Church and Society hosts 'Repairing the Ruined Cities'
6/20/2012
The IGRC Board of Church and Society invites your church to participate in a discussion of ministry tactics and policy as this vision of restoration and hope is applied on a local level. How can our church serve those within our community? How can we best help those who come to the church with a material need? You are invited to consider these questions and more in the upcoming “Repairing the Ruined Cities” conferences this fall. Guest speaker Kathleen Finkle (executive director and founder of H.E.L.P.S. Ministry Outreach, an advance special of the IGRC) with more than 20 years of experience in helps ministry will lead a discussion for pastors and volunteers.
Registration for the conference is online at
www.igrc.org/ruinedcities. There are different registration links based upon the conference location. This conference will be offered twice this fall. The first will be at Mt. Vernon First UMC. It will be held Sept. 29 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The second will be held Oct. 20 at Bloomington Wesley UMC from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The cost for the conference is $30 (lunch is provided); it is reduced to $20 for anyone who registers before Sept. 14.
In one of the inaugural passages of his ministry in the gospel of Luke, Christ quotes the prophet Isaiah as he reads to the synagogue. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives…” Isaiah continues in that same passage (chapter 61) to use evocative language of restoration and transformation to bring hope to those in exile: “They shall build up the ancient ruins, they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations…” May this message of hope continue to inspire us today, as God works through disciples of Jesus Christ to transform the world.
Churches interested in starting a ministry for those in need in their community are invited to participate in a discussion about: coordinating with local agencies, recruiting volunteers, setting appropriate ministry boundaries, and working with local businesses.
Churches with existing systems and policies for helping those in need are invited to attend and bring along their ministry information to network with peers, gain up-to-date regional information, up-to-date government program information, and receive feedback on questions that have arisen in the details of their ministry.
