Pitfalls and Possibilities

Charting a pathway to COVID Normal

Due to ongoing COVID restrictions, Victorian churches are still unable to meet physically. Under the roadmap out this will gradually change. As we know, other states have moved back to on-site gatherings, with continuing online participation in those gatherings. This has been a bumpy ride for them. So this webinar will draw on the experience of Antony Barraclough in Sydney, as well as including the thoughts of several ministers from Melbourne as they plan ahead for the time when we can again gather physically. We’ll also explore some broader implications of what the ‘new normal’ may look like.

When: Wednesday 28th October 11am to 12.30pm (AEDT)

Platform: Zoom

Moderator: Phil Meulman (Senior Minister, Glen Waverley Anglican Church).

Session One

Charting a way back to meeting together

Panel:

• Megan Curlis-Gibson (Senior Minister, Deep Creek Anglican Church)

• Antony Barraclough (Senior Minister, St Matthew’s, West Pymble, Sydney)

• John Forsyth (Vicar, St Jude’s Church, Carlton) 

Session Two

Charting a fundamental shift in church life

A conversation between Phil Meulman and Peter Roennfeldt.

Peter is the author of ‘If your church is closed … be the church’. 

Cost: $20

Thinking Through Old Testament Violence

With Andrew Judd

In the book of Joshua, and other parts of the Old Testament, we read about some incredible incidents in the life of Israel. Incidents where the violence inflicted on others seems extreme. What are we to make of this? What does this mean about who God is? Is the God of the Old Testament different to Jesus? Join us for a conversation with Andrew Judd from Ridley College about this challenging issue.

Topic: Thinking Through Old Testament Violence
Time: Oct 25, 2020 06:00 PM Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney

Join Zoom Meeting
https://sthils.zoom.us/j/99697364824?pwd=L2hDY1hYQS9MOHBSTmtmenVJYjBpUT09

Meeting ID: 996 9736 4824
Passcode: 700640

Join us for Joshua in One Night as we explore the book of Joshua in preparation for our next sermon series, starting on 27 September. Our speaker is Andrew Judd, who is a lecturer in Old Testament at Ridley College in Melbourne. Andrew will be helping us to grab hold of the big picture of the book of Joshua, including the shape and important themes of the book. He’ll also explore some of the tricky questions that the book of Joshua throws up, together with some thoughts on how we can read Joshua for ourselves as believers in Christ here and now.

Andrew is an ordained Anglican minister who joined the faculty at Ridley in 2018. Prior to moving to Melbourne he worked with students at St Barnabas Broadway and in the residential colleges of Sydney University. In 2017 he followed his wife Steph (who is also an Anglican minister) to Melbourne to take up roles at City on a Hill Melbourne, where he served as Community Pastor. In his time off Andrew delights in trashy reality TV, Golden Age women’s crime fiction, and jamming with his son and daughter on their 1974 Wurlitzer electric piano.

Zoom link:
https://sthils.zoom.us/j/93927796027?pwd=OS93bmpQSGxvZERtajUyazhtTExPQT09

Meeting ID: 939 2779 6027
Passcode: 712228

Together with our ‘Hey Jesus’ sermon series and Connect Group studies, the Peter Corney Training Centre is running 4 Zoom conversations around Tough Questions that we’ve heard from you over the past few months. Members of our staff team will be leading and facilitating these zoom gatherings that won’t be recorded. We’d love you to join us for one or all of them. There’ll be opportunity for you to interact and ask questions, but also no obligation to chat if you’d prefer to listen.
 
Time: 8pm – 9pm
Forum: Zoom, not recorded

Join Zoom Meeting
https://sthils.zoom.us/j/99505891957?pwd=WnRZRVhGSmplUG1KeWlJanQyeU5FUT09

Meeting ID: 995 0589 1957
Passcode: 751783

Together with our ‘Hey Jesus’ sermon series and Connect Group studies, the Peter Corney Training Centre is running 4 Zoom conversations around Tough Questions that we’ve heard from you over the past few months. Members of our staff team will be leading and facilitating these zoom gatherings that won’t be recorded. We’d love you to join us for one or all of them. There’ll be opportunity for you to interact and ask questions, but also no obligation to chat if you’d prefer to listen.
 
