Fran Park Center 2018 Progress Report

2018 Progress Report

FRAN PARK CENTER for FAITH and LIFE

Table of Contents 2018 PROGRESS REPORT FRAN PARK CENTER for FAITH and LIFE Director's Message Park Center Programming

4 6-15

Marketing & Publicity

15

Finances

16

Partners 17 Leadership

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2018 PROGRESS REPORT | 3

Welcome to the Park Center Friends, We are honored to present this report of progress in the work of the Fran Park Center for Faith and Life (a program of Pinnacle Presbyterian Church). 2018 saw expansion and definition of existing programs, launching of our educational pilgrimage program, experimentation in programming, beginning of online offerings, new efforts in seeking funding from outside sources, clarification of funding internal to Pinnacle, and solidifying of our relationship with Princeton Seminary. These included an estimated 3,000 hours of high-quality educational offerings. All this marks genuine progress and puts us on solid ground for an exponential leap in 2019.

from the simple observation of its namesake, Rev. Fran Park, of the pressing need for highquality theological education in the Southwest. He challenged Pinnacle Presbyterian Church to address this need and to reach out for creative partnerships in meeting it. Education is mission.

Education is evangelism.

Education is our call. This effort started with programming at Pinnacle and offered to the wider community and continued with a partnership with Pittsburgh Presbyterian Seminary to host Southwest cohorts for its Doctor of Ministry program. That was later supplemented by a grant from the Templeton Foundation that allowed the Center to create ongoing programming in faith and science dialogue. With a generous underwriting pledge in 2015, the Center was renamed in the late Rev. Park’s honor and new efforts got underway.

Officially announced in 2015, the Fran Park Center is an inheritor of the work of the Pinnacle Theological Center. That work was begun ten years earlier

To summarize the work, we can gratefully say that we’ve been developing our Park Center around four vertical lines and four horizontal lines. On the

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vertical, we’re asking what an informed believer needs to know today about Bible, faith, world, and dialogue. On the horizontal lines, we’re asking how to shape learning experiences that are intergenerational (and so innovative), develop and sustain leaders (both professional and lay), promote community wellbeing through dialogue and adventure, and leaven traditional institutions (like seminaries) with new ideas. We see education as a gift to the community, and central to our understanding of Christian witness. This mission had led us to develop our unique programming, like our weekly “Project: Bible” and “Project: Faith” classes, monthly “Courageous Conversations” in partnership with the House United Movement, scheduled lectures, a budding podcast series, ongoing learning events, and a “Park Center Pilgrimage” program designed to offer a new take on Christian pilgrimage.

We’ve seen it working, as folks are increasingly citing Park Center programs as inspiration

for joining Pinnacle or as helpful enhancements to their spiritual lives whether they are part of Pinnacle Presbyterian Church or not. We threw a lot up in the air to see what works, and we’re getting a sense of it.

Of special note in review of 2018 is our partnership with Princeton Seminary for online and in-person programming, and a small foundation grant to produce curricula and video resources for our Courageous Conversation series.

of Pinnacle Presbyterian Church to this work of community-based theological education.

We’re grateful and honored to present this reflection on the 2018 work of the Fran Park Center for Faith and Life.

In the Spirit,

Rev. Wesley D. Avram, PhD, Director

As we look toward 2019, we enter the year with strong financial grounding; our Park Center Administrator, Kelly McGinn, moving into a full-time role; our part-time Consulting Theologian, Dr. Michael Hegeman, moving into a halftime Associate Director role; our Consulting Theologian, Dr. Allen Hilton, continuing his unique relationship with our work; and our Director, Dr. Wesley Avram, reaffirming his personal commitment and the commitment of the leadership

2018 PROGRESS REPORT | 5

Park Center Programming

NYC Pilgrimage | November 2018 6 | FRAN PARK CENTER for FAITH and LIFE

PARK CENTER PILGRIMAGES The Fran Park Center for Faith and Life started 2018 by taking 35 pilgrims to the Holy Land for a ten-day journey of learning.

