ACADEMY FOR THE ART OF MINISTRY

Winter, Spring and Summer 2008

Workshops and classes for pastors and church leaders, which engage the arts and practice creative, innovative ways to revitalize congregations.

Register for a full “cluster” of related classes, or come for an individual classes within these clusters.

WORSHIP AND ART July 22 - 26

Day 1 and 2: Creating Artful and Worshipful Expression: Foundational Concepts for Worship in Postmodernity

In this class participants will take a fresh look at their congregation’s worship, engaging aesthetic principles to guide their reflections. During these two days participants will practice designing worship experiences for their congregations, engaging techniques that arise out of arts traditions, and that are consistent with techniques practiced in contemporary communication patterns:

Tues. July 22nd 10am – Wed. July 23rd 4pm $225 includes Tues lunch, dinner, and Wed. breakfast and lunch.

Day 3: Sacred Spaces for Ministry

Are you interested in taking a fresh look at the spaces in which you do ministry? Does the church building that houses your congregation need a face-lift…or reconstructive attention? In this workshop we will focus our attention within the sanctuary and throughout the whole church building, recognizing that all the spaces within our churches reflect the values and theology of our congregations. Our church buildings also define the way we live and work together within our communities of faith, impacting our interaction, emotional health, and the tasks we do together. During this day-long workshop we will use the language of the arts and post modern trends in architecture to explore the theological underpinnings of the church’s mission, and the spaces in which we meet and inspire the people of God. Participants should anticipate spending part of the day out of the classroom, in public places. More Cleveland area sites will be suggested for those who have scheduled free time while in this area.

Thurs. July 24th. 9am-6pm $125 includes lunch out of the conference center at a restaurant.


Day 4: Creating Art for Worship

This workshop will provide lots of opportunity for hands-on study of the elements of liturgical design. Throughout the day, we will play with fabric and other art supplies (You may bring with you a favorite visual art medium, if your preference is not fabric.). Visuals in worship will be emphasized, understanding that in most Protestant traditions, visual expression has been undermined or ignored. You will be encouraged to re-envision your worship space, utilizing the elements of artistic expression….line, color, texture, contrast, and image… This is not a workshop in which you will create a finished piece of art, but you will leave with myriad ideas to make wonderful, artful expressions for your congregations’ worship. Fri. July 25th 9am – 4pm $125 includes materials and lunch.


Day 5: Extended day in the studio: Techniques, practice, play! (Open only to persons having taken “Creating Art for Worship” the day before.)

This day is designed to provide further time to “play” with fabric and to be inspired by the colors, textures, and materials in a working liturgical art studio. There will be time for group activities to develop creative and new possibilities in the use of fabric. There will be instructional time in fabric art techniques, as requested by the participants, and practice time with these new techniques. There will be time for individuals to gather the resources and get the help needed for current or future projects. (In addition to Creating Art for Worship, Creating Artful and Worshipful Expression, listed above, provides good foundational concepts and understandings to put into practice in this studio.)

Sat. July 26th 9am – 4pm $125 includes materials and lunch.


DISCOUNTED REGISTRATION FOR THE FULL FIVE DAYS OF “Worship and Art” $550. (includes meals designated in each day’s description.)


ARTISTIC TECHNIQUES: MINISTRY IN POST-MODERNITY April 8 - 11

(EXPERIENTIAL, PARTICIPATORY, NARRATIVE-BASED AND IMAGE-DRIVEN)

Day 1: How to Build a Story

From ancient times, stories have provided the link between members of different generations, between holy words and the threads of life, and between peoples of differing cultures, histories, and faiths. Stories are foundational to community identity and formation; and almost half of our Christian scriptures are comprised in story genre. Would you like to hone your storytelling –writing skills, so that communicating biblical stories and stories for congregational ministry become more dramatic and effective? This class is designed for pastors, educators and church leaders who recognize the power of story in building vibrant, faith communities. Come, learn and practice the techniques inherent in writing and telling artful stories for people of faith.

Tuesday, April 8th 8:30am – 6pm. $140 includes breakfast and lunch.