Time: 8pm – 9pm
Forum: Zoom, not recorded

Join Zoom Meeting
https://sthils.zoom.us/j/99505891957?pwd=WnRZRVhGSmplUG1KeWlJanQyeU5FUT09

Meeting ID: 995 0589 1957
Passcode: 751783

Together with our ‘Hey Jesus’ sermon series and Connect Group studies, the Peter Corney Training Centre is running 4 Zoom conversations around Tough Questions that we’ve heard from you over the past few months. Members of our staff team will be leading and facilitating these zoom gatherings that won’t be recorded. We’d love you to join us for one or all of them. There’ll be opportunity for you to interact and ask questions, but also no obligation to chat if you’d prefer to listen.
 
Time: 8pm – 9pm
Forum: Zoom, not recorded

Join Zoom Meeting
https://sthils.zoom.us/j/99505891957?pwd=WnRZRVhGSmplUG1KeWlJanQyeU5FUT09
 
Meeting ID: 995 0589 1957
Passcode: 751783

What might the new normal look like?

A Pivot is "a central point on which a mechanism turns or oscillates". All church leaders and churches had to pivot overnight around March 22nd this year. But this is unlikely to be the last time we need to or should pivot. While remaining true to our centre point in Jesus Christ, how is God inviting us to keep on pivoting in the years ahead? What might the “new normal” look like for church leaders and churches?

Outline for the morning is as follows:

Plenary time (10am – 10.40am)

10.00am: Worship/Prayer/The Word (Remy Chadwick and Natalie Rosner)

10.10am: A New Mission Era? (Stephen Hale) Is this a significant turning point or just a road hump in mission history?

10.20am: Pivot or Pot Hole? (Adam Lowe) Crisis or Opportunity?

10.30am: Gathered, Scattered or Scathered (Dominic Steele) Who are we connecting with or reaching? When and how?

Zoom Break Out Groups

Option A: Preaching in the digital era? Same same or same different?

Option B: Pastors and Leaders - what/who/how? Ministerial identity and the future

Option C: Connecting with the digitalgeneration Will youth ministry survive or thrive?

Option D: Creatively connecting in smallercommunities How to make it happen in rural/small multi-site settings

Option E: A lay led movement in groups and homes Inspiring and releasing lay leaders in making and maturing disciples

Option F: Assessing and enhancing the digital experience

11.30am Close from Zoom groups – no regathering back together

Together with our ‘Hey Jesus’ sermon series and Connect Group studies, the Peter Corney Training Centre is running 4 Zoom conversations around Tough Questions that we’ve heard from you over the past few months. Members of our staff team will be leading and facilitating these zoom gatherings that won’t be recorded. We’d love you to join us for one or all of them. There’ll be opportunity for you to interact and ask questions, but also no obligation to chat if you’d prefer to listen.
 
Time: 8pm – 9pm
Forum: Zoom, not recorded

Join Zoom Meeting
https://sthils.zoom.us/j/99505891957?pwd=WnRZRVhGSmplUG1KeWlJanQyeU5FUT09
 
Meeting ID: 995 0589 1957
Passcode: 751783

Open your church again and make compliance easy

Places of worship are slowly beginning to reopen with strict regulations in place. There are several digital solutions to help you to comply with government regulations to record attendance details with pre-service registration and contactless check-in.

Join Evan Englezos from Digital Team Coach for this live workshop that will guide you on:

1. The current Covid-19 government regulations

2. The factors involved in selecting the best compliance platform for your church

3. Demonstrations of online compliance platforms and how to implement

If you want to learn how to prepare for in-person services post-lockdown, I recommend that you join Evan for this live workshop.