We see a pilgrimage as a vital part of Christian formation as one progresses through the three stages of transformation: Purgation, Illumination and Community. The importance of leaving one’s daily life to encounter other cultures and perspectives deepens the knowing of ourselves, God and others.

Later in the year, Dr. Wesley Avram, Director of the Park Center, led a group of 17 to the east coast to encounter an array of different ministering contexts. This pilgrimage began in Princeton, New Jersey, visiting our friends at Princeton Theological Seminary. Our pilgrims experienced life on campus from the perspective of students and professors while learning about the seminary’s rich history. They also explored many historical churches and institutions in Manhattan before

heading to Harlem. There the group encountered places as diverse as Trinity Church Wall Street (Episcopal), Christ Church United Methodist, the Guideposts editorial offices, the Walls-Ortiz Community Art Gallery and other ministries of City Seminary in Harlem. The Park Center is committed to providing these unique learning opportunities to our participants with plans to journey to Oberammergau, Germany, in the summer of 2020 and return to the Holy Land in the fall of 2020.

Dorothy Stingley, Holy Land Pilgrimage "To walk where Jesus walked connected us with him and his life, death and resurrection. To be baptized together in the Jordan, walk the Mount of Olives and streets of Jerusalem, step onto the shores of the Sea of Galilee, deepened our love for our church family."

Fred Popp: NYC Pilgrimage, A Journey of Learning

“What a memorable trip it was. Truly an inspiring journey. A trip of reflection, joy and learning. I felt like I had a front row seat to witness how divergent religious institutions nurture and grow their ministries.

Indeed, a challenge for many churches today, but what a great foundation this trip provided for Pinnacle Presbyterian as it charts its journey into the future."

2018 PROGRESS REPORT | 7

CONTINUING EDUCATION THROUGH PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY In late 2017, Princeton Theological Seminary was in the midst of developing a continuing education class entitled “Certificate of Theology and Ministries” and wanted us to be their very first church cohort to experience the class with their new teaching methodology which started in January 2018. The Park

Center gladly said “yes” and thus solidified a partnership with their seminary and began working side-by-side launching their continuing education course.

There were five members to the cohort who signed up to deepen their Biblical and Theological knowledge with an eye toward ministry by completing this

14-week class. Our cohort influenced and shaped how the seminary plans to re-launch this program. We look forward to offering more continuing education classes through Princeton Theological Seminary as 2019 progresses.

Michael Hegeman, Consulting Theologian, Fran Park Center “It was an honor for me, as a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary, to see our local congregation members come together to learn in this new platform.

It was a pleasure to counsel each member of the cohort and to reflect on the importance of continuing education."

Anne Stewart, Associate Vice President for Communication, Deputy to the President, Princeton Theological Seminary "The Fran Park Center has an exciting vision for the impact of theological education that is grounded in the local community and promotes broad access to deep learning.

The Fran Park Center and Pinnacle Presbyterian Church are deeply valued partners of Princeton Theological Seminary. Serving the church is at the heart of our seminary’s mission, and we cannot do this work without strong relationships with congregations. We continue to learn from each other through courses, conversations, and educational tours hosted in Princeton and in Scottsdale. We were delighted to host a pilgrimage group from the Park Center in Princeton last November, and we look forward to sending a group of seminarians to Scottsdale next January for the opportunity to learn “on location” alongside pastors and parishioners. Such partnerships are critical to the future of theological education and help us all to be faithful to our common calling of serving Christ’s church."

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Francis W. Park Memorial Lecture | March 2018

Dr. Eric Barreto, Associate Professor of New Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary, who taught a portion of the spring certificate class, was a natural choice to speak at the Park Center’s annual Francis W. Park Memorial Lecture held on February 18, 2018, at 12:00 pm. Dr. Barreto joined the

cohort and Park Center staff for a lovely dinner upon his arrival, preached at the 8:00 am and 10:00 am services of worship and lectured to an audience of 120 on “Believe and Belonging in Luke-Acts." He asked us what a church of diversity might look like? He went on to talk about his upbringing in Puerto Rico

and how his childhood impacted his ministry. He encouraged us all to view our differences as gifts, and people left the lecture feeing very inspired. Dr. Barreto will be returning to our campus in January 2020 along with 20 seminary students to teach ministry in a bi-lingual context.

