Unfortunately, this event is cancelled.

Speaking of Faith: Spirituality, and language.

Date: April 18, 2020. 9:00am-4:00pm

Location: Canadian Mennonite University, South Campus

Cost: $65 for the day, includes lunch.

Online Registration coming soon.

Plenary sessions and workshops will help us wrestle with how we talk about our faith. Experiences of God are profound, often deeply personal, and we frequently struggle with communicating such experiences with others. What language do we use in 2020 to talk about these experiences with our church family, and those outside the church?

Guest Speakers:

• Carolyn Klassen - Conexus Counselling (website)
  
• Andrew Dyck - Assistant Professor of Christian Spirituality and Pastoral Ministry at CMU (website)
  

Workshops

Language in Worship: what language do we use when we corporately come before God? Is this different from our personal spiritual walk with God? How do we begin to include the sensitivities of many in our worship?

Finance: Congregations frequently struggle to meet their budget. Talking about money seems to help. How do we have meaningful conversations about this very personal topic?

Membership: Many of our congregations are taking seriously a conversation about what it means to be a member of this group. Does membership have new meanings, and is membership required for congregational life, leadership, decision making, and participation?

Language and conflict: Sometimes the words we use are the source of conflict. Are there ways that we can learn to better understand each other in tense times and conversations?

Preaching as Spiritual Practice: Preachers are word smiths. Spiritual practices frequently focus on listening or experiencing God using different communication patterns. How can preaching be informed by Spiritual practice?

Mission: Sharing faith with neighbours: Mennonites frequently live out their mission. Increasingly our neighbours have very little faith context and while they appreciate the missional help offered, they don’t understand the faith behind it. How can we express our faith in words that make sense in this culture and in our society?

Circles of Grace: Circle of Grace is a curriculum that has been written and approved by educators, psychologists, and faith leaders, to help kids and youth (k-9 & 9-12)  understand boundaries, communicate uncomfortable feelings, and most importantly to understand their abundant value, to themselves, their family, community and God. MCC staff person Jaymie Friesen will offer an introduction to this curriculum and help us explore how it can be utilized within our faith formation ministries.