Registration is Open for Healthy Congregations Workshops

REGISTER NOW! DEADLINE IS OCTOBER 14.

How do we keep pastors and churches in a healthy relationship? What are the signs of an anxious system? What do we do if/when trouble comes? The Rev. Dr. Peter Steinke will be on hand for two days at Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ, 4126 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines, Oct. 18 & 19, 2009.

Sponsored by the Presbytery of Des Moines' Professional Care and Development Committee with support from Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center, each day’s workshop will provide a primer on understanding the congregation as an emotional system within the basic concepts of Bowen Theory (family systems theory).

• Creating a Healthy Congregation is Sunday, Oct. 18, 2:00 – 6:00 p.m., for congregational leaders and pastors. Cost: $20 individuals, $35 church group.
• Congregational Leadership in Anxious Times is Monday, Oct. 19, 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., for pastors only. Cost: $50 (includes lunch).

Both sessions will be held at Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ, 4126 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines. For more information or to register, contact the Des Moines Presbytery at 515-276-4991 or pbydesmoines@presbyteryofdesmoines.org.

Dr. Steinke is the original designer of the Healthy Congregations concept and author of numerous books on the topic. He is an internationally respected congregational systems consultant who has also served as a parish pastor, an educator, and a therapist for clergy.

Synod School, Day 5

Have I talked yet about the food options during the week at Synod School? In the Siebens Forum at the Buena Vista University the dinning service allows us the luxury to not having to prepare a meal for one whole week. One dessert item that everyone is happy to enjoy is the ice cream machine. Chocolate, vanilla or a twist. Yum!

Pictured at right (LtoR) is Rev. Lynn Williams (Grimes, First), Matt Coulter (DM, Westminster), Rev. Calvin Hsu (Guthrie Center, First), Kim Coulter (DM, Westminster) and Rev. Dave Ewing (Beloit, Wisconsin - formerly of Dallas Center, First).

The "Developing Healthy Congregations" class is one of my afternoon classes I have been enjoying. The Rev. John Pherson, stated clerk for Prospect Hill Presbytery is the instructor. This class is based on the systems approach developed by Peter Steinke. Who incidentally will be coming to our Des Moines Presbytery in October for a two-day session on Healthy Congregations. After going through the first workbook on this program, I can highly recommend churches sending your session and lay leaders to this fall workshop.

Another class that I'm taking in the afternoons is "Biblical Storytelling". The instructor is the Rev. Doug House, pastor at Lone Rock Presbyterian Church. We studying the different ways to memorize stories and Doug recited the PC(USA) lectionary study for August 2009, including 2 Samuel, Song of Solomon, John 6 and Mark 7, all by memory! Class participants were given the Acts 1-6 scripture and were asked to select a section of verses and memorize them by the end of the week. Tomorrow will be the final class of the full reading of Acts. Wish me luck!

The evening's worship was on peace, hunger and healing. Uplifting music and songs from "Sweet the Sound" helped all generations experience worship together. Afterwards, I will teach a mini-course tonight on my "Web 1.0 and Web 2.0" class. Hopefully others who didn't make it to the daily class can learn a little about keeping up with the kids on the Internet. The evening Coffee House music is always filled with fun musical offerings from Synod School attendees. Tonight's special dance for teenagers will be their final chance to say goodbye to friends they've made this week.

All of these activities, are making memories for a lifetime.

-Kim Coulter, director of communications