Presbyterians Organized in Nurture & Teaching (POINT) will gather in Nashville, Tennessee, for annual training on Tuesday and Wednesday, January 26–27, 2010. The theme is “How Deep is Your Well?” The focus Scripture for this year’s theme is from Ephesians 3:17–18, “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together with the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ” (NIV).
Participants will explore what it means to embrace, nurture, and commit to a deeper and wider faith as the body of Christ, called to “Grow Christ’s Church Deep and Wide.”
Susan E. Hylen, assistant professor of New Testament, Vanderbilt University Divinity School, will be our guest speaker and facilitator. Dr. Hylen, a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary and Emory University, is the author of Imperfect Believers: Ambiguous Characters in the Gospel of John, soon to be published by Westminster John Knox Press. Dr. Hylen will share her thoughts about what a deep and wide faith looks like, using insights from her research on biblical characters, metaphor, and irony in the gospel. She will lead a process for participants to express and discern the depths of individual and corporate faith.
Orientation for new POINT volunteers will be held on Tuesday at 1 p.m. This two-hour session will provide an overview of what it means to be a POINT representative. At the same time and in a separate location, resource center directors and presbytery staff members will gather to explore the unique opportunities and challenges in resourcing congregations and coordinating the ministry of POINT volunteers.
Other features of the event include a resource display, vibrant worship, exploration of Web sites that encourage and support a deep and wide faith, an in-depth experience with an age-specific session of the revitalized We Believe and the opportunity to discover what’s new from Congregational Ministries Publishing.
The 2010 POINT event brochures are mailed to all POINT volunteers, resource center directors, and presbyteries. Presbyteries are invited to send any number of volunteers or staff who would benefit from attending the POINT event. However travel reimbursement and dinner reservations are limited. If you do not receive a brochure by October 15, please download a brochure or register online.
The registration deadline is December 18, 2009. Participants are encouraged to register online. Mail or fax paper registration forms to:
Jerri Smith, POINT registrar
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
100 Witherspoon St.—M040A
Louisville, KY 40202
Confirmation of your registration will be sent by e-mail through the Eventbrite registration site. If you do not receive an email confirmation, please contact Jerri Smith at (888) 728-7228, x 5179.
Scholarships for travel are available for up to 150 registered participants who attend all sessions as a presbytery’s designated POINT representative. Reimbursement forms will be available at the event. For more information, contact Candace C. Hill, (888) 728-7228, x 5166.
God calls each of us to a deep and wide faith experience. How deep is your well?
Letter from the Coordinator
This fall proved more challenging for some congregations. The usual summer slump in giving was deeper than in past years. Irregular or low attendance sapped much-needed spiritual energy. Breaks from routine study together were harder to overcome. Maybe scarcity is true for some, but not reality for all!
The e-mails, phone calls and conversations with people from across the country give a different perspective. As leaders gear up for fall, many turned their summer challenges into opportunities. One congregation hosted a community mission fair. This church was so determined to be relevant in tough economic times that they expanded their Splash newsletter ministry to any families who visited the booth during the fair, not just their own members. Another congregation, not sure they could afford curriculum, discovered the abundance of activities for the price available in the We Believe family of resources. Many churches were excited to discover what they can use for free at the Opening Doors to Discipleship Web site. Plans are alive and well, rich with possibilities.
Thanks to each of you who are helping congregations not just survive, but to thrive through POINT.
Candace C. Hill
Coordinator, Educational Ministries
Stay in Touch
October 11–14, 2009
Western Christian Educators’ Conference
Zephyr Point Conference Center, Lake Tahoe, Nevada
“Learning as Liturgy, Liturgy as Learning” with Eric Law
Learn more or contact Marcia Walker.
October 18–20, 2009
Mid-Central Educators’ Conference, The Elms Resort & Spa and Barbee Memorial Presbyterian Church, Excelsior Springs, Missouri
“Oasis” with Judith Todd and Valerie Isenhower
Contact Malinda Spencer, or call (816) 923–5486.
October 20–22, 2009
Great Lakes Association of Presbyterian Church Educators (GLAPCE), Clarion Inn and Conference Center, Hudson, Ohio (near Cleveland)
“Our Faith vs. Theirs?” Educating in a Religiously Pluralistic World with Dr. Richard G. Watts
Registration information
October 22–24, 2009
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
World Mission Celebration
Hyatt Regency, Cincinnati, Ohio
“branches of the same vine”
For information call (888) 728-7228, x5729, or e-mail.
