This webinar provided practical tools and structures to build  youth ministry with strong foundations that can be maintained over time.  Mark talked about how to attend to the essential (but not urgent) things in youth ministry.  His emphasis was on ministry that isn’t built solely on the personality of one person.  Learn how to  develop youth ministry that is sustainable. (recorded on May 1, 2012)

 This webinar offers you an opportunity to learn about a new and innovative way of being church in a changing world.  Messy Church aims to create the opportunity for adults and children to enjoy expressing their creativity, to gather together for a meal, to experience worship and to have fun within a church context.

You will learn what Messy Church is (and is not), the history, and the basic components of providing Messy Church.  You will have the opportunity to explore whether Messy Church is right for your Church and to ask questions of an experienced Messy Church practitioner.  (recorded on February 29, 2012)

The Occupy movement around North America and the world has re-focused attention on the challenges of economic justice.  Our churches must do a better job talking about economics, and the discourse of Sabbath Economics can show a way that is both scripturally and practically engaged.  The author of The Biblical Vision of Sabbath Economics provides an overview and some concrete steps churches can take. (Recorded on December 14, 2011)

The webinar begins with a brief overview of the historical context within which we 21st century Christians are trying to do and be Church today. That discussion immediately introduces us to the Great Emergence and to the Emergence Christianity that is arising out from, and as a result of, it.  Spend time talking about what exactly we mean by the words “Emergence Christianity,” where as a phenomenon it is occurring, and why.

Phyllis attempts to summarize briefly, but usefully, the mind-set, theology, ecclesiology, and concerns that inform Emergence. The webinar concludes by looking at some of the implications of all of this for us as contemporary,  latinized Christians, whether we have chosen to worship in, and attach ourselves to, fresh expressions of  Church or Inherited Church, Emergence Christianity or denominational Protestantism, hierarchical Roman Catholicism, synodical Anglicanism, or historic Orthodoxy. (Recorded on December 5, 2011)

Social media is rapidly changing the way we communicate. It offers exciting new opportunities for the church, as well as challenges to the ways we have done ministry and shared our message in the past. This webinar will offer an introduction to social media, an overview of the the tools available (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, blogs, Google+, etc.), and advice and tips on incorporating this powerful new medium into your ministry. (Recorded on November 30, 2011)

One of the earliest admonitions in life is this: “Pay Attention.” One of the hardest things in the world to do is this: “Pay Attention.” Nobody attends to attention. People teach us how to think, not how to pay attention. But paying attention changes your brain, your being, your future. Evangelism is the art of paying attention. We live in an attention-deficit-culture more adept at gaining attention than at paying attention. This webinar explores how evangelism is more pay attention than attract attention. The best evangelists are not the attention-getters, but attention-givers, those who can read the signs of what God is up to. In a world where everyone suffers from attention deficit disorder, disciples of Jesus are people with Attention Surplus Disorder. (Recorded on November 28, 2011)

What might it mean to our experience of ministry if we moved beyond the current congregational versus outreach ministry divide and embraced a model of church that was a hybrid form of both? What might it mean to begin our conversation about the future of the church if we gave up our concern about institutional survival and asked instead: What is God/Sacred Presence up to in our neighbourhoods and communities? Join Sandra Severs of Vancouver’s First United Church for a conversation on change, resistance, prophetic imagination and the challenges of becoming a missional church. (Recorded on November 21, 2011)

Is evolution the godless, directionless, and purposeless process that the New Atheists make it out to be? Or can it be imagined as a divine strategy for bringing forth a world? What does it mean to be Christian when we know that the the evolutionary process itself has gained the capacity for conscious awareness, in, through, and as us? Who do we say that Jesus is, in a post-Darwinian, scientific age, in which evolution describes the fundamental nature of the universe? How do we understand “sin” in an evolutionary theology? These and other questions are explored. (Recorded on November 16, 2011)

