Saturday Workshops

Panel: The Rev. Jo Hedin, Dr. Nyle Hedin, and The Rev. William Pardy

Topic: Prayer Book 101

Description: Have you ever lost your place in the Book of Common Prayer and felt relief when printed orders of service minimized the book juggling game? Perhaps you are only peripherally aware of the depth and breadth of spiritual aids and resources contained within the bindings of the 1979 BCP. Those who attend this workshop will learn about Life (Baptism), Death, and even a Beheading! Furthermore, panelists will share tips and tricks about how to use the BCP in your daily lives, navigating prayers, liturgy, the different orders of ministry, church history, and so much more. Don’t let one of the greatest gifts to the Anglican faith traditions overwhelm or frustrate you any longer and discover how this book may help transform your faith walk. Come and See!.

Panel: The Rev. Jo Hedin, Dr. Nyle Hedin, and The Rev. William Pardy

Topic: Prayer Book 101

Presenters: Brad Bryan and Lindsey Nickel

Topic: Elevating Your Video Storytelling

Description: In 2023 more than 3.5 Billion people watched videos online every week. In our digital culture, your first connection with someone is most likely online. How do we share the message of God's love with someone we may never meet? It's time to elevate our video storytelling. In this workshop, you will engage with a variety of video styles. Learn how to take one video and reshape it into many engaging messages, on multiple platforms and in formats that match every channel. And receive trusted tips on how to transform your message effectively to the fast-paced, video-viewing audience.

Panel:

Topic: The Power of Embrace

Description: In a world where blame, shame, and criticism are the norm, many perceive the Church as more of the same—incubators for judgment and perpetrators of many isms—ageism, ableism, racism, sexism, etc.. But what if our faith communities worked on our reputation by becoming radically different? What if we surprised people with staggering grace, authentic love, and extravagant hospitality fashioned after the Way of Jesus of Nazareth? This facilitated conversation will give our diverse set of panelists the chance to share a little of their personal stories, how they prefer to be embraced, and what being embraced has meant for their faith in not just God, but in their hope for humanity. In a world divesting from the old concepts of conformity, participants who attend this workshop will learn how recognizing and celebrating our differences can be our greatest opportunity for loving like Jesus..

Presenter: The Rev. Alex Andujar and The Rev. Scott Nonken

Topic: Practice Along The Way—Spiritual Disciplines For A Life with Christ

Description: It’s not unusual for church goers to wonder what they could be doing to grow in their faith, to more intentionally center God in their daily lives, or figure out what the faithful people they aspire to be more like do to make them so fill in the blank. During this workshop, Fr. Scott Nonken and Fr. Alex Andujar discuss the fundamental spiritual practices that help individuals and faith communities enrich their spiritual lives and become agents of transformation in their communities.

Presenter: The Rev. Canon Richard Norman

Topic: Engaging God’s Mission After the Field of Dreams—The Missional Church

Description: We are witnessing a missional renaissance of the church as it moves from an attitude of “If you build it they will come” to focusing on finding the intersection of the needs of the community and the gifts of the faith community. In finding and embracing that intersection, we (to paraphrase

Frederick Buechner) arrive at the place where our “deep gladness” meets the world’s “deep hunger.” During our time together we will explore the changed landscape of ministry and mission; the five marks of mission (remember them?); characteristics of the missional church; and practical resources that will equip faith communities to engage God’s mission.

Presenter: Melissa Rau

Topic: Change: What It Is, What It Isn’t, & How to Manage It with Grace

Description: “Change is easy,” said no intelligent person ever. Most people know the very real statistic that if given the choice of changing or dying, most people would choose death. In this workshop, participants will learn a simple formula for implementing effective change, knowing what can sabotage the best laid plans, and how to discern when change may not be the best solution for moving forward in faith.

Panel:

Topic: Lessons in Experimentation

Description: Those who recognize the shifting landscape of the church and the world may be feeling a bit stuck in recent times. What worked back in the “good ole days” may reap different and disappointing results than what previously produced abundance. Different times call for different approaches, and this engaging conversation will help participants be inspired to try new things, learn to appreciate failure as natural and often necessary and reimagine new and generative marks and measurements for successful and fruitful ministry in the not-yet-new-normal..

Presenter: Chris Vasquez

Topic: Rooted in Love—Everybody Has a Story

Description: Have you ever wondered how storytelling can engage a deeper understanding of scripture? The Bible is full of stories. They are still being read and shared today, making a difference in countless lives. In the Bible we find stories of creation, Jesus, the apostles, conversion, redemption, healing, grace and more. It’s all there. We can make a difference by sharing our stories, too. What would it look like if we all shared pieces of our stories whilst entering scripture? This workshop is an interactive exploration of getting back to basics and entering scripture together as one body with our own lives.

Presenter: The Rev. Nikki Seger

Topic: The Unlikely Leader: Embracing Differences to Expand Ministry

Description: Join Priest Nikki Seger to share stories about unlikely leaders – and to explore how ministry can flourish when under-represented persons are embraced in leadership roles. Are you a person of color, a woman, an LGBTQ+ person? Are you young or differently-abled? A lover of praise and worship music? Or, are you curious or willing to step out of the norm? God knows -- we need you! Let us imagine spicing up the Diocese of Southwest Florida as we grow disciples.