LUTHER COLLEGE > "A Sense of Vocation" Program > Retreats and Workshops>Men and Women as Colleagues in Ministry

women and men as colleagues in ministry, june 5-8, 2005

Men and Women as Colleagues in Ministry is a church leader retreat for rostered men and women. This retreat will allow rostered men and women of the church the opportunity to honor baptismal vocation, to learn from and to celebrate the gift of the “other,” and to model for the church intentional working relationships between men and women that reflect the baptism we claim and the gospel we preach. During the retreat, there will be time not only for education but also for rest, reflection, and fellowship.

This retreat is specifically for rostered church leaders of any denomination (in the ELCA this would include pastors, associates in ministry, diaconal ministers, bishops, assistants to the bishops, and seminary students; in other denominations this could include priests, women religious, deacons, etc.). This retreat is limited to 30 participants (with an equal number of men and women), those interested in attending must apply to participate. Because the focus is on men and women as colleagues, men and women are invited to apply in pairs (male/female) only. (To avoid issues unique to clergy couples, clergy couples are asked not to register in pairs but are invited to register with other colleagues.) Rostered church leaders can apply as colleagues, staff, or teams as long as they apply in pairs of one male and one female. For the participants selected, all costs for on-campus housing, on-campus meals, and registration for the retreat will be completely covered by A Sense of Vocation program. Transportation costs are the responsibility of the participants.

Application Information: As stated, men and women need to apply in pairs. Together write a paragraph describing your collegial relationship, the roles you hold with each other, and how this retreat could benefit your working together. Individually , please write a paragraph or two answering these two questions: 1) What strengths do men and women together bring to ministry? and 2) What challenges make it difficult for men and women to work together in ministry? Sign and date your application--including your ministry titles; the number of years served in rostered ministry; names of congregation/ministry where you work; contact address, e-mail, and phone number—and return it to: Men and Women as Colleagues in Ministry, Office for College Ministries, Luther College, 700 College Dr., Decorah, IA 52101. Applications are due March 18th, 2005. Participants will be notified of their acceptance by April 15, 2005.

Facilitators

James Newton Poling, PhD, is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), a pastoral psychotherapist, and Professor of Pastoral Theology, Care, and Counseling at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, Evanston, Illinois, USA. In recent years he has been doing pastoral research in theology and counseling with a special focus on family and interpersonal violence.

James Poling, PhD

He is the author of many articles and books including The Abuse of Power: A Theological Problem (Nashville: Abingdon, 1991), Deliver Us From Evil: Resisting Racial and Gender Oppression. (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1996), and Render Unto God: Economic Vulnerability, Family Violence, and Pastoral Theology. (St. Louis: Chalice Press, 2002).

Joretta Marshall, PhD

Joretta L. Marshall is Academic Dean and Professor of Pastoral Theology and Care at Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. She has been a member of AAPC since 1991 and served as chair of her region as well as participating in the shaping of issues of Formation. Currently she is the Chair of the Formation Committee for AAPC and a Co-Editor of the Journal of Pastoral Theology. Joretta is the author of Counseling Lesbian Partners , along with a number of articles in professional and church-related journals. Her work in pastoral care and counseling focuses on issues of gender, sexuality, developmental theory, forgiveness pedagogy in theological education, and prophetic pastoral care. The issue of formation is central to her vocational and intellectual passions.

Tentative Schedule

Sunday, June 5, 2005
7:30pm Evening arrival and gathering at Baker Commons and Registration

Monday, June 6, 2005
8-9am Continental Breakfast
9-9:30am Gathering Worship
9:45-12pm “Building Trust” How can we build trust between women and men, men and men, women and women to develop true collegiality? Develop dream statements about what such teams look like. Gather positive experiences we have all had in male-female collegial working relationships. What does sharing power in the midst of inequalities look like?
12pm Lunch at Cafeteria/Free Time
2:30-5:30pm “Facing Psychological and Cultural Challenges” What did we experience as girls and boys that contribute to our different perspectives? What does research show about the different influences on girls and boys as a foundation for adult gender identity? How do we re-socialize children and adults for gender and other equalities? (Working in gender specific groups and joint discussion on the developmental similarities and differences.)
5:30pm Dinner outdoors
Evening Free

Tuesday, June 7, 2005
8-9am Continental Breakfast
9-11:30am “Tackling the Harder Issues: The intersections of power, sexuality, religion, and abuse” How do we begin talking about the issues that divide us into opposing groups: gender, race, class, sexual orientation? How can we build communication to make progress on these issues so we don’t get tripped up by them in our working groups? How do we do justice in situations where power is abused?
11:30-1:30pm Lunch at Cafeteria/Free time
1:30-3:30pm “Building Trust Again” How do we work together for the good of the larger community with full knowledge of our own fears and anguish?
3:30pm Free time
6:30pm Group dinner
8:30-9pm Evening Worship

Wednesday, June 8, 2005
8-9am Continental Breakfast
9-12pm “Developing Practical Collegiality ” Develop sets of guidelines for working together in the future and for training others to work together.
12-1:30pm Box Lunch/Free time
1:30-3pm Wrap-Up, Evaluation
3-3:30pm Break
3:30-4pm Closing Worship

Please direct questions to Vocation Program Secretary Connie Barclay, (563) 387-1327 or barcco01@luther.edu.

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