Workshops

The Young Adult Summit will feature plenty of breakout sessions and workshops designed to showcase the myriad ways young adults can get involved in the church and actively grow their faith through diocesan, parish, and community opportunities. Below are just a few of the descriptions of workshops that will be offered throughout the weekend.

Safeguarding God's Children

Safeguarding God's Children is a training program for the prevention of sexual abuse of children and youth. The program provides participants information they need to protect the children they know and care for in their personal lives and in the ministries in which they serve. If every adult can protect just one child, they will forever change one life. If we can all change one life, together we will make a difference in this generation of children.

The Diocese of Atlanta requires all who are employed by the congregation, all who work for the Diocese and its institutions, and all who work or volunteer with children and youth to take this training from a diocesan-certified trainer.

The Safeguarding program is delivered over two workshops, both of which need to be completed to acquire certification.

Facilitator: the Rev. Chris Hannum, Chaplain Georgia Tech / Georgia State Universities

YASC/ESC

Facilitator: John Simpson

Sacred Space in the Secular World

College students find themselves increasingly pressed by the academic and secular world. In the midst of these pressures there is an increasing need for sacred space and sanctuary to renew the spirit and feed the soul. This workshop will examine this need and explore strategies for ministering to a hunger for community that is present on every college campus. Come help us explore what college ministry is and can be in your area.

Facilitator: the Rev. Chris Hannum, Chaplain at Georgia Tech / Georgia State Universities and the Rev. Dann Brown, Chaplain at the University of Georgia

Where is God and how do I find him today?

Sometimes finding prayer in our everyday lives can be hard. How can we pray at work, on a run, even when we are out at night? Does prayer only happen when we are quiet and penitent? Often we are not aware of God's presence in everything we do. This workshop will explore ways that we can and are seeking a closer relationship with God in all aspects of our lives.

Facilitator: Lauren Woody, Diocesan Coordinator for Young Adult Ministries

Communications: Getting the Message Out, and Bringing People In

Communications is a key part of a ministry’s success, and it all starts with creating the right “brand” and messaging strategy. This workshop will provide information on things to consider as you are forming the public face of your ministry or organization and provide you with practical steps you can take to connect with people in your community. The discussion will cover effective use of communications and marketing tools such as websites, Evites, social networking sites, and print materials.

Patrick Caldwell, Vice President for Research and Development, Emerald Software Group
Charles Shipp, Diocese of Atlanta Communications Commission

Parish Young Adult Ministry

Facilitator: Sharon Hiers, Associate Rector for Youth and Young Adults, Chaplain at Emory University

Discernment and Vocation

Facilitator: the Rev. Canon Alicia Schuster Weltner, Canon for Congregational Development and Ministry

Prayer Beading: A guide to this meditative Anglican tradition

Praying over beads is an ancient practice that is represented in almost every faith tradition. Find out how Anglican prayer beads are made, used, and how they are different from the beads of other traditions.

Facilitator: Lauren Woody, Diocesan Coordinator for Young Adult Ministries and Tiffany Hatfield, Communications Coordinator for DAYA

Environment and Spirituality

Facilitator: David Culp

Mosquito Nets and Mobile Kitchens: How Episcopal Relief and Development Puts Love into Action - Around the Corner and Around the Globe

Episcopal Relief and Development, the official disaster relief and international aid/development agency of the Episcopal Church, brings immediate assistance after disasters and helps global neighbors make long-terms changes that dramatically improve their lives and communities. Find out how ERD works with local church partners, from Macon to Malawi, to bring hope to millions, rebuilding communities and helping children and families climb out of poverty. And more importantly, find out how you can get involved to help them do it!

Facilitators: the Rev. Canon Debbie Shew, Canon for Community Ministries

I was a youth, now what can I do to help them?

Youth Ministry in the Diocese of Atlanta is growing by leaps and bounds . . . come see how you can be involved and engaged in the world of youth ministry. Whether it be on a Parish or Diocesan level there are plenty of opportunities to make a difference in the life of a young person.

The Ministry of Spiritual Direction

Spiritual Direction, spiritual guidance, spiritual companioning, spiritual friendship are all names for a particular ministry of presence that has been part of our Christian heritage since the time of the Hebrew Scriptures. These terms refer to an intentional relationship where two people meet monthly to listen for the presence of the Holy Spirit in one of their lives. It often involves accountability around a directees prayer life and growth in the end purpose of the Christian life "to grow in love and charity towards our neighbors."

The person coming for direction needs a sense that God is calling her or him into a closer relationship that would be helped by seeking out a suitable companion. The real "director" in each encounter is the Holy Spirit and what the spiritual guide/companion does is listen to the life story of the directee and help them see the workings of God in her/his life. The main purpose of spiritual direction/guidance is to open ourselves up to a deeper relationship with God.

The practicalities: spiritual direction sessions usually occur once a month for approximately one hour. The sessions are confidential. The director is encouraged to maintain accountability around her/his own spiritual growth by being in direction themselves and participating in peer supervision. Prayer is an essential component of the relationship and both parties covenant to pray for one another during and between sessions. If you would like more information about this ministry please attend the workshop at the Young Adult Summit.

Facilitator: Royce Ann Woody, Program Director for SURSUM CORDA Spiritual Directors Formation Program

Why should I become part of my Diocese? That is a little too spiritual for me.

The Diocesan structure is what makes the Episcopal Church work. If we, as young adults, are going to make changes in the church, then the Diocese is a good place to start. Becoming involved in our parish is a good way to find out what the current policies are, but the real change in the structure comes at the Diocesan level. Don't care about changing the church? Still join us to learn more about how being involved at the Diocesan level can help your parish become a more Young Adult friendly place.

Facilitator: Lauren Woody, Diocesan Coordinator for Young Adult Ministries

Note: You will be asked to indicate which workshops you are interested in when completing the registration form. However, you will not officially sign up for workshops until the first night of the conference.