Current Conferences

2009 alt7 Conference

June 8-11, 2009

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“The Power at Work Within Us”

As clergy under 40, we are leaders in the church, yet we are younger than the average Presbyterian. We may be online, energized, underpaid, frustrated, creative, isolated, prophetic, weary, traditional, misunderstood, innovative, disillusioned, post-modern, hopeful, or all of the above. Connect with a community of young clergy for spiritual renewal, mutual encouragement, relevant workshops, and worship you don’t have to lead. We pray that we “may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

…and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:19 (NRSV)

Key Leaders

  • Troy Bronsink, Atlanta, GA; Presbyterian minister, a member of the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta’s Emerging Church Committee, Emergent Village Coordinating group, the Presbymergent Coordinating Group, and contributing author to An Emergent Manifesto of Hope. He actively blogs at churchasart.com.
  • Bruce Reyes-Chow, San Francisco, CA; pastor, Mission Bay Community Church and moderator of the 218th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
  • Loli Reiter, Brandon, FL; pastor, mother of two girls, and the camp director’s wife at Cedarkirk Camp and Conference Center.
  • Alice Ridgill, Clinton, SC; campus pastor, Thornwell Home for Children; pastor, Hartness-Thornwell Memorial Presbyterian Church.

Workshop Descriptions

Repeated Tuesday and Wednesday, 10:15-11:45 am. Select two:

  • Solo Pastor Mark Hunt, Wadmalaw Island, SC; pastor
  • Conflict and the Work of the Gospel Participants will reflect and learn about the ways in which conflict supports and undermines the work of the Gospel in ministry. Participants will engage theologically the various theories of conflict management and their personal experiences of church conflict. Attention will be given to the intersection of formulating a working definition of conflict with its practices, while critically engaging colleagues in dialogue and analysis. The intention of this work, therefore, is to help one another become better leaders in our various ministries through the actual conflicts we experience in ministry. David Forney Clarksville, TN; pastor, First Presbyterian Church.
  • Tending Your Soul Learn more about spiritual practices for self care. A variety of disciplines will be covered to accommodate each person. These will include types of prayer, Sabbath keeping, journaling, and holy play. Liz Forney Clarksville, TN; serves at large as a spiritual director in the Presbytery of Middle Tennessee.
  • Women of Faith Participants will focus on global issues affecting women and their impact on the congregational level. Through reflection and discussion, participants will explore how these identified issues interrelate with their personal and professional lives. Amy Summers-Minette, Staunton, VA; associate pastor,Covenant Presbyterian Church in Staunton, VA. A graduate of Columbia Theological Seminary, she has served as a workshop leader, worship director, and keynote speaker for youth and women’s conferences.
  • Emerging Worship Environments What does it take to cultivate open space where every-day worshippers participate as theologians? It takes a lot of things including a high theology of participation, a holistic understanding of incarnation, and an appreciation of the sacredness of everyday life. Learn how embodied-prayer-meeting-technology can put worshippers in play as interpreters and how worship can be a natural outgrowth of mission in today’s conceptual or post-modern age. Adam Walker Cleaveland, Oakland, CA; contributing author for the book, An Emergent Manifesto of Hope. Adam blogs regularly at pomomusings.com & presbymergent.org, and does web and graphic design at Cleave Design, and is a member of the Emergent Coordinating Group and the presbymergent Coordinating Group. Troy Bronsink, Atlanta, GA; Presbyterian minister, a member of the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta’s Emerging Church Committee, Emergent Village Coordinating group, the Presbymergent Coordinating Group, and contributing author to An Emergent Manifesto of Hope. He actively blogs at churchasart.com.
  • What Does the Lord Require? A Bible Study Participants will explore and discuss a Biblical foundation for justice and mission. Eriberto (Eddie) Soto, Charleston, SC; associate for Latin American Ministries of the Charleston Atlantic Presbytery and former coordinator for South America in the PC(USA) offices in Louisville, Kentucky.
  • Moving a Traditional Church into the 21st Century… . . . in ten easy steps. (Just kidding.) Since the mainline’s heyday in the mid-20th century, almost everything – from the way we shop to the way we learn to the way we communicate – has changed. Everything . . . but the church. Come share and discuss ideas on re-learning how to be the church. Jan Edmiston, Alexandria, VA; pastor, Fairlington Presbyterian Church in the Washington D.C. area. Jan blogs regularly and is a part of Presbymergent.
  • The Associate Pastor’s Workshop For those whose job description includes “everything the head of staff doesn’t feel like doing.” Discuss the generational and technological shifts that might affect your ministry, and learn how to nurture your gifts in your particular context. Carol Howard Merritt, Washington, D.C.; pastor, Western Presbyterian Church and author of The Tribal Church: Ministering to the Missing Generation. She blogs at tribalchurch.org.

