Featured Webinars & Seminars
Highlighted webinars are listed roughly from most immediate to furthest out:
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HOW TO BUILD A UNIFIED TEAM WORKSHOP
Alignment of vision and purpose doesn’t happen by accident, and it isn’t maintained without careful attention and proactive strategies.
Based on his new book, Saving Your Church from Itself, Chris Sunken will lead this free webinar exploring how to build unity and alignment amongst your team.
In this webinar you will learn how to:
- Clearly define team behaviors
- Bring awareness to unacceptable behaviors
- Keep your team aligned for years to come.
Learn more and register here.
August 17, 2022; 12:00 PM CT
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FREE LOGOS EXPLORE ONLINE
LOGOS is a weekly intergenerational experience, an intentional time for all ages – together – to learn about God and experience activities that grow their relationship with God and others. Each LOGOS gatherings consists of Bible study, recreation, a family-style meal, and a variety of worship arts to lead in worship.
Leaders can explore what LOGOS is as they explore why it’s a valued approach to intergenerational ministry and how it could be possible in their own congregational setting.
Learn more and register here.
Thursday, August 18, 2022; 10:30-11:30 AM CT
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SHOWING UP AFRAVE: BOOK STUDY WITH SARAH CIAVARRI
Explore what it means to show up ‘afrave’. Join Board Certified Chaplain and author Sarah Ciavarri for a fulfilling online book study event.
Learn about the book study and register here.
Discover the book, Finding Our Way to the Truth: Seven Lies Leaders Believe and How to Let Go of Them (Fortress) here.
$65 (does not include cost of the book)/online via Zoom
August 18, 2022; 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM CT
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WRITING WORKSHOP: DREAMS EDITION
Do you have a book, curriculum, screenplay, or other creative project you can’t get out of your head? Give yourself the gift of getting it off the ground.
Join beloved author Traci Smith for practical advice, strategies, and community support for starting (or finishing) your passion project. Gathering includes presentation, networking, and Q & A.
Learn more and register here.
Friday, August 19, 2022; 2:00 PM CT
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GENERATION SPARK
Research has shown that young people mentored through Generation Spark are 70% more likely to stay connected to their local congregations. Receive a research-based action plan that helps retain youth in the life of the church and more fully integrate young people in leadership of the church.
Learn about Generation Spark at the informational webinar.
Learn more here. Register here.
Tuesday, August 23, 2022; 6:30-7:30 PM CT
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OUR WHOLE LIVES FACILITATOR TRAINING
Clergy and lay leaders who plan to offer an Our Whole Lives program this fall are invited to a three-day facilitation training at the Daycholah Center in Green Lake.
Our Whole Lives, or OWL, is a comprehensive human sexuality curriculum for elementary-age children through older adults, developed by the United Church of Christ and the Unitarian Universalist Association.
Cost is $475 – $650; depending upon room occupancy and denominational affiliation.
Learn more and register here.
August 26-28, 2022
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TASTE OF HEAVENLY MEETINGS
Are your meetings: boring? Too long? Nonparticipatory? Univocal?
If so, experience a Taste of Heavenly Meetings.
Heavenly meetings are where everyone participates and moves through the agenda efficiently and where care, lightness and curiosity are the norm. Get a Taste of Heavenly Meetings in two identical workshops from Damascus Project.
$10/participant/session
Learn more and register here.
Monday, August 29, 2022; 4:00-5:30 PM CT
Tuesday, September 13, 2022; 4:00-5:30 PM CT
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BELONGING: WELCOME WELLBEING
BELONGING is a basic human need.
BELONGING feels like it is in short supply.
BELONGING means we have been found – by God, our Self, our people, and our place.
The Ministry Lab is delighted to share eight fabulous presenters in seven amazing seminars/webinars inviting congregational leaders to explore:
- self-care
- countering leader loneliness
- emotional health of children, teens, and families
- intergenerational story-sharing with elders, those experiencing memory loss, elders, and their caregivers
- the radical belonging with God offered in sabbath rest
- broadening and deepening community through technology
- embracing equity and diversity in communal song
Clergy, faith formation leaders, volunteers and staff are invited to this in-person/online (hybrid) offering, made available to member congregations at a reduced cost. Invite colleagues and teams to create a more lasting effect and more sustainable outcomes. Join for one or all, or choose a la carte.
Learn more and register here.
September 13 & 20; October 4, 11, & 25; Nov. 1 & 8, 2022; via zoom or in-person
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LEADERSHIP FOR SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION
Sevenfold is a user-friendly, spiritually grounded framework of social transformation. It integrates ideas powerful enough to capture the complexity and dynamics of social transformation yet straightforward enough to be useful in daily work.
