Jesus gives us his peace, and then sends us out on mission.
The last two years have been full of more tumult, upheaval, change, and pain than in any period in decades. The ground has shifted under our feet and by the grace of God we’re learning how to adapt. We’ve pivoted and pivoted again.
Church leaders are looking at a vastly different landscape today. We are tired, yet we also see the opportunities emerging for our families, congregations and our neighborhoods.
To move forward, we must "(re)mission". To do this we ground ourselves in Jesus' peace, acknowledge what we’ve lost, and rediscover our place in God's redemption story.
Register for (re)mission: A Church for the Future, A Future for the Church where you will gather with fellow sojourners to hear from seasoned practitioners and helpful thought leaders who are navigating this new terrain.
United through Jesus' blessing of peace in uncertainty, we will discover new opportunities for congregations, consider how to navigate ongoing changes, and renew our call to lead our churches to join God's mission today. The practice of (re)misson will pave the way to the Church for the future and a future for the Church.
Speakers
Nona Jones
Nona Jones is a rare combination of preacher, business executive, author, and entrepreneur. She serves as the Head of North America Community Partnerships and Global Faith Based Partnerships at Facebook, author of Success from the Inside Out, co-pastor of Open Door Ministries in Gainesville, FL.
Len Sweet
Leonard Sweet is a scholar of American culture, a visionary leader who "sees things the rest of us do not see." He is a frequent guest lecturer at seminaries, university campuses, leadership events, and he is the author of more than 60 books.
Ken Ulmer
Bishop Kenneth C. Ulmer has served as Senior Pastor of Faithful Central Bible Church in Los Angeles since 1982. He served as President of The King’s University, adjunct professor at Oxford University and founder of The Ulmer Institute, a non-profit organization focused on the research, training and treatment of psychological trauma in urban communities. He is the author of several books, including Walls Can Fall: Race, Reconciliation and Righteousness in a Divided World.
Jon Hand
Jon Hand and his wife Aimee live in Southern Ontario Canada with their three teenage children. Jon is a third-generation pastor and leading in small, medium, and mega church context for over 20 plus years. Jon has church planted, served in large church leadership roles, been a denominational leader, church consultant, and coach to pastoral and business leaders. In recent years Jon has helped launch the Jesus Collective Network and oversees global leadership development and equipping for Jesus Collective. Jon has served in Northeast US and Canadian Post-Christian contexts. He has a passion to help the church find innovative ways to connect secular people to Jesus.
Nicole Martin
Nicole Martin currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Ministry Impact for the American Bible Society. A former management consultant with Deloitte Consulting, The Martin Agency, and Executive Minister at a multi-site church in Charlotte, NC. She teaches courses in Ministry and Leadership Development at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, is the author of two books and is a member of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Board of Preachers at Morehouse College.
Tod Bolsinger
Tod Bolsinger serves as vice president and chief of leadership formation at Fuller Seminary. Her has authored three books, It Takes a Church to Raise a Christian: How the Community of God Transforms Lives, Show Time: Living Down Hypocrisy by Living Out the Faith , and Canoeing the Mountains: Christian Leadership in Uncharted Territory.
Shannon Kiser
Shannon Kiser serves as Director of Training, leading our team of mission strategists and trainers in the development and implementation of the Mission Shaped Ministry course through Pioneer Learning Communities. She is also a pastor on staff with Riverside Church in Sterling, VA, a Church that worships in two languages and engages in several fresh expressions of church.
Michael Beck
Michael Beck is Director of Re-Missioning for Fresh Expressions US. Michael serves as co-pastor of Wildwood UMC with his wife Jill, where they direct addiction recovery programs, a jail ministry, a food pantry, an interracial unity movement, and a network of 15 Fresh Expressions that gather in Tattoo parlors, dog parks, salons, running tracks, community centers, and burrito joints.
J.R. Briggs
J.R. Briggs is a Mission Strategist and Trainer with Fresh Expressions US. He is founder of Kairos Partnerships, a ministry seeking to love the Church by caring for Her leaders through coaching, consulting, speaking, equipping and writing. He is an adjunct professor at Missio Seminary, and guest instructor at Friends University. He serves as the Director of Leadership & Congregational Formation for The Ecclesia Network. J.R. is an author, co-author and contributor of nine books, including The Sacred Overlap.
