F-11 Safe Spaces in Church
Mr. Jaime Romo, Ed.D (View Bio Here)
Participants will learn about a coherent program and set of resources that can be adapted to create safe spaces in church: congregationally developed Safe Church Policies; functional Response Teams; and Safeguarding God’s Children (29 minute video, discussion and summary of 3 year impact study at Pilgrim).

F-12 Forming A Spiritual Friends Circle
Ms. Elsa M.J. Seifert , M.A. (View Bio Here)
This workshop will show local churches how to start small groups of Spiritual Friends which meet regularly within the church. This is a group that is different from a task group, such as Prayers and Squares, or Women’s Fellowship, or others that may have service as their theme. This is a group where spiritual concerns are voiced. It can be a spiritual support group for those who are involved.

F-13 Mindful & Faithful Eating
The Rev. Diane Ryder
Eating can be a sacred act, whether at the Communion table, the dinner table, or on the streets. This workshop will explore the many ways that eating can be done mindfully and faithfully, thus becoming an act of worship. Together we will explore the Biblical concepts that inspired the Mindful and Faithful Eating Resolution sponsored by this Conference which is likely to be considered at Annual Synod in the summer of 2011. We will also offer practical tips for purchasing, preparing, eating and sharing food in ways that honor God and our neighbor. The goal of this workshop is to become aware of the compatibility between physical and spiritual ways of nurturing ourselves around our many tables.

F-14 Hard Questions About the Bible (Spanish) Cancelled
The Rev. Carlos Correa (View Bio Here)
A través de nuestro taller: “Preguntas Difíciles Acerca de la Biblia” iniciaremos una conversación a través de la cuál propondremos algunas de las preguntas que en ocasiones son el centro de contenciones y divisiones y a su vez comenzaremos, a la medida que se nos haga posible, a proponer respuestas.

F-15 Becoming A Global Mission Church
Global Ministries Committee
One of the major Christian imperatives demonstrated and shared by Jesus Christ were the words "you are to love your neighbor as you love yourself." These words are given life through the work of Global Ministries, a partnership mission work of the UCC & DOC. In this workshop many of the resource materials, web connections and stories will be shared to challenge and enable your congregation to become a "Global Mission Church." You will be encouraged to be an advocate to help this happen in your place of worship. Stories from Cuba, Palestine and the Congo will be shared to illustrate the difficulties and possibilities of "Becoming a Global Mission Church."

F-16 Big Enough to Celebrate, Small Enough to Care Cancelled
The Rev. Michael Piazza (View Bio Here)
Healthy churches often say that they do only three things: worship, community service and small groups. Whether in a small, medium or large church, a strong small group ministry can keep people connected and build relationships with each other and with God. In “Big Enough to Celebrate, Small Enough to Care” Rev. Michael Piazza, co-Executive Director of the Center for Progressive Renewal, will share how an effective small group ministry can lead to unconstrained growth, be a conduit for diversity, provide fertile ground for leadership development, and, most of all, create a vital and vibrant church!

F-17 Worship, GLEE Style: Engaging Pop Culture and Technology as a Means for Worship
Mr. David Sigmund (View Bio Here)
Gospel, spiritual and religious messages are found throughout popular culture. This workshop will demonstrate one way for engaging such messages and incorporating them into a cohesive and meaningful worship experience utilizing accessible technology. It will feature a GLEE themed mini-worship service including prayer, show video clips, pastoral reflection, and congregational song!

F-21 Escalating Danger of Islamophobia
The Rev. Dr. Jerry Stinson(View Bio Here)
Jerry Stinson will be joined by several Muslim leaders in a discussion about FBI agent provocateurs in Southern California mosques, accusations of American Muslim terrorism and dangerous stereotypes of Islam. He will present the “Standing Together Project” as a creative way congregations can respond to Islamophobia.

F-22 One Loaf, One Cup, One Table, One Body
The Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Utter & The Rev. Dr. Loletta Barrett (View Bio Here)
The sacrament of communion is central to Christian worship.  But it has been understood and ritualized in profoundly different ways over the centuries.  This workshop will look at the meaning of communion in terms of the great questions that are asked about it:  How is Christ present in the elements of bread and wine, and in the community gathered around the Lord’s table; how often should communion be celebrated; who should preside at this sacrament; who should be welcomed to the table; how should it be served, and how related to the rest of our worship?  Participants will be invited to share their reflections and also how communion is done in their own congregations.

F-23 The Bible and the UCC (Spanish)
The Rev. David Alicea (View Bio Here)
Este taller provee una perspectiva teológica moderna acerca de la Iglesia Unida de Cristo y las enseñanzas bíblicas. La UCC es una iglesia de fundamentos bíblicos que entiende que las Sagradas Escrituras deben ser interpretadas a la luz de las necesidades socio-culturales y espirituales de nuestro tiempo. La Biblia nos guía hacia un Dios que habla todavia.

F-24 Creating Multisensory Worship In A Diverse World
The Revs. B.J. Beu & Mary J. Scifres (View Bio Here)
Exploring the various spiritual types and diverse backgrounds that people bring to worship, we will discuss creative ways of designing worship in today’s changing world. Multisensory worship invites us to involve all of our senses, address a variety of spiritual needs, and incorporate diverse spiritual approaches.

