OASIS Regional Christian Education Conference

Registration is closed, but you can still come.  We can't promise you meals, but you can attend worship, keynote, workshops, and displays as a walk-in.  Donations are appreciated.

Things you might like to know

• Cancellation/refund policy--Email requests received before September 12 will receive a full refund. September 12-October 10 will receive a full refund minus $50.  We regret that, beginning October 11, we are unable to provide refunds.
• Mid-Central APCE is pleased to offer a $25 rebate to all APCE members registering for the full event.  We will have a record of Mid-Central members; if your membership is outside the Mid-Central region, please provide verification of your membership in good standing.  The rebate will be available at the registration area at Oasis.
• If you have to abandon your electronic registration, Constant Contact will probably provide us with everything you put in.  If you are concerned about your registration status because you didn't receive an automated confirmation email, please email Malinda Spencer, education@heartlandpby.org
• Daily rates are available:

Sunday Only (includes one meal): $59.00

Monday Only (includes two meals): $99.00

Tuesday Only (includes one meal): $59.00

Above rates do not include lodging.

Registration includes conference participation and 4 meals. 

Early bird by Aug. 12 $169

Regular before Oct. 10 $199

Late after Oct. 10 $219

We will make every effort to accommodate registrations after Oct. 11, including walk-in registrations.

To register, click the "Register Now" button at the very bottom of this page.  Keep going down!

For registration inquiries contact:

Malinda Spencer    education@heartlandpby.org         816-923-5486       

If you are unable to register online, send completed form and full payment check to:

Heartland Presbytery/Oasis
3210 Michigan Avenue, Suite 200
Kansas City, MO  64109

Your registration will be processed when your check is received.

Make your lodging arrangements at  http://www.hilton.com/en/hi/groups/personalized/M/MCIAPHF-HLP-20131020/index.jhtml?WT.mc_id=POG 

for the event rate of $95 per night,  single/double.  Hotel reservations made after October 10 will be subject to availability and at the prevailing rate.

 

Sunday, October 20
4:00 p.m. - Hotel check-in
5:00 p.m. - Registration
6:30 p.m. - appetizer reception

Worship

Keynote

Dessert and Coffee

Monday, October 21
Breakfast on your own
8:00 a.m. - Morning Prayer
9:00-10:15 a.m. - Workshop 1
10:30-11:45 a.m. - Workshop 2
Group lunch
1:30-2:45 p.m. - Workshop 3
3:00-4:15 p.m - Workshop 4

At Parkville Presbyterian Church
5:30 p.m. - Dinner
6:30 p.m. - Worship
Keynote
Dessert fellowship
Return to hotel 8:30 p.m.

Tuesday, October 22
8:00 a.m. - Morning prayer
8:30 a.m. - Breakfast
Regional meeting
9:30-10:45 a.m. - Workshop 5
Keynote and closing worship

Lunch on your own

 

Keynote information

Our keynoter, the Rev. MaryAnn McKibben Dana, is pastor of Idylwood Presbyterian Church, a small and growing congregation in Falls Church, VA. She is a writer of numerous articles and essays, and the author of Sabbath in the Suburbs: A Family's Experiment with Holy Time through Chalice Press. The book has been featured on PBS's Religion & Ethics Newsweekly and in Publishers Weekly, and was named a "must read for 2013" by Ministry Matters. 

She is a frequent speaker and workshop leader around issues of spiritual formation, church leadership, and congregational transformation. She is co-chair of [NEXT Church nextchurch.net], a movement that seeks to call forth and nurture vibrant and creative ministry in the PC(USA). MaryAnn is married to Robert Dana and they have three children, Caroline, 10; Margaret, 7; and James, 5. Connect with her at her blog, [The Blue Room theblueroomblog.org].

 

Worship leader information

Corey Nelson, a former high school music director and international Young Adult Volunteer, currently serves as Associate Pastor for Mission at the First Presbyterian Church of Lake Forest, Illinois.  In addition to his passion to connect the church to local and global service, Corey is also exploring new ways to plan and lead worship experiences that integrate theologically and culturally diverse resources.  When he's not at church, Corey enjoys drinking way too much fair trade coffee, searching for his next dog on Petfinder, playing the West African djembe drum and the piano (though rarely at the same time) and planning his next trip to check off another National Park from his bucket list.

 

 

Also, watch for information on a technology forum, yoga, interest lunches, and more!

Workshop descriptions

Monday 9:00-10:15 a.m.