2018 PROGRESS REPORT | 9

CALVIN COLLEGE JANUARY SERIES

199 seats filled

60

volunteer hours

Calvin College’s January Series is a free 15-day lecture series that takes place each January on the campus of Calvin College and is live broadcasted to over 50 remote sites around the country.

Pinnacle Presbyterian Church

is one of the remote sites that hosts the lecture series, and in 2018 we had 199 seats filled, and participants came from around the valley as we are the only host site in our area. Christie Slegers and Marti King volunteered over

60 hours of time to make this annual event a success. The Fran Park Center plans to broadcast this series each year as part of our commitment to provide theological learning opportunities to our community.

Kristi Potter, Director, The January Series - Calvin College “We at Calvin are thrilled to have Pinnacle Presbyterian Church as one of our 50+ remote webcast sites of the January Series. It is great knowing that, as we gather each of the fifteen days of the series to hear from important speakers on timely topics, that folks in Scottsdale are able to join the conversation. Thanks for making it possible for your community to enjoy this “piece of Calvin College”.

Thanks to all of our remote sites across the continent!”

Carissa Bakker, Calvin College’s January Series Assistant “I was so impressed with every one of the speakers on the lineup and learned so much!”

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FAITH AND MENTAL HEALTH AT THE PARK CENTER

Project:

Happiness

workshop

As part of the Park Center’s commitment to mental health awareness and instruction we partnered with Psychological Counseling Services to bring a sixweek series to our supporters. An array of topics were discussed including couple-ship, healing from brain distress, relationships and communications, recovery from childhood trauma and cultivating tolerance in a polarized world. Each of the series was well-attended and we totaled 90 separate participants over the six weeks, many repeating. The success of these events led us to develop a two-part Faith and Mental Health Series in the fall of 2018 on happiness. Dr. Michael Hegeman led the two-part

Faith & Mental Health Series

class with approximately 35 in attendance at each class. The class focused on personal responsibility and the joy God gives us.

In both the fall and spring the Park Center focused on screen time (social media, internet usage, gaming) and the impact it has on our emotional health. Dr. Wesley Avram mediated an important conversation at both Faith and Science and Courageous Conversations regarding the implications of too much exposure to screen time. The Park Center has plans to continue this conversation into 2019 and beyond.

Laura Holgate, Fran Park Center Participant on the Happiness Workshop “I want more of that.

Two weeks wasn’t enough!”

2018 PROGRESS REPORT | 11

OUT OF THE PARK PODCAST SERIES

park

OUT OF THE

PODCAST

The “Out of the Park Podcast Series” was launched in the fall of 2018 as a ministry created to reach out even further into the community. Drs. Allen Hilton

and Michael Hegeman, along with Kelly McGinn, helped to create a series of informal theological conversations intended to enrich faith

reflection. We look forward to the expansion of this ministry and are in development of a wonderful spring 2019 lineup.

Dr. Kimberly Bussey, Fran Park Center Faith and Science Leader “I listen to the Fran Park Center’s podcasts on my way to work.

It’s a dose of just what I need to start my day.”

Stage a podcast room photo with Kelly, Mike and Dan.

Out of the Park Podcast | Kelly McGinn & Dr. Kim Bussey 12 | FRAN PARK CENTER for FAITH and LIFE

SUMMER 2018 Road Trip Through the Letter of James | Summer Movie Series Even though the pace of life slows down in Scottsdale, AZ, during the summer, the Park Center continued on. Dr. Allen Hilton offered an onlineonly class to people all over the country. Over 100 people registered ($25/person) to take a road trip through the letter of James. This experimental idea proved very successful in reaching far more people than we anticipated, and we received very good feedback from participants.

