The CEU News - May, 2023

Events - Coming Soon!

Check the Holston online calendar for a full listing of future events.

May:

Jesus’ Abba: An Introduction to the Process-Relational Perspective on God

May 1-8 Online 1.0 CEUs

Based on the United Methodist theologian and philosopher John B. Cobb, Jr.’s “definitive book on the nature of God,” this course provides an introduction to process-relational theology, a school of thought that emphasizes free will and has deep United Methodist roots.

Before and After the ‘I Do’s’

May 1– June 3 Online 1.0 CEUs

This course is for clergy who will be doing premarital counseling for couples that include first responders, active military, veterans and their significant others. Information and discussions will cover relationships, communication, finances, and post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD).

An Effective Approach to Cooperative Parishes

May 2 Online 0.1 CEUs

Kay Kotan and Jason Stanley offer a roadmap for discernment and implementation for congregations to cooperate strategically and creatively to make a bigger Kingdom impact. They will show that the powerful impact of intentional regional ministry represented in the cooperative parish model is so much more than just operating as a charge for the clergy appointment-making purposes.

Fresh Expressions Vision Day

May 13 Johnson City 0.4 CEUs

In this Fresh Expressions interactive training day, you will:

• Catalyze a vision for a church that sends out the everyday people of God to be on mission in their networks and neighborhoods

• Brainstorm ways to connect with people your church may not be currently engaging

• Discover how fresh expressions of church can emerge alongside your traditional church

• Explore creative ways of being the church in the world today

Discover actionable steps that any congregation can take to be a more effective witness in the world in which we find ourselves.

Leading Like Nehemiah

May 15 - June 26 Online 1.5 CEUs

In this newest Wesley Academy course, Wesley seminary has spotlighted Nehemiah and his testament to the holy calling of leadership. learners will explore the role of prayer, the discernment of vision, the development of a team, and the work to persevere through inevitable challenges.

Passionately Christian, Compassionately Interreligious

May 15 - August 14 Online 2.0 CEUs

This course will expand your religious knowledge through a respectful study of core beliefs and practices of the major world religions, challenge and enhance our spiritual practice by learning from God’s witnesses in different places, and provoke theological wisdom that can rejoice in the particularity of Christ while respectfully celebrating the universality of God.

Leading in Uncharted Territory w/Todd Bolsinger

May 19-20 0.5 CEUs

Bristol, TN

For the better part of a generation, the church has faced a rapidly changing world, one that has pushed the church out of the center of the culture to the margins. Then COVID-19 happened, and the disruption to church as we knew it accelerated. Join us for a workshop on learning to lead all over again in a totally disrupted environment. Tod Bolsinger, author of Canoeing the Mountains and Tempered Resilience, will serve as our guide into the uncharted territory.

Preaching from the Gospel of John

May 23 Online 0.1 CEUs

Charles Maynard believes a good story doesn’t have to be explained. During this session, he will offer insights on sharing the Gospel of John and offer examples of tips to use storytelling while preaching from the gospel.

Congregational Leadership: UM History and Doctrine

June 7-13 Online 1.0 CEUs

Designed for Part-Time Local Pastors, this course will cover the development of The United Methodist Church in America. Topics to be covered include the life and ministry of John and Charles Wesley, how the Methodist Societies in England functioned, early Methodism in America, Methodist and EUB doctrine, and mergers and splits in American Methodism.

PeoplePortal User Instructions

(Includes directions for submitting CEU requests)

Event Evaluation Form

CLERGY NOTES:

A few words of clarification this month on CEU exemptions…

Essentially. If you are appointed and actively serving a church, you are expected to earn 3.0 CEUs per year. However, the following categories provide an exemption from that requirement.:

1. If you are a local pastor in the course of study program AND you have taken a COS course during the appointment year, you are exempt for that year. If you did not take any courses, you are not exempt from CEUs.

2. If you are a provisional member, you are exempt during your years of provisional status.

3. If you are retired, you are exempt UNLESS you are serving a church. Lifelong learning is considered an important element in your ministry.,

Book Review

The Jubilee Years: Embracing Clergy Retirement

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by M. Kathryn Armistead, PhD

Taking inspiration from the Spanish word for retirement--jubilacion-veteran minister Bruce Epperly challenges and empowers clergy to see retirement as a celebration of new possibilities. Similar in spirit to the Jubilee year described in scripture, retirement can be a time of transformation and exploration, of freedom to try on new versions of yourself and new paths of service. In that spirit, clergy can embrace creative transformation in their relationships, neighborhoods, religious communities, and politics. No longer tethered to the politics and administrative duties of congregational leadership, they can now freely commit themselves to relational, intellectual, and spiritual growth. They can also focus on personal, community, and planetary healing and transformation. Retired clergy can become sages and wisdom givers sharing their insights and energy with seminarians and novice pastors, congregations, and communities.

Bringing together the fruits of conversations with more than 100 retired clergy, theological reflection, and spiritual practices, this text provides a way forward for clergy considering retirement and retired clergy. Based on interviews from persons from diverse denominations, theological perspectives, and ethnic and racial backgrounds, this book garners wisdom from pastors on their retirement journeys, from personal preparation and public announcement to first steps following retirement and long-term adventures.

What is the overarching narrative that runs through your church or ministry right now? At the risk of being too simplistic, it is probably one of two extremes. One is a story of woe and discouragement that includes a recitation of all the different difficulties that we are experiencing.

A second says, “In the midst of a lot of bad news, God is doing something.” It’s a narrative that expresses curiosity and anticipation. It is not a naive view that ignores reality, but it is anchored in confidence that God is with us and is at work in our world.

A narrative is much more than a story. It can change the trajectory of a church or ministry. So, begin shaping your tomorrow with the words you choose today. It’s important to note that you can find facts to support either narrative. More important to note is that those in leadership largely determine which of the two narratives has the most traction within an organization. The themes and stories that you emphasize in your communication will set the tone for your church or ministry.

The first narrative emphasizes survival. Phrases like “hunker down” or “conserve resources” or “circle the wagons” characterize this narrative. This is a natural instinct when the world seems to be a dangerous place. The second narrative emphasizes opportunity. Leaders may talk about “taking new ground” or “better to try and fail than not try at all” or “getting out of our comfort zone.” It calls for movement that breaks out of the status quo.

What narrative would best serve your church or ministry right now? As you might guess, I believe the positive choice is better. Leaders who want to breathe life into the positive narrative do more than repeat the simple phrases in the previous paragraph. These leaders:

• Find and highlight the stories of good things that are happening. Dan and Chip Heath refer to this as “finding the bright spots.” Even in a pandemic, you will see bright spots if you look for them.

• Encourage creativity and experimentation. This may lead to new bright spots to highlight. And when it fails, the leader applauds the willingness to try something new.

• Retell the biblical stories that show God showing up and God’s people prevailing in the most difficult circumstances.

• Enlist others to be positive storytellers. The burden of creating a positive narrative shouldn’t fall on a single individual. Recruit and empower a team for this task.

• Stay anchored spiritually. Shaping and sharing a positive narrative comes much more easily from a soul that is being nourished by the Holy Spirit.

Finally, these leaders know that a narrative is much more than a story. It can change the trajectory of a church or ministry. So, begin shaping your tomorrow with the words you choose today.