SCD Ideas

by Elliott Wright
Orlando, FL, July 31, 2008–The 2008 United Methodist School of Congregational Development opened with a challenge to Christian leaders to live and act like Jesus.

Bishop Minerva Carcaño of Phoenix gave the keynote address at the event this year held in two locations, Orlando, Florida, and Grand Rapids, Michigan. Speaking from Florida, she was linked by satellite to the Michigan site. Her topic was “The Spiritual Life of the Christian Leader.”

“The spiritual life of a Christian leader is a life that thinks and acts like Jesus,” Bishop Carcaño said, bolstering her assertion with biblical citations, hymnody, and personal experience.

The six-day school is attended on a volunteer basis by United Methodist pastors, district superintendents, bishops, and other leaders, some of them lay persons. It is sponsored jointly by the General Boards of Discipleship and Global Ministries. Strong emphasis is put on developing new congregations, revitalizing existing ones, and strengthening church leadership.

Early in her presentation the bishop asked the 300 people in Orlando and the 150 in Grand Rapids to stand and sing the hymn that includes the phrase, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! There’s just something about that name.”

Bishop Carcaño, who leads the Desert Southwest Annual (regional) Conference, also explored the passage in the Letter to the Philippians in which the Apostle Paul challenges Christians to have “the mind of Christ,” who, while he was God, became a human being who suffered and was nailed to a cross.

“‘Go for it,’ says Paul. Aspire to think and act like Jesus.”

The joy that comes from making Jesus the model of leadership, the bishop warned, may put Christian leaders in conflict with the world.

She also stressed that Christian leaders, those who think and act like Jesus, are not always in prominent positions in the church. Among those she cited as models of Jesus Christ were her grandmother Sophie; a young pastor she met in the mountains of the Philippines three years ago; and a woman ministering at the Mexican border to persons deported from the US–notably by washing the feet of weary travelers.

Bishop Carcaño stressed the important symbolism and reality of Christians washing the feet of those in need and one another’s feet. She said:

Jesus himself showed us his mind and heart when on the eve of his crucifixion he took a basin and towel and proceeded to wash the feet of the disciples. Jesus’ own action on that night became the lens through which we can see the mind of Christ and thus the spiritual life to which we are called. Because he loved his disciples from beginning to end, Jesus washed their feet.

Jesus’ love for his disciples is expressed all through his ministry, but particularly and most importantly, in his death. It is only from the standpoint of Jesus’ death that …

It is all about relationships; relationships with God, with Jesus, and with each other. How different the world could be if we consistently served out of spiritual lives grounded in God’s own love; a love that we know through Christ Jesus and that we best understand through the very mind of Christ, Christ who invited us into relationship with him and with each other, to serve each other in Christ’s own love.

 Bishop Carcaño expressed the hope that Christian leaders would not get too caught up in what she described as the current “self-care” movement that reflects the priorities of a narcissistic society. “Self-care,” she said, “is pretty common sense … take care of your life for it is a gift from God … sleep, exercise, eat right, and spend time with your loved ones.” She said:

The importance of our lives is found in our relationship with God who created us for holy purposes. We find the significance of our lives … through relationships of love with others. In knowing that we belong to Christ Jesus who has redeemed and reconciled us with God and with each other, we are enabled to respond to both the joy and the demands of love.

Participants in the School of Congregational Development engage in ministry tracks, seminars, worship, and visits to area “teaching churches.”

The school sites in Orlando and Grand Rapids were linked for several plenary addresses and services of worship, some originating in Florida and some in Michigan.

*Elliott Wright is the information officer of the General Board of Global Ministries.

http://gbgm-umc.org/global_news/pr.cfm?articleid=5084
 

For those of you who will participating in this year’s School of Congregational Development, you are asked to bring information with you about the community where your church is located.  Using www.zillow.com, the real estate site that tells you an estimated value of homes in your area, you can easily find information about your community.  Use the instructions below and fill in the template to paint a quick picture of your community.  This is only a starting point.  Through the Research Office of GBGM  (http://new.gbgm-umc.org/about/us/ecg/research/profiles/) and other companies that provide demographic information you can get more detailed information about your church and your community.  So using this as a starting point, fill in the data below and bring the information with you.  This is material you will be able to use as you develop a Ministry Plan for your church.  You also can go to the Page button on the sidebar of this site, and get the chart as well.