How do I interpret demographic information? How do I merge statistics about trends with decisions about ministry? What kind of pastor does our church need to reach the public outside our doors? What kind of refreshments should we serve on Sunday morning? What kinds of small group affinities will attract the interest of new people? What kinds of outreach choices will motivate our volunteers? Where should we locate an off-site mission? What kind of alternative worship service will reach seekers around us? How can we customize our fund raising strategy to be more effective?  If you are an externally focused church leader, then this webinar is for you. Tom explains how growing churches uses demographic information to customize effective ministries. He helps you interpret data, and combine it with your own listening strategies. You will learn how to integrate demographic insights with strategic planning, and align the mission of your church with spiritual yearnings of the public. (Recorded on November 10, 2011)

Congregational ministry is tough, because the number of people attending worship services is declining.  We start with the assumption that the primary place of ministry for the church, and that includes ministry personnel, is out in the community beyond the worshipping congregation and the church box.   There are excellent examples of ministers and congregations who do this.  There are also great educational and training programmes to improve the quality of ministry that animates the church’s participation in community development.  Let’s move on it! (Recorded on November 7, 2011)

Children and Youth are scarce in many of our churches today. Rev. Janet Stobie believes that children and youth are our partners in ministry. In this webinar, Janet shares the insights she has gained over twenty years of working with young families in her congregations. She deals with three questions – Why are the children and youth missing?  What changes can we make to turn the tide?  What differences can we bring to things we already do? (Recorded on November 2, 2011)

Using Luke 10:1-9 as a reference point, we will explore what incarnational mission may look like in 21st century Canadian contexts. (Recorded on October 31, 2011)

Kate Rodd walks through how to shoot good videos for use in your ministry. (Recorded on October 3, 2011)

Learn about how Covenanting for Life is a call to live faithfully in the midst of empire and a commitment to put faith into action regarding the many forms of empire which are obstacles to God’s purposes of justice, equality, and reconciliation between people and nations within creation. (Recorded on September 21, 2011)

This webinar is an interesting introduction to intercultural ministries, as well as offers helpful ideas for people who have already begun exploring what intercultural means in their congregations.  This webinar helps congregational leaders feel equipped to create intercultural spaces that are welcoming of diverse cultural communities. It explores practical ways of what congregations can do around intercultural ministries, and has tools, ideas, and resources for congregations.  (Recorded on September 14, 2011)

In a time of transition something is giving way, and something new is coming into being.  God is doing something new in the world and we stand at the edge of this new thing, the question is how will we respond.  This webinar considered some of the cultural transitions that have shaped our understanding of faith community and our call to mission in the world; the adaptive challenges that face us in the shaping of the missional church; models and best practices for the changing church and the expression of leadership in a changing time. (Recorded on September 7, 2011)

A webinar series in two parts to help those applying to the New Ministry Fund.  View session one here, and session two here.  (Recorded on August 11 and 16, 2011)

This webinar was presented originally to introduce EDGE: A Network for Ministry Development to people across the country who had been invited to learn more and consider being involved in the project as consultants or coaches.  This is a helpful webinar to watch to get an understanding of the overall scope of EDGE, the various services which will be provided, and a bit more about the people who are involved.  (Recorded on April 14, 2011)

Dr. Nye will discusses why she thinks children have some kind of innate spirituality and what children’s spirituality needs to thrive, as well as questions posed by listeners. (Recorded on May 10, 2011)

If one thing is clear about these uncertain times is that there will be no one model of church that emerges in the coming decades. This 45 minute webinar proposes some directions that may come alive in the Canadian context. Conversation is encouraged about the feasibility of these models and their place, if any, in relation to the current congregational structure. Leaders who may be wondering about a different call than that of service to a congregation are encouraged to test their sense of “possible” call against the options presented.  (Recorded on May 19, 2011)

The command and control model of leadership yields significant results in certain contexts – like World War II. Now this model has diminishing returns in a congregational setting. Even though most congregations would deny that they search for a general or a hero to lead them through these times leaders are often torn between competing expectations. This hour long webinar looks at another model of leadership that may be appropriate for leading congregations through times of transformational change.  (Recorded on June 3, 2011)

This webinar is  aimed at supporting parents and grandparents as they walk with children in faith.   Dr. Jensen addresses topics of work and play, hospitality, blessing, and letting go.  (Recorded on June 8, 2011)

This webinar is an introduction to the Open to the Spirit resource developed by Barbara Lloyd.  This resource is available from UCRD.  (Recorded in April 2011)