Southwest Association Annual Meeting 2013
Sunday, May 19, 2013 — 2:00 PM
United Church of Dorset and East Rupert

Pastors, Church Delegates and Church
Leaders are encouraged to attend!

SCHEDULE
2:00 - 2:30 PM Registration
2:30 - 3:00 PM Work of the Association *Worship, Nomination Committee Report and Budget
3:00 - 3:30 PM Keynote Speaker Rev. Jim Thomas - Associate Conference Minister
Church Vitality: Reclaiming Local and Global Mission as a Path to Vitality Does the work of the church feel like, well, work? Maybe it’s time to do it differently. Jim Thomas, Associate Conference Minister for the Vermont Conference, will present a key note in which he will introduce a path to Vitality that includes reclaiming mission as a way to reach out to the unchurched and improve your congregation’s spiritual health.
3:45 - 4:15 PM Workshops Choose either:
A - Stewardship: Telling the Story of Your Church’s Mission and Ministry led by Jim Thomas.
B - The Future Church: How will we account for “membership” and other details? The crisis within the church today is the growing loss of new members. How will God transform the church in order to shape new ministries and new missions for the coming days? Come with your questions and concerns as we discern together the movement of the Spirit among us. Hear “best practices” from others and be encouraged! The discussion is co-led by the Revs. John & Tracy Weatherhogg, Ministers at the Grace Congregational Church in Rutland.
4:30 - 5:00 PM Workshops Choose either:
A - Positive Psychology Mary Lee-Clark will present her final project for her course on Positive Psychology, entitled, ‘You are my beloved—What the church might learn from Positive Psychology,’ and then facilitate a discussion on specific ways to apply insights and learnings from Positive Psychology as to how the church goes into the future.”
B - The Challenges Facing Small Church Ministry in the 21st Century— Led by the Revs. Holly and Rob Noble.
5:00 - 5:30 PM Finger foods and Resources sharing: What do you have/what do you need?
Please bring books, Bible studies, ideas, curriculum, Vacation Bible School materials, etc.