Presenters: Rev. Dr. Jeff Nicolas, Pastor of St. Bernadette Catholic Church and Dr. Sharon Schuhmann, St. Bernadette Pastoral Associate for Intentional Discipleship
Fr. Jeff and Dr. Schuhmann teach the Homiletic Intensive Workshop for deacon candidates. They are a dynamic team with unique gifts that foster creativity in developing homilies that listeners will remember to carry forth in spreading the Good News of Christ's Resurrection. This workshop is for both deacons and their wives as well as deacons who are single. The workshop will follow the format below:
Friday evening there will be a special Saint Valentine dinner and a social with feedback on the Flag Page exercise and introductory information in the midst of a social with a Valentines theme. Fr. Jeff will lead a session on the Flag Page exercise for couples which will promote both their self-awareness as preachers and their marriage health. Fr. Jeff has used the Flag Page in the past for marriage retreats when he was a military chaplain. Deacons who are single will get value out of the Flag Page exercise as well as getting a better understanding of self-awareness in regard to their preaching.
Saturday morning the workshop will focus on the Flag Page, offering insights that can benefit both the preachers and their marriages. Saturday afternoon will zero in on some preaching instruction for the men centered on Good Friday preaching (Jesus’s Valentine to us) while Dr. Schuhmann will present a workshop for the wives on the spirituality of supporting and partnering with their husbands in the preaching ministry.
On Sunday morning, Dr. Schuhmann will finalize the instruction on setting up the Good Friday preaching with the couples and single deacons. Workshop participants will go home with marriage insights, personal insights, and a plan for preaching Good Friday services this Holy Week.
The cost of the workshop is $410 for singles and $595 for couples. Included in the fee is a guest room, meals, and $25 per person to conduct the Flag Page exercise. Fr. Nicolas will send a link to each participant to take the Flag Page exercise.
Click here to register for the workshop.
Workshop Schedule
Friday, February 14
4:00 p.m. Check-in begins – Guest House Lobby
5:30 p.m. Saint Valentine Dinner
6:30 p.m. Welcome, introductions, and workshop overview
(Flag Page administered)
7:30 p.m. Social and group discussion
Saturday, February 15
5:30 a.m. Morning Prayer in the Archabbey Church (optional)
8:00 a.m. Breakfast
8:30 a.m. Session 1: Preaching: Listening to Self
(Flag Page, Part 1)
9:45 a.m. Break
10:00 a.m. Session 2: Preaching: Listening to Self
(Flag Page Part 2)
12:00 Noon Lunch
1:15 p.m. Session 3: Preaching: Listening to the Word
Wives workshop: Spirituality of supporting and partnering with
their husbands in the preaching ministry
(Exegesis of Good Friday)
2:45 p.m. Free time
4:00 p.m. Session 4: Preaching: Listening to the Word
(Exegesis of Good Friday)
5:30 p.m. Dinner
6:30 p.m. Session 5: Preaching: Listening to the Word
(Possible Preaching Strategies for Good Friday)
8:00 p.m. Refreshments and informal Q & A with
Fr. Nicolas & Dr. Schuhmann
Sunday, February 16
7:15 a.m. Morning Prayer in the Archabbey Church (optional)
8:00 a.m. Breakfast
8:30 a.m. Session 6: Preaching: Listening to the Encounter
(Guided Awareness Instruction)
9:30 a.m. Mass in Archabbey Church
11:00 a.m. Session 7: Time Management
12:00 Noon Lunch and depart