Summer Institute: Summer Institute Offerings

The following is a partial list. Complete list is at the registration page.

1.) Host Name: Carla Barnhill

Offering Title: Writer’s Workshop

Offering Description: An informal session for anyone who has ever considered writing a book. The session will cover ideas for cultivating ideas, making connections in the publishing world, and developing a proposal. to come with writing samples, book ideas, or works in progress.

Offering Days: Wednesday, June 7

Offering Time: 7:30 p.m.

Cost: 1 unit - $25

Offering Location: The Garret, Solomon's Porch

2.) Host Name: LeRon Shults

Offering Title: Transforming Spirituality

Offering Description: In this offering we will explore together the dynamics of “transforming spirituality,” both theologically and practically. How can we facilitate experiences of spirituality that are really transforming? How is this related to our need to transform the way we understand “spirituality” itself? As Host I will lead us through a model of spirituality that emphasizes becoming wise, just and free through life with others “in” the divine Spirit. We will also explore the transformative practices of prayer, service and hospitality, through which the Spirit of God fulfills the human desire to know and be known, love and be loved, belong to and be longed-for in peaceful community. Plenty of time will be set aside for concrete discussions related to interpreting (and sharing in) the transformative experience of the Spirit in the contexts of each participant’s community. Before arriving for the Offering, please read the Host’s book “Transforming Spirituality” (co-authored with Steve Sandage), available by mid-May from Baker Academic (bakeracademic.com). Please also bring this book with you.

Offering Days: Monday – Wednesday, June 5-7.

Offering Time: Morning & Afternoon - Monday, June 5 and Tuesday June 6
Morning of Wednesday, June 7.

Cost: 3 Units - $75

Offering Location: Solomon’s Porch

3.) Host Name: Will Samson

Offering Title: Justice in the Burbs

Offering Description: For those who are living in a suburban context, living a life of justice to the poor and the disenfranchised seems like a great idea. The only problem? We don’t know anyone that fits that description, and suburbia seems designed to keep those kinds of questions far away from us. So, how do we live a life of justice in the “burbs”?

Offering Days: Thursday & Friday, June 8-9

Offering Time: 1-3 p.m.

Cost: 2 units - $50

Offering Location: Solomon’s Porch

4.) Host Name: Matthew Palombo

Matthew Palombo is an instructor of philosophy and religion at Minneapolis Community and Technical College – an urban, multicultural and progressive state junior college with over 55% students of color and a large population of international students. He is a covenant participant of the Solomons Porch community in Minneapolis. He and his wife Leah live in south Minneapolis.

Offering Title: Christian Community and the World Religions

Offering Description: This will be a 2-day lecture and discussion on the Christian community and the world religions with a specific emphasis on the role of interfaith language, civic engagement, and interfaith activities. The first day will be primarily lecture on significant principles of interfaith relationships and the world religions; key topics will include reestablishing the sacred world; religious truth statements; religious diversity and government; global interfaith citizenship; and important interfaith principles in the world religions. The second day will focus on the interfaith language of your own Christian community with the goal of establishing meaningful interfaith interaction, dialogue and community in your own city. The second day will be primarily discussion with some lecture. We will eat lunch every day together in downtown Minneapolis.

Offering Days: Wednesday & Thursday, June 7-8

Offering Time: 9am-1pm

Cost: 2 units - $50

Offering Location: Minneapolis Community and Technical College
                           1501 Hennepin Ave S
                           Minneapolis, MN 55403
                           Room L2007 (second floor of the library)

(MCTC is located in downtown Minneapolis, about 3 miles from Solomon’s Porch. You can pick up a map at the Porch or find directions, campus map and parking info at www.minneapolis.edu)

5.) Host Name: Tony Myles

Offering Title: The Assist – Becoming A Staff Member After God’s Own Heart

Offering Description: Not only is the culture changing but so is the way that the inside of a church staff works together. The fact is that the battleground for the lost and broken is often won, lost, or forgotten about as a result of the way Christian leaders treat each other. This seminar will address the key factors necessary for all members of a church staff to reflect the heart of God in their service to the church and their relationships with one another. This will involve:

Who does the Lord call each of us to be personally and professionally?
How should a team of different people with varying backgrounds, personalities, and positions ideally look when each member lives out a growing love for God and others?
What does it look like for people who see the culture differently to serve together in the same organization?
Why is the dynamic among staff on different levels of an organizational chart critical to the overall dynamic of a local church?
When might any set of circumstances be considered justification for an individual to emotionally “act out” when pressed by others?
Where in Scripture do we see examples and teaching that is affirming and contrary to the problem, giving emerging insight into possible application?

