Workshops & Training
Workshops and Training
In addition to the one-day March event other learning days are periodically offered throughout the year on a variety of subjects such as fellowship, mission, Christian education, etc.
Congregational Learning Courses
The Presbytery, via the Tools and Training Working Group, offers a series of Congregational Learning Courses for members and clergy. Basic courses for elder/deacon training and congregational finance best practices are conducted annually as well as special-topic workshops to enhance the health, vitality, and sustainability of congregations and leaders in the Presbytery.
SAVE THE DATE:
Congregational Learning Day 2024
Saturday, March 2, 2024
Get 2023’s CLD workshop recordings here.
Recommend a Course
If you have topics that you would like to explore or an area of expertise to share with others please complete this form and send to the Tools and Training Working Group convener, Mindy Shaffer.
MEASURING MISSION:
ACTIVATING AN OUTCOMES-BASED MISSIONAL CONGREGATION
This workshop introduces a year-long workshop series about best practices for congregational mission. The series has been successfully used by congregations seeking tools to assess their current missional efficacy & efficiency, congregations that want to re-engage members in social mission, and congregations willing to consider a one-year commitment to a mission study process.
The workshops address New Testament principles of congregational mission, dynamic mission factors (identity, vitality, process, motivation, context), a five-step continuum for how to assess a congregation’s current mission projects, beginning with toxic charity.
More on Measuring Mission
ECUMENICAL ADVOCACY DAYS (EAD)
Ecumenical Advocacy Days is a movement of the ecumenical Christian community, and its recognized partners and allies, grounded in biblical witness and our shared traditions of justice, peace and the integrity of creation. Its goal, through worship, theological reflection and opportunities for learning and witness, is to strengthen our Christian voice and to mobilize for advocacy on a wide variety of U.S. domestic and international policy issues.
2023 Ecumencial Advocacy Days, April 25-27—Swords into Ploughshares: Achieving Enough for All & Pursuing Peace
Check EAD website for training opportunities.
BOUNDARIES AWARENESS TRAINING
This training provides a safe space for pastors, commissioned ruling elders, Christian educators, and other ministry leaders to explore where boundaries are beneficial in ministry together and what the creation of healthy boundaries might look like in one’s own settings. It explores: personal space and safety, finances, social media, personal relationships, sexuality and self-care. This online training opportunity fulfills the requirement for ministry leaders to complete Boundaries Awareness training. NOTE: Boundaries Awareness Training is not the same as NYS Sexual Harassment training.
Dates for 2023 have not yet been set.
NYS SEXUAL HARASSMENT PREVENTION TRAINING
Beginning in October 2018, all non-profit Employers, including churches, must adopt a sexual harassment prevention policy and provide annual training that meets or exceeds New York State law’s minimum standards. At the minimum, each church employee must receive training on an annual basis and must be completed by the end of the calendar year. Each church Session determines their own requirement of who must take the annual training.
Get details for 2022 Promoting a Safe Environment: Employee Sexual Harassment Training – New York course.
For more information access: NYS Combating Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
