn develops a more vital church. | Tools for Teaching: A Volunteer Teachers' Training Workshop
This workshop trains teachers in some current educational theories that can easily be incorporated into the classroom, which will change the face of the classroom and create enthusiasm and cooperation among students - and teachers! Teachers will learn how to make easy adaptations to address the various learning styles and will learn how to recognize their own learning styles and use them to their advantage as teachers. The workshop also offers insights into the ins and outs of Sunday school classroom managment.
Other workshops:
How To Bring God Into Your Home: Talking About God and Modeling Your Relationship With God to Your Children
(A workshop for parents)
'Tweens and Teens: Hanging onto Faith While Growing Up in a Postmodern Society
(A workshop for parents and adults who work with youth)
Youth: Learning, Faith and the Bible
A workshop that presents the ways youth (middle, high school age) learn and communicate, examines where youth are in terms of faith and spiritual development, and explores various ways to present the Bible to this age group, accounting for learning and communication styles and developmental stages.
All workshops are 2 hours in length. |
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Conferences
All conferences make use of audiovisual aids, small and large group discussion, and intereactive activities. The Parents' Tool Chest
The Parents' Tool Chest: Building a Family Upon the Plans Of The Master Architect is a 7 hour conference (usually split between a Friday evening and Saturday morning and early afternoon) for families who want to learn ways to build strong foundations, create safe havens and house unconditional love, all of which are based upon blueprints drawn by the Master Architect, God. In this series of presentations, participants will be given several tools that will make their family building projects much more sturdy and successful. Participants will: - Learn what children are capable of understanding and doing at different stages of life and discover how to encourage their moral, faith, spiritual, psychosocial and cognitive development.
- Understand how and why parents and children all think, learn, and communicate in different ways and apply this information to improve communication and trust while decreasing stress and frustration at home.
- Discover how to encourage and promote both parents’ and children’s spiritual development, by creating teachable moments about faith and beliefs and by creating a family life that naturally encourages God to be recognized and included.
- Learn how to practically apply this knowledge to real-life situations.
Applying these practical tools to family life offers parents, no matter how young or old their children, the opportunity to develop a family that understands, trusts, and shares with one another and God. This conference can also be offered as a series of workshops!
This conference, which can be presented intergenerationally to youth and adults, or can be adapted for either age group, is designed to explore the idea of how we dedicate ourselves to God. What does it mean to be dedicated to God? What do our baptismal vows mean in our daily, 21st century lives and is it possible to fulfill the vows made at our baptism? How do our thoughts and actions reflect (or not reflect) our beliefs and values? What are the challenges to remaining dedicated to God and how do we overcome these challenges? An optional break out session can be included for leadership groups on how to find, recruit, and retain volunteers. |
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