Workshops

Saturday (May 5) features 24 workshops designed to train, equip, excite, empower, and inspire ALL who have an interest in faith and families. All are invited, not just registered voters and visitors. Registration for Saturday morning is required. Workshops will be offered once each with three sessions total. See below for titles, descriptions, and when each workshop is offered.

Workshop times on Saturday are 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., and 11:30 a.m.

Need child care? Children of assembly participants are invited to a free “Day Camp” hosted by Good Earth Village at the assembly on Saturday, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Day Camp is open to children ages 5-12. Registration is required, no walk-ins will be accepted. Register your child(ren) with a hard copy form (see page 8 ) by April 23 (postmarked by) or online by April 26. Please complete a separate form for each child.

Register for the workshops by mailing in the hard copy form (see page 7) by April 23 (postmarked by) or register online by April 26. You do not need to register for specific workshops, just indicate your intention to participate.

Download a PDF packet of the workshop schedule, descriptions, and registration.

9:30 a.m. Workshops:

• Congregational Best Practices for Safety, Security, Volunteer Background Checks & More
  with Karen Gieseke in McDonnell Suite B
  What are the best practices for your congregation to create a safe, healthy, and responsive environment for your children, youth, and vulnerable adults? Explore and identify the resources, tools, and training available to create a welcoming and attentive community. Learn about volunteer background checks, staff and volunteer training, building audits, safety and security policies and procedures, and more.
• Ministry with Children & Families with ADHD & Autism Spectrum Disorder
  with Dr. Susan Jenkins in McDonnell Suite A
  Susan Jenkins, MD, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, will discuss the challenges and fun of including impulsive and awkward children in your programming. The workshop will basic information about these common disorders as well as practical suggestions for inclusive ministry.
• Faith Across Generations
  with Marilyn Sharpe in Grand Ballroom A
  Each generation brings great and unique gifts to the Body of Christ. Together we will explore how we can do cross+generational ministry in the congregation that connects disparate ages and stages in telling their stories of faith, finding their stories in God’s story, and expanding the understanding of all generations in how God is at work in our world and in our lives. We will also develop ways to connect generations in our homes and families, circles of friends, and community to enrich life and expand understanding for all of us.
• We’re All In This Together – Nurturing Collaborative Ministry in Your Congregation
  with Rev. Charlie Ruud & Pam Vig in Mayo Suite B
  -Building relationships among staff, laity, and other leaders : Collaborative Decision Making
  -Creating a volunteer culture
  -Working yourself out of a job: creating shared ministry that will last beyond the tenure of any one staff member or lay leader
• Internet Safety and Cyber Bullying: Protecting Children Online
  with Sgt. Gretchen O’Neil in Grand Ballroom B
  Every day, kids are exposed to all kinds of visual information through computers, texting, and other cyber technologies. This workshop will educate and give tips to help identify, prevent, and address internet crimes against children including, but not limited to, cyber bullying, sexting, grooming, and harassment
• Baptism, Water Balloons and Bathtubs!
  with Dawn Alitz, Ph.D in Elliot Suite A
  Come and discover the mysteries and wonder of infant baptism that blesses the young child and family. Participants will learn how to immerse the baby in spiritual blessings before they are welcomed into the world, discover the gifts and treasures of infant baptism, and how we as parents can shower our young toddler with faith formation in the midst of everyday life. This workshop will be rich with practical ideas, laughter, and heart.
• Puppets as Storytellers: The Bible and so much more!
  with Sue Thalacker & Hilary Ledebuhr in Elliot Suite B
  Looking for unique ways to retell familiar Bible stories? Discover how to make easy and inexpensive puppets from everyday materials. We’ll also explore script ideas to enhance a Sunday School lesson or at-home story time.
• One Size Fits All? – The Changing Face of Youth Ministry
  with Barb Farmer in Mayo Suite A
  Realities for the family of 2012: Staying relative in the changing world of our youth – Where does the church fit in? Every kid is different. How do we guide them on a path that is uniquely theirs?

