"Invite, Ignite, Inspire!" Church Revitalization Conference

 Sunday, August 30, 2020 - Wednesday, September 2  
Lakeside Chautauqua

New this year, Lakeside will host a Church Revitalization Conference, titled “Invite, Ignite, Inspire!,” from Aug. 30-Sept. 2. The keynote speaker is the Rev. Andrew Forrest, Senior Pastor of Munger Place United Methodist Church in Dallas. The Rev. Forrest has led a revitalization of his own church, which now welcomes more than 1,000 people every Sunday.

It’s no secret that many mainline churches are in decline and there are many frustrated pastors and lay people. Many are asking, “How can we help our churches engage the next generation with the Gospel?”

Thus says the Lord: I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?-- Isaiah 43:19

Join colleagues and friends at Lakeside Chautauqua this summer as experts from Lutheran, Presbyterian and United Methodist denominational offices, as well as leaders from Stadia and Church Sports Recreation Ministries (CSRM), present seminars and workshops about church revitalization best practices.

Attendees are invited to come early and enjoy the may offerings of Lakeside Chautauqua. Elvis impersonator, Mike Albert & the Big "E" Band, will perform at 8:15 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29 in Hoover Auditorium. For more information about the conference, contact the Rev. Dr. Charles Yoost, Director of Religious Programming & Church Outreach at (419) 798-4461, ext. 214 or cyoost@lakesideohio.com.

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10:30 a.m. Community Worship Service with the Rev. Andrew Forrest, Hoover Auditorium
3 p.m. Hotel check-in, Hotel Lakeside/Fountain Inn
4-6:30 p.m. Conference Registration
6-7:15 p.m. Family Night in the Park: The Hotsie Totsies, Bettinger Park - Steele Memorial Bandstand
6:30 p.m. Fellowship & Refreshments, Pavilion West Deck
7:30 p.m. Sunset Vespers by the Lake with the Rev. Andrew Forrest, West Pavilion Deck

7:30-9 a.m. Continental Breakfast for hotel guests, Hotel Lakeside/Fountain Inn
9-10 a.m. Faith for Living Hour with the Rev. Andrew Forrest, Orchestra Hall
10:30-12 p.m. Morning Breakout Sessions

• A) Mergers/Adoptions/Vital Mergers: Growing a Church through Merger, Part 1 with the Rev. Dirk Elliott, Director of New Church Development, Michigan Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church
• B) From Maintenance to Mission: How to Get Your Church & Yourself There, Session 1 with Bishop Daniel Beaudoin, Northwest Ohio Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, & the Rev. Steve Bauerle, Lead Pastor at Zion Lutheran Evangelical Church, Waterville, Ohio
• C) 2020 Vision: Building a Growth Oriented Local Church Leadership Culture, Part 1 with Dr. Tom & Debbie Jones, National Executive Directors, Stadia
• D) Street Parties 101: How New Worshiping Communities Invite New People to Follow Jesus with the Rev. Nikki Collins, Coordinator at 1001 New Worshiping Communities, Presbyterian Church in the USA

12:30 p.m. Lunch & Informal Discussion with Presenters (included in registration fee), Wesley Lodge
2-4 p.m. Afternoon Breakout Sessions

• A) Breakthrough Prayer Initiative, Part 1 with the Rev. Sue Nilsen Kibbey, Director of the Office of Missional Church Development, West Ohio Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church
• B) Church Ecology: Creating a Leadership Pathway for Your Church, Session 1 with the Rev. Ken Willard, Director of Discipleship, Leadership & Congregational Vitality, West Virginia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church
• C) Overcoming Resistance to Change, Session 1 with the Rev. Gary Step, Associate Director of Congregational Vibrancy, Michigan Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church
• D) Building Your Congregation through Sports Ministry, Part 1 with Angie Sabatucci, Sports Ministry Outreach Staff, & Dan Kamwesa, Sports Minister, First Friends Church, Canton, Ohio

6-7:30 p.m. Dinner with Keynote Speaker: the Rev. Andrew Forrest, Wesley Lodge

7:30-9 a.m. Continental Breakfast for hotel guests, Hotel Lakeside/Fountain Inn
9-10 a.m. Faith for Living Hour with the Rev. Andrew Forrest, Orchestra Hall
10:30-12 p.m. Morning Breakout Sessions/Workshops

• A) Mergers/Adoptions/Vital Mergers: Growing a Church through Merger, Part 2 with the Rev. Dirk Elliott, Director of New Church Development, Michigan Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church
• B) From Maintenance to Mission: How to Get Your Church & Yourself There, Session 2 with Bishop Daniel Beaudoin, Northwest Ohio Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, & the Rev. Steve Bauerle, Lead Pastor at Zion Lutheran Evangelical Church, Waterville, Ohio
• C) 2020 Vision: Building a Growth Oriented Local Church Leadership Culture, Part 2 with Dr. Tom & Debbie Jones, National Executive Directors, Stadia
• D) Light the Fire: How Partnering with a New Community of Faith can Rekindle a Flame in a Tired Congregation with the Rev. Nikki Collins, Coordinator at 1001 New Worshiping Communities, Presbyterian Church in the USA

12:30 p.m. Lunch & Informal Discussion with Presenters (included in registration fee), Wesley Lodge
2-4 p.m. Afternoon Breakout Sessions/Workshops

