27 dialogues to explore faith sharing tactics

Besides voting on action items next month in Corpus Christi, Southwest Texas Conference leaders are to discuss church transformation. The Council on Ministries has scheduled 27 one-hour discussion sessions June 5 and 6 during the Southwest Texas Annual Conference session.
The dialogues are to run from 4:45 to 6 p.m. Thursday and 2 to 3:15 p.m. Friday. Sessions are for delegates and guests.
Conference program agencies are organizing each session.

Topics include:
> Faith in Action: Be the Church, presented by the Rev. Judith Sellers and the conference Evangelism Committee.
> Helping “Offering Christ to All”: Being Inclusive and Diverse, presented by Ethnic Local Church.
> Reaching our College Aged Student, presented by Higher Education and Campus Ministry.
> The Small Membership Church—The Heart of the Church, presented by Julia Kuhn-Wallace, director of Small Church Ministries at the General Board of Discipleship.
> Peace in Israel & Palestine, presented by the Board of Church & Society.
> The Hispanic Imperative.
> Charting the Course, presented by the Board of Discipleship.
Sessions presented Thursday only include:
> ISLAM…The Universal Message, presented by Shahid Hashmi, leader of the Muslim community in Victoria.
> More Than Talk: Transformational Engagement for Congregational Growth, presented by the Rev. Mike Lowry, executive director of New Church Development and Transformation.
> Family Ministries, a holy con-ferencing session.
> 12 Keys to Getting and Keeping Youth at Church, presented by the Conference Council on Youth Ministries.
> Sharing Our Faith—At Home, presented by Nancy McDougall, who serves on the Conference Council on Family Ministries and the Small Membership Church Commission.
> Helping Your Congregation Accept Your Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual and Transgender Members, presented by Expanding the Circle.
> Tell Me a Story, a session about helping children share faith stories.
> Christian Love in Action—UMVIM.
Sessions presented Friday only include:
> Building Bridges of Understanding through Ecumenism, presented by Clare Chapman, chief operating officer of the National Council of Churches of Christ.
> Southwest Texas Conference Disaster Response, a session discussing the new conference Disaster Response Plan.
> Russia Initiative, presented by Cindy Stone and the Russia Initiative team.
> Recruiting and Retaining Young Adult Clergy, presented by the Young Adult Council.
Other sessions detailing General Conference legislation are to be held both Thursday and Friday. General Conference delegates will present reports on specific legislation and will carve out time to answer questions.