Teresa Fry Brown
Workshop information to come

John Boutros
Proclaiming the Presence: From Pain to Paradise
Can preaching do more than offer moral advice? Grounded in the incarnational theology of St. Athanasius, this workshop explores the sermon as a descent into the brokenness of the human condition in order to rise with Christ. Using Paul Wilson’s The Four Pages of the Sermon, we will move beyond moralizing to mediating Christ. Participants will practice identifying how his incarnational presence inhabits our own personal Hades to transform it into a portal for new life. Through three practical hands-on exercises, you will learn to guide your congregation to the eschatological joy of the Resurrection. Refine your preaching style to take the listeners by the hand, find Christ in the midst of their pain, and lead them into the Paradise of God’s grace here and now.

Jason Byassee
What is Jewish about the Ongoing Saving Significance of Jesus?
What does it mean for our salvation that God became a Jewish person? Is this inconsequential or integral to Jesus’ identity and so to God’s? How does that change life in the church? We participate in interfaith events and stand up against antisemitism, which has increased with the ongoing wars in the Middle East. We try to situate Jesus’ and Paul’s ministries within first century Jewish contexts and conduct worship in a way that honours and respects our Jewish neighbours. Jewish people still sit in the seat of honour in their relationship to the God of Israel. We will discuss suggestions to help change how we preach, worship, and conduct ourselves in the world.

Scott Hoezee
Quoting Jesus: When Jesus’ Words Get the Preacher into Trouble and What to Do about It.
In 2024 peer learning cohorts, in a program run by Calvin Seminary Center for Excellence in Preaching, pondered what it’s like for preachers to navigate the hyper-partisan environment characterizing many societies and congregations today. A common observation was that just quoting the biblical words of Jesus was too often received by some churchgoers as some kind of partisan axe-grinding. In this workshop we will ponder, 1) the causes of this rather bracing reality, and 2) what preachers can do to address this in a positive manner deeply rooted in Scripture.

Susan Sparks
Clearing the Clutter to Channel the Call: Jesus and Marie Kondo
The biggest challenge in preaching may not be finding the right words, but letting go of the wrong ones. Why? Most weeks, we prepare to preach dragging a suitcase of stress, doubt, unresolved conversations, and worries about the world. The clutter can co-opt the call. Jesus had a different rhythm. The Holy Spirit cleared space in the wilderness so the Word could come through clean to him. In this workshop, we’ll take a page from Jesus and organizational expert Marie Kondo—asking what in us needs to stay and what needs to go?  Until the clutter is cleared, the Word can’t come through with the power it deserves—and neither can our God-given voice.

Sarah Travis
Baptized and Called: Equipping Lay People to Preach
Lay people have always preached sermons. By virtue of baptism, lay people are empowered to preach the gospel in many settings. With what in many places is a shortage of clergy, there is a rising need for lay people to be equipped to do this work, and for pastors who can teach and support lay people in their congregations. This workshop is for pastors who want to encourage lay preachers to prepare and preach sermons with confidence and grace. How can pastors identify lay people with gifts for preaching ministry and equip them to preach the gospel?