Location: First Presbyterian Church of Jefferson, 208 W State Street, Jefferson IA 50129
Date: August 24, 2024 | Free Registration
Schedule
- 9:00 Coffee Talk (social)
- 10:00 Opening Worship
- 11:15 Morning Workshops
- 12:15 Lunch
- 1:15 Afternoon Workshops
- 2:15 Closing Worship with the Lord’s Supper
- 3:00 Decaf Recap (social)
Morning Workshops
- Difficult Encounters with Jesus in the Gospels
- Presenter: Amgad Beblawi, Iowa Tri-Presbyteries Ministry and Mission Executive
- Workshop Description: In the gospels, Jesus makes difficult demands from those who want to follow him. We will examine some of these encounters to understand the costs and rewards of discipleship. You are encouraged to read chapters 9-14 of the gospel of Luke in advance, but it is not a requirement.
- Encountering Jesus in the Practice of Prayer
- Presenter: Erica MacCreaigh, Transitional Pastor, Des Moines Presbytery
- Workshop Description: “Through the Bible, God speaks to us. Through prayer, we speak to God” (St. Augustine). Learn how prayerful engagement with Scripture enables rich encounters with Jesus in this introduction to lectio Divina and the contemplative and meditative exercises of St. Ignatius. Come prepared to pray!
- Christ-Conscious Ruling Elders
- Presenter: Ian McMullen, Pastor to the Iowa Tri-Presbyteries
- Workshop Description: TBD
Afternoon Workshops
- Intergenerational Encounters with Jesus
- Presenter: Sara Sutter, Lakeshore Center Director
- Workshop Description: When we approach our faith, we bring our entire person with us and part of our identity comes from the generation in which we are raised. We will take a look at the variety of ways generations encounter Jesus. We’ll also explore ways we can effectively share the gospel with people of any age.
- Encountering Jesus Next Door – Exegeting Your Neighborhood
- Presenter: Skip Shaffer, pastor of the Oswego Presbyterian Church in Oswego, Illinois and former Associate Dean at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary
- Workshop Description: “Who is my neighbor?” is one of the primary questions that Jesus addresses throughout the gospels and it is still a question we ask today. Do our churches reflect the communities in which we live or are they segregated islands of people who are just like us? This workshop will encourage us to examine our mission and look at the neighborhoods that we live and serve in through a lens of faith and with an eye on how we might expand our own definition of neighbor to better fit the expectations given to us by Jesus.
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Encountering Jesus in our Practice of Hope: A User’s Manual
- Presenter: Rev. Nathan Williams, Pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Des Moines Presbytery
- Workshop Description: When the going gets tough, we can focus on the difficulty or on how much work there is to do. We’ll explore the wisdom of runner, coach, and pastor MaryAnn McKibben Dana who invites us to go back to basics and put our focus on how we show up to the challenges in front of us. We can practice living in the shape of Jesus Christ as we invest ourselves in leadership for our churches, families, and communities.