F-25 Multi-cultural, Multi-racial Understanding in the UCC
The Rev. Sepulona Tanuvasa (View Bio Here)
This workshop will raise awareness about the many challenges involving cross-cultural communication among multicultural, multiracial settings. This workshop will be bi-lingual (Samoan an English).

F-26 Widening the Welcome: Accessible to All
Ms. Kelli Parrish Lucas (View Bio Here)
This workshop will explore the UCC’s historical commitment to including persons with disabilities. An explanation the 2005 General Synod resolution calling upon the UCC to become “Accessible to All” (A2A) and how congregations can work towards becoming A2A, as well as specific tools/skills to enhance how we welcome people with disabilities and their families will be provided. Please come learn, and discuss, how and why accessibility effects how we present our churches to others on Sunday mornings and throughout the week.

F-27 Worship That Witnesses to a One-Earth Economic Paradigm
The Rev. Lee Van Ham (View Bio Here)
Creation provides a one planet home for us and 20+ million other species. For centuries Creation's abundance has overshadowed her limits.  But no longer.  How do we reshape our lifestyles, congregational witness, and institutional structures to advance a one-Earth economy?  The sacraments of baptism and communion as well as music, preaching, and liturgy can evoke worship of awe, joy, and spiritual practices that put us within Creation, not above it.

F-28 Improving Music or Worship Experience: Is Change Difficult in Your Congregations?
Mr. Jaime Romo, Ed.D(View Bio Here)
Board and Committee members often respond to change with anxiety, which is managed in conscious and unconscious ways. This workshop will help participants understand the hidden dynamics of group/ board interactions and manage the difference between the stated task and the task a group actually appears to be pursuing.

S-1 From Pew Sitter to PR Person
The Rev. Dr. Bill Peterson & Ms. Mary Domb Mikkelson (View Bio Here)
Is your church “the best kept secret in town?”  Every church needs a publicist; someone with a passion to tell the community about its ministries.  This workshop presents practical advice from an experienced church publicist, who learned as she went along, and the pastor who works with her.

S-2 La Biblia Y El Rol De La Mujer (Spanish) Cancelled
The Rev. Elizabeth Aguilar (View Bio Here)
Este taller se enfocara en el rol de la mujer en escritura. Tambien veremos maneras en desarollar estudios biblicos para y con mujeres lideres en nuestras iglesias. Sera ofrecido en Espanol o biliguemente.

S-3 Spiritual Reading of Scriptures
The Rev. James Findlay (View Bio Here)
Participants will explore the history and practice of "lectio divina," or spiritual reading of the Bible. Opportunities to practice forms of meditation and spiritual growth with the Scriptures will be provided.

S-4 Going Green - Envirnment Sensitive Worship & Ministry
The Rev. John H. Pomeroy (View Bio Here)
What choices can our churches make with our worship and ministry to show our commitment to care for our environment?  Together we will look at simple checklists for "greening" our churches and discuss how they affect our plans for our buildings, programs, worship styles and outreach ministries.  Bring your best practices from your own church and a willingness to share and listen to how others try to care for the environment through their church!.

S-5 Music and Worship
Mr. John B. Hansen-Tarbox (View Bio Here)
Exploring the different styles and forms of music and chant from many locations and traditions as they pertain to worship. We will be working mostly with congregational singing , call and response, rhythmic chanting. Time will also be spent with "Sing! Prayer and Praise", the UCC's contemporary songbook.

S-6 Church Hospitality Means more than Coffee Time
The Rev. Kevin A. Johnson (View Bio Here)
An interactive session with tips on extending a consistently extravagant welcome.  Details covered will range from the parking lot to the rest rooms.  Church welcome involves so much more than Sunday coffee time.  From the moment people arrive to what they experience in church; what does your welcome say?

S-7 The Importance of the Funeral Service
The Rev. Dr. Thomas G. Long (View Bio Here)
Funerals have become spiritually impoverished and need revitalization. Come learn the purposes of a good funeral. Learn to embrace funerals as opportunities to act out one more time the great and hopeful drama of how the Christian life moves from death to life and from baptism to resurrection.

S-8 Let The Children Come! Children and Youth in Worship
Ms. Betsy Woodward (View Bio Here)
The future growth of our churches is dependent on children and youth being valued as significant and important young people who belong in our Sanctuaries both as leaders and worshippers .In this workshop; we will discuss elements of worship and how to guide young people in designing and leading worship. Come discuss involving children in worship, creating child-friendly worship and involving children in the worship moments as we live out Jesus’ teaching” Let the children come!”

SY-9 Consensus Building
The Youth Round Table
The Youth Round Table (YRT) is all about everyone having a voice, sharing information and building consensus. All voices are heard, all stories are told, and community is built! The group will participate in shared decision-making and discuss what they have seen or been part of that was reached by consensus building. We will also make “tree cookie” name tags, talk about summer camp, and maybe even a rousing round of Apples to Apples!