Current Menu of Resources Available

Spiritual Leadership and Congregational Development

Note: a printable brochure with this information is available by clicking here.

Workshops:

Change Dynamics

Discover your church’s current level of change readiness. See what steps are needed in order for transformational change to be well tolerated in your environment. Learn how to manage change effectively.

 Conflict Management

Learn about sources of conflict, management styles, assessing levels of conflict, when to call for outside help, and types of intervention.

Using Demographics

Learn how understanding your ministry context through the study of demographics and ethographics can impact your ministry.

Discover your personal leadership strengths and weaknesses. Learn how to create a balanced leadership team.

Learn the characteristics of the generations alive today, and see how that affects communication and ministry.

See how Jesus modeled strategic planning. Learn to put ideas into action. Find the wisest path to your destination by asking the right questions and using the right people.

This workshop covers the topic of small groups thoroughly. It is a step-by-step process that helps shape a congregation to provide a way to plan for small groups, train leaders, and implement these groups.

The workshop would describe ways that small groups can become faith-forming groups while at the same time retaining their purpose. You will find clear, usable suggestions for ways to weave prayer, searching the Scriptures, worship, fasting, holy conferencing, and service to neighbors into the fabric of your small groups.

Forming Covenant Discipleship Groups

The course finds its structure from the Covenant Discipleship model developed by David Lowes Watson and by others nurtured in the practice of Accountable Discipleship. Emphasis is placed on the practice of Christian formation through mutual accountability.

Stewardship: Creating A Climate for Generous Giving

Drawing on examples from current stewardship literature, this workshop designs stewardship education as part of the ongoing congregational life. It helps us to plan for changes within the natural rhythm of the church.

Embracing Diversity

This workshop is designed for churches to reflect and act on the complex interpersonal dynamics and institutional realities of living out our faith in an increasingly multicultural society. It should inspire laity and clergy who believe the church is a viable place of gathering for God's diverse people.

Understanding Our Connectional System

Learn how the North Central New York Conference is organized and where it fits into the bigger picture of United Methodism worldwide. See what your shared giving dollars support.

Staffing for Effective Ministry

This workshop considers the rationale for staffing patterns for churches of various sizes. Is your church over or understaffed? Are you supporting staff in the appropriate areas for your mission and ministry?

Models of Cooperative Ministry

In days of mainline decline, churches sometimes combine with one another, by choice or by decree, to make ministry possible. When this is merely a survival move it does not help for long. When true cooperation develops around a shared vision for ministry it can become a powerful tool for moving the disciple-making mission forward. This workshop considers information on models of cooperative ministry that might be employed and how they are best developed.

Structuring Your Church to Fulfill Your Vision

Since the 1996 Discipline United Methodist Churches have had more freedom to fit structure to ministry. How does your church's structure align with its vision for ministry? Considerations will include church size theory and generational and cultural style characteristics.

Creating a Plan of Ministry

This workshop outlines the elements of church planning and gives direction and guidance to leaders interested in more efficiently realizing the church's vision for ministry.

Churches Starting Churches

If your church is considering spinning off a satellite or special ministy that may evolve someday into a local church, the new church start team would like to be in conversation with you. We would be glad to talk to you about some possibilities and share some stories about models that are working.

Revitalizing Your Congregation

This is an introduction to the Church Health Evaluation Checklist, a tool to help you identify and implement a manageable plan for the near future of your church.

Note: The time frame and content of these workshops are tailored to your needs and expectations, normally done in clusters or groups of churches.

Process Facilitation Services:

Congregational Discernment Process

In a series of five sessions, this process offers a spiritual way to practice loving one another in congregational decision-making process about its future.

Congregational Visioning Process

In a series of four (three hour) sessions, congregation members work in small and large groups to generate a picture of the church’s preferred future. Each session is focused on an area of church life to be predetermined by a vision team. A significant amount of time needs to be spent with a carefully selected vision team, before these meetings take place.

Spiritual Leadership in the Small Membership Church

This is a series of six sessions outlining the stages of spiritual leadership development, providing simple but effective practices, ideas, and measures that encourage and guide small membership congregations along the path toward spiritual maturation and effective ministry.

 Focus Groups

Focus groups are way of interviewing people in community. If well managed, in such a setting people feed off each other’s creativity with wonderful results. Focus groups can be designed to address specific problems or issues, or to brainstorm around more general questions, such as the purpose of the church, or God’s vision for ministry in this place and time. An outside facilitator keeps the discussion flowing and on track, and guides the process into areas that need to be covered.