Friday, Feb. 13 and Saturday, Feb. 14, 2009
4 - 8 pm on Friday and 9 am - 3 pm on Sat.
at Western Theological Seminary
Cost: $95 includes dinner on Friday and lunch Saturday
Schedule of Conference coming soon!
About the Conference
The reality of changing demographics, the cultural shifts in our society and emerging challenges to leadership all converge to create exciting new possibilities for ministry. Exploring concepts and discovering tools for multicultural, multiracial ministry is among the competencies needed by the church if we are to help our congregations fulfill their calling to model the reign of God. Participants will receive practical tools in the development of multicultural ministry, understanding the dynamics of change and the power of story to deepen our spiritual life both personally and corporately.
Presenters
The Reverend Jacqui Lewis, Ph.D. is Senior Minister/Minister for Vision, Worship and the Arts at Middle Collegiate Church in the East Village. Middle is a multiracial, multicultural, progressive and inclusive congregation called by God to do a bold new thing on the earth through extending a radical welcome to all of God’s people. Middle is committed to celebrating the arts in worship; to the nurture and education of the whole person; and to interfaith dialog for social justice and reconciliation. Jacqui is a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary (M.Div.) and Drew University (M.Phil. and Ph.D.). Jacqui, ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA,) serves on the Multiracial Congregation Task Force of the Reformed Church in America. She is a guest speaker and preacher on the topics of racial justice and reconciliation. Jacqui is adjunct professor at The Graduate Theological Union (Center for Arts and Worship), Wesley Theological Seminary (Leadership, D.Min program) and at Union Theological Seminary (Preaching and Worship) Jacqui is the author of You are So Wonderful! A Rhyming Celebration of the uniqueness of every child (Augsburg Fortress, 2003). Her book, The Power of Stories: A Guide for Leaders in Multi-Racial and Multi-Cultural Congregations, was published in April 2008 by Abingdon Press. Middle holds a conference each April on that topic. Jacqui is married to her best friend, John, and they live in the East Village with no children and pets but an entire interracial family of congregation members. For a full bio, and other information on Middle Church, see www.middlechurch.org.
Rev. John Janka is an ordained United Methodist pastor and a member of the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference. Prior to his work as an independent consultant, John served as interim minister for a large multicultural Presbyterian congregation in Columbia, Maryland and for five years as Director of Consulting and Education for the Alban Institute. In New Jersey he served as a District Superintendent for eight years and as head of Conference staff for ten years. As a District Superintendent, he had responsibility for 80 congregations and 66 active pastors, providing experience with congregations of various sizes, settings and cultural makeup.
He has written articles for the Alban Institute, including Spiritual Windsurfing: Exploring the Context for Evaluation. Currently John is a consultant to congregations and regional denominational structures.
John Janka, United Methodist Minister and
Independent Church Consultant