Summer Movie Series

Dr. Michael Hegeman also offered a three-part summer movie experience accompanied with a theological discussion. We had over a dozen attendees for each movie: • Babette’s Feast • Places in the Heart • The Good Lie

Dawn Riolo, Fran Park Center Advisor Fran Park...how can it be summed up? The only place to learn critical thinking about God and science together with Catholics, Jews and all walks of faith at one table. A place where faithful followers can learn more about the Bible in an energetic and engaging atmosphere. Curious about worldly Christianity beliefs and history? We've got that too. And how does Fran Park handle contemporary controversial topics?

With a faithful, respectful courageous conversation of course. Fran Park is the future of the church. The forward thinking for not only the Christian faith, but a guide on how to navigate this life gracefully with different beliefs than our neighbors, living alongside each other peacefully and with understanding and respect.

2018 PROGRESS REPORT | 13

SPECIAL EVENTS & EDUCATIONAL ENGAGEMENTS BY THE FRAN PARK CENTER

A Special Night of Galatians - A House United Book Launch - O’ Antiphons Teaching the Biblical Texts in the Context of Contemporary Science The Park Center sees great value in providing our community with special events that highlight the unique gifts of our staff. In 2006, Dr. Michael Hegeman completed his dissertation by retranslating and memorizing the Book of Galatians in its entirety. To wrap up our 2018 program year he performed Paul’s Letter to the Galatians as if it were a sermon to approximately 65 people of all ages in a worship service that was captivating and astonishing.

There were many requests to the Park Center to provide more events like this that illuminate our experience of scripture.

In the summer of 2018, Dr. Wesley Avram was invited by Pittsburg Theological Seminary to teach a one-week class on “Biblical Texts in the Context of Contemporary Science.” The Park Center remains the regional campus for the seminary’s doctor of ministry program.

Dr. Allen Hilton, Fran Park Center Consulting Theologian, published his first book in the spring of 2018 – A House United. The Park Center held a book launch and signing for our community, and Dr. Hilton read excerpts to the 80 people present.

We ended 2018 with a Christmas event hosted by the Park Center Advisory Group and the Park Center staff. We offered a feast and a faith experience in the Pinnacle Presbyterian Fellowship Hall with over 60 in attendance.

Following a wonderful time of fellowship, Dr. Michael Hegeman taught us the lesson of the O’Antiphons, the ancient Latin texts which eventually became the well-known hymn of O Come, O Come Emmanuel.

Steve Crosby, accomplished pianist, played beautifully for our community.

Curt Sorenson, Fran Park Center Advisor “Michael is a natural treasure… we are so lucky to have him at the center.”

Elaine Paul, Fran Park Center Advisor “My husband and I have attended the various seminars taught by Dr. Michael Hegeman, and we have learned a lot both from his visual slide presentations and from his knowledge presented either in Latin, Greek, or even Hebrew. Our faith has grown so much with his expert teaching!

Romans 15:4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.”

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ONGOING FAITH FORMATION THROUGH BIBLICAL STUDY AND THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION Project: Bible

Project: Faith

Our innovative programming includes varied approaches to bring a knowledge base of what a seminary has to offer but in a congregational context. Our educational endeavors serve not only the church, but the community, city and region. In this way, the Park Center helps develop leaders for the church and throughout the church for the world. We have developed a core curriculum of classes focusing on our four pillars: Bible, Faith, Dialogue and World.

Rooted in Christian faith, the Park Center programs help thoughtful people of faith pursue answers to tough questions.

We teach participants to move from intellectual lives into the realm of a vibrant Christian experience. Additionally, we sponsor a program of ethical and theological reflection for premed students at Arizona State University.

Courageous Conversations

ible ject: B

Pro

people reached weekly

60-90*

COURAGEOUS

CONVERSATIONS

Faith and Science

PROJECT:

FAITH people reached weekly

30*

INTERFACE Faith & Science @ Pinnacle

people reached monthly

60-80

people reached monthly

30

*This number includes live participants, online participants and podcast listeners.

