Equipping

From November 2nd-5th, four of our new staff members travelled to Charlotte, North Carolina for the Christian Community Development Association National Conference, where they connected with and learned from other community leaders. This year’s theme was “Wellbeing” and Economic Wellbeing, Civic Engagement & Societal Wellbeing, Congregational Wellbeing, Organizational Wellbeing, and Wholistic Wellbeing were explored.

This webinar includes biblical foundations, key tools and questions, as well as examples from churches and an opportunity to interact with other church leaders wrestling with their role.

Presented in English, this is an online event via zoom. Lunch is included via gift card.

Tim Soerens is the co-founding executive director of the Parish Collective (parishcollective.org) and author of the newly released, Everywhere You Look: Discovering the Church, Right Where You Are (IVP 2020) and co-author of The New Parish (IVP 2014). Along with his wife Coté, he is helping to start South Park Neighborhood Church. Tim is a co-founding owner of Resistencia Coffee, as well as the South Park Idea Lab. 

Coté is a Planter and Innovator. As a neighborhood pastor, Coté has focused on discerning God’s dreams for the South Park community since 2014. This journey led her to see the neighborhood as an endless source of inspiration for community-based projects and community enterprises such as Resistencia Coffee, The Urban Fresh Food Collective, El Mercadito Farmer’s Market, The South Park Arts & Culture Collective, and South Park Neighborhood Christian Church.

Join a training on screening for Adverse Childhood Experiences and responding with trauma-informed care to mitigate the health impacts of toxic stress.

The FPU Center for Community Transformation and the Center for Anabaptist Studies are proud to present another workshop in its New Skills for a New Era series of convenings for Valley congregations. This one will be of interest to all members of churches that are struggling to know how to retain their firm convictions without drawing lines that promote polarization and judgmental attitudes, or the tendency to pronounce who’s “in” and who is “out”? In an era of shrinking church attendance, what biblical principles, ministry and relational skills would a church need to grow in this ability?

This FREE online workshop called Centered on Jesus will be led by FPU Biblical Seminary’s Mark Baker, Ph.D. who will be presenting the concept of the “centered-set church,” its theological and practical foundations. FPU alum Pastor Grace Spencer, MA Theo. will also present, sharing her experience from three churches she has served in a pastoral capacity. Registrants will be able to enter a raffle to receive Dr. Baker’s new book, Centered-Set Church: Discipleship and Community Without Judgementalism (IVP), and the first 50 to register and attend will receive a $10 lunch voucher. 

Understanding Human Trafficking is a basic introduction course (previously called Human Trafficking 101). It covers:

• Realities of exploitation (myths and misconceptions)
• Recognizing red flags (identifying victims of exploitation)
• The role of traffickers and process of recruitment
• Clinical dynamics of impact on youth
• Understanding paths to freedom and community resources
• Ways individuals and communities can take appropriate action

Zoom link provided upon registration. Click to register.

The Ethics Center at Fresno State University is hosting the Interfaith Scholar weekend March 18-20, 2022. It will consist of 4 free webinars on Sabbath Economics. Each of these 90-minute presentations will be presented by Ched Myers and Dr. Elaine Enns and include elements of Lecture, PowerPoint, Art, Text, Design, Polling and Q and A to engage viewers/listeners.

1. Friday, March 18, 2022, 7:00-8:30PM: Revisiting Old Covenants in a Time of Plagues
2. Saturday, March 19, 2022, 10:30-12:00 NOON: Manna vs. Mammon: Are We Building Capital or Community?
3. Saturday, March 19, 2022, 1:00-2:30PM: Public Addiction, Ecological Ultimatums: A Call to Recovery
4. Sunday, March 20, 2022, 1:00-2:30PM: Sabbath as Reparative Justice

For more information, visit interfaithscholar.org or contact Jim Grant: jimgrantbc@gmail.com

From November 10-13, several of our staff members attended the Christian Community Development Association National Conference in Kansas City, Missouri. This year’s theme was “Reimagine” and we explored with practitioners from across the country questions like, “What is God calling us to reimagine in our community for His glory?