1A--The 21^st Century Church--What questions should every church ask before calling a new pastor, training new officers, planning the church programming year?  Have you ever wondered:  Where is everybody? 
Why don’t people come to church like they?  What are we doing wrong? How do we reach out to people who aren’t here?  All these questions – and more! – will be addressed.  And yet - you won’t be bummed out at the end of the workshop.   Jan Edmiston served as a pastor for 27 years before joining the staff of the Presbytery of Chicago.  Her life is now spent helping churches make the shift to become 21st century congregations. She writes and speaks on new church development, emerging church, and healthy congregations. Her blog is “A Church for Starving Artists.”  

1B—Building Intergenerational Relationships--Learn how to build and sustain an Intergenerational Ministry that bridges the gap between our oldest and youngest members. Participants will leave the workshop with detailed plans for building relationships and strengthening congregations.  Paula Daniel Steinbacher is recently ordained as a Teaching Elder, but has been working in youth ministry for the past 20 years. A graduate of Sterling College and Phillips Theological Seminary, she is currently the Faith Development Ministry Facilitator at FPC in Ark City, KS, and the pastor of FPC in Newkirk, OK.

1C—Praying Without Words--Praying involves so much more than talking. It is about attentiveness, mindfulness, and listening. In this workshop, we will explore the use of color, music, silence, and other non-traditional methods to use in prayer. We will also explore art techniques useful in enhancing your prayer life. This workshop will be interactive and hands-on.  Cathy M. Kolwey is an artist, freelance writer, and curriculum developer who has been an APCE member since 2002. She has been a professional Christian Educator for eight years, and is currently working towards a Masters of Divinity in Theology and the Arts.

1D—Rites of Passage--Adolescence is a significant time in life - filled with perhaps more rites of passage than any other stage of life. The community of faith can take a creative, meaningful and profound approach to celebrating these moments, these milestones. Participants will consider age and stage celebrations and ideas.  Gina Yeager-Buckley serves as the Associate for Ministries with Youth for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Gina is a volunteer youth worker at her church in Louisville, KY. Writing, thinking, teaching and speaking about ministry with and for young people is a passion and privilege!

1E-- Stewardship as Spiritual Discipline--Everything you do after you say “I believe” is a definition of stewardship. At the very least, stewardship involves what we are called to do with what God has provided. As we explore the practice of generosity we will examine the connection between being Christian and the way we own and use things.  Dave Crittenden is the transitional executive for the Synod of Lakes and Prairies. He served three congregations for a total of 20 years as a pastor. Dave has always had a passion for stewardship and served most recently as the director of stewardship for the Presbyterian Mission Agency of the PC(USA).

Monday 10:30-11:45 a.m.

2A--Nominating the Pastor You Really Need--It used to be enough to search for "a good preacher" ,but now we need to equip Pastoral Nominating Committees to identify whom God is calling to them for different times.
This workshop is designed primarily for COM members and Pastor Nominating Committees to help orient them
to the challenges of the search process.  Jan Edmiston served as a pastor for 27 years before joining the staff of the Presbytery of Chicago.  Her life is now spent helping churches make the shift to become 21st century
congregations. She writes and speaks on new church development, emerging church, and healthy congregations. Her blog is “A Church for Starving Artists.”  

2B—Tending Treasure in the Under-12 Set--Did you know? Kids under 12 spend $10 billion annually and influence $175 billion of parental spending. As a church, let's embrace the opportunity to talk about living lives as stewards from the time a child enters the family at birth or adoption. We'll explore how kids understand money and share ideas for stewardship as part of faith formation.  Dawn Rundman is Senior Developer of children's resources at Augsburg Fortress and Sparkhouse Publishers. She holds a Ph.D. in developmental psychology and presents workshops nationwide on topics related to kids' faith formation and congregational life. She lives in the Twin Cities with her husband and their two children.

2C-- Creating & Leading Alternative Worship Services-- Four years ago, Corey Nelson began leading a new worship service at 5:00 p.m. on Sundays at First Church, Lake Forest, IL, called first@five, integrating candle lighting and communion every week, projected lyrics, liturgies and media on a screen, a 10-12 minute sermon and music from folk, traditional, contemporary and global genres.  Corey will share lessons learned through trial and error and suggest some best practices for worship planners and leaders looking for new ideas beyond the old worship wars of "traditional versus contemporary."

