Ghost Ranch has a long tradition of supporting those in ministry with rich respite and continuing education. In 2013, we will dedicate two special weeks to helping support those in all fields of ministry (ordained and lay).
Arrival (Monday afternoon) and Departure (Saturday morning) have been established so that those in ministry can leave/return in time for their weekly Worship responsibilities. Some segments will involve the full group (plenaries – processing – Worship). Participants will also choose one focus class where they will receive approximately 20 hours of instruction/ experience to help them in their field of ministry. Come and receive a week of nourishment to help you so you in turn can help others.
Is your congregation, like so many, busy dying? That path is reversible. A pastor and an elder will share with class participants how they helped to create a vision for their congregation that is bringing it new life. Using global positioning system (GPS) technology as a metaphor, they will help congregational leaders get ready to infuse new life into local churches. Dr. Paul T. Rock, pastor of Second Presbyterian Church in Kansas City, Mo., and member of the board of McCormick Theological Seminary, along with long-time Ghost Ranch teacher Bill Tammeus, an elder and award-winning journalist, will share with class participants their experience of helping their congregation recognize and embrace its current context, how that context had changed dramatically in recent decades and how the congregation could respond in creative and effective ways. The road ahead for any congregation is never without detours and bumps, but deciding not to make the journey at all is a way to guarantee that the result will be death, often by thousands of painful cuts. Embracing the future by understanding the present is, by contrast, what congregations should be doing so they can offer the liberating gospel of Jesus Christ to a wounded world. Come and learn some ways to do that.
Instructor(s)
Bill Tammeus, former award-winning Faith columnist for “The Kansas City Star,” is a long-time Ghost Ranch instructor. His latest book is “They Were Just People: Stories of Rescue in Poland During the Holocaust.” He writes a daily “Faith Matters” blog at http://billtammeus.typepad.com, a monthly column for “The Presbyterian Outlook” and a biweekly column for “The National Catholic Reporter.” He is a Presbyterian elder and past president of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. His wife, Marcia, serves on the Ghost Ranch Governing Board.
Need more info? Call us at (505) 685 – 4333 ext 4152
Two ways to register:
- Download printable registration form and mail to: Ghost Ranch Registrar, HC77 Box 11, Abiquiu, NM 87510. OR scan and email your completed form to: [email protected]
- Register by telephone at 877-804-4678, extension 4152 or 4155 — available Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. – 4:45 p.m. MST.
Online Registration will be available December 10, 2012