• Home & Faith Connections: Spiritual Practices for Family and Children
  with Barb Peterson in McDonnell Suite A
  Making a home where faith can thrive is not beyond our grasp. In fact it is precisely in our homes where God is present with you daily. In this workshop you will experience firsthand how to be present with God and nurture the faith life of your family.
• Faith Like A Child: Faith Development in Childhood
  with Rev. Andy Nelson & Jessica Pleuss, Ph.D. in Elliot Suite B
  Exploration of James Fowler’s theory of faith development and its implications for nurturing faith in the children in our congregations.
• Faith Mile Stones: Families on a Journey Together
  with Coreen Johnson in Mayo Suite B
  Faith Mile Stones is a ministry program that centers on eight key points in a child’s life and assists parents in nurturing their children and encourages family faith growth. Learn how to make a Blessing Blanket for baby. Families receive a Blessing Blanket when they learn how to bless their baby to sleep every night in Faith Mile Stone #1.
• God’s Re-firement Plan: Faith after 50
  with Marilyn Sharpe in Grand Ballroom A
  Reading the Bible cover-to-cover, you will not find God’s retirement policy; instead, you will find a new call live your faith with integrity and authenticity, sharing the journey with others. After 50, scripture tells us that we have an important role to play in God’s family, passing on a legacy of faith to younger generations, even to the children of those not yet born! Research tells us that our older adults have a significantly higher rate of faith maturity than our younger brothers and sisters in the church. We will explore ways to link the generations in faith formation. But adults are not done growing in faith, ready to laminate that faith. This is often a season of new questions to explore, wonder about, wrestle with, and take to God. This is a season of personal growth and discovery, too. Come discover what God might be up to with you.
• Jesus in the bathtub, at the table, and all through the house!
  with Dawn Alitz, Ph.D in Elliot Suite A
  Calling all families with children ages infant through five years of age! Come and delight as we discover how we can share Jesus with our young children, fostering conversations and experiences during bath time, meal time and everywhere we go! Participants will walk away with a bag full of practical ideas for discovering every day faith that is sure to create a foundation that will last a lifetime.
• Family Ministry + Small Group Ministry = Transformation!
  with Michael Beckman in Mayo Suite A
  What would happen if the children in our church saw their parents opening the Bibles, going to someone’s home to learn more, praying for others and serving in the community? It has the potential for transformation not only in the family, but also our church. Come explore where family faith formation has been, is today and where it is going. Small group ministry can enhance our family faith formation ministry!
• The Cow & The Haystack: Convincing Parents to Become an Impact Adult To Their Kids
  with Monty Lysne in Grand Ballroom B
  Gather and interact as we model a free resource designed to get parents (even apprehensive ones) on board for ministry at home. You’ll learn the “Cow and Haystack” talk to take back to your church in order to help parents come to their own conclusions to get involved in the faith life of their kids.
• The Interactive Church: Communication in a Digital Age
  with Carrie Gubsch in McDonnell Suite B
  How would your church’s communication or outreach strategy change if every person in the world owned an iPhone? Join Carrie Gubsch, communications coordinator at Christ the King Lutheran Church in New Brighton, to discuss building interaction into your church’s foundation. Computers, smart phones, cell phones, and other electronic devices are encouraged.

• Camp…It’s not just camp anymore
  with Chad Campbell in Elliot Suite A
  This workshop introduces participants – first time campers and seasoned veterans – to Good Earth Village’s approach to ministry. Participants will learn and discuss how Good Earth Village designs its programming to support the congregational youth group and family faith life. They’ll be equipped with tips and tools for integrating the camp experience back into the youth group, the family, and the community life after camp is over. Camp can’t be about a vacation and it can’t be about “getting away.” At Good Earth Village, camp is about growing consequential faith that helps people change the world.
• Children, Youth & Family Ministry: Re-Imagining Family Ministry
  with the Zumbro Family Ministry Team in Mayo Suite A
  The challenges the church faces in reaching children, youth and families continue to grow. Gone are the days of only focusing on the faith of children and youth. Come to hear about the ways that Zumbro’s Family Ministry Team is responding to these challenges through a practical vision for engaging whole families in the church, and even more, in God’s mission for the world.
• The FAITH 5: A Simple Strategy to Connect With Your Kids Every Day
  with Monty Lysne in Grand Ballroom B
  Once you’ve got parents on-board with the idea of home faith talk, help them follow through by equipping them with an easy, step-by-step faith practice called The FAITH 5 (Faith Acts In The Home).
• Helping Families on the Journey of Mental Illness
  with Dr. Susan Jenkins in McDonnell Suite A
  Psychiatrist Susan Jenkins, MD, from Bluestem Center for Child and Family Development in Rochester, will describe some common family responses to mental illness and how the experience of mental illness may shape a family’s church experience. The workshop will allow ample time for discussion by participants
• Pass it On: Sharing and Nurturing Faith through Storytelling
  with Carrie Gubsch in McDonnell Suite B
  Can faith stories deepen the connections we have to our faith and the faith of those around us? Join Carrie Gubsch, communications coordinator at Christ the King Lutheran Church in New Brighton, to discuss storytelling as a way of nurturing and developing faith. Computers, smart phones, cell phones, and other electronic devices are encouraged.
• Won’t You Be My Neighbor? – Sharing Ministry with Other Congregations in Your Community
  with Pam Vig in Mayo Suite B
  Hosting events together, sharing resources & overcoming theological differences.
• Worshipping Well with Children
  with Marilyn Sharpe in Grand Ballroom A
  But children are noisy and distracting in worship! And really, how much do they get out of the worship service? Couldn’t we just wait until they are older, better behaved, and better able to understand before having them in worship? Come explore the reasons why it is vitally important to worship well with children. For children, we will explore the short term and long term gifts of being part of a worshipping community. For adults, we will unpack the gifts Jesus intends for us in worshipping and living life alongside children. This is God’s plan for all of us, but both children and adults have much to learn in order to worship well together with grace and engagement and genuine joy.
• YSLI: A New Model for Youth (Doing) Ministry
  with YSLI leadership in Elliot Suite B
  Learn about the YSLI story and the impact YSLI Youth have in their congregations as they do ministry and as they learn servant-leader skills for life.