Featured Conferences, Webinars, & Workshops
Highlighted events are listed roughly from most immediate to furthest out:
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LIBERATION & SALVATION: HEALING TEACHINGS IN BUDDHISM AND CHRISTIANITY
Both Buddhism and Christianity offer their own vision of hope to help us meet the challenges we are facing individually and collectively. They each offer a path to meaning that can help pus navigate our lives and help us find purpose when it eludes us.
Buddhist teacher and author Isa Gucciardi and Christian theologian, priest, and author Matthew Fox will compare the two traditions’ approaches through the mystical and prophetic calls of salvation and liberation. During an extensive question and answer, they will try to offer insight to help people with their own individual paths.
$35
Learn more and register here.
March 21, 2023; 6:00-8:00 PM CT
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WHAT EVERY MIDDLE SCHOOL MINISTRY YOUTH WORKER NEEDS TO KNOW
Middle school feeling more like misery than ministry?
It doesn’t have to be that way! Join Mark Oestreicher of the Youth Cartel for a morning dedicated to understanding the unique developmental realities of middles schoolers, how to craft an amazing ministry specifically for them, and to embrace the incredible people who find themselves in the middle school years.
Learn more and register here.
Thursday, March 23, 2023; 11:00 AM CT
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WESTMINSTER TOWN HALL FORUMS: WHAT THE WORLD CAN TEACH US
Three speakers will share what they have learned in their respective fields from living and working outside of the United States.
In-person: Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1200 Marquette Ave, Downtown Minneapolis
Free; no ticket or registration required; ample parking and seating for all.
ARI SHAPIRO -THE BEST STRANGERS IN THE WORLD
Ari Shapiro, the award-winning co-host of NPR’s All Things Considered has covered wars in Iraq, Ukraine, and Israel, and he has filed stories form dozens of countries. He’ll speak at the Forum about his new memoir: The Best Strangers in the World.
Learn more here.
Tuesday, March 28, 2023; 12:00/noon CT
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CAN MY CHURCH BE SAVED? A CONVERSATION ON SIGNIFICANT TRENDS IMPACTING POST-PANDEMIC CONGREGATIONS
While much of the world is experiencing significant transition, few places are as vulnerable to major shifts in engagement as faith communities. For years, we were seeing a decline in attendance within many congregations. Today, we see major shifts across the board – in attendance, giving, engagement, demographics, conflict, and change management to name a few.
Few people understand current church trends as well as Dr. Scott Thumma, Professor of Sociology of Religion and director of the Hartford Institute for Religion Research at Hartford International University. Dr.Thumma has published numerous research reports, website documents, articles, and chapters on religious life in addition to co-authoring three books on the changing religious landscape.
The webinar is live, but will be recorded for watching at a later date.
Free
Learn more and register here.
April 5, 2023; 11:00 AM CT
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EMOTIONAL EATING – AN INTRODUCTION
Emotional eating is a struggle many of us have faced, particularly when feeling isolated, anxious, bored, empty, frustrated or even excited.
Join Laura MacLachlan, registered psychotherapist, for an introduction to emotional eating, which will offer knowledge and practical strategies needed to understand and conquer emotional eating and make peace with food, including a brief demonstration about how to change one’s relationship with food and how to listen to one’s body.
This introductory training is a prelude to a 4-week course on emotional eating, offered following the introduction.
Learn more about – and register for – the introduction here.
Learn more about the 4-week course here.
April 6, 2023; 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM CT
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CHILDREN’S SPIRITUALITY SUMMIT
Learn about Generation Alpha and how to journey alongside them in the Christian faith. This virtual gathering will include daily keynote presentations followed by a panel response and breakout session led by leading researchers and practitioners.
Learn more and register here.
April 18-19, 2023; 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM CT – via Zoom
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WESTMINSTER TOWN HALL FORUMS: WHAT THE WORLD CAN TEACH US
Three speakers will share what they have learned in their respective fields from living and working outside of the United States.
In-person: Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1200 Marquette Ave, Downtown Minneapolis
Free; no ticket or registration required; ample parking and seating for all.
