Rethinking Stewardship: Our Culture, Our Theology, Our Practices July 19-21, 2010	Happening Author:  Conference sponsored by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Word and World and the Center for Stewardship Leaders Theme:  Stewardship Leadership Updated:  10/14/2009
Why aren't American Christians more generous? The conference will consist of four conversations that invite "rethinking."   Rethinking Cultural Assumptions     Rethinking Theological Possibilities       Rethinking Leadership Practices         Rethinking Stewardship Leadership Put the dates July 19-21 on your calendar. Registration Fee for Conference: $225 ($150 per person for two or more from same congregation who register at the same time.) More information will follow. Registrations will be accepted beginning Feb. 1, 2010.
Rethinking Stewardship: Our Culture, Our Theology, Our Practices July 19-21, 2009 St. Andrew Lutheran Church 13600 Technology Dr Eden Prairie, MN 55344-2251 Sponsored by Word and World: Theology for Christian Ministry Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Center for Stewardship Leaders Center for Lifelong Learning Basic Outline For Four Conversations 1. Rethinking Cultural Assumptions   What's really going on, both internally and externally?  What are the brutal facts about stewardship in the 21st century?  Is stewardship a technical or an adaptive challenge?  Broadly, what are the opportunities before us (e.g., from "pay the bills" to "live the vision")? Presenters: Michael Emerson, Professor of Sociology at Rice University, co-author of  Passing the Plate: Why American Christians Don't Give Away More Money   Gary Moore, founder of  http://financialseminary.com/ [Financial Seminary], a non-profit ministry, to build bridges between the financial and moral communities, a contributor to Stewardship for the 21st Century, as a sample read To Know God Is To Thank God Jill Schumann, MBA, serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Lutheran Services in America.  For the seventh year in a row in 2009 she was named by the NonProfit Times one of the Top 50 leaders of power and influence in the United States and has been described as an "imaginative social entrepreneur." 2. Rethinking Theological Possibilities Do our current constructs map well to our new cultural assumptions? What are our resources for engaging this new reality?  Indeed, how might proclamation awaken new realities?  What new habits of thought are required? Fred Gaiser, Professor of Old Testament, Luther Seminary; Editor of Word and World and author of author of David: God's Shepherd, Warrior and King Martha Stortz Professor of Historical Theology and Ethics, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary Rolf Jacobson;   Old Testament Professor at Luther, author of Crazy Talk: A Not So Stuffy Dictionary of Theological Terms Assistant Editor for Word and World 3. Rethinking Leadership Practices Given cultural changes and theological commitments, how shall we now lead? Where do current practices fall short?  Practically, how does a community go about imagining new possibilities together? Mark Alan Powell Robert and Phyllis Leatherman Professor of New Testament at Trinity Lutheran Seminary, author of Giving to God: The Biblical Good News About Living a Generous Life and What Do They Hear? How to Bridge the Gap Between Preacher and Congregation. Ed Kruse, Director for Stewardship,Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. His publications include - Use Them, Stories to Tell and Gifts to Share (annual response resource,) and Make It Simple (annual response resource) a contributor to Stewardship for the 21st Century including Storage: Simplifying Our Lives   Janet T. Jamiesonis associate Professor of Accounting at the University of Dubuque and Philip D. Jamiesonis Assistant Professor of Pastoral Theology at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary. They are coauthors of Ministry and Money: A Practical Guide for Pastors, 4. Rethinking Stewardship Leadership Putting it all together, how might we rethink stewardship leadership in light of the preceding movements?  What difference do our new understandings of culture, theology, and leadership make?  And to complete this rethinking -- in a way that supports and sustains faithful action -- what else do we need to know?   What are the critical questions?  Who will be your critical partners?  How can the Center for Stewardship Leaders best support you in this work? David Lose, The Marbury E. Anderson Chair in Biblical Preaching, Luther Seminary, author of Making Sense of Scripture and Preaching in a Postmodern World   Charles Smith Adjunct Professor of New Testament,Old Testament & World Religion at Thomas Nelson Community College, Newport News, VA Mary Sue Dreier Assoc. Professor of Congregational Mission and Leadership, Luther Seminary. Dreier recently completed her thesis, Missional God Outside the Box: New Congregations as Public Companions with God in Civil Society.