Office of Church Engagement
Mission Statement
The Office of Church Engagement (OCE) partners with churches and other Christian ministries as they discern how to be the church and do ministry in the western region of the United States and around the world. Church engagement functions as a resource for vision-casting, planning and developing new forms of ministry capable of effectively engaging our rapidly changing culture.
Read the Third Way blog here and listen to the Where We Belong podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
If you want to be the first to know about upcoming events and opportunities to get involved in our programs, join our newsletter list for a monthly round-up of everything going on in the OCE.
Upcoming Events
Oct. 12 | 9 a.m.-2 p.m. | Faith Like A Child: A One-Day Retreat for Christian Parents/Caregivers with Lacy Finn Borgo
So often as parents/caregivers, we curate spiritual experiences for our children – we buy children’s Bibles, we enroll them in a vacation bible school, we teach them a catechism. But are we open to the ways that we can learn from and alongside them how to more fully settle into our identity as God's children, too?
This retreat will invite parents to explore childlike faith, experiment with spiritual practices, play, and grapple with attachment to God as our true parent. We hope you will leave with a clearer sense of God’s presence, a deep appreciation for childlike faith, and new tools to help practice faith with your kids. Register here >>>
Oct. 11 | 1 p.m. | Professional Development Workshop: Elements of Child Spirituality with Lacy Finn Borgo
Children’s/family ministry leaders are invited to explore elements of child spirituality, experiment with kid-friendly ways of experiencing God ourselves, and consider ways to adapt and contextualize new ideas in your church. Register here >>>
Downloadable Resources for Churches
The following links will take you to an online form. Simply fill out the form and your PDF resources will be sent to your inbox.
- Church Self-Study Guide & Worksheet
This guide, developed in partnership with a sociologist and church vitality expert, will walk your church through a self-study process to better understand your church's mission, identity and story. - Pastor's Field Guide to the City
This guide, developed in partnership with a pastor/church planter and city planner, will walk your church through a neighborhood mapping exercise and provide resources to better understand your church's physical place.