Seeking Shalom Cohort

Date/Time
Thursday, February 1, 2018

Deadline to Register – FRIDAY, JANUARY 26TH
$15/person (Cash or Check Only)

We are excited to partner with the Lupton Center, once again, to help you and your church/organization move towards a more transformational ministry model. This 4-month, hybrid learning cohort will combine the Lupton Center’s Seeking Shalom e-Course (completed by participants on-line or through an app) with three, in-person debrief gatherings hosted by Send Me St. Louis to discuss progress and challenges, and share gained insights and encouragement.

This learning cohort is ideal for churches/organizations who…

Are familiar with concepts introduced in books like “When Helping Hurts” and “Toxic Charity”.
Are currently engaged in serving the poor, marginalized, and vulnerable in their community and/or region.
Desire to expand the conversation regarding how to engage the community in healthy and holistic ways beyond a paid staff member or excited volunteer.
Are ready to start changing the culture of their church/organization to be more impactful in the community.

“Seeking Shalom will equip leaders to change the charity paradigm in their church or organization. It diagnoses why charity is not working, builds a rich, biblical framework for understanding poverty, and invites practitioners to implement five principles that get us beyond meeting needs and into seeking shalom.”

For more details on the cohort’s schedule, participant requirements (at least two people!), pricing, and format, see below. Also, the included video will give greater insight into the Seeking Shalom e-Course.

To register, please print off, complete, and return the attached pdf with payment.

Schedule:

Registration Period: December 19, 2017 – January 26, 2018
Cohort Start Date: Thursday, February 1, 2018
Church/organization Work: Complete modules 1 & 2 by Thursday, March 1, 2018
Leader Debrief #1: Thursday, March 1, 2018, 8:30-10:00am
Church/organization Work: Complete modules 3 & 4 by Thursday, April 12, 2018
Leader Debrief #2: Thursday, April 12, 2018, 8:30-10:00am
Church/organization Work: Complete modules 5 & 6 by Thursday, May 24, 2018
Leader Debrief #3: Thursday, May 24, 2018, 8:30-10:00am

Registration and Pricing:

$15 per person, check or cash only.
Deadline to Register – FRIDAY, JANUARY 26TH. Please print off, complete, and return the attached pdf with payment. Make sure to include the name and e-mail address for each participant.
Login information will be e-mailed to each participant a few days prior to the start of the cohort (Thursday, February 1st).
If your group is not tech savvy or is going to be more than three people, please contact Matt Miller at (314-678-0018, x8) to ensure we have you set up properly.

Required participant makeup from each church/organization:

Ideal makeup:
- One paid staff (or lead volunteer)
- One involved lay member or volunteer (not the lead volunteer)
- One community stakeholder – 1) resident of the community in which you serve, 2) an “end-user/participant” of your current services, or 3) someone affiliated with a partner church/organization in your community.
Minimum participant makeup:
- One paid staff (or lead volunteer)
- One involved lay member or volunteer (not the lead volunteer)
Maximum number of participants:
- No limit! The wider the discussion the better, but there is a $15 fee per person.

Format:

PART 1: Online curriculum featuring six modules created by The Lupton Center (associated with Toxic Charity). This content is meant to help you and other key stakeholders learn about and apply a more holistic view of poverty alleviation and community engagement.
- Each person completes the curriculum, but your team will be able to dialogue and share insights through the online platform. There is even an app for your phone or tablet if that is your preferred method of access.

PART 2: Three, in-person debrief meetings facilitated by Send Me St. Louis for the leader (point-person) from each church/organization to encourage one another, share what is working, and discuss key challenges and obstacles.
- Everyone from your team is welcome to attend the three debriefs, but at minimum, your paid staff/key leader needs to be able to commit to the three gatherings – 3/1, 4/12, and 5/24.

How to Get the Most of this Learning Cohort:

In addition to each team member completing the content online, plan to meet at least once in-person prior to each leader debrief to share what you are learning.
If you’d find it helpful, meet as a group and work through the content together. This can be done by using one person’s login and using a projector/computer. All participants must pay the $15 fee and have their own log-in even if you go this route.
Work hard to engage a community participant/partner in this process. Your ability to build a diverse team will help you have a meaningful experience!