Elders & Leaders Training
Retreat and Focus Days for Elders and Leaders
ELM offers regular workshops, seminars and retreat days for elders. These are often organised ‘on demand’ for particular congregations, clusters or presbyteries. Many congregations hold annual day-workshops. Others have a weekend retreat on a regular basis. It is also possible to ask for assistance in developing good meeting practice.
Some options include:
- Elders and Leaders Days (usually running from 9.30am-4pm)
- Church Council Retreats (can be whole weekend OR Friday evening, Saturday day and Sunday lunch)
- 2-3 sessions of 2 hours each, spaced through the year (usually evenings)
- 2 Sunday afternoons (usually 1pm-4pm, often preceded by lunch)
- Saturday Retreat Day (structured prayer day – note: these need to be booked well in advance)
Key Questions that are addressed at Elders and Leaders Days:
- What is the role of Elders within the Church?(Job Description and Expectations)
- What is the difference between discipleship and ministry leadership?
- Whatmakes Christian leadership distinctively Christian?
- What is 'Gospel' in your local community?
- What might pastoral care look like in our community?
Congregations hosting Elders and Leaders Days should provide:
- A Hall or Venue (note – it is also possible to come to the Centre for Ministry at North Parramatta)
- Whiteboard or flipchart (with pens)
- A projection screen and data projector (Note: ELM can provide these if required)
- Refreshments (Note: Participants often bring their own lunch)
Participants are also expected to bring:
- Bible
- Notebook
- Pen/Pencil
- A willing heart
Resources from ELM for Congregations undertaking Elders and Leaders Days include:
- Full Facilitation by one of the ELM Team
- Participant booklets – with information, worksheets and resources
Elders and Leaders Booklets - This material is also downloadable.
- Invitation and Publicity Postcards (to send to prospective participants)
- Guidelines for groups planning locally-run retreat and seminar day
Living Values - Polity and Ethos - Short Course - An Orientation for Church Councils, Chairpersons and Secretaries
Held on demand in Presbyteries, this is a one-day course designed for Lay People in positions of responsibility in local Church Councils (Congregation, Presbytery, Synod, Regional Boards, etc...)
Participants are introduced to
ETHOS (Values)
- The Basis of Union (and important documents of the Uniting Church in Australia)
- Codes of Ethics
POLITY (how we organise ourselves)
- understanding local structures and responsibilities
- developing commonly understood ways of working together
- clarifying standard operating procedures, including discernment and decision-making processes
Costs of the short course are normally carried by the local Presbytery.
