Equipping the Saints (mini) conference
The Granville Archdeaconry invites you to attend
Equipping the Saints (mini) Conference
Date: October 18th, 9am-3:30pm
Place: St. Mary's Kerrisdale, 2490 W 37th Ave, Vancouver, BC
Cost: 15.00 (Pay what you can options available)
Register here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/tj79hpj
Join an assembly of lay leaders and clergy from across our Diocese for a much-needed opportunity to gather in prayer, to listen, learn, connect, and grow together! The day includes a plenary speaker, the ability to attend two workshops and a catered lunch.
All are welcome! Registration is through the Diocese's Learning Centre for Mission and Formation. If you need childcare provided in order to attend, please phone (604) 261-4228
Conference Schedule
9am - Breakfast/Social
9:30am - Opening Worship
10am - Opening Plenary
11:30am - Workshop 1
12:30pm - Lunch
1:30pm - Workshop 2
2:45pm - Final Remarks/Closing Worship
3:30pm - End
Plenary Speaker: Bearing Witness, Building the Kin-dom: Advocacy, Mental Health, and the Church’s Call with Reverend Jeffrey Preiss
This plenary will explore how the Church is called not only to acts of compassion but also to advocacy that brings about the kin-dom of God in tangible, systemic ways. Drawing on his work at the Crisis Centre and his diaconal ministry, Jeffrey will invite us to see mental health crisis response as a place where the Church can speak with a loud voice: challenging stigma, pressing for just policies, and standing alongside those whose voices are silenced. Our missional work is more than charity; it is the bold proclamation of God’s kin-dom of justice, dignity, and hope.
Workshops
Workshop Series 1 (11:30am-12:30pm)
- Eucharistic Visitors (Part 1) - with Reverend Andrew Halladay
- Eucharistic visitors bring the reserved sacrament to people unable to attend a celebration in their church. Discover the meaning and power of these visits and practical how-tos to preparing for and offering this ministry.
- Praying the Psalms - with Sr. Leah-Teresa of Avila, OSBCn (Leah Postman)
- Benedictine communities focus on praying through the 150 Psalms each week. But most of us do not live in monastic communities and, given the conditions and demands of modern life, our prayer lives are often by necessity solitary and our time limited. In this workshop, we will explore understanding the psalms as a communal practice – a communal consciousness – that we can import into (and use as a support for) our individual prayer routines. We will pray together a selection of psalms and reflect on ways that this practice may be transformational not only for ourselves, but for our communities and the larger world.
Workshop Series 2 (1:30pm-2:45pm)
- Eucharistic Vistors (Part 2) - with Reverend Andrew Halladay
- This is the second part of the workshop. Continue building skills and understanding to offer this ministry.
- Lay Healing Ministers - with Reverend Jessica Schaap
- Learn the why and how lay ministers can offer anointing with holy oil and prayers for healing. This training can fulfill part of the requirements for licensed lay healing ministers. If you are seeking licensing, please complete the online core training before attending the workshop
- You Don't Need to Sit Still to Meditate - Walking Meditations - with Reverend Roberta Fraser
- While many types of meditations involve stillness and silence, many people find that kind of meditation hard to do. Or we find we can sit quietly and 'empty our mind' sometimes, but other times we need something that involves our body more actively. We will talk about several kinds of movement meditations with a focus on the ancient practice of using a labyrinth as a spiritual practice. For several thousand years people have used labyrinths - walking and dancing on them and using them for rituals. We will explore some of the historical types of labyrinths and the ways they have been used. We will end with walking St. Mary's indoor Chartres style labyrinth. No previous experience with labyrinths is needed!