{"id":26652,"date":"2016-01-22T10:37:38","date_gmt":"2016-01-22T15:37:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/?p=26652"},"modified":"2025-07-11T14:01:07","modified_gmt":"2025-07-11T18:01:07","slug":"oasis-themed-school-for-leadership-training-revisions-the-metaphorical-desert-as-a-vital-site-of-growth-and-rebirth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2016\/oasis-themed-school-for-leadership-training-revisions-the-metaphorical-desert-as-a-vital-site-of-growth-and-rebirth\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Oasis’-themed School for Leadership Training revisions the metaphorical desert as a vital site of growth and rebirth"},"content":{"rendered":"

Inviting participants to \u201cseveral days of learning that have the potential to transform us,\u201d School for Leadership Training<\/a> (SLT) coordinator Linda Alley welcomed about 200 people to this year\u2019s event Jan. 18-20 at Eastern Mennonite Seminary in Harrisonburg.<\/p>\n

And, indeed, over the course of three days, participants engaged in worship, workshops and fellowship with other church leaders, all around the theme of \u201cOasis.\u201d The Revs. Matt and Elizabeth Myer Boulton offered the keynote addresses.<\/p>\n

\"School<\/a>
More than 200 participants registered for the annual School for Leadership Training.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWhen we talk about oasis, we\u2019re talking about both wilderness and refreshment,\u201d said Matt Myer Boulton, president of Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis. \u201cThere is no oasis without the desert.\u201d<\/p>\n

That tension and duality framed the goals for the conference, which sought to provide leaders with tools for resilience in their ministries and stamina to make it through\u00a0times “in the wilderness.”<\/p>\n

The Myer Boultons used three \u201cseasons\u201d of the faith journey\u2014longing, repentance and celebration\u2014to focus their presentations. They tied the theme into the church seasons of Advent, Lent and Easter as well as to biblical texts, church history and current events, such as the recent tensions in American race relations. Points were often illustrated via video clips produced by the SALT Project<\/a>, a not-for-profit organization for which Elizabeth Myer Boulton serves as president and creative director.<\/p>\n

After addressing some of the many challenges in ministry and urging the assembled church leaders to be \u201cresponsible\u201d\u2014literally, the ones able and willing to respond\u2014to the injustices and difficult places of local and global communities, the Myer Boultons also reminded the group to take time for sabbath and to enjoy God\u2019s presence.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe fall into the trap of creating sabbath for others but not our own,\u201d Matt Myer Boulton said. \u201cIt\u2019s about clearing space so that you can experience the goodness of God. It restores you to your vocation. If you\u2019re not doing that, then your life is out of balance.<\/p>\n

\"Pastors\"<\/a>
Pastors and lay leaders among several denominations enjoyed networking time together.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cIf you are not celebrating you have not received the Good News,\u201d he added. \u201cIt\u2019s a sign of the Gospel.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eastern Mennonite University President Loren Swartzendruber<\/a> also emphasized the need for balance in his remarks at the opening worship.<\/p>\n

\u201cLeadership is hard, and some challenges simply will not go away,\u201d he said. \u201cWe lead as if we were in a sprint instead of a marathon. We neglect to nourish ourselves for the long haul.\u201d<\/p>\n

He invited the SLT participants to \u201cdrink at the wells of renewal\u201d during the conference.<\/p>\n

The schedule also included a plenary panel titled \u201cIn Times Like These,\u201d which featured four people sharing openly about places in their lives where they had experienced pain, loss and\/or grief and the spiritual practices and other resources that carried them through those times. An optional evening experience called \u201cPraying in Color\u201d invited participants to experience several artistic and kinetic prayer forms as spiritual practices.<\/p>\n

Seminar choices included topics such as \u201cResilient Ministry,\u201d \u201cVulnerability and Leadership,\u201d \u201cPraying Beyond Words,\u201d and \u201cAn Eightfold Path to Christian Spirituality.\u201d<\/p>\n

Next year\u2019s School for Leadership Training will be Jan. 16-18, 2017, in Harrisonburg.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Inviting participants to \u201cseveral days of learning that have the potential to transform us,\u201d School for Leadership Training (SLT) coordinator Linda Alley welcomed about 200 people to this year\u2019s event ... read more about ‘Oasis’-themed School for Leadership Training revisions the metaphorical desert as a vital site of growth and rebirth<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26658,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14184,8845,265],"tags":[17269,7206,6069],"feature":[],"class_list":["post-26652","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-campus-guests","category-emu-at-lancaster","category-seminary","tag-elizabeth-myer-boulton","tag-linda-alley","tag-loren-swartzendruber"],"yoast_head":"\n'Oasis'-themed School for Leadership Training revisions the metaphorical desert as a vital site of growth and rebirth - 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