Small Church Gathering — Oxford
Saturday, May 6, 2017
9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Oxford Presbyterian Church
121 Gilliam Street
Oxford, NC 27565
Schedule
| 9:00 AM | Registration and Fellowship |
| 9:15 AM | Introductions |
| 9:30 AM | Presentation: Spirit at Work: Spiritual Leadership Development Rev. Vanessa Hawkins, Associate for Nurturing Ministries |
| 10:45 AM | Break |
| 11:00 AM | Morning Workshops |
| 12:00 PM | Lunch |
| 1:00 PM | Afternoon Workshops |
| 2:00 PM | Closing Reflections and Worship |
| 3:00 PM | Departures |
Morning Workshops
Church Websites and Social Media
Rev. Andy James, Associate for Small Church Ministries and Technology
Learn how to establish a church website and keep a presence for your congregation on social media. We'll talk about the software and services to choose from, the processes of making updates, and important policy considerations for churches.
Clerks of Session
Rev. Deky Hall, Assistant Stated Clerk
Join your colleagues serving as clerks of session to talk about the possibilities and perils of this important role in the small church. Learn about the basic responsibilties of clerks and discover how the clerk of session can support the work of your congregation.
Where Have Our Children Gone?
Rev. Alan Koeneke, Pastor, Oxford Presbyterian Church
The generational differences in our society are becoming more clear than ever in the church as younger people—even many raised in the church—choose not to be an active part of a Christian community. Join a conversation about the challenges and opportunities that come with these shifts among our younger generations.
Worship in a Box: When Your Preacher Can't Make It
George Dudley, Ruling Elder, Wake Forest Presbyterian Church
It's the call every elder dreads on Friday or Saturday or even Sunday morning—the preacher for Sunday is sick or can't make it. How can your church be prepared to worship without a pastoral leader present? Come and discuss some strategies and preparations you can do now to prepare for this moment!
Afternoon Workshops
Creative Worship for the Small Church
Panel Discussion
How do you make worship vibrant and interesting when the pews only seem to welcome a "faithful remnant"? Hear from some pastors and church members who have found ways to keep worship alive even when there is a smaller group, and share what your church is doing to make worship more welcoming and hopeful.
Conversations on Race
Rev. Mark Davidson, Pastor, Church of Reconcilation (Chapel Hill) and Rev. Kay-Robert Volkwijn
Questions of race and identity swirl everywhere in our society in these days, even when we try to deny them or look beyond them. How can our churches be a healthy place to talk about these issues? How do we start and continue these difficult conversations? (The Church of Reconciliation was founded in 1966 to be an intentional community of racial reconciliation, and it continues to wrestle with this vocation to this day.)
Discerning Your Church's Future
Rev. Andy James, Associate for Small Church Ministries and Technology
Churches of every size and shape are facing change and challenge in our world today. The cost of traditional ways of being church continues to rise even as church budgets remain flat. How do we explore new ways of being church together? When and how do we start having difficult conversations about how God is calling us to be church in a new way—or even to give up our traditional form to seek something new? Come and hear about strategies to have these conversations now rather than waiting until there are fewer options available.
Youth Ministry in the Small Church
Rev. Evan Walker, Pastor, Roxboro Presbyterian Church
Do you have youth in your church—even just one or two? Your church can do youth ministry! Come and hear about ways to engage in ministry with middle schoolers and high schoolers that don't require a huge budget, a dedicated staff person, or even a room full of youth.
Contact
Andy JamesNew Hope Presbytery
919-322-0143 x108
cajames@nhpresbytery.org