Project: Bible | December 2018 2018 PROGRESS REPORT | 15

Finances PARK CENTER OPERATING FUND • 2018 total operating fund income: $268,877 January 1, 2018 — ($5,484) • 2018 total operating fund expenses: $101,461 January 1, 2019 — $161,931 Sources of income into Operating Fund: • programming fees • special pledge • donations • summer course Sources of additional income: • Foundation grant

• pilgrimage fees

STAND ALONE INITIATIVES Memorial Lecture Fund: Income $1,154 Expenses $2,771 Balance

$9,414

2019 BUDGET Core 2019 program and personnel budget — $200,000 (to be supplemented by additional funding for additional programming)

F.I.S.H. Foundation Grant for Courageous Conversations: Income $25,000 Expenses $1,911 Balance to be used in 2019

Additional 2019 initiatives, income and expenses budget: Courageous Conversations project, FISH Foundation funded - $23,000 budgeted expenses Pilgrimage expenses - to be determined Memorial Lecture Fund - to be determined

Faith and Science Grant Fund: Balance $2,313 Pilgrimages: Holy Land pilgrimage income and expenses recorded 2017, though main portion of the pilgrimage was in 2018.

New York City Educational Pilgrimage November, 2018 Income $30,800.

Expenses $25,831 (not closed) Pilgrimage fund will have balance after final expenses are calculated for NYC pilgrimage 16 | FRAN PARK CENTER for FAITH and LIFE

Detailed 2018 expenses and 2019 budget available on request, to be distributed to Advisory Group and Pinnacle Session.

In 2018, the Park Center team spent considerable effort and dedicated many hours to the application for three different grants that would enable us to further our mission. This process was a great lesson in discernment, and we learned to articulate our vision and purpose more clearly. We were honored to be awarded $25,000 from the F.I.S.H. Foundation, Inc. which will enable the Park Center to publish our Courageous Conversations materials. We are grateful for this opportunity and continue to seek opportunities for supportive partnerships.

Marketing & Publicity The Park Center relies on the professional skills of the Pinnacle Presbyterian staff to publicize and market our vision and events. We have identified for ourselves through the council of

the Park Center Advisory Group the need for a strategic marketing plan. We look to hire an outside consultant to develop a strategic communications plan with both online and traditional marketing

and advertising tactics to help grow awareness and add new participants. We anticipate as we develop this plan we will discover helpful adjustments for our overall programming.

Gratitude for our Partners

2018 PROGRESS REPORT | 17

Leadership F R A N P A R K C E N T E R f o r F A I T H a n d L I F E S TA F F Rev. Wesley D. Avram, Ph.D., Director Michael Hegeman, Ph.D., Consulting Theologian Rev. Allen Hilton, Ph.D., Consulting Theologian Kelly McGinn, Park Center Administrator Daniel Chaney, Audio Visual Technician Shirley Norris, Director of Communications, Pinnacle Presbyterian Church

F R A N P A R K C E N T E R A D V I S O R Y G R O U P, 2 0 1 8 Programming and Education Task Force

Sustainability and Vision Task Force

Faith and Science Ministry

Speaker Forum Task Force

Courageous Conversations Task Force*

Mike Conklin Ralph Earle Janis Fitch Marti King Dawn Riolo David Schaller Mary Joy Stead Curt Stewart

Steve Crosby Kathe Drake Mary Goldthwaite John King Elaine Paul Curt Sorenson

Kim Bussey*** David Schaller** Doug Drake Davis Hartman Curt Sorenson

Joan Fudala Mary Goldthwaite Nancy Holloran Curt Sorenson Mary Joy Stead

Susan Bacon Mike Conklin Steve Crosby Diane Ruebling

*(implementation of grant $ from the F.I.S.H. Foundation, Inc.) ** Pinnacle Elder for Adult Formation, PPC Session Liaison *** Ministry Leader

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a program of PINNACLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 25150 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85255 480.585.9448 | franparkcenter.org