2D-- Keeping the Faith: From High School to College--Going from home to dorm, classroom to lecture hall and sanctuary to whatever, can leave college students vulnerable to social, academic and spiritual pitfalls. This workshop will explore the landscape of this transition and talk about ways we can help young people navigate this period of life and faith.  Adrian McMullen is the Associate for Collegiate Ministries at the PC(USA) General Assembly Offices, with 20 years of ministry experience with youth, college students, young adults and all those who work with them. Adrian has been involved with camp and congregational ministries as well as regional, national and ecumenical ministry.

2E-- Preparing Church Officers for Leadership will focus on the importance of preparing church officers to respond authentically to their ordination questions. We will look at the nature of call in the Presbyterian Church, and ways to give Elders and Deacons confidence to respond to their calls. Our time will include theory as well as practical ideas.  Kathy Michael is Associate Pastor for Adult Education and Leadership Development at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis. She attended the Presbyterian School of Christian Education and graduated from Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN, with an M.A. degree in Bible and the M.Div.degree. Her officer training program is nationally recognized.

2F--Keeping a Gratitude Journal--We will be creating a journal as well as discovering the benefits of developing an "attitude of gratitude.” The cost for materials is $8.00 and class size is limited to 20. Dianna has been a licensed artist for over 25 years, creating many collections of artwork and authoring over 20 art books. She and her husband Randy have been the pastors for the Green Ridge Presbyterian Church, MO, since 2007. They are both active in the PFR Wee Kirk Small Church Conferences, serving on the planning team and as facilitators.

Monday 1:30-2:45

3B—Resurrected Art--In this interactive, hands-on workshop, we will explore ideas for how to use recycled and repurposed materials in art-based learning. Learn ways to enhance your children, youth, & family ministries with art-based activities that use recycled material. Keep costs low and inspire your entire congregation to support your ministries through recycling.  Cathy M. Kolwey is an artist, freelance writer, and curriculum developer who has been an APCE member since 2002. She has worked as a professional Christian Educator for eight years, and is currently working towards her MDiv in Theology and the Arts. She loves to make repurposed art with her 5 year old son.

3C-- Agile Church: Rethinking Congregational Structure--What do software development and human-powered flight have to do with our church sessions? Come and find out as we explore different ways of thinking about the governance of our congregations. We will look at models that are working in a variety of settings and what we can learn from their successes and challenges.  MaryAnn McKibben Dana is pastor of Idylwood Presbyterian Church, a small and growing congregation in Falls Church, VA. She is the author of Sabbath in the Suburbs (Chalice Press). She speaks around the church about spiritual formation and congregational transformation. Connect with her at “The Blue Room” (theblueroomblog.org).

3D—Confirmation Conversation--When it comes to Confirmation there are two things that are always true: there is no single way to do it, and there are always things that can be done to improve our programs. Come with your questions and stories about Confirmation. We will do some story and information sharing as we all work at doing the best for the newest members of our churches.  Rob Monroe is the Director of Youth Ministries, Mission and New Members at First Presbyterian Church in Kirkwood, MO. Rob has previously served in congregations in Maryland and Virginia, as well as having worked in Camp and Conference Ministry in National Capital Presbytery.

3E—Soulful Improv--Come to playfully engage the Spirit of God through improv games and practices!  Through play and discussion, we will explore how soulful improv can be used to:  -enhance prayerful listening -encourage imaginative discipleship -renew our energy -strengthen community -offer fresh ways of exploring Scripture -and creatively engage conflict.  Ryan Bradney joyfully serves as Youth Director at St Mark Presbyterian Church in Ballwin, Mo. While a student at Louisville Seminary, Ryan was a founding member of the improv group, Yore Welcome. Ryan deeply enjoys improv and has been practicing it since his years in junior high and high school speech. He is grateful to share his love of God and improv.

Monday 3:00-4:15

4A—Truth Is the Dare--Speaking the truth is difficult and uncomfortable. Often times we miss the chance to take the dare and tell the truth. This pattern is a central theme in many unproductive sessions and church conflict. Want to learn to speak the truth in love? Come learn all about it and practice, practice, practice. Warning: This is not for the faint of heart. Sandy Carlson loves designing group experiences that create awareness, develop skills, and generate renewal. She regularly consults with churches and organizations dealing with change, conflict, and boundaries. She has completed training at the Shalem Institute. She is a licensed clinical social worker and marriage and family therapist, and is a ruling elder.

