ministry – Campbelltown Anglican Churches

Summer Ministry Training Week 2018

As the year starts, we are inviting you to kick start your year serving Jesus with some input and training to spur you on. As a growing Christian community, we need to keep working at developing the gifts we have, further devoting ourselves to maturing in Jesus and promoting the Glory of God. This is what Summer Ministry Training Week is all about.

Feel free to come to one workshop; feel free to come to them all! The program is plentiful and diverse and gives you the opportunity to pick and choose the areas you need help and encouragement in or the ways in which you can help and serve others.

WORKSHOP INFORMATION
How to Deepen your Faith in 2018 – Simon Twist
Learn how to engage with God so you can deepen your trust in God and consider the opportunities available to you in 2018.

How to Make Church Awesome – Nigel Fortescue
Learn how to come to church ready to have an awesome time engaging with God and helping others to do the same.

Sharing Jesus – A 3 part workshop – Mick Bullen
Learn how to bring Jesus into the lives of friends a family through creative, gracious, calm Christian thinking. This three part series must be taken in order but you can do just Part 1 or Part 1&2.

How to read the Bible with kids – Simon Twist
Nurturing the faith of the little ones in your life is both an opportunity and a responsibility. Learn how to do it effectively and thoughtfully.

Pastoral Care with the Bible open – Leanne Burns
Learn how to lovingly engage in caring for others using the Bible. An opportunity to learn more about how to listen, think quickly, answer calmly & bring God’s love to those in need.

How to Read the Bible Aloud – Simon Twist
An opportunity for our church Bible readers and those thinking about joining the team to learn or refresh your skills in bringing God’s word alive to the congregation.

Song Writing (2 hours) – Rob Smith
Rob Smith is a well known Australian writer, singer and song writer who has collaborated with the EMU Team and many others over 3 decades. He will lead a 2 hour workshop on song writing basics.

Pastoral Care – Praying with others – Leanne Burns
Learn how to pray in the most difficult of situations, calling upon God for healing and help. An opportunity to learn more about how to listen, think quickly, answer calmly & bring God’s love to those in need.

How to Unlock the Old Testament – Nigel Fortescue
For many it’s a mystery, to others it’s just history but to the Christian it ought to be a place of refreshment and delight that leads you closer to Jesus. Come and learn how to understand and learn afresh from the Old Testament.

Why Porn Kills and How to Avoid it – Nigel Fortescue
We are surrounded by pornography and it is killing your brain, your relationships and your future. Come and hear some of the latest research and learn how to protect yourself and your children.

How to Minister to People with Addictions – Jason Moss
Everyone needs Jesus – including the complicated people in our lives. Come and hear Jason reflect on his ministry thus far and learn some practical skills for engaging with addicts.

Sound Desk Basics – Chris Bailey
Learn the basics to be able to run the sound desk at church or school. A must do for those interested in serving in production ministry.

Sound Desk – Upgrade your skills – Chris Bailey
Now you know how to turn it on and move some sliders, it’s time to understand the capability of the desk before you. A must do for those serving in production already or those who complete the basics workshop.

Science, Philosophy and Jesus: making sense of it all – Mick Bullen
How do you make sense of and share Jesus with a world that seems to move further and further away from him as it places new foundations on science and rational thought.

Insights into Aboriginal Culture and Ministry – Michael Duckett
Learn from Michael’s wealth of wisdom on Aboriginal Culture and Ministry and hear his challenge to engage more fully with the first Australians in our church and community.

Understanding Dementia (90 mins) – Cheryl Atkins
Learn what dementia is and how to engage with loved ones with dementia. A practical component on meaningful communication and connection with people with dementia will be included.

Register here.
DINNER WITH THEOLOGY SESSIONS
Each night we have the opportunity to share dinner together while being theologically stretched. The dinner sessions provide an opportunity for conversation around tables, a stretching talk and time for questions. Registration will be out soon and you can pay your $10 and we will do the rest.
GROWTH GROUP LAUNCH NIGHT
A night for all the members of our church – those in a Growth Group, those curious about joining one and those not yet in one but keen to stay in touch with a group so they can be connected with our Christian Community. Hear about plans for the year and be encouraged to make your Group great.

One of the hardest things a minister ever has to do is close down a ministry – particularly one that people love! But sometimes it’s the best thing to do because it has stopped working or is not actually something a church should do.

In a previous church I was involved in closing down a much loved and cherished church service. The process was long, arduous and heart-breaking. The people who went along loved being together and loved the style of service. It’s just that no new person had joined them in years and they were not really interested in what the church as a whole was doing in Mission or Maturity. They had become an island that neither allowed embassies nor sent ambassadors. The ministry team decided that serving the few compromised effective ministry to the many.

Closing it down was the right thing to do as that ministry was disabling the church from moving together to reach its community.

As we move forward embedding the 5Ms into our church, we may need to face up to heart-breaking realities. It is possible that some of our ministry activities are no longer effective. It is possible that some of our ministry activities exist as islands and need to be reconnected. It is possible that some of our ministry activities do not fit in with our vision and strategies.

We need to evaluate all our ministries to see how they fit and whether they are being effective as we seek to be a growing Christian community devoted to maturing in Jesus for the glory of God.

Let me illustrate using Krafty Kritters. On a Friday night once a month, a group of people meet to do craft together at the church. The group is coordinated by a highly motivated volunteer who makes sure gatherings are advertised and that the room is set up and ready with tables and supper before people arrive. The group is open to new people from both inside and outside church and members actively invite friends who don’t know Jesus so they can be engaged in Christian conversation while sharing a hobby. Doing craft has a large following in our culture and this group provides an avenue for those with a reclusive hobby to connect with Christians and prayerfully, with Jesus. The leader has enquired of staff as to how to make the most of the opportunity and some ideas and training have been made available.

I see in Krafty Kritters an effective ministry providing opportunities for Membership and Mission. I say, may the group continue on!

It would be great to see all our ministries and groups use the 5M framework to evaluate what they are doing and perhaps change, sharpen or focus their energies. It may even be that some groups take the courageous step to think “We could be using our energies more effectively in another way to achieve the plans God has for us!”

Tag: ministry

Summer Ministry Training Week

Are we doing what we should do?