Current District News


Subject: Conflict Seminar offered again March 06     
Dear Cabinet members:
 
I will be offering again in March  (Tuesdays the 7th, 14th and snow date 21st) the two day seminar:  "Conflict in the Church, Skills and Strategies for Working Things Out."   The flyer is copied below and attached. 
 
The sessions will be held this time at my church, Asbury-Crestwood.  It will be posted on the conference program listing starting this week.
 
I share this with you for two reasons:
 
1. That you encourage anyone you think might benefit to attend.
2. That you encourage anyone who might be a candidate to get involved in the Parish consultants Network to attend.  The ranks of the PCN are very thin, and this would be a good intro.
3. That a superintendent participate in the in the event by attending  (at a time of your convenience) for about an hour and half.  Jeanette did this last time, and it was very helpful in grounding the seminar in the realities of our Conference.
 
Happy New Year.
 
Scott Summerville
_______________________________
Conflict in the Church: Skills and Strategies for Working Things Out
___________________________________________________________________
A two part seminar for clergy and lay persons.
(This is a repeat of the seminar held October 2005)
 
When: Tuesday, March 7 and Tuesday, March 14, 2006
(snow date: Tuesday, March 21)
9:45 AM to 3:15  PM
 
Where:  Asbury-Crestwood United Methodist Church
 167 Scarsdale Rd., Tuckahoe, NY 10707
(right off the Bronx River Parkway, ten minutes south of the Conference Center)
 
Seminar leader:  Rev. Scott Summerville
Scott is pastor at Asbury UMC in Yonkers, New York.  He is a long time member of the New York Annual Conference Parish Consultants Network.  He has received training from the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center, Alban Institute, the FaithTrust Institute, and the JustPeace Center for Mediation and Conflict Transformation (United Methodist).  He also has studied with two professional mediators: Sam Leonard and Stephanie Hixon.  He has done conflict education in a variety of setting in the New York Conference.
 
What to expect:                To be introduced to ways of assessing specific conflicts.
 
To explore strategies for shifting from destructive conflict to creative encounter.
 
To learn about congregational covenants as a way of promoting improved communication
and preventing destructive congregational conflict.
 
To be introduced to the Just Peace "Circle Process" as a model for
healing conversation in the midst of conflict.
 
To gain insight into the reasons that church conflicts are often so painful.
 
To explore how you can protect yourself and care for others in times of conflict.
 
To be challenged to commit yourself to ministries of reconciliation.
 
Participants get CEU credit (1/4 unit)
 
Who may attend? 
Anyone interested in improving the spirit of congregations through dealing creatively with conflict.  (If you are currently engaged in serious conflict, you may find this seminar useful, but it should not be taken as the primary resource for work on a current significant conflict.)
Registration is limited to twenty-two persons.
 
Cost:   There is a registration fee of $70, payable to The New York Annual Conference.  The registration fee includes payment for lunch both days. Full payment is due at the time of registration and is refundable for those who cannot attend, provided that cancellation is made at least a day in advance of the first session. 
 
Food:  Refreshments provided at the opening of each session, and lunch will be provided both days.
 
For more information:  contact Rev.Ann Pearson, NYAC Director of Connectional Ministries (apearson@nyac.com, 914-997-1570 ext 230) or her assistant, Shelly Mitchell (914-997-1570 ext 238, smitchell@nyac.com) or Rev. Scott Summerville (sumvil@aol.com, 914-779-3722.)
 
 
 
Registration form:        Conflict in the Church: Skills and Strategies for Working Things Out
Tuesday, March 7 and Tuesday, March 14, 2006 (snow date March 21)
      Name(s)____________________________________________________________________
      Church affiliation _____________________________________________________________ 
      Address: ____________________________________________________________________
      Phone number _____________________________________________________________
      Email address: _______________________________________________________________
 
       Registering for _____ (number of persons)             Payment enclosed ($70 per person)  $_______
                     
            Mail to:              Conflict Seminar
                                     New York Annual Conference
                                     Office of Connectional Ministries
                                     20 Soundview Ave.
                                     White Plains, NY 10606
 

 

 

Conflict Seminar Flyer  - (32,768  bytes) MS Word