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COMMISSIONING
by Virginia Gilman, Major –
While the Territorial Singing Company competition was being held, workshops were offered for those attending the Commissioning Day events.
Nine sessions, with approximately 130 delegates attending, took place during the morning in keeping with the six “Strategic Priorities” which spring out of our vision statement.
The presenters came well-prepared, and had ample material to share with the delegates; many brought handouts designed to keep the material fresh.
A brief summary of the workshops and reactions to them:
Experiencing and Developing Worship: Two workshops were presented featuring inspiring worship. They were provided in Spanish and in English, lead by Praiseworks and National City Corps. Delegates first experienced worship, then discussed the what, why and how of worship.
Reaching Today’s Youth—Get in the Game was a workshop supported by a display table by Dr. Lynell Johnson of HopeShare; a program the territory will be featuring this coming fall. It was developed in the Eastern Territory under Commissioner Joe Noland’s direction.
Youth Leadership Ideas and Issues with Major Brian Bearchell featured ways to reach youth today, how the way of looking at things has changed over the last 20 years. Most of those who attended this class were young adults concerned with successfully ministering to the youth of today.
Building healthy corps: What do they look like? A presentation by Major Sheila Bradley and Nigel Cross. A good mix of officers and lay people studied what corps health is, as defined by Natural Church Development. There was an earnest desire on the part of the attendees to take this information home, and to schedule a seminar in their corps. Some of the officers attending had already scheduled sessions with either Bradley or Cross, and were trying to get an advanced look at what the program was about. Some had been involved with the program, and were there to get the ideas reinforced.
Bradley pointed out that this program dovetails with the Evaluating the Harvest material already used for appraisal of corps health in the review program and this is a way to help prepare for the harvest.
Those that attended participated in a question and answer time, and were a given a booklet: “The ABC’S of Natural Church Development.”
Major Tom Petersen and Captain Oscar Tippol taught two sessions on Finances and Stewardship. They shared information on how to use Biblical financial principles to transform personal finances and life. The program produced by Willowcreek Church in Good $ense Budgeting was reviewed and will be a future territorial emphasis. This is such an important topic, especially in light of what is happening right now in our own country with the many companies that have downsized, or completely gone out of business. The participants were given notebooks and led through the course step by step. Various topics relating to finances were discussed. The discussions were lively, as they touched on subjects like how to set up a budget, and how to live within it. There were helpful suggestions on how to cut expenses, how to reach financial goals, and how to be responsible handlers of our finances.
Lt. Colonel Ray Moulton focused on Listening and Responding to the Heart of the Community or Promoting Holistic Ministry. His presentation stressed the importance of ministering to people on all levels. There was a good deal of interest in carrying out total ministry to people in the immediate vicinity of the local corps.
