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Advent Planner
An unexpected hour
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Click Here To Register Online
In the Ancient Near East, water was at a premium. When the writers of scripture reached for an image of abundance, it was often of a deep well or a river flowing freely. These word pictures contrasted vividly with the desert life people knew so well.
In our churches we are more likely to experience a drought of time than water – a shortage we choose and maintain through a variety of daily habits. We feel pressure to be busy; if we find ourselves with nothing to do, we usually feel we’ve “wasted” our time. We think of time as if it were a tradable good, using the language of finance: “spend,” “invest,” “save.” But where is all the drive and bustle taking us? What is the goal of our striving and producing? What is it we really need?
Advent 2010 invites us to pause, to receive a different awareness of time – an invitation to do less rather than more. Each week’s theme contrasts our understanding of time with the imaginative ways God is remaking the world – through the joyful restoration of relationships among all God has made: humans and other creatures and the earth under our feet. When we stop long enough to notice what’s going on, God’s generosity and creativity surprise us, and as we catch the vision, we can’t help but respond.
Advent Planner is a day for equipping pastors, worship leaders and musicians to guide their congregations into the anticipation and promise of the season. The day offers creative ideas for scripture presentations, visual elements, congregational prayer and rituals, and music. Participants will sample elements of worship for the Sundays of the season. Using the Mennonite Church Advent 2010 theme, this workshop introduces the lectionary-based worship resources published in Leader magazine. Participants should bring a copy of the magazine or order one when registering for the workshop.
The content is focused particularly for congregations who are part of Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Church Canada, but participants from other denominations and congregations that use the lectionary are welcome and have found similar events very helpful.
Leaders
Marlene Kropf, D.Min., AMBS Associate Professor of Spiritual Formation and Worship
Rosanna Eller McFadden, free-lance artist and a part-time student at AMBS
Rebecca Slough,Ph.D., AMBS Academic Dean and Associate Professor of Worship and the Arts
Schedule
| Time | Description | Location |
| 8:00 a.m. | Registration; Hot drinks provided | Waltner Hall Lounge |
| 8:30 | Welcome and introduction to the day | Chapel |
| 8:50 | Opening retreat | |
| 9:15 | Introducing Advent 2010 theme, theology, and resources | |
| 10:15 | Morning break | Waltner Hall Lounge |
| 10:45 | Sample services for Advent and Christmas | Chapel |
| 12:00 p.m. | Lunch in Lambright Dining Hall | Dining Hall |
| 1:15 | Exploring music for the Advent-Christmas season | Chapel |
| 2:15 | Afternoon break | Waltner Hall Lounge |
| 2:30 | Introducing resources for children and scripture presentations in worship |
Chapel |
| 3:15 | Closing worship | |
| 3:30 | Evaluation |
Continuing Education Units
Participants earn 0.5 CEUs for attending Advent Planner.
Cost
$85 before September 24, 2010
$75 each for three or more from one congregation before September 24
$95 after September 24
Additional student discounts are available on the online registration form.
Lunch is available for an additional $6. Please pre-register for lunch or plan to eat off campus.
Registration
Questions?
Contact the Church Leadership Center
(574) 296-6269
ChurchLeadership@ambs.edu
