ELCA Vital Congregations Training - Central/Southern Illinois Synod

ELCA Vital Congregations Trainings are fast-paced, co-creative, and co-experimental sessions facilitated by leaders across the ELCA with steep experience in redeveloping congregations, as well as added guest presenters from a variety of settings with a wealth of knowledge. Pastors and congregations are encouraged to come as teams of three to five people for a time of inspiration, learning, planning, sharing, experimenting, visioning, and implementing.

Trainings are offered in two parts: Part 1 is for congregations taking steps (even small ones) toward congregational renewal, while Part 2 is for congregations that are ready to go deeper into congregational transformation.

For more information, please contact Pastor Elise Rothfusz, Director for Evangelical Mission, elise.rothfusz@csis-elca.org.

Are you ready to try some new things, share some ideas, gain a greater understanding of the broader mission, bring clarity about your own congregation’s mission and acquire confidence and knowledge on how to live that out in community? Then you are invited to attend the 2023 Summer Session of the ELCA Vital Congregations Training, Part 1. Pastors and congregations are encouraged to come as teams of three to five people for a time of inspiration, learning, planning, sharing, experimenting, visioning, and implementing.

These principles and more will be explored: being expectant of the Holy Spirit; living as disciples of Jesus; connecting Jesus and justice; engaging the neighborhood/community; multiplying leaders who are young, diverse and bring fresh insights; and aligning with purpose and core values.

Training sessions for 2023 will be held via Zoom on Thursdays June 15, June 29, July 13, and July 27. Each session is held two times per day from 12:30-2:00 PM and from 6:30-8:00 PM so you can choose the best time each day that works for you. All sessions will be recorded and available to all registered participants.

NOTE: This training is for people and congregations that have not attended an ELCA Vital Congregations Training or who would like a refresher before attending the Fall 2023 Part 2 Training.

Is your congregation ready for a follow-up to ELCA Vital Congregations Training, Part 1? Have you taken some of the learning from that first training and put it into practice in your congregation? Has your congregation developed some next steps, and are they beginning to live into revitalization and renewal? Are you seeking more training to move deeper into congregational transformation? The you are invited to attend the 2023 Fall Session of the ELCA Vital Congregations Training, Part 2.

This training will build on the previous training of being expectant of the Holy Spirit, focusing on Jesus and justice; living as disciples of Jesus, multiplying leaders who are young, diverse, and bring fresh insights; and aligning with purpose and core values. Focused on evangelism, this training will equip participants to identify and share their faith stories, recognize opportunities to share their faith, move into spaces and places that offer the development of new relationships, and become more comfortable with inviting people to come and see Jesus.

Training sessions for will be held via Zoom on Thursdays August 31, September 14, September 28, and October 5. Each session is held two times per day from 12:30-2:00 PM and from 6:30-8:00 PM so you can choose the best time each day that works for you. All sessions will be recorded and available to all registered participants.

NOTE: This training is for people and congregations that have already attended a previous ELCA Vital Congregations Training.