Faithful Innovation Learning Community Training for Judicatory Leaders
Outcomes
To equip judicatory systems to innovate faithfully.
To train judicatory leaders to facilitate learning communities with clergy and congregations in their context.
To help congregations make deeper connections with God, each other, and their neighbors.
To identify and experience what it means to be the church in a new way.
“Expect the unexpected. It isn't a program, it isn't a curriculum; it's actually a process ... an iterative process that will actually change the DNA of our congregations.”
- 2018-19 participant
Key Practices
All these activities will help you engage three core practices that prepare you to respond to the adaptive challenges facing the church in the 21st century.
Listen
Trace God’s movement in our lives and contexts
Act
Use action learning to discover God’s leading
Share
Reflect intentionally on our actions
"It feels like we're in times where discernment is really needed, and we are not sure where we're going. But that is OK; we're getting there together."
- 2018-19 participant
How Does It Work?
Learning community participants commit to a 12-month training process.
Two in-person gatherings
There are two in-person gatherings of three days each, in which you will experience firsthand the trainings you will lead in your judicatory. You will also be equipped to recruit congregations, communicate the process to your constituents, and raise up coaches.
Monthly coaching via Zoom
In between gatherings, you’ll meet regularly with your cohort members and coaches to report on your action steps, reflect on your learnings, and share stories of success and failure.
Faithful innovation tools and resources
You’ll gain access to tools and resources you can use as you teach congregations and clergy from your judicatory how to engage a process of faithful innovation.
Watch FILC Participant Testimonials
What Does the Judicatory Need to Do?
There are spots for up to four leaders from each judicatory in the Faithful Innovation Learning Community training. During the cohort, you'll identify clergy, congregations, and coaches from your system to engage in this process after you've completed your training.
Select up to four leaders from your judicatory to participate in the cohort. This can be a combination of judicatory executive, judicatory staff, local clergy and/or lay leaders.
Begin to identify clergy, congregations, and coaches who are interested in forming their own learning communities.
Bring an open mind and an open heart to learn and adapt to the core ministry challenges facing the church in the 21st century
Come to prepared to implement the skills, practices, and tools you'll learn to lead faithful innovation with clergy, congregations, and coaches in your judicatory system.
Cost: $10,000
Each judicatory brings a team of up to 4 people
Food/Lodging
Food is covered; judicatory responsible for lodging costs
Travel Costs
The judicatory is responsible for its own travel costs
Location
Meetings in Carefree, Arizona, and Twin Cities, Minnesota
Schedule
First Gathering
January 13-15, 2020
Carefree, Arizona
Second Gathering
June 23-24, 2020
Minneapolis/St. Paul
Meet the Program Leaders
Dwight ZScheile, Ph.D.
Episcopal priest and Vice President of Innovation and Associate Professor of Congregational Mission and Leadership at Luther Seminary. His books include “People of the Way: Renewing Episcopal Identity” (Morehouse 2012); “The Agile Church: Spirit-Led Innovation in an Uncertain Age” (Church Publishing, 2014); and “Participating in God's Mission: A Theological Missiology for the Church in America” (with Craig Van Gelder, Eerdmans, 2018).
Michael Binder, Ph.D.
Co-Lead Pastor at Mill City Church in Northeast Minneapolis. Michael helped to found Mill City Church in 2008 with a focus on neighborhood ministry. Michael has a PhD from Luther Seminary in the area of congregational mission and leadership. He is part of the Innovation Leadership Team at Luther Seminary where he also serves as affiliate faculty. He consults with congregations and denominations in the U.S. and Canada. He lives in Minneapolis with his wife and three kids.
Dawn Alitz, Ph.D.
Dawn Alitz has served as director of the Center for Lifelong Learning since 2016. Her expertise is in the area of adult faith formation, coaching, and program coordination. Serving as a lay leader, adjunct professor, and pastor, she has more than 20 years of experience in congregational leadership in both mission-start and established congregations. Her role in the Center for Lifelong Learning places her in a unique position to design, pilot, and build out new business models for theological education, lifelong learning, and congregational leadership support.
Apply to the Faithful Innovation Learning Community Training
The online application involves three components:
Information about your judicatory
Why you feel your judicatory is ready to engage this process
A commitment to participate if selected