Five guiding principles for Christians following “the biggest shakeup of the workplace since World War II”

About this Event

Whatever your ‘workplace’ looks like at the moment, many of us are wondering how our workplace will end up looking once COVID-19 restrictions ease. Some of us may be excited by the prospect of being back in our workplace. Some of us may feel anxious about how it will look. Some of us may feel unsettled about the continuing threat of COVID-19.

We can’t know all the answers to the questions we may have about our workplaces into the future. Instead, join us for a discussion of five principles Christians should keep in mind as we play our part in each of our workplaces in shaping the office post COVID. These principles will also be helpful in considering returning to other areas of our lives, such as uni, church, and community groups.

This event will be livestreamed as well as possibly having limited numbers of people physically present.

Our speaker is Andrew Laird, who works for City Bible Forum as the National Product Manager for their Life@Work program. Andrew also lectures occasionally in faith and work subjects at Ridley College. He is the author of two books about the workplace, and lives in Melbourne's south east with his wife and three young children.

There are so many questions for churches and ministry leaders as we navigate Covid-19 and beyond. Many of us have experienced a steep learning curve as we’ve embraced digital resources to help us connect and continue to ‘gather’ as God’s people. This free live online workshop will explore 3 aspects of digital and team resources that can help our churches thrive through Covid-19 and into the future.

Join Evan Englezos from Digital Team Coach and Natalie Rosner from the Peter Corney Training Centre to explore:

1. Online strategies to share stories of God’s goodness

2. Investing in tech champions and the next generation

3. System strategies to support your ministry

Find out the big picture of 2 Corinthians before diving into the details during our sermon series and Connect group studies.

About this Event

Join us for an evening exploring 2 Corinthians with Mike Bird from Ridley College. Mike will give us an orientation and overview of the themes and distinctives of the book of 2 Corinthians. There'll also be an opportunity to ask questions and to hang out with your Connect Group and friends over supper.

This is a free event, but registrations for catering purposes would be appreciated. There will be an opportunity on the night to give a gold coin donation to cover costs.

Michael Bird is Academic Dean and Lecturer in Theology at Ridley College and author of several books in New Testament and Theology. He attends St. Alfred’s Anglican Church and is married to Naomi.

The Peter Corney Training Centre is partnering with Partners in Ministry to bring you The Resilience Conference on Wednesday 18th March.

‘Resilience is the tiny seed that finds strength to push through the formidable ground to become a mighty tree.’

Whether you are experiencing a season of abundant growth or struggling amidst the thorns and thistles of your vocation, this conference seeks to supply ministry leaders with the tools needed to flourish.

Theologians, Psychologists and Ministry Professionals will lead workshops that will encourage you to cultivate greater resilience and strengthen you for a lifetime of Abundant ministry.

Join us in the new year as we kick off Resilience Conference.

DATE
Wed 18th March 2020
9:30 AM - 4:30 PM

VENUE
New Hope Baptist
Blackburn North

SPEAKERS
Mark Conner, former Sr. Minister of City Life
Grant Bickerton, Psychologist to Ministry Leaders
Kirsty Bucknell, Organisational Psychologist and Leadership Consultant
Paul Grimmond, Dean of Students, Moore College


EARLY REGISTRATION DISCOUNT
Save 30% on tickets before Feb 7 2020

Business as Mission may be a new term for you. So let’s dig a bit deeper! The working definition of Business as Mission used by BAM global during their Think Tank processes is:

• Profitable and sustainable businesses;

• Intentional about Kingdom of God purpose and impact on people and nations;

• Focused on holistic transformation and the multiple bottom lines of economic, social, environmental and spiritual outcomes;

• Concerned about the world’s poorest and least evangelized peoples.

Join Mats Tunehag, the Chairman of BAM Global to hear more about Business as Mission and how you can be part of what God is doing in the world of business.

Our Business as Mission Seminar is a free event, but registrations are appreciated for catering and logistics.