Offered Wednesday, 2:15-3:45 pm. Select one:

  • Know Money Tomorrow Are you saving enough? If not, what about social security, pensions, and other benefits? Learn more about the options available to you. T. Clark Simmons, Atlanta, GA; regional representative for the Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church (USA) serving the Synod of South Atlantic and part of the Synod of Living Waters.
  • Let’s Make a Deal: Getting the Most from Your Terms of Call Learn how to put the most money in your pocket without costing the church more. Brian Wyatt, Greeneville, TN; pastor, Timber Ridge Presbyterian Church
  • To Everything, There is a Season: Beginnings, Endings, and Resiliency in Ministry Participants will explore the key aspects involved in transitions, such as the healthy beginning to a new pastorate, changes in the midst of a call, or saying goodbye. Emphasis on self care and discernment will be offered. Transitions, no matter how well anticipated or encouraging, run throughout ministry and are spiritually, emotionally, and physically taxing, therefore, we will also explore resiliency and renewal in this workshop. Liz and David Forney, Clarksville, TN; David is pastor at First Presbyterian Church Clarksville; Liz serves at large as a spiritual director in the Presbytery of Middle Tennessee.
  • New Church Development Every church was a new church at one time because someone had a call to reach a new group of God’s people. With more people than ever before not going to church, the need is great for called, gifted, and passionate ministers to help bring communities of faith into existence. Learn about what it takes to start a New Church Development and whether it might be what you are called to do. Philip Lotspeich, Louisville, KY; serves in the New Church Development office of the PC(USA).
  • Moving Beyond the Book of Common Worship You don’t have to be a money endowed, staff-enriched mega-church in order to create worship gatherings that empower and enable post-modern followers of Jesus to encounter the presence of God in weekly worship settings. Come and join the dialogue as we explore & discern the ways in which our local congregations can transform our worship gatherings using the four post-modern elements identified by Leonard Sweet of experience, participation, image-driven culture, and connectionalism. Monte McClain, Oakland, CA; pastor at Fruitvale Presbyterian Church (www.fvpc.org), an urban, multicultural, redeveloping 100+ year old church community that is always looking for money, volunteers and creative ideas to enliven worship as we seek to be a community of faith in constant transformation. You can begin the discussion before the Alt7 Conference by encountering him on his blog @ www.monteskewed.blogspot.com.
  • Welcoming Children into Worship Explore how to educate children and the congregation about worship from within the worship setting. Discover a multitude of ways to include children as active participants in the worshiping community. Joyce MacKichan Walker, Princeton, NJ; minister of education at Nassau Presbyterian Church. She is co-author, with Carol Wehrheim, of Teaching Children Worship in the Sanctuary. She was named Educator of the Year by the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators in 2008.
  • Conversation with the Moderator Moderator Bruce Reyes-Chow invites everyone to join him in conversation about any or all of the following: the PC(USA), clergy under 40, web 2.0, the Oakland A’s, motorcycles, and the future of the church. Bruce Reyes-Chow, San Francisco, CA; pastor, Mission Bay Community Church and moderator of the 218th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

Program Fee

  • on or before April 27: $150 (full), $100 (spouse)
  • after April 27: $175 (full), $125 (spouse)

Cost for Housing & Meals

Rates are per person and include all room and meal charges for the entire conference (Monday supper-Thursday breakfast). No adjustments to package will be made except for extended stay. Meals for children ages 5-11: $38.75; under 5: no charge. No room charge for children under 12 years of age in the same room with parent(s).

Assembly Inn

  • Single, Private Bath: $346.50
  • Single, Connecting Bath: $286.50
  • Double, Private Bath: $211.50 per person
  • Double, Connecting Bath: $181.50 per person

Winsborough

  • Single, Connecting Bath: $226.50
  • Double, Connecting Bath: $151.50 per person

Registration/Child Care Information

Conference begins Monday, June 8, with registration 3:30-5:30 PM, Assembly Inn Lobby. Conference ends Thursday, June 11, with morning worship.

If you would like conference information mailed to you via U.S. mail, please email carolo[at]montreat.org. Questions about registration? Email the registrar at susana[at]montreat.org.

Child care is available. Pre-registration required; limited enrollment.

Cancellation Policy

Cancellations must be received by April 27 in order to receive a full refund less a $25 service charge. Cancellations received after April 27, but on or before June 1, will receive a 50% refund of the conference fee and payments made toward room and meal charges (if applicable), less $40. No refunds will be issued after June 1. All requests must be in writing and received via email, fax, or U.S. mail.

Planning Team

Laura Becker, Nashville, TN
Shawn Coons, Houston, TX
Katie Day, Jacksonville Beach, FL
Mark Hunt, Wadmalaw Island, SC
Lauren Mathews, Montreat, NC
Jihyun Oh, Arlington Heights, VA
Camille LeBron Powell, Little Rock, AR
Brian Wyatt, Greeneville, TN

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