City Events
December 2019
Pastors and Ministry Leaders Christmas Lunch (Richmond)
Made To Flourish Richmond is hosting a special Christmas event to discuss what's happening in the Richmond, VA area through Faith/Work, Economic engagement, and to build greater networking collaboration.
All area Pastors and Leaders are invited to join together for free catered lunch and fellowship.
Topics that we will cover:
What are we learning (specifically from the last MTF events you attended)?
What are we applying in terms of Faith, Work, and Economic Wisdom?
What are we / our churches struggling with in terms of FWE?
How can we help one another (prayer, processing, partnership, resources)?
Work of Faith, Labor of Love – Relationships and Thanksgiving (Hampton Roads)
Starting November 1 the Pastors Dialogue On Racism, Poverty & Violence and the Hampton Roads Made To Flourish City Network will embark on a month long intentional activity of building relationships in the marketplace. Pastors and clergy will visit the workplaces of their congregants and their community neighbors. Non-Clergy members of both groups will visit their friends at their workplaces, homes and visit with someone they do not know within their respective work environments. This will intentionally seek people of different ethic groups, racial groups and denominations.
Our theme of reference will be, "The real work of the church is what is done between Sundays when the church is scattered all over the metropolitan area where it is located - in homes and schools, and offices, on construction jobs, and marketplaces."(How I Changed My Thinking about the Church, Richard C. Halverson).
On December 11, 2019 at 11:30am, everyone is invited to a free Holiday lunch to discuss their month long journey experiences. This annual holiday luncheon is being sponsored by Altmeyer Funeral Homes. In addition, each attendee is asked to bring a non-perishable food item that will be donated to THRIVE Peninsula for their food pantry and we are also requesting gloves, scarves or socks that will be donated to the elderly through Peninsula Agency on Aging.
January 2020
Aiming for Heaven in the Faith, Work, & Economics Conversation (Orlando)
The writings of Dr. Richard Mouw, President Emeritus of Fuller Theological Seminary, have shaped much of the faith, work, and economics movement in the last two decades. His notable works, When the Kings Come Marching In and He Shines in All That is Fair, are essential texts to explore what Scripture has to say about heaven, and its application to our vocations today. His works have helped many see the place of culture in our heavenly hope.
Dr. Michael Allen, John Dyer Trimble Professor of Systematic Theology and Academic Dean at Reformed Theological Seminary, offers a new approach in his latest work, Grounded in Heaven: Recentering Christian Hope and Life on God (Eerdmans, 2019). Allen suggests a renewed embrace of classical Reformation eschatology in which Scripture suggests our gaze upon the beatific vision of Christ supersedes embracing an embodied sense of one's vocation. His book helps us remember that heaven is defined first and foremost by the enjoyment of the presence of the triune God, and Allen argues that the faith and work conversation needs to reconnect with this heavenly-mindedness if it’s to challenge secularism and maintain its real Christian witness.
Join us for lunch as Drs. Mouw and Allen discuss their perspectives, concerns, and commonalities before a live audience, and take questions from the audience.
Pastors Lunch (Los Angeles)
Join us for our first lunch of the year. Chris Neal, one of our City Network leaders, is currently a PhD student at Fuller studying the intersection of faith, work, economics and youth ministry. He will be leading a discussion on helping youth in the vocational discernment process.
Come join the conversation! Parking is available in the restaurant's private lot.
MLK Jr. Prayer Breakfast (Seattle)
Join Made to Flourish at the 8th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Breakfast on 1/20/20. The breakfast is from 7:00 am - 8:30 am at the Seattle Sheraton.
Gather with the greater Seattle community to pray, promote justice and reconciliation, and honor the work of Martin Luther King Jr. The keynote speaker is Rev. Dr. Kelle Brown, a pastor at The Plymouth Church.
Plymouth Congregational Church is a historic congregation located in downtown Seattle. It's known for its history of social justice advocacy, music and creation of programs serving the homeless, such as Plymouth Healing Communities and Plymouth Housing Group.