These issues will be creatively and interactively tackled by utilizing biblical principles, prominent Christian wisdom, noted secular thinking, and tangible case studies so that a healthy model for Christ-based leadership is the end result. While this is an important goal in itself, it is also a critical catalyst that contributes towards a healthier church.

Offering Days: Tuesday, June 6

Offering Time: 9 AM and 2PM

Cost: 2 units - $50

Offering Location: Solomon’s Porch

6.) Host Name: Tony Jones and Will Penner

Offering Title: Emerging Youth Ministry (sponsored by Youth Specialties)

Offering Description: The way that we are ministering to adolescents is changing in an emerging context. Many “emerging churches” have no formalized youth ministry, and many conventional churches are rethinking how and why they do youth ministry. Come and join this conversation about the future of youth ministry and what we can learn from emerging churches in this regard.

Offering Days: Wednesday & Thursday, June 6-7

Offering Time: Morning

Cost: 2 units - $50

Offering Location: Solomon's Porch

7.) Host Name: Tony Jones

Offering Title: The Theology of Jürgen Moltmann

Offering Description: Moltmann is one of the preeminent theologians alive today. Since his watershed Theology of Hope was published in 1964, he has been a bellwether of progressive and innovative theology that combines various sources of inspiration: liberation theology, philosophy, political theory, and ecology, to name a few. As such, Moltmann has much to offer the emerging church, so please join this conversation about his work and theology.

Please read at least one book by Moltmann in advance of this offering!

Offering Days: Wednesday & Thursday, June 6-7

Offering Time: Afternoon

Cost: 2 units - $50

Offering Location: Solomon's Porch

8.) Host Name: Elizabeth Potter

Offering Title: NURTURE: Cultivating Organic Church Plants

CANCELLED

9.) Host Name: Elizabeth Potter

Offering Title: (f)emergent: Care Webs for Emergent Women

CANCELLED

10.) Host Name: Mike King

Offering Title: Becoming Human: A Spiritual Theology for the Emerging Church

Offering Description: Much of Spiritual Theology has either been over simplified and formed through behavioral modification pedagogies or has become veiled in abstraction. Could it be that “our pursuit” to be “like God” is the cause of much of the dysfunction in our Christian lives and Church Communities? Perhaps Jesus came to “dwell among us” to show us how to become fully human. Maybe this is what people around us are desperate to experience – spirituality that embraces the sacred in the totality of life experiences and issues. This seminar will look at a Spiritual Theology that goes beyond cliché, comfort, self, and the hyper-spiritualization of the Christian life. We will explore a spirituality that is visible, authentic, holistic, encompassing the fullness of life – a perichoresis with God!

Offering Days: Friday, June 8

Offering Time: TBD

Cost: 2 Units - $50

Offering Location: Solomon’s Porch

11.) Host Name: Russell Rathbun

Offering Title: Reading the Questions: Interpreting the Bible with Hints from Derrida and the Ancient Rabbis.

Offering Description: The Bible is the holy book of our people and becomes the Word of God when read in community. With conversations partners from within and outside the tradition we will explore interruptive methods that seek to undo assumed readings of the text and seek the living, radically relating God.

Offering Days: Tuesday, June 6, Thursday, June 8, Friday, June 9

Offering Time: 10 am to noon

Cost: 2 units - $50

Offering Location: Solomon's Porch

12.) Host Name: William Wilkie

Offering Title: Young Professionals Ministry (Alternative to Youth Specialties content)

Offering Description: In a global world, youth and young professionals (secular) are asking the question, “How do I best live life on planet earth?” They are abandoning the church at age 18+ because the Body of Christ is providing limited the wisdom and little empowerment for their professional lives that is qualitatively better than what the world has to offer. Youth and young professional ministries are meeting the perceived needs for fellowship but not the unperceived need for the Biblical perspective that my work is HOLY as well as the Biblical competencies that will transform their work world. See www.netscope.com/young professionals.pdf for a 10 page white paper that will be the basis of our discussion. Youth ministries in the 21st century will prepare young people to compete and transform their work world locally and globally as we move from the ordained to the ordinary providing leadership in the church. Isn’t this what the kingdom of God was all about?

Come and join this conversation about the future of youth ministries that prepares young people to compete and transform their work world locally and globally.

