Workshops & Speakers
MORNING SESSION A
9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Presenters: The Very Rev. Alexander Andujar, St. Vincent’s, St. Petersburg; the Rev. Dave Marshall, All Angels by the Sea, Longboat Key; and the Very Rev. Michelle Robertshaw, St. Andrew’s, Boca Grande.
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Soul Mending After a Loss.
You do not walk alone. Join this interactive workshop where we will discover spiritual practices that heal the soul after a loss. We will share ways that clergy and lay leaders can heal after a traumatic event — hurricane, tornado, fire, other disasters — and will create a safe space to untangle the web of emotions tied to loss. Personal healing will help make stronger and healthier worshipping communities. No matter what you have been through, you do not walk alone.
Presenter: The Rev. Dr. Sharon L. Lewis, former rector of Holy Spirit, Osprey, president of the national/international board of the Order of St. Luke, and founder and director of Amazing Love Healing Ministry.
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Healing for Growth
Inside a burned-out redwood tree, new growth, amazingly, flourished. In the healing process we discover that suffering and growth can coexist. This is where we are stretched as individuals and as churches. In this workshop we will discover that healing makes us more resilient with greater capacity to endure as individuals and as the body of Christ, and new growth and new possibilities emerge from past wounds. “Behold, I am making all things new" (Revelation 21:5).
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PRESENTERS TBA
Revitalizing Your Spiritual Vocabulary
Refresh and enrich your prayer life with some new ways of listening and speaking to God. This workshop will cover spiritual direction, the Daily Examen, centering prayer, the riches of the Book of Common Prayer (including the daily office, Compline, and Daily Devotions for Individuals and Families), and devotional aids such as Forward Day by Day.
MORNING SESSION B
10:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
Presenter: Sue Van Oss, Director of Digital Communications and Christian Formation, St. Michael and All Angels, Sanibel.
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The Church = The Gathering Place
Every church wants to nurture a vibrant and vital faith in all ages and generations. St. Michael & All Angels Church on Sanibel lost everything physical at the hands of Hurricane Ian, but they gained so much more and have risen out of destruction to be a congregation full of life and spirit, engaged in their community. Discover what they learned and how you can take steps to transform your congregation.This workshop will help you and your congregation create initiatives that build a culture of lifelong faith formation and community engagement. Look at ways you can rejuvenate your programs/ministries and your volunteer recruitment and retention, and make your church a community that fosters faith for a lifetime within and beyond its doors.
Presenter: Lindsey Nickel, Director of Communications, Diocese of Southwest Florida.
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Evangelism and Creating a Sacred Third Space:
For many people, connection to the Holy Spirit is often experienced outside of a pew. As we face a national epidemic of loneliness, how can your church expand its faith community by meeting people where they are? Discover how your congregation can build community partnerships to foster a Third Space that creates a spiritual experience for people and a deep sense of connection and belonging. Together we will review examples of successful Sacred Third Spaces, identify existing community connections that can be expanded by your Church, and explore opportunities to make new connections that foster sacred experiences.
Presenter: Melissa Rau, Director of Formation and Engagement, St. Mark’s, Venice.
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Kids These Days!
Kids today are different than they were just 20 years ago, and they are way different than they were in the ‘60s, ‘70s, etc. The church has an incredible opportunity to come alongside families with children and youth in innovative and life-giving ways. Those who attend this workshop will gain clarity on the importance of measuring the right things and emerge with tips and tricks for engaging our rising generations in and through our communities of faith.
Plenary Session
1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
The Rev. Scott Gunn, executive director of Forward Movement, will offer fresh insight on congregational vitality and will present new research from RenewalWorks, a ministry that helps churches and individuals refocus on spiritual growth and identify the ways that God is calling them to grow.
Forward Movement is the publisher of the Forward Day by Day devotional as well as books, pamphlets, formation courses, and other print and online resources to “inspire disciples and empower evangelists.”
AFTERNOON SESSION
2:45 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Presenter: Jim Murphy, managing partner for the Episcopal Church Foundation.
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Building Your Financial Future.
ECF360 is a new online resource from the Episcopal Church Foundation that offers self-service tools and resources for financial campaigns and for legacy giving programs.
Presenter: Dick Helms, CPA, member of Diocesan Council, and longtime clergy tax preparer.
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Healthy Clergy Personal Finance.
Clergy taxes can be a mystery. This workshop, aimed at new clergy (and those with questions) and treasurers, will explore the basics of the tax code, requirements, best practices, record-keeping, and pitfalls to avoid.
Presenter: Bill Lodico, Church Insurance Co.
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Insuring Your Future.
Preparing your property, dealing with deferred maintenance, and recovering from disaster.