The 2023 Pastoral Innovation Network Symposium

Description

This one-day symposium hosted by Hartford International University and the Hartford Institute for Religion Research on Monday, June 12th brings together clergy, congregational, and judicatory leaders to explore innovative ministry responses coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic. Rev. Darrell L. Goodwin, Executive Conference Ministry of the Southern New England Conference of the UCC, will be the keynote speaker, addressing ministry and innovation coming out of the pandemic. The day includes dynamic breakout workshops led by Pastoral Innovation Network of New England clergy to explore topics such as engaging community organizing, partnering with other congregations, community arts + ministry, and reimagining the professional pastor. For the past two years, these presenters have been gathering regularly and will share their creative efforts and learnings addressing the contexts of ministry across New England. The Hartford Institute for Religion Research will also present the not-yet-released, Spring 2023 survey results from the "Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations" project (www.covidreligionresearch.org).

If you are a pastor, a lay leader or volunteer at your local congregation, or a denominational leader in New England, this event is for you!

The symposium is held at the Lyceum Resource + Conference Center, located at 227 Lawrence Street, Hartford, CT 06106. Free parking is available.

Due to generous funding from Lilly Endowment, conference attendance is free and includes lunch catered from Fire by Forge. If you have questions, contact Allison Norton (anorton@hartfordinternational.edu).

About the Pastoral Innovation Network of New England (PINNE)

Hartford International University’s five-year clergy grant program, Thriving in Poor Soil: Creating a Pastoral Innovation Network of New England (PINNE), fosters and sustains clergy excellence by enhancing the creativity and leadership skills of innovative pastors. Early career clergy who are three to ten years into their ministries and who are engaged in innovative congregation-based ministries build and sustain relationships with peers and mentors where they can explore challenges of ministry in New England, share creative ideas, and receive support from each other. Through regular gatherings, coaching, ongoing virtual communication, and the voluntary undertaking of a project of congregational change this project hopes to increase the level of creativity and spiritual energy of participants while also disseminating the learnings to clergy and denominations across New England.