Your Community Profile

1.  Go to www.zillow.com
2.  Type in your address or an address of a house in your
target area
3.  When you see the street address on the map, click on the address to see a
report on the value of the house
4.  Scroll to bottom where it says, “The main types of people are.”
Click on See  more   _________ data.
5.  On the left-hand side you will see a box.  Click on People and fill in the data  below:

Relationship Status:          Homes with Kids:
Married   _________       With Kids    _______
Single       _________     Without Kids _______
Widowed _________
Divorced  _________

Age Distribution        Commute Time
-10 _______            10 min or less    _______
10s _______            10-20 min.         _______
20s _______            20-30 min.        _______
30s _______            30-45 min.        _______
40s _______            45-60 min.        _______
50s _______            60 min or more _______
60s _______
>70 _______

                                                      Your Town    National
People Data
Median Household Income:____________/__________
Single Males:_______________________/__________
Single Females:_____________________/__________
Median Age:_______________________/__________
Homes With Kids:___________________/__________
Average Household Size:_____________/__________
Average Commute Time:_____________/__________

Who Lives Here? The Main types of people are:

In this neighborhood, a larger number of people have these
characteristics than in surrounding neighborhoods:

www.scdumc.org

The School of Congregational Development allows participants to qualify for 4 Continuing Education Units.  If you are part of an Annual Conference that encouarges you to take part in events that help you grow in your understanding of the church and in your ability to lead in a congregation or an Annual Conference , the SCD gives you a great opportunity to learn.  The School offers a unique learning experience as participants learn in four different ways:

Plenaries:  This is where you will hear leading edge thinkers and presenters.

Ministry Track:  This is your home room where you will focus on developing a Ministry Plan for your ministry settings.

Workshops:  At both sites you will be able to choose from a variety of workshops that gives you the nuts and bolts on a specific area of ministry.

Teaching Church:  This is where you will go on a field trip to learn how one particular congregation has grown and evolved over the years.

So if you are looking for an experience that challenges you to grow in a variety of different ways, the SCD will give you an experience that will shape your ministry for years to come.

Here are some tips for your travel planning this year.  Below you will find info about Hotels and Car Rentals: 

Hotels:

If you are planning on attending this year’s School of Congregatoinal Development, we want to encourage you to make your reservations at your hotel as soon as possible, especially if you are going to Orlando.  We were fortunate to make the Doubletree Hotel at the Entrance to Universal Orlando our host hotel.  The good news is that is it in a great locale.  You can walk across the street to the Universal Orlando Theme Park and to its entertainment complex.  The bad news is that it’s extremely popular.  It usually sells out during the summer months. So if you would like to stay at the Doubletree, don’t wait.

If you are going to Grand Rapids, the same is true.  Grand Rapids is an attractive destination in the summer and boasts (if you are into shopping) one of the largest malls in the United States.  The Holiday Inn is where the leadership team will be staying and it is surrounded by many restaurants as well.  See below for hotel info — you can contact them directly to make your reservations.

Car Rentals:

As a reminder we are not offering transportation at this year’s school.  In the last couple of years we have found fewer and fewer participants want this and as we are in desinations where people want to see the area, people enjoy having their own cars to get around.  One of the best places to rent cars is at www.hotwire.com.  So take a look at that site and see what you can find. Keep in mind that while rates may appear low in Orlando, its almost double the price because they love to tax the tourists!

Doubletree Hotel
at the Entrance to Universal Orlando
407-351-1000
800-222-8733 - reservations
SCD Reservations Online
5780 Major Boulevard
Orlando, FL 32819

Holiday Inn Express
To make reservations call:
800-875-6000
Group Name:
School of Congregational Development
6569 Clay Avenue SW
Grand Rapids, MI 49548
www.hiegr.com

Comfort Suites South
616-301-2255
7644 Caterpillar Court
Grand Rapids, MI 49548