Pastors Week 2010

Known to us in breaking bread

January 25–28, 2010
Featuring Dr. Mary H. Schertz

Registration is closed. Please contact the Church Leadership Center if you still wish to attend.

In the church and in the world, many of us live with a lack of fulfillment we scarcely recognize. Our lives are full to the brim—with work, family, volunteer efforts, other pursuits—but we may still be dying inside for something more. Despite all our activity, we remain undernourished and underloved.

Luke’s Gospel, in its resounding themes of hospitality and mission, speaks directly into our deepest longings. Jesus’ table fellowship with its permeable boundaries nurtures insiders and outsiders, faithful disciples and lost souls. At Jesus’ table, presumed needs are released and real needs fulfilled, hoarding is let go and true abundance flows. That table becomes a luminous place where nurture is outreach and outreach is nurture.

This week we will look in depth at three Lucan texts of table fellowship—the meal at Simon’s house when a woman anoints Jesus in chapter 7, the passion meal in 22, and the resurrection meal in 24. These are rich stories, and we will linger with them: reading them, wondering about them, pondering our ministry in light of them, embodying them in rituals and worship.

Our time together will be led by Mary Schertz, who has been experimenting with confessional and contemplative Bible study, and Rachel Miller Jacobs, who brings a wealth of experience in teaching the Bible in the congregation. Barbara and James Nelson Gingerich, who have a rare gift for working with scripture and worship, will lead our devotion. Among the usual array of workshops, we offer two that focus on helping congregations live more freely and fully with biblical texts. Our hope for the week is that we will both think together about and experience that gracious space where hospitality and mission become one—and where we read the Bible as if our lives depended on it!

Featured Presenter

Mary H. Schertz, Ph.D., (second from right) Professor of New Testament; Director, Institute of Mennonite Studies

In the last few years, Mary Schertz, Ph.D. has created opportunities to spend time with pastors studying the Bible, time that is unhurried so the Scripture can form those who read it. She is working on a Luke commentary and co-wrote a book on biblical studies methodology with Professor Emeritus Perry Yoder. As Director of the Institute of Mennonite Studies, Mary helped launch the journal, Vision: A Journal for Church and Theology, jointly published with Canadian Mennonite University.

Mary will be assisted by Rachel Miller Jacobs (right in photo above).

Worship leaders

Barb Nelson Gingerich (left in photo above)

James Nelson Gingerich (second from left)

Workshops

Workshops are offered Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons. Read workshop descriptions here.

Morning prayers

You are invited to pray the Daily Office Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings in the Chapel of the Word, Waltner Hall. The Daily Office is a structured prayer time that combines the Psalms and daily scripture readings. Eleanor Kreider will lead.

Continuing Education Credit

Attending all Pastors Week plenary and workshop sessions earns 1.4 Continuing Education Units (CEUs). Indicate if you would like to receive CEU credit on the Pastors Week registration form and plan to pick up your CEU certificate when leaving the final session Thursday afternoon.

Questions?

Contact the Church Leadership Center
(574) 296-6269
ChurchLeadership@ambs.edu