Day 2: Teaching the Bible Experientially

Designed for pastors, church educators, and leaders of adult study groups, this workshop will introduce and practice several models for biblical study that engage persons with the text, in ways that help them draw insights for daily living. You will leave the workshop with a fresh perspective on how experiential models speak uniquely to this postmodern period, and many suggestions for ways to transform current, church, group opportunities into active, spirit-filled opportunities for growth. Wednesday, April 9th 9am – 4pm. $125 includes lunch.


Day 3 and 4: The Artful Life of Prayer and Reflection. Personal Retreat for Leaders

During this time of retreat, several artistic methods for meditation, reflection and prayer in personal and group spiritual direction will be introduced and practiced. Participants will engage in hands-on artistic expression utilizing each methodology, with the focus of each session upon learning and experiencing the artistic approach, equipping you to use them personally and to leading groups. No art background is necessary for full participation. If you are looking for new experiences in meditation and prayer that incorporate hands-on artistic expression, you will appreciate this time set apart for study and prayer. The retreat is designed to be a quiet, reflective and renewing time for participants, with “debriefing” experiences interspersed to address issues and questions for leadership. Thursday, April 10th 9am – Friday, April 11th, 12 noon. $225 includes Thursday lunch, dinner, and Friday breakfast.


DISCOUNTED REGISTRATION FOR FULL FOUR DAYS OF “Techniques for Ministry in Postmodernity” $450

(includes meals designated in each day’s description.)


THE VISUAL ARTS IN PROCLAMATION AND SERVICE: An Abbreviated Seminary Course in Practical Theology January 14 - 17

This four-day workshop is comprised of key elements taught in a semester-long seminary course, in practical theology. Its aim is to assess and apply to ministry the cultural shifts inherent in post modernity that affect the ways communities are formed. Special attention will be placed on principles of aesthetics, the dynamics of creative process, current understandings of right and left brain processing, methods in experiential learning, and the principles of non-verbal artistic expression. Each of these principles provides a lens through which we can view approaches to congregational renewal, and the language necessary to practice and build models appropriate to specific congregational settings. Participants should anticipate creative and active participation in the sessions, while engaging art materials, interactive exercises, and academic readings. A bibliography will be sent to participants upon enrollment.

Mon. Jan 14, 11am – Thurs. Jan 17, 3pm. $450 includes two meals each day.


LECTIONARY RETREATS FOR PASTORS AND WORSHIP LEADERS

Lent/Easter “Season A”: Jan 25 - Jan 26

Season of Pentecost (Ordinary Season) April 18 – 19


Lenten/Easter “Cycle A”: Would you like time to read, discuss and reflect upon the Lenten/Easter lectionary with other pastors and persons in liturgical leadership? During this retreat, new worship resources will be introduced, several creative and artistic approaches to biblical imagination will be led during the day; there will be time for personal recreation, time to participate in group study and still leave time for independent planning. Come enjoy this mid-winter time of respite and renewal. Fri, Jan 25, 9am – Sat. Jan 26, noon. $175 includes Fri. lunch, dinner, and Sat. breakfast.


Season of Pentecost “Cycle A”: Similar to the Lenten/Easter Lectionary Retreat, this time away will provide pastors and worship leaders time to read, discuss, and reflect upon scriptures and themes for summer worship. Come prepared to energize your corporate worship with new creative, artistic, and imaginary biblical insight! Friday, April 18, 9am – Saturday, April 19, noon. $175 includes Friday lunch, dinner and Sat. breakfast.

STUDIO ART WORKSHOPS : Fabric Art Techniques for Sewers

This new Academy workshop is designed to broaden and deepen the fabric art skills of persons who create banners, paraments, and vestments for the church. Each participant will be asked in advance of the workshop for questions and technical problems they would like to have answered during these two days. Each person will also be given the opportunity to include in the workshop plan those hand and machine techniques, which represent their “growing edge”. Potentially appliqué, embroidery, free-form machine surface work, fabric painting, drawn-thread techniques, texturing, patchwork practice, quilting might all be included in the days’ schedule, depending upon the interests of the participants. This workshop should not be seen as a place to finish one project, but instead an opportunity to practice and develop skills that will help express ideas visually, for those who enjoy working with fabric and textile materials.

Friday,August 1, 10am – Saturday, Aug 2, 3pm. $225 includes Fri. lunch, Saturday breakfast and lunch.