ARISE Conference | October 5, 2024

For believers struggling with anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues, church can feel like a tricky place to navigate. Come learn ways to build personal resilience by caring for yourself emotionally and spiritually without shame or stigma. Topics include the use of medication, holistic self-care practices, relational boundaries, spiritual health, and how to have productive conversations with others in the church about your mental health struggles.

Does life feel out of control? Do you say yes to everyone's requests, or readily take responsibility for others' feelings and problems? Or perhaps you focus so much on being loving and unselfish, you've forgotten your own limits and limitations. You don’t have to let your life spiral out of control. Discover how boundaries can make your life better today!

When preparing to travel, we pack our bags carefully, realizing what’s inside is vital to a good trip. And when in flight, we all know the importance of a seat belt for unexpected turbulence.  Marriage is also a destination; this workshop will show us how unhealthy baggage interferes with a smooth flight and explore ways to buckle up and make it through marriage.

This panel discussion on multicultural sensitivity can help promote a more cohesive culture; cross-cultural friendships can provide new perspectives. When we find commonalities between different experiences, our friendships can strengthen a sense of belonging. Paul says, "From one man God made every nation of the human race, that they should inhabit the whole earth," suggesting that diversity is a natural part of His plan for unity.

This is your time, no more excuses, learn to create a delicious charcuterie board for your next party. Suzan Bartee believes you can and will show you how to do it! ($15/person)

Ordinary women doing extraordinary things can be inspiring and intimidating. While we wish to follow their lead and soar like eagles, we often find ourselves grounded like penguins feeling limited by our design and circumstances. Discover how you were created to soar as a woman of God and be empowered to emerge into the identity for which you were designed!

Relax and engage in creating your very own work of art! Alicia Messner, artist and mother, will walk you through simple step-by-step instructions to create your masterpiece. All supplies included. ($35/person)

If you look in the mirror, and all you see is painful ash covering you, let's talk. As I share my personal story and pain, you will hear about how God's goodness remains unchanging. He is greater than the pain and theh struggle in front of us, and how he created beauty from ashes, is miraculous!

Shame can be debilitating, but it needn’t be. We were created in God’s image and there is nothing shameful about that! We will explore the roots of shame, the difference between healthy shame and toxic shame, and ways to heal excessive shame. You will leave with a better understanding of shame, its purpose, the ways it can play havoc in our lives, as well as ways to minimize it.

As women of God, we can overcome insecurity and lead confidently. All of us have unique gifts, stories, and callings. This session will focus on how we can boldly be who God made us to be.

It looks like love. It feels like love. But is it love? Can you spot a counterfeit? Together we will learn some of the destructive patterns such as being the victim, rescuer, romantic, matriarch, obsessed and others. Rather than focusing on a painful past, we will explore what genuine love is and how to recognize it.

Women in the church can experience being suppressed or silenced due to gender, wounding us and our ability to step into our identity in Christ and His calling on our lives. Healing misogyny begins with rightly understanding how God created female to reflect Him. Topics include understanding what misogyny is and how it wounds us, God's heart for women, the equality of men and women, correct doctrines of submission, and how to respond to instances of misogyny in God-honoring ways.

Conflict is an inevitable part of relationships. How you navigate conflict can make all the difference in the health and longevity of your relationships. We will explore biblical and practical guidance such as practicing active listening, the genius of “I” statements, developing problem-solving skills, and other helpful tools.

A prayerful space to be quiet, hear God speak, rest, and be at peace. This room will be open throughout the day, and have specific elements during workshops for your own peaceful experience with God.

God created sexuality and declared it was good. When sin entered the equation, distortions crept in keeping us from understanding and experiencing the sexual health God intended. This workshop will focus on the role of connection and pleasure and invite you to consider how your story, experiences, and cultural influences keep you from finding freedom and sexual wholeness.

Reserve your seat at the succulent bar. Mary Nicholson, Landscape Designer and Horticultural expert since 1990, will help you create a sweet succulent container, choose from plants and vessels then create your own to keep or give away! ($15/person)

You have a story to tell, and it has the power to reach into the heart of someone who needs to hear it. Learn how to press through the doubts about whether your story matters. Come and receive practical coaching on how to step into conversations with people about God’s redeeming work in your life.

Young people are more than the next generation...they are an active part of the global church today. God has empowered this generation to share in spreading the gospel in their churches and communities. Join the conversation and learn what it looks like to be a young person on mission, and consider ways you can champion the young people in your church to step into who God has called them to be today.