4B—Waters of Baptism-- Imagine designing adult education and faith formation using the waters of baptism as a metaphor. Consider the spectrum—walking barely wet, causing a ripple effect, treading water, swimming for shore. How can congregations nurture new believers? What can we offer those who eagerly serve? Is there a place for doubters to wrestle with faith? How can we continuously equip mature adults to thrive and to strive? Come and explore denominational curricula and tools for nurturing disciples, wherever they emerge from the waters of baptism—even those who consider themselves bone dry.  Candace C. Hill is the coordinator of educational ministries with Congregational Ministries Publishing, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

4C—Dyeing to Live--We will explore and discuss how art and craft help define and express our faith and worship. There will be a $5 fee for the hands-on fiber art opportunities within the class. Participants will receive one silk scarf but will have opportunities to work on more than one project as desired. Grace Cox-Johnson is an internationally-known visual artist and has created works for churches and clergy all around the world. Her work has been featured at numerous events.  Oasis has benefited from Grace’s worship space designs.

4D--Collegiate Ministry for Everyone--Collegiate ministry is for churches in college towns. True. But not exclusively. In this workshop we will discuss two sides of collegiate ministry: doing collegiate ministry with those students in your midst and doing collegiate ministry for those who are away at school.  Adrian McMullen is the Associate for Collegiate Ministries at the PC(USA) General Assembly Offices, with 20 years of ministry experience with youth, college students, young adults and all those who work with them. Adrian has been involved with camp and congregational ministries as well as regional, national and ecumenical ministry.

4E— Stewardship as Spiritual Discipline--repeated at 1E.

Tuesday 9:30-10:45

5A-- Agile Church: Rethinking Congregational Structure—repeated at 3C. 

5B—Becoming a Child-Loving Church--What does it mean for a congregation to create welcoming spaces for kids and families? How can churches design spaces that show children they are loved and welcomed? We'll take a look at how a building can send messages (both intentional and unintentional) about ministry for children and families. Dawn will provide lots of assessment tools.  Dawn Rundman is Senior Developer of children's resources at Augsburg Fortress and Sparkhouse Publishers. She holds a Ph.D. in developmental psychology and presents workshops nationwide on topics related to kids' faith formation and congregational life. She lives in the Twin Cities with her husband and their two children.

5C--Think Globally, Worship Locally--While the world around us increasingly teaches us what it means to be a global citizen, who teaches us what it means to be a global Christian? Integrating global expressions of worship (music, prayers, symbols) into local church worship experiences can be a powerful way to develop the globally-conscious faith that we seek for our members.  Four years ago, Corey Nelson began leading a new worship service at 5:00 p.m. on Sundays at First Church, Lake Forest, IL, called first@five, integrating candle lighting and communion every week, projected lyrics, liturgies and media on a screen, a 10-12 minute sermon and music from folk, traditional, contemporary and global genres.  Corey Nelson (Oasis music leader) will lead a rousing, participatory workshop in which all aspects of worship will be explored through global and multi-cultural lenses.  Symbols, prayers, litanies, and, of course, global songs will all be included along with an extensive resource guide that will be given to every participant.

5D-- Faith, Film, and Cineplex Discipleship--Whether we are aware or blissfully unaware, we connect our faith to what we see, hear, and experience, every day. Our deepest longings for compassion, creativity, friendship, love, forgiveness and fun - these can be explored, theologically, and in community, by viewing clips from movies - through the lens of faith and with discipleship in mind.  Gina Yeager-Buckley serves as the Associate for Ministries with Youth for the Presbyterian Church (USA). Gina is a volunteer youth worker at her church in Louisville, KY. Writing, thinking, teaching and speaking about ministry with and for young people is a passion and privilege!

5E-- Planning Adult Education to Deepen Faith--This workshop will explore models and methods to approach adult education systematically in order to facilitate growth in faith and knowledge and to promote maturity in adult Christians. Participants will share teaching tools and techniques that have been successful and develop ideas to strengthen adult education programs in their congregations.  Kathy Michael is Associate Pastor for Adult Education and Leadership Development at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis. She attended the Presbyterian School of Christian Education and graduated from Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN, with an M.A. degree in Bible and the M.Div. degree. Her officer training program is nationally recognized.

Note:  If you want to pay by check or credit card, you must click the "check out with PayPal" button.   The next screen will permit you to submit your credit card information.  If you wish to pay by check, after this screen, we will receive the information you've entered.  Then promptly mail us your check.  Thank you.

Register Now! 

Refresh your mind, body, and spirit with worship, study, conversation, and fellowship.