ELLIOT ACKERMAN – AMERICA’S END IN AFGHANISTAN
Elliot Ackerman is a former Marine who served five tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is the New York Times-bestselling author of multiple books, including his most recent: The Fifth Act: America’s End in Afghanistan.
Learn more here.
Tuesday, April 18, 2023; 12:00/noon CT
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WESTMINSTER TOWN HALL FORUMS: WHAT THE WORLD CAN TEACH US
Three speakers will share what they have learned in their respective fields from living and working outside of the United States.
In-person: Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1200 Marquette Ave, Downtown Minneapolis
Free; no ticket or registration required; ample parking and seating for all.
DR. POOJA LAKSHMIN – MENTAL HEALTH LESSONS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
Dr. Pooja Lakshmin is a board-certified physician psychiatrist specializing in women’s mental health and author of Real Self-Care. She will speak on mental health strategies from communities outside the U.S.
Learn more here.
Tuesday, May 2, 2023; 12:00/noon CT
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2023 FESTIVAL OF HOMILETICS: PREACHING HOPE FOR A WEARY WORLD
We believe in a hope that defies all odds. A hope that speak of new life amidst death. A hope that reaches for justice amid inequity. A hope that knows the promise of God’s righteousness amid fear and despair.
The Festival of Homiletics 2023 will inspire us to a renewed sense of our radical calling.
Our weary world needs us, preachers. Hope wins.
Come renew, refresh, and recharge your spirit!
In-person (Minneapolis, MN) or Digital Access
Learn more here. Register here.
May 15-18, 2023
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OUR WHOLE LIVES TRAINING
Our Whole Lives (OWL) is a comprehensive human sexuality curriculum for elementary-age children through older adults. Clergy and lay leaders who plan to offer an OWL program in their settings are invited to three days of facilitation training – which will be offered for both elementary (grades K-1/4-6) and secondary (grades 7-9 / 10-12). However, each participant may participate in training for just one age level, so consider sending a team to be trained to start or expand the OWL program in your congregation.
Cost: $350 for shared double-occupancy room, meals and trainings for UCC participants; $450 for non-UCC participants. A limited number of private rooms are available for an additional fee of $75.
Learn more and register here.
Camp Onomia, Onamia, MN
May 19-21, 2023
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2023 SYMPOSIUM: CREATING A CULTURE OF LIFELONG FAITH GROWTH
The Faith for a Lifetime Symposium will explore how every church community can foster the faith of every age and generation – for a lifetime. The two-day Symposium will focus on the ‘how to’ of building a culture of lifelong faith growth in today’s world with vision, practices, and tools. Every participant will create a blueprint for making their church a community that fosters Faith for a Lifetime.
Learn more and register through links for each location:
- May 31-June 1 – Holy Family Retreat Center (Hatford, CT) learn more
- June 6-7 – Franciscan Center (Tampa, FL) learn more
- July 11-12 – Bellarmine Retreat Center (Chicago) learn more
- July 25-26 – Mercy Center (San Francisco) learn more
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INTERGENERATE CONFERENCE 2023
A unique aspect of InterGenerate is that it is a blended conference – the is, it welcomes both academics and practitioners who are passionate about bringing the generations together.
Around twenty workshops will be presented and around a dozen papers will be shared.
Learn more and register here.
Lipscomb University, Nashville TN
June 13-15, 2023;
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LEADING THE CHURCH’S SONG: SUMMER MUSIC CLINICS – 2023
Organist Anne Krentz and musician Karen Black lead Augsburg Music’s Summer Music Clinics 2023. Save the date for their Twin Cities events: July 31-August 1, 2023.
A “blue whirl” is a newly-discovered phenomenon in which four separate types of flame combine into a blue fire-tornado that burns without soot: a tool researchers hope will lead to more environmentally friendly oil-spill clean-ups and perhaps cleaner energy.
We curate Blue Whirl Webinars from opportunities around the region and across the country to support leaders and congregations – in all areas of ministry – bringing together presenters, leaders, colleagues, and the Holy Spirit: four flames combining to “clean-up” tired ministries and energize leaders and communities for new life – hopefully without leaving any environmental hazards in our wake!
Get inspired, learn something new, explore others’ innovations, grow and develop as an individual and/or as a congregation.
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