The Peter Corney Training Centre is hosting a Stewardship Impact Workshop put together by Compass in collaboration with Christian Stewardship Network.

Speakers:

Chris Goulard, Pastor of Strategic Advancement, at Saddleback Church

Dave Briggs, Director of Stewardship, at Central Christian Church of Arizona

Who should attend?

The Stewardship Impact Workshop is designed specifically for senior church pastors, leaders and decision makers who are interested in developing a life-changing stewardship ministry in their local church. The Workshop seeks to equip church leaders in effectively addressing the practical, spiritual and emotional aspects of money and possessions in the context of their unique church cultures.

Workshop Topics Include:

• Why Develop a Healthy Stewardship Ministry?

• Theology and Stewardship Themes

• Empowering Generosity

• Critical Success Factors

• Building a Thriving Stewardship Ministry

Complex Questions and Considered Responses

As a result of the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey in 2017, Australia has entered into a new era when it comes to the legal definition of marriage. In responding to this New Marriage Era, there are complex questions for the Anglican Church of Australia to consider. These questions involve theological, biblical, liturgical, and pastoral dimensions. Join us for an evening conference with five plenary sessions as we seek to navigate these complex questions with some considered responses. This evening conference is particularly suitable for lay people and Synod representatives. 

 This event is a collaboration of EFAC Australia, St Hilary’s and the Peter Corney Training Centre

Program:

7.00pm Welcome/Setting the Scene (Bishop Matt Brain)

7.10pm Marriage and the Anglican Church of Australia (Bishop Michael Stead)  

7.40pm Marriage in the New Testament (Rev Natalie Rosner)

8.10pm To bless or not to bless? (Rev Canon Dr Rhys Bezzant)

8.40pm Responding to the Complex Pastoral Challenges at a Parish Level (Bishop Stephen Hale)

9.10pm Responding to the Complex Issues about Marriage in Synods (Bishop Richard Condie)

9.40pm Close

Plenary Speakers

Complex Questions and Considered Responses

As a result of the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey in 2017, Australia has entered into a new era when it comes to the legal definition of marriage. In responding to this New Marriage Era, there are complex questions for the Anglican Church of Australia to consider. These questions involve theological, biblical, liturgical, and pastoral dimensions. Join us for a daytime conference with five plenary sessions and two seminar sessions as we seek to navigate these complex questions with some considered responses. This event is particularly suitable for clergy and other church workers and lay Synod representatives. 

 This event is a collaboration of EFAC Australia, St Hilary’s and the Peter Corney Training Centre

Plenary Speakers

Program:

9.30am Welcome/Setting the Scene (Bishop Matt Brain)

9.40am Marriage and the Anglican Church of Australia (Bishop Michael Stead)  

10.10am Marriage in the New Testament (Rev Natalie Rosner)

10.40am Question time 

10.50am Morning Tea

11.20am To bless or not to bless? (Rev Canon Dr Rhys Bezzant)

11.50am Responding to the Complex Pastoral Challenges at a Parish Level (Bishop Stephen Hale)

12.20pm Responding to the Complex Issues about Marriage in Synods (Bishop Richard Condie)

12.50pm Question time

1.00pm Lunch

2.00pm Seminars Session 1 (TBC) – (45 mins)

2.55pm Seminars Session 2 (45 mins)

3.45pm Wrap Up and Close (time for prayer)

4.00pm Head home

Seminar Sessions

Responding to the Complex Issues About Marriage in Synods – a follow on

This seminar is a follow on to the Plenary Session of the same title.  In many mixed Dioceses and in the General Synod, these are difficult debates that needed to be handled with care. This session will give some extra time to look at what we should be saying, how we should be saying it, and will also discuss some practical strategies for engaging in the Synod process.

Rev Colleen Arnold-Moore

EFAC International - a Fellowship for those who choose to stay and those who have to go

Globally we often hear stories of those who have chosen (or been forced) to leave the Anglican Church. At the same thine there are those who also choose to stay. How do we maintain fellowship and mutual respect whichever way we go? 

