"Everything you do changes the world whether you like it or not. So the questions we must ask ourselves are 'Which changes will we make' and 'How will we go about making them?'"

Engage in dynamic dialogue around these questions with David LaMotte during our annual Gathering for church leaders scheduled for April 6-7 at Bon Secours Retreat and Conference Center, Marriottsville. This 24 hour retreat welcoming pastors, educators and commissioned ruling elders will focus on the theme, "Worldchanging 101: Challenging the Myth of Powerlessness."  This theme dovetails beautifully with other conversations we are having around the Presbytery, and is also the title of our leader's latest book.

 

We will be led by David LaMotte, an award-winning songwriter, speaker, author and activist. He has produced 11 CDs and performed 2500 concerts on 5 continents. LaMotte suspended his music career in 2008 to accept a Rotary World Peace Fellowship, earning a Master's Degree in International Studies, Peace, and Conflict Resolution from the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. David maintains a dense calendar of speaking and musical events worldwide. He serves as the president of PEG Partners, the non-profit organization he co-founded to support schools and libraries in Guatemala. He is also a consultant on peace and justice issues for the North Carolina Council of Churches, and serves as the Clerk (chair) of the Nobel Peace Prize Nominating Task Group for the AFSC (Quakers). To learn more about David's music and justice work, visit http://davidlamotte.com.

LaMotte questions prevailing narratives about how the world changes and how it does not. Encouraging people to engage with the world around them and address the problems they see, he methodically builds a case for both our capacity and responsibility to make a difference by examining the often misunderstood and misrepresented dynamics of large-scale change. He supports his encouraging worldview with compelling stories from the U.S. civil rights movement and from his own experiences. Our time will be interactive, as we consider how we as individuals, as faith leaders, and as a community of faith, are called to respond to the world around us.

 

In addition to top-notch, thought-provoking plenary sessions, we will also enjoy an intimate, informal concert with David, and time for relaxed fellowship and fun with colleagues.

 

The cost for this event is $150 for individuals and $250 for couples, including program, overnight accommodations and three meals. Commuters may also register at a reduced cost of $100 each, which includes program and three meals. Scholarship assistance is available. Click World Changing to r egister online by Mar. 23.

 

For scholarships, contact Debbie Schmidt.