The Leadership for Social Transformation (not to be confused with United’s new Leadership Center for Social Transformation, which has a cohort beginning this fall; see here), is a powerful Sevenfold training to deepen knowledge and practice of social transformation. This training is for anyone who wants to strengthen their social analysis and strategic action.
Learn more and register here.
September 12, 15, 29, & 22, 2022; 6:30-8:30 PM CST – via zoom
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BELONGING TO SELF: SELF-CARE, CULTURAL NORMS, AND GRACIOUS BOUNDARIES
BECOME A TIME BOSS – FOR CHURCH LEADERS
Do you have WAY too much on your plate?
Making a calendar that both gets work done and honors your need for rest and time for friends and family is an uphill battle in an increasingly distracted, anxious and exhausted world.
Underneath your reluctance to ‘power down’ is a sense that you are unworthy of rest. Our racist, patriarchal, capitalist system teaches all of us that our only value lies in how much we do and produce. This is simply not true.
You are worthy simply by virtue of being YOU.
Join Rev. Nicole Havelka, a leadership coach and mindful meditation teacher, in a workshop that will help you step back, name your self-care needs and priorities, empower you to manage your time for work-life balance, and introduce you to mindfulness practices that will sustain you through stress-filled times and spark transformation.
Part of The Ministry Lab’s Belonging: Welcome Wellbeing series. You can register for one, some, or all of the series.
Learn more and register here.
MN-DK UMC Clergy register here.
September 13, 2022; 2:00-3:30 PM CT
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REDISCOVERING THE SACRED FEMININE
What we believe about the Sacred shapes the world we create. Today, as the rights of women are restricted and the elevation of hyper-masculinity celebrated, we must wonder how recovering our memories of the Sacred Feminine would help all of us to shape a more sustainable and just world.
Although it is not always recognized in practice, the source of wisdom in our traditions (feat. Buddhism, Christianity, & Great Lakes Indigenous) does indeed lie in the Sacred Feminine. In this lively discussion, Rev. Cameron Trimble and Rev. Dr. Isa Gucciardi will explore the implications of this oversight and seek to refocus our attention on how the teachings of the Sacred Feminine enliven and nourish our own growth.
$35
Learn more and register here.
Thursday, September 15, 2022; 6:00-7:30 PM CT
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BELONGING IN CALL: LONELINESS AND THE PATHS TO OVERCOME IT
Research has shown that loneliness has become an epidemic in the United States. LeaderWise, a 501(c)3 parachurch non-profit, has done its own research into clergy loneliness and has found that clergy are no different than the average population, even though they have seemingly built-in community. MaryKay DuChene and Mark Sundby, will explore with participants the research on loneliness and set the stage for how to find a sense of belonging.
Part of The Ministry Lab’s Belonging: Welcome Wellbeing series. You can register for one, some, or all of the series.
Learn more and register here.
MN-DK UMC Clergy register here.
September 20, 2022; 2:00-3:30 PM CT
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LEADING FAITH-FILLED MEETINGS (OR HOW TO AVOID MEETINGS FROM HELL)
Join Damascus Project for a comprehensive course in how to lead effective and efficient meetings in faith communities – and elsewhere! Explore the mindset and skill of successful leaders, both on our own time and in live sessions on Zoom. This course is primarily for non-ordained leaders, but all are welcome.
Learn more and register here.
Live sessions: Sept 30 & Oct. 1; Nov. 11-12, 2022
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BELONGING OF FAMILY: EMOTIONAL AWARENESS TO SUPPORT CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND FAMILIES
This webinar will be a collaborative exploration of belongingness in families and the role of church leaders in supporting families in the quest for belonging. Together, we will tap into emotional needs, both for ourselves and the families with whom we work. We will explore what is needed for belongingness to flourish as well as the current barriers to belongingness, including the benefits and downfalls of technology and parasocial relationships.
Part of The Ministry Lab’s Belonging: Welcome Wellbeing series. You can register for one, some, or all of the series.
Learn more and register here.
MN-DK UMC Clergy register here.
October 4, 2022; 2:00-3:30 PM CT
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FOCUS ON: UNDER-5S IN CHURCH
Join three experts in children’s ministry to explore how toddler groups, baptism follow-up, and nursery rhyme mass can help build connections with under-5s and their adults.
There will be time between each short presentation for group discussion and a Q&A session at the end. Participants will be encouraged to think about how these principles can work in their own contexts and communities, and practical next steps.
Learn more and register here.
October 4, 2022; 1:00-3:00 PM CT
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SAFER SANCTUARIES: NURTURING TRUST WITHIN FAITH COMMUNITIES
First published in 1998, Safe Sanctuaries has guided churches and affiliated institutions as they implement abuse prevention plans for children, youth, and vulnerable adults. A changing world, however, calls for new and updated approaches to the work of abuse prevention.
