General Synod planners seeking “Be the Church” discussions

If your church has a great idea that helped revitalize your ministry, the planning team for the 2017 General Synod of the United Church of Christ wants to hear from you. Team leaders are seeking creative minds to lead a series of church-focused “Be the Church” roundtable discussions this summer in Baltimore.

The mini-workshops debuted two years ago at General Synod in Cleveland. This year, a limited number of 30-minute “Be the Church” sessions will take place in the General Synod Exhibit Hall at the Baltimore Convention Center on Friday, Saturday, Monday and Tuesday during the event, June 30-July 4.

Roundtable presenters will lead a discussion on a subject of their choice, giving a brief introduction to their topic and then facilitate a conversation. Some previous topics have included social media for local congregations, growing annual giving, and conversations on gender and race in the church.

“Be the Church” discussion leaders must be registered for General Synod and must complete an application form. Between 12 to 16 workshops will be chosen, and each will be limited to 30 minutes in length. No audiovisual equipment will be available.

Proposals for a “Be the Church” roundtables must be submitted by April 30.

Applicants will be notified by May 30 if their workshop topic has been chosen.

General Synod 31 will be held June 30 through July 4 at the Baltimore Convention Center, located right in the heart of city’s historic Inner Harbor seaport. Information is available on the General Synod website, which will be continuously updated with emerging details. Registration for the gathering is open. The cost of registration is $225 for the entire event if booked between Dec. 5 to Jan. 5; $236.50 if booked between Jan. 6 to March 31; and $247.50 if booked on April 1 or after. There is also a special rate for seminarians of $150.