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Convention Workshops

All members of the diocese are welcome to attend the Convention workshops. Dates, times and descriptions are below.

If you are not a registered Deputy and plan to attend as a guest, please notify Randy Johnson at rjohnson@dioceseofnewark.org so we can be prepared to welcome you.

Friday, Jan. 31, 9:30-10:30 AM

Engaging the Promises: Doing the Work God Has Given Us to Do

Using promises from the Baptismal Covenant, we will explore what it means to be in the world doing the work God has given us to do (as we pray in one of our post-Communion prayers). Participants will share stories of their passions for this work. We will talk about the ways in which they are connected to and supported by others, a.k.a. their current resources, as well as they ways they might be helped to expand those connections and networks of support, a.k.a. their needs for additional resources. The Engaging Action Team of Diocesan Council will incorporate the learning about what is working well and what could use some help or additional resources into their work supporting congregations to live their faith in God’s world.

The Rev. Paula Toland & The Rev. Tom Murphy, Members of the Engaging Team of Diocesan Council

Orientation for Deputies and Alternates

First Time at Diocesan Convention? Welcome! We are so glad to have you here. Here for a return visit? Welcome back! Come meet with one of our Parliamentarians, Carol Harrison-Arnold, and she will give you a brief introduction into the ins and outs of this very important weekend in the corporate life of the Diocese of Newark! Once again, Thank you for being a part of the Diocesan Convention of the Diocese of Newark! We hope you enjoy the weekend.

Meet the Candidates

Come meet the candidates that you will be voting on in the election this weekend.

The Nominations Committee

The Possibility of Offering a Senior Center at your Church

With an ever-growing population of people 60 and older there is an opportunity and need for ministry to this segment of the population. The workshop offers practical advice on the opportunities for such ministries based on the long-time experience of the Church of the Messiah, Chester, and its Senior Resource Center. Come and learn of what it takes to start such a ministry.
The Rev. Margaret Otterburn & Senior Ministries

Friday, Jan. 31, 3:45-4:45 PM

Nurturing Spirituality and Meditation

In a world where we are striving to behold God’s gifts; become God’s steward the spiritual practice mediation provides a way. As we deal with the stressful times we live in meditation can help us move from reactivity to responsiveness and open us to living in a more centered way. Small group meditation is a powerful vehicle for fostering the community’s spiritual life.

Join us as we come together to pray, learn and plant seeds that nurture spirituality in ourselves and the diocese. This interactive workshop is for beginners and practiced meditators alike.

Janet Maulbeck

POP UP Youth Ministries

Becoming Connected: A holistic approach for those in the first third of life and an exploration of ways to partner together to facilitate meaningful and impactful ministries for young people of faith.

The PopUp Youth Ministries Team

Stewardship - Year Round

In this workshop we will focus on a parish-based plan to implement Year-Round Stewardship. While we often talk about the fact that Stewardship should be a year-round practice, parish leaders can find it difficult to start. In this workshop we’ll explain why a year-round approach is so important, and provide parish-based tactics that you can get started with right away.

Cynthia McChesney, Pat Yankus & The Fund Development Committee

“YIGBY” Yes in God’s Backyard

The lack of safe affordable housing has become a national crisis even more keenly felt in NJ, the sixth most expensive state to live. Especially vulnerable are our neighbors who are considered “extremely low income, often seniors, those with disabilities and single parents with young children” Could the church with underused property be a gift to address such a need? How might this transform our neighborhoods and worshipping communities? Deacon Diane Riley will discuss this trend with some real life examples of faith communities in NJ that have taken the step to share their gifts of property and live out their faith by creating homes.

The Rev. Deacon Diane Riley

Saturday, Feb. 1, 12:15-1 PM

'Let Everything that hath breath': Everyone Can Sing!

Join Mark Trautman, Missioner for Music and the Arts and Director of Music at St Paul's, Englewood for a workshop on styles, techniques, and materials for leading and participating in congregational singing. We will take a look at the many kinds of music--Anglican chant, Gregorian Chant, metrical Psalms and Canticles, and more--with special attention to "paperless music" and the new Justice Choir Songbook. Whether you feel you're ready for Carnegie Hall, or if you just like to sing with the radio on your way to work, you are welcome to come and raise your voice in song!

Mark Trautman

Stewardship – Panel

In this workshop we will hear directly from stewardship leaders in the diocese who have brought creativity and strategic thinking to their stewardship implementation. Four parish leaders will share with us their unique approaches to Stewardship. Join us for this interactive dialogue and learn how lay leaders at St. George’s Maplewood, St. Mark’s Teaneck, St. James Upper Montclair and St. Andrew’s Harrington Park have broken through the “Same old same old way of doing Stewardship. You’ll learn how to break through too!“

Cynthia McChesney & The Fund Development Team

Prison Ministry - First Friends

IMMIGRATION DETENTION: NJ'S HIDDEN SHAME First Friends of NJ & NY is a Kearny NJ based nonprofit that supports immigrants detained in 4 NJ jails while offering post-release services to hundreds of immigrants annually. Since 1997 First Friends has been running the oldest and largest ICE detention visitation program in the country. Join us as we share trends in immigration detention both nationally and locally and how our local communities are working together to support immigrants in detention and after they are released. Volunteer engagement opportunities will be shared, allowing people to become engaged in welcoming the stranger into our communities.

The Prison Ministry & Victor Salama, Executive Director, First Friends

Creatively Helping Others with Spiritual Gifts and Talents

There are many ways to creatively help others with gifts and talents. There are similarities and differences between talents and spiritual gifts. Both are gifts from God, and grow with use. Using our gifts and talents for God’s purposes involves discovering how to effectively apply these God-given capabilities for reaching out and helping others.

This workshop will provide a list of organizations that can use a variety of handmade items (knit, crochet, quilt, sew, etc.) that will offer comfort to babies, children, men, women, the elderly and animals in need. Several examples of handmade donated items will be on display. Representatives from several churches in our Diocese will speak about their outreach projects that they are currently working on and donating to others.

Debra Murray-Cook, Member, Diocesan Council