Continuing Educator for August 22, 2008
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The Continuing Educator
Society for the Advancement of Continuing Education for Ministry |
December 16, 2008
An Advent Invitation!
Here in December 2008---with so many in our communities already
experiencing or anticipating a winter of anxiety and loss---we in SACEM, along
with all those networks of faithful communities to which we connect, are invited
into Advent-icipation! We
are invited to celebrate again the reality of God-with-us, Emmanuel, in
all things. During such anxious times, we are reminded that we are called
to journey as hopeful, expectant people of faith. Such hope is beyond wishful
thinking...it is strong expectation of fulfillment in that which matters most.
Hopefulness and excitement about lifelong learning and continuing education
for ministry certainly describes our passionate work as educators in many contexts,
and our own continued learning and mutual support can be shared generously
through SACEM friendships, colleagiality, and reciprocity. In particular, we
value and anticipate the annual gatherings! Our president, Dr. Dent
Davis,
reflects in his evocative column on the special timeliness of our gathering
for the the Annual Conference 2009. Read his ruminations and very cordial invitation. Read
more ...
The 2009 Annual Gathering, March 6-8, 2009, will be hosted
by President Dent Davis' own ministry base, Columbia Theological Seminary in
Decatur, Georgia (the greater Atlanta area). The 2009 Conference title is "Crafting
Continuing Education: Identity and Intentionality," a theme
derived, at least partially, from the image of a potter working or crafting
the clay toward something new, while dependent on many gifts of past experiences,
past traditioning. Read a description of the 2009 conference
and its leaders
and facilitators, its Open Space and conversational format,
and its schedule (provide link). Join us---the strength of
the conference depends on each one of its participants! Read
more ...
The SACEM New Directors Workshop 2009 is held prior to the
annual conference each year, and will begin on March 5, 2009. This mentoring
time has proven very effective, year after year, in assisting persons newly
arrived into positions relating to continuing education/lifelong learning. The
New Directors' Workshop AND the Conference are consistently helpful to leaders
in seminary contexts, judicatory structures or denominational agencies, local
congregations, conference and retreat centers, as well as ministry consultants. Read
more ...
Registration for the pre-Conference workshop and the Conference
itself may be accomplished online. Register
now ...
Thoughts on the Emergent Church movement. As I write, I am in
attendance at The Great Emergence conference in Memphis, Tennessee
(December 4-6). This is a significant ecumenical gathering (a predecessor conference
was hosted at Columbia Theological Seminary, in fact) which is centered on presentations
based on the new book by respected author and scholar of religion in America---Phyllis
Tickle, The Great Convergence. I will be providing a book review and
reflections on this experience in a SACEM website posting soon.
Others who have sponsored or participated in similar significant events or conversations
about the emergent church movement (see emergentvillage.com) are invited to post
thoughts on our own SACEM website, as well as to provide book reviews and articles
of interest around this or other subjects related to our common work and contexts
for ministry. This potential to share online is vastly undeveloped in
SACEM. Given the tumultuous times which call for our best, collaborative wisdom,
can we increase our SACEM "social networking"? Our website is ready!
Thank you for your engagement, and a blessed Advent-icipation! Elise
Eslinger
The Continuing Educator is published by the Society for the Advancement
of Continuing Education for Ministry. Copyright 2008
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