Bishop Stephen Hale is Lead Minister of St Hilary’s, a multi-site church in the inner east of Melbourne. He is Chair of EFAC Australia and a member of the EFAC International Executive Committee; Chair of Christian Coach Institute; and Chair of Arrow Leadership: International Development. He is a member of General Synod and was formerly Bishop of the Eastern Region of the Diocese of Melbourne. Stephen is married to Karen with two adult children.

Revisers or Revisionists?
Is a shift on same sex relationships a shift on everything? 

What should we make of people who still think of themselves as Bible-believing Christians, but who adopt a new view on same sex relationships? How do we avoid rigid conformity on the one hand, and the abolition of truth on the other? Should we treat people with ministry responsibility differently to others? What does ‘speaking the truth in love’ look like in this situation? 

Peter Adam was born in Melbourne, and trained for the ministry at Ridley College Melbourne, and was ordained in 1970. His major ministries have included lecturing at St John’s College Durham, UK, serving as Vicar of St Jude’s Carlton from 1982-2002, and as Principal of Ridley College from 2002-2012. He is now Vicar Emeritus at St Jude’s. He has published a number of books, including Bible commentaries and Anglican history.

Engaging young people in responding to the changing environment on Marriage

Youth and young people are arguably in the most pressurised context when it comes to defining marriage in the new era. How can we as church leaders support our young people when there is seemingly only one response from their entire demographic? We will discuss how we can begin to equip and care for young people as they love their friends in the new era.  

Lars Vorlicek is the Youth Minister of the St Hilary’s Network and the Youth Director for CMS Victoria. He is currently undertaking a Bachelor of Theology at Ridley Theological College and a Diploma of Business & Leadership through the Charlie Bell School of Management. He is extremely passionate about ministry to youth and aims to be innovative and Christ-centred in all of his ministries.

Watch your language - making sure we're pastorally thoughtful and clear in how we speak

It's important to think carefully not only what we believe about marriage, but also how we articulate what we believe. Who we are speaking to and the context in which we're speaking are important factors to consider in thinking about what we say and how we say it. We may be speaking to Christians, to non-Christians, to an individual or in a corporate setting. We may or may not know the circumstances of the person or people we’re speaking to. This seminar will consider how these issues shape the way we communicate about marriage.

Denise Nicholls

Offering love and hope for same sex attracted and transgender members

The gospel offers hope for those dealing with issues around sex, need, and brokenness. Journey Australia works with people and pastors to support them to discover and live lives of hope in these areas where shame can typically hurt.  David will be sharing a pastoral framework to approaching need interspersed with testimony and discussion. 

David Desmond is a member of St Matthews Prahran, a business owner, dad of three and Director of Journey Australia, a discipleship ministry operating in Melbourne and Sydney with a focus on Identity, Relationships and Sexuality.  

Supporting families with same sex attracted and transgender members

When a person comes out as same sex attracted or transgender, the focus is generally on their need for support. However the family and especially the parents often need just as much support in navigating their way through this, especially those who still hold fast to the Biblical framework of gender and marriage. Now with the changed legal definition of marriage, and the current social climate, it can be an even greater challenge for these parents to hold fast to their faith, while still extending love to their family member. How as Christian parents is this manageable, and how best can the church support them in this? 

Sonja Schryvers is on the management committee of Renew Ministries and has run a support group in Melbourne for parents with same sex attracted and transgender children for the last 8 years. She is also a retired school teacher, and mother of 3 adult children.  

Positive outcomes for children, their families, and schools

In this interactive presentation Kay will address:

• Research findings related to transition and adjustment to school

• Challenges for children as they commence school

• Skills/behaviours that support children’s adjustment to school

• Strategies for supporting children’s  transition and adjustment to school

Associate Professor Kay Margetts is an Honorary Principal Fellow of the Melbourne Graduate School of Education. Kay has undertaken significant research in the area of children’s transition and adjustment to school. She regularly consults on early childhood development, learning and teaching both locally and overseas, and has published widely for the education profession.

