Workshops by Certified Invite Welcome Connect Facilitators

 

Successful implementation of Invite Welcome Connect depends on intentional collaboration between clergy and lay leaders. Together they create a spirit in which all members of the church feel that their contribution is necessary and welcome. A congregation can implement this ministry on its own by following the instructions for implementation found on this website and in the Appendix section of the book Invite Welcome Connect.

 

For further training and consulting, certified Invite Welcome Connect facilitators are available to conduct intensive workshops in your community of faith. These facilitators are experienced practitioners of this ministry in different contexts and congregation sizes, and suggestions for a weekend consultation follows. 

 

Suggested possibilities for an Invite Welcome Connect weekend event include:

 

FRIDAY EVENING (optional) 

At an informal reception or dinner with clergy, deanery and/or congregational/diocesan leadership, the facilitator offers a short presentation describing the next day’s workshop, fielding any questions folks may have regarding the workshop and/or newcomer work.  Invitations to this reception are totally at the discretion of the host church/diocese/deanery. Another option for Friday evening (generally suggested for overnight attendance) is to offer the Introduction/Overview of the Invite Welcome Connect material, thus giving more time on Saturday for creative idea small group and report out time.

 

SATURDAY WORKSHOP

This workshop generally runs from 9am-3pm (times vary according to congregation/diocesan/deanery culture), and includes actual hands-on training and creative idea generation using the Invite Welcome Connect Check Lists and Ideas-Resources pages. Suggested implementation procedures for this important transformational work are offered throughout the day, and best practices from congregations around the country currently doing the work are discussed. Congregations will do the small group work for themselves, and there will be time for report outs from each group represented.  

 

Who should attend Saturday workshop: We recommend targeted invitations to primary leadership, i.e., clergy, vestry, pertinent staff, past & present ministry leaders, and perhaps anyone in the congregation who is interested. You definitely want an intergenerational mix, as well as a mix of long-time and newer (less than a year) members.  

 

SUNDAY MORNING (optional)

Option to preach and/or speak at Adult Forum in host church (this varies according to congregation/diocesan/deanery preference).  

 

For more information, email iwcteam@invitewelcomeconnect.com