Offering Days: Monday & Tuesday, June 5-6

Offering Time: Afternoon

Cost: 2 units - $50 (limited to 50 people)

Offering Location: Solomon's Porch

13.) Host Name: Tim Geoffrion

Offering Title: “Spirit-Led Leadership”

Offering Description: What’s really going to make the Church different? I’m talking about more spiritually alive and functional - more relevant, meaningful, life-changing, grace-filled, missional, energizing, life-giving, satisfying. There is not one simple answer, of course. But one thing is sure: at the core of a spiritually vital church are spiritually vital leaders. This Offering explores helpful ways to relate to God that energize us rather than de-motivate or weigh us down, and practical ways to become more effective spiritual leaders who create spiritually vital church/work environments. We will interact with insights from spiritual life coaching, biblical teaching, and proven leadership practices and soul principles. There will be many opportunities to talk with peers about vision, obstacles, feeling stuck, and getting unstuck. Before arriving, please read the Host’s recent book, The Spirit-Led Leader, which may be ordered on Amazon or directly from The Alban Institute (www.alban.org). To read more about the Host’s thoughts and background, check out www.spirit-ledleader.com.

Offering Days: Wednesday to Friday, June 7-9

Offering Time: Wednesday afternoon, June 7, 1:30-4:30
Thursday morning 9:00-12:00 and afternoon, June 8, 1:30-4:00 p.m.
Friday morning, June 9, 9:00-12:00.

Cost: 3 units - $75.

Offering Location: Solomon’s Porch

14.) Host Name: Luke Miller

Luke is the North American Coordinator for the Amahoro Africa Gathering that will take place in East Africa in May 2007.

Offering Title: Emerging Elsewhere: postColonialism and the Emerging Church

Offering Description: All over this ever-shrinking globe, conversations parallel to ours are happening, conversations of emergence. What does it mean to be the church in the postcolonial Global South? This offering will provide a brief introduction to the historio-cultural context of Africa, Asia, and Latin America, an overview of the prominent voices in the emerging conversation, and a discussion of how the church in the Global North can form healthy partnerships with the church that is emerging elsewhere.

Offering Days: Thursday, June 8

Offering Time: 7 – 9 p.m. (2 hours)

Cost: 1 Unit - $25

Offering Location: Solomon’s Porch

15.) Host Name: Doug Pagitt

Offering Title: God and the New Sciences

Offering Description: We will discuss the implications and opportunities of understanding God and Christian faith afforded by recent understanding of the way the world is as discovered in science. Topics will include Neurology, Physics, and Cosmology. While this may sound like total “Bill Nye The Science Guy” geekdom, it is not and will be lively and fun (for those of us who like this geeky kind of stuff any way).

Offering Days: Tuesday, June 6

Offering Time: 6 PM (Dinner) - 9 PM

Cost: Free

Offering Location: Solomon’s Porch

16.) Host Name: Doug Pagitt

Offering Title: So, your thinking about starting a church huh?

Offering Description: A discussion on new church starting. Especially good for those who are in the beginning stages of wanting to start a church or are wondering if they should.

Offering Days: Wednesday, June 7

Offering Time: 4 PM – 6 PM

Cost: Free

Offering Location: Solomon’s Porch

17.) Host Name: Dale Carter (sponsored by WorshipHouseMedia.com)

Dale Carter is an Image and Media Specialist at Igniter Media in Dallas, TX. He also leads the multimedia team at Journey, an emerging community.

Offering Title: Image, Art, and Technology: Multimedia and the Emerging Church

Offering Description: This course will examine the importance of image, art, and technology when crafting experiential and multi-sensory worship services. Class participants will also evaluate the effectiveness of current multimedia design, as well as explore cutting-edge resources and methods. This course is ideal for pastors, youth pastors, and worship leaders looking to deepen their appreciation for image, art, and technology in the church context, and who desire to learn new approaches to enhance their worship services.

Offering Days: Wednesday, June 7

Offering Time: 6 – 7pm

Cost: Free

Offering Location: Solomon’s Porch

18.) Host Name: Brian Dowd

This event is sponsored by Fuller Seminary

Brian is a Professional Coach, Founder of Next Step, and the Director of Coaching for ETREK- alternative education model for Biblical Seminary.

Offering Title: A Leader’s Infrastructure: Personal Stability Regardless.

Offering Description: One out of three ministry leaders finish well. The biblical record reflects this and today’s culture accentuates it. Our culture presents us with unprecedented rates of change. The challenge posed to ministry leaders today is to attain lasting stability that can respond to accelerated change. Every leader has a personal leadership infrastructure which includes habits, operating systems, networks of relationships and personal assets. How a leader develops and stewards his or her personal infrastructure makes a noticeable difference in sustainability, spiritual authority and lasting fruit.