MLK Jr. Day of Service 2020 – Honoring The Work of Our Teachers and Students (Hampton, VA)
Join us at the "MLK, Jr. Day of Service 2020 Brunch Program and school supplies drive honoring the work of our teachers and students in two Title I schools in Hampton, Virginia. There will be a MLK, Jr. Program with the students as they talk about the meaning of "A Day of Service" in the context about the "Value of Work and Service as a Student" also other presentations from the community. There will be a mix and mingle brunch after the program. This project is being sponsored by the HarborPointe Community Church, Open Door Full Gospel Baptist Fellowship Church, Phoebus United Methodist Church, Roberts Antiques, Coalition of Concerned Clergy, Peninsula Baptist Association and Hampton Roads Made To Flourish City Network.
So often, in our schools, teachers and other staff have to purchase with their own funds needed supplies to teach our children and to make sure students have the necessary items for learning. We want to relieve this unfair burden from our teachers and staff by collecting and donating supplies to the respective schools. Items maybe donated until the day of the program on January 20, 2020. For a list of the requested school supplies for the two schools...Robert R. Morton Early Childhood Center and Jane H. Bryan Elementary School and to register for the program go to the following link: https://www.allforgood.org/projects/xJYv4NkD
MLK Jr. Day of Service 2020 – Honoring The Work of Our Teachers and Students (Newport News, VA)
Join the faith community, business community and the Southeast Newport News Community at this "MLK, Jr. Day of Service 2020 Brunch Program and School Supplies Drive" honoring the work of our teachers and students in two Title I schools in Newport News, Virginia. There will be a MLK, Jr. Program with the students as they talk about the meaning of "A Day of Service" in the context about the "Value of Work and Service as a Student" also other presentations from the community. There will be a mix and mingle brunch after the program. This project is being sponsored by the Coalition of Concerned Clergy, Peninsula Baptist Association, Zion Baptist Church, Parkview Baptist Church, NNPS Family & Community Engagement Specialists and the Hampton Roads Made To Flourish City Network.
So often, in our schools, teachers and other staff have to purchase with their own funds needed supplies to teach our children and to make sure students have the necessary items for learning. We want to relieve this unfair burden from our teachers and staff by collecting and donating supplies to the respective schools. Items maybe donated until the day of the program on January 20, 2020. For a list of the requested school supplies for the two Title I Schools in the southeast section of the City of Newport News, Newsome Park Elementary School and An Achievable Dream Academy and to register for this event use the following link: https://www.allforgood.org/projects/78eboAJp
Church United Gathering & Lunch (Fort Lauderdale)
This Gathering will be focused on collaborative evangelism, as we will have Craig Springer, Executive Director of Alpha USA, as our keynote speaker.
Craig is the author of "How to Follow Jesus: A Practical Guide for Growing Your Faith", Craig led and pastored influential churches in Chicago and Denver, one of which was named Outreach Magazine’s 2014 Fastest Growing Church in America. Craig and his wife, Sarah, also spent a number of years church planting in Prague, Czech Republic. Craig lives in the Denver area and is a passionate hack at every mountain sport you can name. He and Sarah have been married for 19 years, have two, full-hearted children and one very spoiled beagle.
Directly following the Church United gathering, Made to Flourish will host a lunch from 11:00-12:30. During lunch, Craig Springer will lead a discussion around pastoring our people to live out their faith in this cultural moment.
The Next Conversation on Race and Culture (Cleveland)
Many of us have already heard the data on white privilege and systems of advantage based on race -- so now what? This workshop is a challenge for those who are ready to take the next steps (or first steps) toward authentic equity and inclusion in the places we live, work, and play.
In partnership with Malone University, who is sponsoring social work CEUs, upon request. Contact Annie St. John (astjohn@malone.edu) to RSVP for Social Work CEUs.
Facilitated by Dr. Leroy Barber -- Co-Founder and Executive Director of The Voices Project, Director of Innovation for the UMC. 25 years of experience healing racism, addressing poverty, homelessness, restoring local neighborhoods, and living what Dr. King called "the beloved community."
Please email cleveland@madetoflourish.org for more information. Registration begins in December.
Sustainability Workshops (Hampton Roads)
The City of Hampton's Office of Youth and Young Adult Opportunities is partnering with Hampton Roads Made To Flourish City Network, Nikki Curry Media and Black Brand to host two sustainability workshops to assist churches and small community organizations with grant writing and furthering their mission through Branding, Partnerships and Collaboration.
Some of the topics being discussed in the Branding Workshop will center around Building Value In Your Business With A Simple, Effective Brand Strategy. The Partnership and Collaboration Workshop presentations will center on how to Increase Your Productivity and Effectiveness Through Partnership/Collaboration.