2009 Church Retreat Program @ Skye Farm Camp

“Leadership for the 21^st Century”

with Rev. Dr. James Fenimore

(If there are duplicates, there were three group= s in discussions.)

We are the church that &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p;

= 1) Is unique because all are truly welcome and we’re non-judgmental

= 2) Stimulating environment where questioning is OK

= 3) Serves community and world

= 4) Moves forward (be more Christ like)

= 5) Supporting each other in life’s joys and crisis

= 6) Is community unified in our differences (family-like)

We are the church that &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p;

= 1) Still has their doors open! To all!

= 2) Is continuing to change

= 3) Heals / restores persons souls

= 4) Serves the community they are living within – Service Learning

= 5) We are an integrate community church – reciprocal relationship

= 6) Children are able to “run” into–children can be children–are allowed to be

= 7) Appeals to a variety of people

= 8) Isn’t afraid to change their “seat”

= 9) Affirm people – educate the ‘you can’t do that here’ people – over and over and over!

We are the church that &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p;

·= ; Is educated / educates: community, church, humanity

·= ; Open Theology / Open Exchange

·= ; Follows Jesus as a radical revolutionary

·= ; Connects

·= ; Connects each other to community

·= ; Listens and responds

·= ; Vital / Energetic

·= ; “Can do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, to all the people you can, for as long as you can.” –J. Wesley

·= ; Reaches out and accepts in love

·= ; Is authentic

·= ; Builds consensus

Significant moments/events/influences in FUMC’s past:

·= ; Dr. Carothers

·= ; Influences of GE (scientists and engineers)

·= ; Christmas Dawn Service

·= ; Adult Forums

·= ; Skye Farm

·= ; Women Clergy

·= ; Carl Lectures

·= ; Reconciling Congregation

·= ; Youth Activities

·= ; Volunteers In Mission – Adkins

·= ; Living the Questions

·= ; Music – Concerts

·= ; Community Service – SICM

Significant moments:

·= ; Leon Adkins, Sr.

·= ; J. Edward Carothers

·= ; Columbarium put in

·= ; Participated in forming SICM

·= ; Started hosting food pantry

·= ; Ended hosting food pantry because they grew too large

·= ; Annual Halloween Carnival

·= ; Supporting Belinda Forbes as Central American Missionary

·= ; Started Concert Music Series

·= ; Sister Church attempted in Nicaragua under Rev. Farrell

·= ; Started annual Skye Farm events

·= ; VIM started under Lee Adkins, Jr.

·= ; Became a reconciling congregations (with a small “r”) under Rev. OR= 17;Hara

·= ; Breakfast program started under Rev. Clunn

·= ; Meeting place for Home Furnishings

Significant moments:

·= ; Thanksgiving Dinners

o Community

o (male)

o Men’s Breakfast

·= ; Bell Choir / Adult Choir

·= ; Ft. Worth – revitalization gathering

·= ; Marryners

·= ; Young Marryners (50’s) –

o Community

o After parties

·= ; Skye Farm (50’s)

·= ; Work Programs

·= ; Feast of the Green Corn

·= ; Summer Events – CP

·= ; Softball

·= ; BNI – work projects

·= ; Youth –

o Greece

o North Carolina

o Great Escape

o Vt. M?

o Skye Farm

·= ; Church Vitality Study Group (1992) – asked into group

·= ; Carl Lectures

·= ; Lenten Program –

o intergenerational activities (Peter Oldow)

o Dance

o Lay academy

·= ; Leadership opportunities

·= ; Concert Series–

o Children from Canada

o Harmonic Brass from Germany

·= ; Adult Forums

o Opportunities to hear about different topics

o People had opportunity to share opin= ions

·= ; Committees –

o Need guidelines

o Need general interest

o Needs to be flexible

·= ; Mission partners – youth and adult

·= ; Outside Perceptions –

o Tiolet paper (TP) church

o Gay church

o Liberal theology

·= ; Reconciling Ministries process

·= ; Breakfast Ministry

·= ; Home Furnishings

·= ; Soap Ministry

·= ; Non-judgmental gifting / sharing

·= ; Stephen Ministry

·= ; Schenectady Center for Wellbeing – beyond spiritual connections=

·= ; “Golden years of Carothers” unified budgets

·= ; Weekly optional communion