• A) Breakthrough Prayer Initiative, Part 2 with the Rev. Sue Nilsen Kibbey, Director of the Office of Missional Church Development, West Ohio Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church
• B) Church Ecology: Creating a Leadership Pathway for Your Church, Session 2 with the Rev. Ken Willard, Director of Discipleship, Leadership & Congregational Vitality, West Virginia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church
• C) Overcoming Resistance to Change, Session 2 with the Rev. Gary Step, Associate Director of Congregational Vibrancy, Michigan Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church
• D) Building Your Congregation through Sports Ministry, Part 2 with Angie Sabatucci, Sports Ministry Outreach Staff, & Dan Kamwesa, Sports Minister, First Friends Church, Canton, Ohio

4-7 p.m. Dinner on your own
7:15 p.m. Vespers by the Lake with with the Rev. Andrew Forrest, Jennings East Deck (Pavilion)

7:30-9 a.m. Continental Breakfast for hotel guests, Hotel Lakeside/Fountain Inn
9-10 a.m. Faith for Living Hour with the Rev. Andrew Forrest, Orchestra Hall
10:15-11 a.m. Hotel check-out, Hotel Lakeside/Fountain Inn

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with the Rev. Dirk Elliott, Director of New Church Development, Michigan Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church
With a growing number of churches struggling to stay afloat, it's important to find ways to maintain a mainline Christian presence in the community. In Part 1, we'll discuss traditional mergers and vital mergers, looking at this model of bringing multiple churches together as a new church start. In Part 2, we'll focus on adoptions, with larger, healthy churches partnering with smaller churches to extend the healthy DNA of the larger church to become a multi-site congregation. These models of merging bring new life and energy to churches while starting a new life-cycle for the church.

with Bishop Daniel Beaudoin, Northwest Ohio Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, & the Rev. Steve Bauerle, Lead Pastor at Zion Lutheran Evangelical Church, Waterville, Ohio
In order to get from maintenance to mission, we'll explore the “Jesus Model,” as we focus on ourselves first, then our leaders, then our members and community.

with Dr. Tom & Debbie Jones, National Executive Directors, Stadia
Part 1: It all starts with Pastoral Leadership. What characteristics, skills and passions are needed to grow the church? Part 2: It's all about local church leadership reproduction. Creatively and patiently developing lay leadership that multiples beyond the church walls.

with the Rev. Nikki Collins, Coordinator at 1001 New Worshiping Communities, Presbyterian Church in the USA
Learning from those on the edges of the church who are faithfully and steadily engaging the curious and the doubtful, this workshop will draw on the learnings of the 1001 New Worshiping Communities movement of the Presbyterian Church in the USA and provide practical, accessible avenues for evangelism and invitation to the way of Jesus.

with the Rev. Sue Nilsen Kibbey, Director of the Office of Missional Church Development, West Ohio Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church

Rev. Ken Willard, Director of Discipleship, Leadership & Congregational Vitality, West Virginia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church
A practical step-by-step approach to creating a leadership pathway that's grounded in scripture and prayer. We'll discuss a creative, reflective process with practical suggestions, inviting all who participate to remember who they are in Christ. The workshop explores current leadership development processes and how they can be applied to participants' situations and invite participants to be curious about the journey - past, present and future - and their capacity for fruitfulness.

Rev. Gary Step, Associate Director of Congregational Vibrancy, Michigan Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church
Most churches have internal barriers, keeping the congregation from experiencing full health and vitality. This workshop explores how core values and culture are the "hidden grip" that clutches at "we've always done it that way" in an unhealthy and fear-driven manner. We'll also discuss how to identify and remove these key barriers that are hindering your congregation from reaching new people for Christ.

with the Rev. Nikki Collins, Coordinator at 1001 New Worshiping Communities, Presbyterian Church in the USA
Inspiring stories and real life testimony from the 1001 New Worshiping Communities movement of the Presbyterian Church in the USA just might prompt your congregation to join in the support of a young community of faith - offering you a new purpose and vision, even in the midst of uncertainty and decline.

with Angie Sabatucci, Sports Ministry Outreach Staff, & Dan Kamwesa, Sports Minister, First Friends Church, Canton, Ohio

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In an effort to streamline registrations for the 2020 season, Lakeside has expanded its use of the ActiveNet system to include registration for most special events, lessons, educational field trips and more.

Those who have taken classes at the Rhein Center over the last six years will be familiar with this registration system. You can use the same account login to register for art classes as well as the newly-added special events. Those new to ActiveNet will need to create an account.

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Registration (without lodging) is $95/person. Registration (with lodging) includes three nights of hotel lodging at Hotel Lakeside or the Fountain Inn and continental breakfast each day for $395/person. Registration includes admission to Lakeside and parking, plus participation in all conference events, as well as Sunday evening refreshments, lunch/dinner on Monday and lunch on Tuesday.

Register online below through ActiveNet. Limited space available. The deadline to register is Monday, Aug. 24 or until registration is full. Registration is non-refundable after Saturday, Aug. 1.

Tickets for this event will not be mailed in advance; they will be available for pick-up at the Welcome Center, located near the South Gate Parking Lot, beginning at 7 a.m. on the first day of the event. Check-in from 4-6:30 p.m. at Hoover Auditorium.

Register Online

We encourage local church pastors and key lay people to attend as a group. For questions about registration, contact Jennifer Wertz, Programming Administrative Assistant & Project Coordinator, at (419) 798-4461 ext. 347 or programming@lakesideohio.com.