With the theme Inspiring Generations in Generosity, the 2011 TENS conference is a stewardship conference designed for clergy and lay leaders. Plenary sessions, workshops and resources will explore challenges and gifts of inspiring multi-generations in generosity and stewardship.

“Our journey as God’s stewards begins around the baptismal font — the well of God’s generosity,” commented the Rev. Laurel Johnston, Episcopal Church Stewardship Program Officer and member of the TENS board of directors. “The ministry of stewardship is to help people of all ages continue to make choices that flow from their baptismal identities. The question before us and our conference speaker and workshop leaders is: How does each generation claim that life of generosity that God calls us to?”

The conference is organized by TENS and hosted and sponsored by the Episcopal Diocese of Texas. Event sponsors include the Episcopal Church Office of Stewardship, Episcopal Church Foundation, Saint Francis Community Services, and the Episcopal Dioceses of Dallas, Fort Worth, Oklahoma and West Texas.

Conference details

The weekend will kick off with pre-conference discussions on Thursday and Friday specifically for diocesan development/stewardship staff.

Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis Bishop Catherine Waynick will preach at the opening worship on Generosity and Baptismal Identity. Presiding at the Eucharist will be Bishop Andy Doyle of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas.

Plenary session speakers are the Rev. Karl Travis, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Fort Worth TX, and Dr. Courtney Cowart, noted author and regional director of Calling Congregations for The Fund for Theological Education.

Twenty-four workshops are offered in three themed tracks: I’m New to Stewardship; Expanding our Knowledge and Perfecting Practices; and Building Mentor and Consultant Skills.

Expert workshop leaders from the Episcopal Church staff include: Johnston on “Reclaiming the Offertory in the Eucharist”; the Rev. Bob Honeychurch, Church Vitality, on “Abundance and Asset Mapping”; and Mike Schut, Economic and Environmental Officer, on “Stewardship, Happiness and Economics.” Kirk Hadaway, Ph.D, Officer for Congregational Research, will offer a workshop on Numbers and Narrative at the pre-conference event.

“The 2011 TENS Stewardship Conference provides a unique opportunity for all who desire to nurture deepening commitments to discipleship, generosity and invigorating congregational life,” said Tom Gossen, Executive Director of TENS. “To reach our goal of inspiring generosity, we all must realize — sooner, rather than later — that today’s congregations contain four and sometimes five generations, and that one message simply does not resonate with all.”

For more information contact Johnston at ljohnston@episcopalchurch.org or Gossen at tgossen@tens.kscoxmail.com

For full schedule and registration information: http://www.tens.org.

The mission of TENS is to inspire generosity and faithful discipleship

The mission of the Episcopal Church Office of Stewardship is to develop core competencies in steward leaders to inspire communities of faith to live into their baptismal calling as God’s entrusted stewards.

The Episcopal Church welcomes all who worship Jesus Christ in 109 dioceses and three regional areas in 16 nations. The Episcopal Church is a member province of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

TENS: http://www.tens.org

Episcopal Church Office of Stewardship: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/stewardship

Camp Allen: https://www.campallen.org/

The Episcopal Church: www.episcopalchurch.org

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