This season has been one like no other, and as leaders tasked with the soul care of others, the burdens we carry are substantial. This one hour workshop is designed to be a place where your heart and spirit can find both a deeper awareness of the load you are carrying, and provide a space to bring these things to God and to each other through prayer.  All you need is a paper and a pen (though markers and pencil crayons are welcome as well). No artistic experience needed! Krista Heide is a visual artist, workshop facilitator and pastoral teacher who is passionate about the connections between creativity, spiritual formation and trauma informed care. 

In this workshop, Phil Gunther focuses on helping you through the highs and lows of leadership in 2021 under pandemic realities. Come and be encouraged to consider a way forward that is both hopeful and practical. Phil is the Director of Ministry for the Saskatchewan Conference of MB Churches. He has served as a pastor for 25 years and participated in numerous ministry and community boards. Phil is a graduate of Trinity Western University and Canadian Theological Seminary. 

Chaos, Cosmos, and the Decoy of Conspiracy

From the ancient world to our contemporary one powerful unseen forces seem to exist that shape our reality. These forces may be weather, stars, planets, or comets. Just as easily those invisible webs of control might be seen to be controlled by far away political rulers, religious leaders, a wealthy business elite, or suspect groups of people. Sometimes communities interpret their world through conspiracies regarding elements such as these. Sometimes large impersonal forces are guilty of manipulating people’s realities. Conspiracy thinking then is a complicated subject. As Christians—with our beliefs in revelation, an omnipotent and omniscient God, and a set of prophetic and puzzling scriptures—are we especially vulnerable to conspiracy theories? Did Jesus not call us to watch for the signs of his return? Can Romans 13 and Revelation 13 be reconciled?  In our hour together, Brian Froese will give a brief talk on religion and conspiracy in history, where Christians were caught in its currents, and when the Church has been the target of suspicious thought. We will have small group interaction with some examples and selections of scripture to discuss alongside larger group discussion.