This section outlines a number of the CMSC programs that are available to small-church congregations and dioceses. It is a work in progress. We are currently working with more presenters from each of our sponsoring dioceses. As we receive information from them, our catalogue will grow!

We realize these programs will not fit every need. We are also equipped to work with a congregation or diocese to design an individualized program or consultation.

The CMSC programs in this section are arranged under the following five headings:

The following page outlines the basic procedure used to contract for a workshop. Fees will vary according to the length and type of program. If you have any questons or would like more information, please call the CMSC office (1-800-772-1974). We look forward to working with you!

 

Singing the Psalms - Every congregation can sing the psalms! This workshop introduces a congregation to the tradition of singing the psalms in liturgical services. Instruction is given in the various styles of Anglican Chant and how even the more difficult chants can be tailored to a small congregation. The presenter also introduces the participants to some of the many contemporary psalm settings that are available.

Alternative Music Resources for Small Churches - ln this workshop, the participants will sing through examples of new music that is available from various publishers and that is appropriate for small congregations. Books, anthologies, and recordings will be available for examination. The presenter discusses how to choose appropriate contemporary music and also shows how music can be tailoredto fit any size congregation.

Music in Small Churches: Rethinking a Ministry - This workshop addresses such questions as: We have the Hymnal 1982, but the music is too hard; what do we do? We have a choir of four people all over the age of seventy and we never have new people; help! We have no organist; should we buy pre-programmed accompani-ments?

Children's Liturgy and Music - Involve your youth and children in the worship of the church. Examine some excellent resources, find out how to involve children in liturgy planning, learn how to incorporate simple movement and drama in worship services. In small congregations, this can be a wonderful intergenerational experience.

 

Building a Vision in Stewardship - In this workshop, the presenter uses an actual parish experience to show other congregations how to define goals that include stewardship, new programs, evangelism, and financial independence.

Stewardship in Thanksgiving - Christian stewardship begins in the heart, and it means learning how to say "thank you" to God for the abundance we enjoy. This workshop can helpyou learn to encourage Christian giving in a way that will encourage the spirit and build the body.

Stewardship in Small Churches - This workshop (anywhere from ninety minutes to four hours) is aimed at addressing the particular needs and circumstances of small congregations with regard to the issues of the faithful use of all God's gifts. The workshop addresses both the fundamental theology of faithful Christian stewardship and the manner in which that stewardship can be applied. The use of all gifts, annual monetary pledges, fund-raising strategies, budget design,and communication are addressed. Hands-on experience in the four-hourtime frame allows participants to design and present a mock stewardship presentation. The workshop can be scaled to fit a Saturday morning or a Sunday afternoon time slot.

 

The Church: An Evangelistic Community - How can you make your church an evangelistic community, a place where outsiders can know and be known by the Lord? In this workshop, you can learn ways to make your congregation a welcoming place where others will want to belong.

Gifts Discernment - God has given specific gifts of ministry to all of us for the common good. Explore the joy of affirming and using these gifts in a workshop using small-group sharing, teaching, Bible study, and prayerful reflection.

Gifts and Talents for the Ministry of All the Baptized - This is a six-hour CMSC training event that will qualify and equip particpants to organize and lead "Gifts and Talents" workshops in their own congregations or dioceses. This experience affirms each person, gives each one a sense of direction, and empowers each one to be an effective participant in God's continuing work in the world.

From Maintenance to Mission - This is a six-hour CMSC training event that will equip participants to lead their churches, councils, vestries, or other leadership groups toward positive congregational development, deepened personal faith, enriched corporate life, and energized commitment to the mission of the church.

Planning for Your Church's Future - The millennium is here! Is your church entering this new era with energy and vitality? Preparing for the future begins with a congregational process of assessing the present and building a vision for ministry. The entire faith community can have a voice in this process. This is available in either a one-day format or a series of on-site consultations.

Managing Conflict - Churches are made up of wonderfully diverse Christians. Conflict is inevitable, but conflict can be either creative or destructive. There are many techniques to learn to appreciate differences, improve communications between individuals and groups, and how to disagree without being disagreeable. Much can be learned about different styles of dealing with conflict, and new skills can be learned to increase one's effectiveness. The best way to maintain a health congregational life is to learn how to manage conflict before it begins to have a negative impact on the life of a congregation.

What Do We Do After We Say Hello? - This new-member incorporation workshop provides a process for a congregation to assess how well it incorporates new members into the life of the body. It is flexible enough to be configured in several nightly sessions, as a half-day workshop, or as a weekend retreat. This also available as a CMSC training event.

 

Youth Ministry - The following topics are available:

  • Relational Youth Ministry in the Small Church
  • Developing a Vision for Youth Ministry
  • Funding a Vision-Driven Youth Ministry
  • Encouraging Youth Volunteers from the Congregation
  • Helping Priests Begin and Maintain a Youth Ministry
  • Using Music in Youth Ministry
  • The Ministry of Recreation
  • A Bishop's Role in Promoting Youth Ministry

Storytelling and Teacher Training - This workshop offers a rediscovery of the original traditions that fostered spiritual growth in the early church. The presenters offer basic teacher training and re-training. They teach methods of theological reflection for children so they can relate their everyday world to spiritual formation.

Intergenerational Sunday School Programs - How to design educational programs to cross age-group boundaries.

The Catechumenal Process for Small Congregations - The "Christian education program" used by the early Christians is still one of the best to use today! Participants will examine ways in which a small congregation can use the catechumenal process to educate the existing congregation while helping them welcome and support new members.

 

Computers in the Church! - A variety of the following goals can be accomplished in a half-day workshop.

  • Equipment and software evaluation
  • Productive use of existing programs
  • Suggestions for upgrading and acquisitions
  • World Wide Web and Internet resources for ministry
  • Hands-on work with various programs

Workshop on Communications - This workshop (anywhere from ninety minutes to four hours) examines the nature and praxis of small-chuch communication and can be designed to fit the particular needs of any congregation in terms of both time and content. The general overview examines both external communication (communication outside the church to the world) and inernal communication (communication within the chuch itself). Discussions range from the theoretical to the practical, with hands-on instruction on sign, newsletter, and flyer design in the four-hour time frame. An additional component to the workshop addresses the types and uses of electronic comunications devices (fax machines, computers, copiers, etc.), with particular assistance being directed at cost effectiveness, purchasing, and use. The workshop can be scaled to fit a Saturday morning or a Sunday afternoon time slot.

 

 

Procedure

If your church or diocese would like assistance from the CMSC, these are the steps to follow:

  • A diocese or congregation contacts the CMSC office with a request for a program or consultation.
  • A staff person works with the congregation or diocese to determine the type of program that would best fit the need. The staff person then communicates with a presenter and the group requesting the program to work out the details.
  • The diocese or congregation is responsible for sending the program fee to the CMSC office. The CMSC will pay the presenter's honorarium. The diocese or congregation will also pay the travel and lodging expenses of the presenter directly to the presenter.

Program Fees

A one-day workshop program is about 6 hours, running typically from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., but adjustable to the group's needs and schedule.

The fee for a one-day program is:

  • $400 for congregations in a sponsoring diocese.
  • $550 for congregations in a non-sponsoring diocese.

Fees may be adjusted according to the type of workshop and number of hours. It is often advantageous for several small congregations to cometogether for a single workshop and share the fee.

 

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