Schedule Overview
SESSION 1: Wednesday, March 30, 7pm
(RE)MEMBER: Reviving our Call for the World in Front of Us
Len Sweet, Ken Ulmer
SESSION 2: Thursday, March 31, 8:30am
(RE)ORIENT: Three Opportunities on the Road Ahead
- Ministry in a Digital Age
Nona Jones, Michael Beck - Ministry in a Traumatic Age Nicole Martin, J.R. Briggs
- Ministry in a Post-Christian Age
Dave Male
SESSION 3: Thursday March 31, 11:15am
(RE)TRAIN: Workshops and Panels
- Skills to Navigate Shifting Contexts
- Strategies for Mission-Shaped Church
- Spiritual Capacities for Enduring Ministry
SESSION 4: Thursday March 31, 7:30 pm
(RE)TELL: Festival of Stories
SESSION 5: Friday, April 1, 8:30 am
(RE)CEIVE: Growing Spiritual Capacity for More Faithful Witness
Detailed Schedule
MARCH 30, DAY 1
7:00pm – (RE)MEMBER: Reviving our Call for the World in Front of Us
MARCH 31, DAY 2
8:30am — (RE)ORIENT: Three Opportunities on the Road Ahead
8:30am — Ministry in a Digital Age
9.45am — Break
10:05am — Ministry in a Traumatic Age
10:55am – Break
11:10am – Workshops - Session 1
12:10pm – Lunch
1:00pm — (RE)ORIENT (Continued)
1:10pm — Ministry in a Post-Christian Age
2:00pm — Panel Discussion with Speakers
2:30pm — Break
2:45pm — Workshops Session 2
4:00pm – Workshops Session 3
5:00pm – Dinner Break
7:30pm – (RE)TELL: Festival of Stories
APRIL 1, DAY 3
8:30am – (RE)CEIVE: Growing Spiritual Capacity for More Faithful Witness
9.45am – Workshop Session 4
10:45am – Break
11.00am – (RE)CEIVE(continued)
12pm – Closing Worship and Sending
Preconference Seminars
Come to (Re)mission one day early for a day-long deep dive into the topics
that matter most to you.
Only $59 with Conference Registration!
Pioneering Within the Institution
Lessons from the ongoing transformation of a 500 year old Church
David Male - Director of Evangelism and
Discipleship for the Church of England
Church Beyond Walls
Understanding the Fresh Expressions Journey
Kris Beckert; Pastor, Table Life Church
Luke Edwards, Associate Director of Church Development,
United Methodist Church of Western North Carolina
Missional Creativity and Innovation
Why Creativity Matters to God is and is Practical for Every Church Leader
Mitch Marcello, Director of the ACTS Network
Leading Your Church into Deep Change
Adaptive Challenges, Trust, and Resistance
Tod Bolsinger, Executive Director and a Senior Fellow of the De Pree Center Church Leadership Institute.
The Church in the Digital Age
Shaping Disciples and Communities of Jesus in Hyperconnected World
Michael Beck, Director of Re-Missioning for Fresh Expressions
Chris Morton, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Fresh Expressions
Reading the Signs of the Times
The Most Valuable Skill for Today’s Church Leaders and How to Develop It
Len Sweet
Frequently Asked Questions
COVID Protocols
We know that Covid Mitigation strategies are an important part of any event taking place right now, so we wanted to share our plans with you. (Updated January 27, 2022)
MASKS
Masks will be required in all indoor public spaces during the conference, with a few limited exceptions listed below. Masks remain the best mitigation option for keeping all participants safe. We do not anticipate any circumstances under which we would lift the mask requirement.
Mask exceptions:
- We will have a mask-optional overflow viewing room that will feature a livestream of what is happening in the main Sanctuary. Attendees can view plenary sessions and any workshops held in the Sanctuary from this room. This room will provide a space where attendees can go who need a break from wearing their mask at any time.
- We will also identify several mask-optional "break" rooms near the workshop locations, where persons may enter and remove their masks when a break is needed. These rooms will be available at all times and will be clearly labeled.
- During meals, masks may be removed while eating.
SPACING
Although we cannot ensure that every attendee is at least 3-6 feet from one another, we are taking spacing into consideration as plans are made. We will work to create a smooth flow of traffic between rooms during breaks and before and after sessions. For the benefit of both the in-person audience and livestream, speakers and musicians will remove their masks when presenting on stage or in the front of the room. However, we will work to ensure ample space from the speakers to the participants.
SANTIZER
Hand sanitizer will be available throughout the facilities. We will especially emphasize sanitizer in all areas where meals are served or where materials may be shared.
MEALS
We recognize that mealtime can be one of the most concerning times for Covid spread. We are identifying the best ways to create airflow in rooms where people will be eating. All meals served will be boxed so that food is only touched by the person who opens the box. We will look to spread out tables for indoor eating locations. We also are hopeful the weather will cooperate so that we can have outdoor locations to eat for those who would prefer that option.
TRAVEL
FLYING
There are a few airports you can consider. The closest and probably preferred airport would be Richmond International Airport (RIC). There are some discount airlines that fly into Newport News and Norfolk which might offer less expensive travel options.
HOTELS
There are a number of hotels offering a discounted room. You can see a full list at freshexpressionsus.org/remission-hotel-discounts. But hurry, these prices won't last.
United by Jesus' blessing of peace in uncertainty, we will discover new opportunities for congregations, consider how to navigate ongoing changes, and dedicate time to renew our call to lead our churches to join God's mission.