There have been many shifts in Australian culture over the past twenty to thirty years. These shifts have included a changed understanding of the Christian faith, a changed perception of the Christian church and it's role in society and a changed attitude to religion in general and to how religion fits into our national life. Perhaps our new cultural milieu might be called 'post-Christian'. In such a cultural milieu, can the Christian church grow and if so, how?

Join us for a day to reflect on these questions and our own particular context.

Our plenary speaker will be Ger Jones, who is the Lead Pastor of Vintage Church, Los Angeles.

Program

9.30am: Arrival and registration

9.45am: A Growing Church in a post-Christian culture (Ger Jones)

11.00am: Morning tea (provided)

11.30am: Invitation and retention in the church (Ger Jones)

12.45pm: Lunch (provided)

1.45pm: Seminars (4 choices)

3.00pm: Close

Seminars

Seminar 1: Adapting a program to fit your context (Ger Jones)

Seminar 2: Growing a church in a multicultural context (David Williams) 

Seminar 3: Maintaining focus as you grow a church plant (Tim Horman and Peter Carolane) 

Seminar 4: Growing a smaller established church (Maria Brand-Starkey)

Seminar Speakers

Come and learn what’s distinctive about the Gospel of Luke in comparison with the other three Gospels we find in the New Testament before we start our Uncover series.

This hour on Luke will provide an overview of the Gospel’s shape (how Luke has arranged his Gospel) and purpose (why Luke wrote it). In the process we’ll also note the key themes and distinctives of Luke in comparison to the other Gospels.

Our presenter, Anthea McCall teaches New Testament, Anglican formation, and is the Dean of Students at Ridley College. She is also well-known to many of us because she was a minister at St Hilary’s and St Silas for 13 years!  To her, Luke is a special Gospel. Did you know that about half of Luke’s Gospel consists of material not found in the other three accounts? Luke is also rich in describing God’s heart for the lost and the least. And it’s also the first volume of a two-part-work with Acts. Together, Luke-Acts gives a picture of God’s plan of salvation for all humanity, and how we’re called to be involved in it.

For the Love of God: How the Church is Better + Worse than you ever imagined

Watch the documentary and ask your questions during Q & A

Christian history is full of violence, corruption, and oppression.

So would we be better off without Christianity? Does religion poison everything?

The history of the church offers plenty of ammunition to its critics. Crusades, inquisitions, witch hunts, the oppression of women …

For the Love of God: How the church is better and worse than you ever imagined, a documentary by the Centre for Public Christianity, confronts the worst of what Christians have done – and also traces the origins of Western values like human rights, charity, humility, and non-violence back to the influence of Jesus.

You may have questions about the Christian church and its track record over time. Or you may have friends with these questions. Come along to this event to watch the documentary and then ask your questions during a Q & A with Simon Smart, one of the presenters in the documentary.”

Location: St Hilary’s

Date: 27th March 7:30pm – 10pm

Cost: $22 General Admission, $16 Student Admission

Get hold of the big picture of the book of Hebrews before we dive into the detail in our sermon and Connect Group series, Greater.

This night offers a brief overview of the letter of Hebrews and its message, orienting us for the sermons, Connect Group studies and reflections in our Lenten series. Our presenter is Andrew Malone, who teaches Old Testament and New Testament at Ridley College. To him, that makes Hebrews the most valuable book in the whole Bible: a New Testament letter that draws together many Old Testament ideas. Hebrews helps us to see how God’s long-term plans converge in Jesus. Just as we start our bike-riding children with training wheels, God fills the Old Testament with his promises, his covenants, the tabernacle and its priests and sacrifices. Hebrews draws these together so that new-covenant Christians know how to ride effectively in their journeys with Jesus – the greatest expression of each of these themes.