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Daybook -- Today is Tuesday, March 6, 2007, in Lent.
* Today in Scripture: Daily Office meditation: http://www.forwardmovement.org/todaysreading.cfm * Today in Prayer: Anglican Cycle of Prayer: http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acp/index.cfm * Today in History: On this day in 1976, John Shelby Spong was elected Bishop Coadjutor of the Diocese of Newark at a Special Convention. http://www.episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/ENS/ENSpress_release.pl?pr_numb er=76090
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Teaching: National Network of Episcopal Clergy Association conference set for June 25-27 Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori among the speakers
[ENS] "Our Church Lives" is the theme of this year's conference of the National Network of Episcopal Clergy Association (NNECA,) set to run June 25-27 at the Woodlands Inn in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia.
Keynote speakers will include: Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, Bishop Steven Charleston, president, dean and professor of Theology at Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts; the Rev. Michael Battle, associate dean for Academic Affairs and vice president and associate professor of Theology at Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia; the Rev. Loren Mead, founder of the Alban Institute in Washington, D.C.; and the Rev. Tex Sample, an ordained minister in the United Methodist Church.
Jefferts Schori will both preach and speak to those gathered for the 37th annual conference. Battle, who studied in South Africa under Desmond M. Tutu, the Anglican archbishop emeritus of Cape Town, South Africa, will also do double duty speaking on the African-American experience in the Episcopal Church during the past 400 years, and preaching.
Charleston, a Choctaw nation citizen, will address issues of justice, spiritual renewal and reconciliation.
Mead will lead a presentation and discussion on "The Once and Future Church" which is also the title of his book, and Sample will speak on "Claiming the Future," an understanding of the culture in which the church exists today.
According to Ken Beason, president of the NNECA, "Our Church Lives" is a "unique-not to be missed--- event." He describes the conference as "an exciting new strategy in NNECA's continuing goal to support its members and their families."
"Conference participants will worship and work in historic Williamsburg," said Beason. "The creative and thought provoking speakers will address challenges and possibilities for the 21st century church."
Those in attendance will also commemorate the 400th anniversary of the founding of the Jamestown, Virginia colony and worship at historic Bruton Parish Episcopal Church (http://www.brutonparish.org.)
In addition to the keynote addresses, a series of workshops will feature representatives from the offices of Church Deployment, Ministry Development, Black Ministries and Chaplaincy and as well as the Church Pension Group. Bonnie Anderson, president of the House of Deputies will also lead a workshop.
For information and registration visit: http://www.nneca.org or call 541-476-2493.
The NNECA was founded in 1970 by clergy from all over the United States who wanted to take responsibility for their ministries and to support one another as colleagues. Its mission is to "seek, serve, and proclaim Christ by leading clergy in the Episcopal Church into collegial relationships for education, self-care, advocacy, and spiritual growth."
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Catalyst: "5 Keys for Church Leaders" from Church Publishing, Inc., by Kevin Martin, 99 pages, paperback, c. 2007, $15
[Source: Church Publishing, Inc.] --In this valuable church leadership resource, Kevin Martin examines the five aspects of congregational life that are key to the development and growth of a strong congregation. Based on the author's popular church growth seminar, The Five Critical Systems, the five keys to congregational growth are: Build the Team, Keep Healthy, Pay Attention to Generations, Open the Front Door, Close the Back Door (keep your original members as you gain new members), Raise the Stewardship Level. Five Keys for Church Leaders distinguishes itself from other such resources with a focus on the "systems" of congregational life rather than the "programs" of congregational life.
To order: Episcopal Books and Resources, online at http://www.episcopalbookstore.org or call 800.903.5544.
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