<i>Change the World</i> Author to lead Conference Training

Once again the 2011 Annual Conference Session will include a day of leadership training. Bishop Robert Hoshibata and the Sessions Committee have invited Mike Slaughter, Chief Dreamer and Lead Pastor of Ginghamsburg United Methodist Church in Tipp City, Ohio and author of Change the World: Recovering the Message and Mission of Jesus.

Slaughter’s training is an included part of the Annual Conference Session for Clergy and Lay members of the conference. But the training will also be open anyone to attend. Churches are urged to bring a team to learn together and plan for how to share the message of risk-taking mission with their church.

To allow for the greatest possible participation, the training will be held on Saturday, June 18. The training will run from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Like last year, the training and Annual Conference will be at the Salem Conference Center.

Bishop Hoshibata shared his pleasure that Slaughter was available to come to the conference saying, “After the success seen with the Adam Hamilton Leadership institute last year, we searched for a way to build on that excitement and energy. Mike Slaughter was the obvious choice for his message of reaching out into the world as a means of revitalizing our churches and our individual sense of discipleship. I hope that leaders of churches in our Annual Conference will take advantage of this opportunity to add to the vitality of their congregations.”

As details for the leadership training are finalized, participants will be able to pre-register on-line. Annual Conference members will not be charged, and Saturday only participants will only need to pay $25.