
Sponsored by the Atlantic District, New England District, and New Jersey District.
LOCATION: Ocean's Edge Resort (Cape Cod, MA)
DATES: Monday, October 16 at 11:30amto Wednesday, October 18 at 11am
Download a registration form here.
From Rev. Rick Serina (Christ the King, Ringwood),
Conference Planning Committee
Fellow NJ Clergy,
Let me take a second to remind you about the Tri-District Convocation and Pastors' Conference we are holding with the Atlantic and New England Districts, at Cape Cod in October (Monday, Oct. 16 - Wednesday, Oct. 18). I have spent more time than I should have working on this, but it is going to be a blast.
In light of some of the conversations our District President has initiated regarding church and ministry, we are tackling the topic: "500 Years after the Reformation-Now What? Church and Ministry in the 21st Century." Our speakers are John Nunes, President of Concordia College-New York; Larry Rast, President of CTSFW; and John Pless, Assistant Professor of Pastoral Theology at CTSFW. All are good friends and collaborators of mine and they will address the challenges we face from a variety of different perspective. In what ways has the American context shaped how we do ministry and what we people expect of us? How have that context and those expectations changed over time? How do Lutherans globally approach church and ministry in different ways and ask different questions? How have cultural changes in recent years affected that ministry and how best might we respond to them-reactively, proactively, pragmatically? This is just a smattering of ideas the presenters have run by me.
Registration has already opened and will close Monday, September 11. Download a registration form here. The cost for the conference (which includes lodging on the Cape, all meals from dinner on Monday through breakfast on Wednesday, plus receptions and breaks) is $458 for a single room, $325 for a double, or $650 for pastor and spouse. I know the amount is a little daunting for most continuing education budgets, so the district has set aside additional funds to help those whose funding is limited ($150 for individual pastors, $250 for pastor/spouse). Please contact me (rick.serina@gmail.com) or Tony if you are interested in the district subventions.
But do not let money be an obstacle this time around: this is a terrific opportunity to convene with 150-200 other pastors from across the greater Northeast who deal with many of the same challenges as you do, and to do so in a beautiful, historic location.
Sincerely,
Rick Serina
Christ the King-Ringwood