November 12-15, 2015
Amway Grand Plaza Hotel
Grand Rapids,
Michigan
|
• General Convention |
"Pursuing Shalom: Moving Forward While Thinking Backwards"
Abstract: Pursuing Shalom is an activity that every Christian undertakes. Shalom can be loosely translated as peace. How one pursues Shalom is determined by how one defines the end – the outcome. As Christians we must ask ourselves, “What kind of peace am I working towards?”. There are at least three levels peace: personal, communal, and global. Personal peace focuses on the individual; it asks about “My welfare, my rest, my peace”. Communal peace focuses on organized groups such as neighborhoods and countries; it asks about “the prosperity within our political boundaries, the harmony between neighboring countries.” Global peace, however, is the reconciliation of all things; it asks about “the broken places on earth and the broken relationships between God and God’s creation.” “Pursuing Shalom: Moving Forward While Thinking Backwards” will challenge participants to begin their pursuit of Shalom with the end in mind and to explore the Why, Who, What, and How of our pursuits.
[RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE]
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Building Resilient Professionals and Organizations: Christian Principles and Workforce Development"
Abstract: This presentation will synthesize research on resiliency and on leadership and apply this knowledge to individual social workers and human service organizations. Principles of positive workforce development and Christianity will be examined with applications for educators, and social work leaders and practitioners. The goal is caring, effective and ethical professionals working in caring, effective and ethical organizations.
[RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE]
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Pursuing Shalom: Serving Our Neighbors Locally and Globally"
Abstract: Grounded in Genesis 1 and manifest in Matthew 25:31-end, this session will explore the biblical concept of shalom and its implications for the social worker and the Christian as we engage the world with justice and compassion. Lisa Sharon Harper will connect the biblical text with the challenges encountered by social workers on a daily basis: hunger, thirst, sickness, immigration, prison, and abject poverty. Explore the implications of the call to “righteousness” on local and global engagement with those Jesus calls “the least of these.”