Nov 28, 2016
by Rev. John J. Pethtel
Director of Church Development & Pastoral Services
Multiply Conference
Thirty-three SDBs from across the United States and Canada descended upon beautiful Colorado Springs for the 2nd Annual MULTIPLY Church
Development Conference from October 20 to 22.
The main theme for the conference was “Engaging in Hard
Conversations.” On Thursday evening, we met at a local coffee shop to have a panel discussion with authors Alan Briggs, Deb Hirsch, and D.A. Horton on the topics of ethnicity and sexuality. On Friday, we heard from these authors and other practitioners in main sessions and breakouts concerning these topics and sharing our faith in our communities. On Saturday, we met together as SDBs to process the conversations and to do a little more learning as it relates to church development.
This was a wonderful time for those interested in personal and church renewal, church planting, and pastoral care. We look forward to breaking our record attendance at next year’s 3rd annual MULTIPLY Church Development Conference (October 19-21, 2017). Make your plans to attend now!
COSAR
Over the course of 2016, the Committee on Support and Retirement and the
General Conference have highlighted the 10 current retirees in our Old Pastors Retirement Plan, formerly called P.R.O.P. (Pastors Retirement Offering Project) to bring awareness to our continued need to meet the obligations set forth by the terms of these plans in honor of their service to Seventh Day Baptists.
If you wish to contribute to honoring the service of these individuals, you can make a donation by giving online with a mention towards COSAR at easytithe.com/sdb or by mailing a check to:
COSAR
PO Box 1678
Janesville, WI 53547
THANK YOU for your generous support!
Our current recipients include Bill McAllister, Cynthia Brissey, Joyce Burdick, Leroy Bass, Leland Davis, Edgar Wheeler, Victor Skaggs, Don Richards, Kenneth Van Horn, and Joyce Conrod. David Pearson and Rex Burdick passed away earlier this year.
DWELL
The DWELL Online Learning Cohort is a six-month commitment with a coach who has previously gone through the DWELL process and is intended to give you a tool to disciple/mentor/coach others in your congregation and/or life.
We are currently running our 2nd iteration of DWELL and will be doing this for the next few years to not only provide some short-term discipleship for leaders but also to help provide a framework in which discipling/ mentoring/coaching can be multiplied in your own local church.
If you are interested in learning more about the DWELL Online Learning Cohort, please contact the Director of Church Development and Pastoral Services, John Pethtel, at 608-752-5055 ext. 1009 or jpethtel@seventhdaybaptist.org.