Eliot Presbyterian Church - Worship Grant 2008

UPCOMING WORKSHOP

March 13-March 14. Workshop with Tom Long. Blessing, Testimony, Telling our stories.

Thomas G. Long is the Bandy Professor of Preaching, Candler School of Theology, Emory University. He is the author of 14 books, including Testimony: Talking Ourselves into Being Christian. He will work with us "how ordinary Christians talk about God and faith when we are not in church." Pastor Ted is leading a discussion of Rev. Long's book during adult Sunday School - beginning February 15.

Tom Long

2008 Workshops

Blessing: Spiritual Nurture, Sacrament, and Testimony
The Eliot Church Calvin Institute for Christian Worship Grant 2008-2009

The Grant: Eliot Church has been awarded a grant from the Calvin Institute for Christian Worship that will complement our prior grant for multicultural worship.

The focus of this grant is threefold. We will:

concentrate on the prayer life of our children. Parents and Sunday school teachers will receive training to “hear them into prayer.”
share stories of faith or testimonies under the rubric of “celebrating our life together” in worship by learning new ways to speak our faith every day, in and outside of church.
expand our understanding and practice of baptism and eucharist as sacraments that are closely linked in worship as they are interwoven models for our daily walk with Christ.

Click here to read the full text of the Grant Proposal.

Schedule and Workshops: September 12-14, Jackie Nowak | October 31 - Nov. 2, Neal Presa | March 14-14, Tom Long

September 12-14: Workshop with Jackie Nowak. Blessing, Children, and Prayer.

Dr. Jacqueline Nowak

Dr. Jacqueline Nowak is Director of The Blessing Center and led workshops the weekend of Sept. 12 and a discussion group after worship that Sunday.

Dr. Nowak's believes in "the holiness of children." Her mission, the process of Blessing Based Spiritual Nurture, "begins with the belief that children are blessed with innate spiritual strength. When assisted in identifying, claiming and strengthening that spirit, they are able to maintain their connection with God throughout life."

October 31- November 2: Workshop with Neal Presa. Blessing, Baptism, and Eucharist.

Neal Presa

Neal Presa is pastor of Middlesex Presbyterian Church in Middlesex, NJ and a PhD candidate in liturgical studies at Drew University.

Neal's workshop will engage us in conversation about our sacramental practice and theology. We will explore pathways towards re-engaging the richness of reformed sacraments for a multicultural congregation and the multicultural church. Primary topics will include the relationship of pulpit, font and Table; what a multicultural Church can teach us in light of our Reformed sacramental tradition; and how the sacraments shape and inform our life together.

Primary resource material: Sacraments Work group Report, “Invitation to Christ”, approved by the 217th General Assembly (2006) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Visit http://www.pcusa.org/sacraments/