January 26–27, 2010
Presbyterians Organized in Nurture & Teaching (POINT)
Renaissance Nashville Hotel
Nashville, Tennessee
“How Deep is Your Well” with Dr. Susan E. Hylen
Learn more or register online.
January 27–30, 2010
Association of Presbyterian Church Educators (APCE)
Renaissance Nashville Hotel
Nashville, Tennessee
Register online or email for more information.
Equipping the Saints
The goal of educational ministries in congregations is often summed up with the Bible verse, “To equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” from Ephesians 4:12. This passage challenges and encourages us to prepare all God’s people — children, youth, and adults — to live faithful lives and welcome others to faith in Christ.
After hearing Dr. Rodger Nishioka, Benton Family Associate Professor of Christian Education, speak at The Main Event — Sheppards & Lapsley and North Alabama Presbyteries’ leadership day in Birmingham — this Scripture text seems even more meaningful and relevant.
Dr. Nishioka, addressing the topic “Leaders for the Changing Church,” outlined eight trends to watch for ministry in the 21st century. Although his list of trends is fluid, Nishioka challenged participants to consider these dynamics and what they mean for preparing leaders (and equipping saints) today.
- The church body is moving from tribal, those who grew up in the Presbyterian church, to a church of immigrants with sixty percent of persons in the pews coming from another tradition or without church background. Are we equipping immigrant leaders by avoiding insider language, rituals, and events?
- Churches are exchanging mission out there for mission right here. Congregations continue to reach out through mission worldwide, but they actively serve their own neighborhoods to be relevant in a particular time and place.
- Those seeking and experiencing faith are moving from reasoned spirituality to mystery-filled spirituality. Today’s churches make room for people to question and experience more than to know.
- Churches are moving from official leadership to gifted leadership. People are called according to the gifts they bring to a particular task. They stand beside others to get the work done instead of directing others doing the work.
- Congregations are moving from long-range planning to short-term planning. The world is changing too quickly to become entrenched. Churches need to be agile.
- Churches are reaching others with less mass evangelism campaigns to more one-on-one evangelism ministry. Instead of boards and leaders asking the community to come to the church, servant leaders are called to offer congregational support. The big emphasis is on helping people articulate their own faith so they can be out in the community inviting others to come to church.
- The body of Christ is moving from churches of tradition to opportunities to experience. The post-modern pilgrims are led by participatory, image driven, communal experiences. The shift from tradition to experience sometimes reclaims ancient texts and rituals for what is called the ancient future church.
- The last of the eight trends is a shift from discipleship to apostolate. Churches in the 21st century are called to shift from gathering disciples into community to sending disciples out to serve and to bring others into community.
Churches of today are still called “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ.” They are called to do this in bold, new ways. They are called to be flexible, spirit-filled, experiential, welcoming, relevant places for each apostolate to gather in mystery and to go out to serve and to invite.
Resource Information
 Congregational Ministries Publishing presents a new Advent resource, With Hearts and Hands Uplifted: Daily Devotions for Advent. The 28 daily devotions for Advent and Christmas are based on familiar hymn texts with Scripture readings and commentary. See an excerpt of this resource in the Winter 2009–2010 ideas! For Church Leaders, page 10. Order through PDS, (800) 534-2612.
With Hearts and Hands Uplifted
Item #978-1571532077 • $9.95
 Trusted Voices: Spiritual Wisdom from Lost Generations of Women, by Diane Karay Tripp, chronicles the stories of 25 Reformed women whose narratives and voices were often overlooked or repressed. This book, complete with study guide for reflection and discussion, is a Witherspoon Press publication. Consider this book for an adult small group or as material for a women’s retreat. Order through PDS or online.
Trusted Voices
Item #978-1571532039 • $22.95
Faith Questions, mini-courses developed from questions posed by older youth about their faith journey and traditions, offer three titles each quarter. This curriculum from CMP was designed with older youth in mind, but can be easily adapted for broadly graded educational ministry. Each leader’s guide provides tools for four to six weekly sessions, including extensive background information and a variety of teaching options. To order call PDS, (800) 524-2612.
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