This course looks at critical concepts to identify and assess your own infrastructure. A heavy emphasis will be put on peer interaction to learn from each other’s “best practices”, encourage one another and perhaps even develop the networks required for sustained leadership. The aim is to have each participant walk away with an elevated perspective, practical application and a clear next step to take that will enhance their leadership and ministry.

Topics include:

Finishing Well
6 Barriers, 5 Enhancements
Personal Disciplines- physical, mental and spiritual.
Social Base- patterns and profiles: economic, emotional, physical, and strategic base.
Relationship Infrastructure:

Family- Appropriately prioritized for the long haul… and right now.
Community- the source of a leader’s health and well-being.
The Leader’s Relationship Circle- staff, congregation, outreach, denomination, alliances.
The Network- The lifelines of relationships to get what you need when you need it.
Relational Empowerment- Mentor functions and strategies

Offering Days: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday

Offering Time: 1:00-4:00

Cost: 2 units - $50

Offering Location: Solomon’s Porch

19.) Host Name: Shelley Pagitt, Natural Health Coach

Offering Title: Holistic Living

Offering Description: There is a natural order in the world and a natural rhythm to life. Many people are out of sync with this order and rhythm, and desire to find balance in their daily lives. During our time together we will explore information and practical tips on natural foods, digestion, sleep, movement, breath and other necessities for healthful living.
Recommended reading: “What the Bible Says about Healthy Living” by Dr. Rex Russell will be a helpful resource prior to and during the course.

Offering Time: Tuesday and Wednesday 11:30-1:30 (Includes a Healthy Lunch)

Offering Cost: $ 50 (2 units)

Offering Location: Movement Studio @ Solomon's Porch

20.) Host Name: Julianna Gustafson

Offering Title: Straight Talk about Publishing Your Nonfiction Book

Offering Description: Did you know that 175,000 books are published in the United States every year, and only 10% sell more than 10,000 copies? How does this reality influence publishing decisions? What are the implications for aspiring authors? This offering will be an informal conversation about getting your book published in today's competitive market. We'll talk about what publishers look for in a book proposal, making yourself attractive to publishers, the "Christian" market vs. the "general" market, the value of a literary agent, and the author's role in marketing and promoting the book.

Offering Days: Friday, June 9

Offering Time: 1:00 - 3:00

Offering Cost: Free

Offering Location: Solomon's Porch

21.) Host Name: Nanette Sawyer

Nanette Sawyer is a Presbyterian Church (USA) new church developing pastor in Chicago (see her community at www.wickerparkgrace.net).

Offering Title: Mainline Emerging

Offering Description: An exploration of the gifts and challenges of planting/growing an emergent church out of mainline contexts. The session will begin with some storytelling about the Wicker Park Grace community (www.wickerparkgrace.net), a new church development in the PC(USA), then lead into open conversation. Topics will likely include developing a Christian center in a pluralistic context, healing from wounds inflicted by Christianity, using poetry and the arts to illuminate and interpret biblical story, the importance of our language about God, including the issue of gender in language.

Wicker Park Grace is evolving in an urban neighborhood, striving to be "centered in a generous and dynamic Christianity" (more concerned about our center than our borders) and lovingly engaged with a pluralistic world. We're located in an art gallery, engage with other religions, tend toward contemplative practices, and seek new language and new ways to be centered in Christian understanding and practice.

Offering Days: Tuesday, June 6

Offering Time: 2-5 pm

Offering Cost: 1 unit, $25

Offering Location: Solomon’s Porch

22.) Host Name: Terri Elton, Ph.D. student in Congregational Mission and Leadership and Erin Martinson, mission developer.

Offering Title: Construction of Local Theologies – Utilizing mission theology within emergent faith communities (2 part session – come to one or both)

Offering Description: Dialog and discussion on lessons missiology (ministry and theology) has to offer; how might local emergent theologies be framed missionally, and how might mission inform and frame our theology? During this gathering time, principles will be offered for shaping local theologies with the desire of opening up a conversation about how such ideas might shape and define local faith communities with grass roots theology.

Offering Days: Tuesday June 6th and Wednesday, June 7th

Offering Time: 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.

Offering Cost: $50

Offering Location: Tuesday Solomon’s Porch; Wednesday TBA

Comments

As I live on the West coast and have a full summer and fall schedule, I will be unable to make it to the land of 10,000 lakes. However, I wonder if any of these gatherings will be taped for distant listeners. Just curious . . .

Ken Smith

Posted by: Ken Smith | May 26, 2006 at 03:53 PM