News

School for Congregational Development Goes High Tech

(NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 3, 2008, GBOD) — The 2008 United Methodist School for Congregational Development (www.gbod.org/scd) will be held simultaneously in two locations, July 31-August 5, 2008.

Churches in Florida and Michigan will be connected via satellite to expand the offerings for pastors wanting to learn how to create and develop disciple-making congregations.

Sponsored by the General Boards of Discipleship and Global Ministries, this is the first time in the school's history that it has been held in two locations.

Originally designed to train new church pastors, the School for Congregational Development has evolved to include tracks for bishops, district superintendents, conference staff, pastors, and church teams interested in starting new churches and revitalizing existing congregations.

Craig Kennet Miller

"We're excited about this year's school and the many opportunities we have available and, as in year's past, we believe that participants will receive a significant contribution to their ministry," said the Rev. Craig Kennet Miller, director of pastoral leadership at GBOD.

The host sites for the event are:

Grand Rapids, Mich./West Michigan Conference
Cornerstone United Methodist Church
2045 68th Street SE
Caledonia MI 49316
www.cornerchurch.org

Florida Conference
St. Luke's United Methodist Church
4851 S. Apopka Vineland Road #C
Orlando, Florida 32819
www.st.lukes.org

Karen Greenwaldt, General Secretary

"The School for Congregational Development continues to evolve in exciting ways as we focus our efforts on creating new places for new people and renewing existing congregations," says the Rev. Karen Greenwaldt, top executive for GBOD.

"The school is a tremendous asset to the Path 1 Team, formed in 2006, and charged with developing a U.S. strategy to train and equip 1,000 church planters and help annual (regional) conferences start 650 new churches by 2012.

"Working together, we can accomplish our mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world," Greenwaldt said.

Plenaries and worship experiences will be linked via satellite feeds, allowing speakers in Orlando to be seen on a video screen in Grand Rapids, Mich., and presenters in Grand Rapids will be seen on a screen at the Orlando venue.

Attendees can also participate in online Q & A's with speakers following their presentations on the School for Congregational Development website.

Among the topics and presenters are:

Originating in Orlando:

• "Spiritual Life of the Leader," Bishop Minerva Carcaño, Desert-Southwest Annual Conference
• "The Tribal Church," the Rev. Carol Howard Merritt
• "The 21st Century Church," the Rev. Bill Barnes, Pastor of St. Luke's UMC, Orlando
• "Leading in a Multi World," the Rev. Jorge Acevedo, Lead Pastor, Grace Church, Cape Coral, Fla.

From Grand Rapids:

• "En-Gauge the Disconnected," The Rev. Ed Jones, Founding Pastor, The Living Water UMC, Pearland, Texas
• "Innovate or Die," the Rev. Mark Beeson, Founding Pastor, Granger Community Church, Granger, Ind.
• "The 21st Century Church," the Rev. Brad Kalajainen, Pastor of Cornerstone UMC, Grand Rapids
• "Worship and Communion," the Rev. Jim Walker, Co-Pastor, Hot Metal Bridge, Pittsburgh, Penn.

For more information and to register, go to www.gbod.org/scd.

The General Board of Discipleship's mission is to support annual conference and local church leaders for their task of equipping world-changing disciples. An agency of The United Methodist Church, GBOD (www.gbod.org) is located at 1908 Grand Ave. in Nashville, Tenn. For more information, call the Media Relations Office toll free at 877-899-2780, ext. 7017.