In anticipation of their forthcoming Safer Sanctuaries: Nurturing Trust within Faith Communities (April, 2023), The Upper Room will offer a four-part webinar series featuring insights from Safe Sanctuaries writers and a sample version of the 2023 print resource.
Learn more and register here.
October 6, 2022 / Part I: Moving from Fear to Flourishing; A Theological and Conceptual Framework
October 13, 2022 / Part II: Foundational Elements of Safer Sanctuaries
October 20, 2022 / Part II: Putting It All Together
October 27, 2022 / Part IV: Blessing and Sending
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2022 ADDICTION AND FAITH CONFERENCE
The 2022 Addiction and Faith Conference is open to all who have been touched by addiction, with a special focus on leaders who provide spiritual care. Come and hear experts in the fields of Mental Health, Addiction, Faith, Science, Justice, Trauma, and more. These are the building blocks of our mission to Awaken Faith Communities to fully become places of welcome and healing for persons with addiction and those who love them.
Up to 9 CEU’s available.
Learn more and register here.
Learn about the pre-conference, How Shall We Live Retreat for Clergy (and seminary students) in Recovery (Oct. 4-6, 2022) here.
In-person and online options available.
October 6-8, 2022
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ENFLESHING WITNESS: HOMEGOING
Over the course of two days, witness creatives, storytellers, musicians, preachers, poets, and teachers enflesh the meaning of grief and hopeful longing as a practice of homegoing.
All those who will be sharing represent diasporas, migrant communities, minorities groups, and other countries.
This event is free for all to attend live; paid on-demand is available.
Learn more and register here.
October 10-11, 2022
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BELONGING AMONG ELDERS: INTERGENERATIONAL ART, JOY, AND (HI)STORIES AMIDST AGING AND MEMORY LOSS
Discover how the visual arts become a catalyst for networking and building communities. Paula Benfer will illustrate an Art Bright lesson, showing how communities respond, talk, and find common themes which reinforce recall, memories, and storytelling. Participants will leave with a completed art project, lesson plans for sharing an Art Bright gathering in their own setting, and tips for turning art sharing into intergenerational storytelling.
Part of The Ministry Lab’s Belonging: Welcome Wellbeing series. You can register for one, some, or all of the series.
Learn more and register here.
MN-DK UMC Clergy register here.
October 11, 2022; 2:00-3:30 PM CT
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BELONGING WITH GOD: REMEMBERING REALITY THROUGH REST
What’s most true about human beings is that we all belong to God and we all belong to each other. And yet, most often we treat belonging as a commodity to pursue, a scarce resource to be hoarded, or an optional status given or withheld by human beings. In this webinar we will explore our deepest belonging, and see how regular rhythms of rest are God’s strategy to return us to what’s most true, and empower us to live joyfully and courageously from our shared belonging.
Part of The Ministry Lab’s Belonging: Welcome Wellbeing series. You can register for one, some, or all of the series.
Learn more and register here.
MN-DK UMC Clergy register here.
October 25, 2022; 2:00-3:30 PM CT
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BELONGING FOR RELATIONSHIP: WHY DIGITAL MEDIA? DECENTERING ‘CLICKS’ IN FAVOR OF KNOWING AND BEING KNOWN
Many congregations are becoming more familiar with the numerous ways multimedia platforms can be utilized as tools for outreach. And some of this utility is all to the good. But what if our media use wasn’t about joining the popularity and ‘like’ craze and instead was a tool for building a sense of community, a sense of being heard and known, a sense of belonging? Come and learn how to develop digital media that invites both personal storytelling and intentional listening that enhances community and individuals’ sense of belonging.
Part of The Ministry Lab’s Belonging: Welcome Wellbeing series. You can register for one, some, or all of the series.
Learn more and register here.
MN-DK UMC Clergy register here.
November 01, 2022; 2:00-3:30 PM CT
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BELONGING AMID DIVERSITY: SONG AS INVITATION TO EQUITY AND INCLUSION
Singing is our birthright – we sing for joy, for connection, for expression.
Singing is the language of grief and praise, wonder and wisdom; we sing the world we want to inhabit, and we sing to understand the world we live in now.
We sing the songs of our ancestors and we catch new songs from the air around us.
Join in singing, learn new forms of song leadership for worship and community gatherings, and explore how song can empower us for justice, support us in grief, enhance our rejoicing, and bond us in broader and deeper experiences of community.
Part of The Ministry Lab’s Belonging: Welcome Wellbeing series. You can register for one, some, or all of the series.
Learn more and register here.
MN-DK UMC Clergy register here.
November 08, 2022; 2:00-3:30 PM CT
[Yes – it’s Election Day – join community; get inspired; pray; find a balm for your soul]
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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