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Five Teaming
Developmental Tasks

Palisades Lutheran Church’s envisioned retreat and conference center is now open hosting the Oi-kon-omia conference series, the Greek term for household management (God’s house). The mission of Palisades Lutheran Church is to share, serve, equip and be generous through the abundant life in Christ (John 10:10). The vision of Palisades Lutheran Church is to become a retreat and conference center of choice for serving, training and equipping ministry teams (Ephesians 4:12).

Oi-kon-omia retreats and conferences are designed for congregational ministry teams to be rejuvenated by structured and unstructured time in peaceful Pacific Palisades, one mile from the Pacific Ocean. The retreats offer an opportunity for any ministry team to gather together to focus on God, faith, and learning about shared ministry on the frontlines. If your team is looking to grow closer to God and reinvigorate your ministry's shared household management, these retreats are for you.

Description of the

Oi-kon-omia

Teaming Retreat

The PLANTING Phase (3 months) Prior to attending all members are invited to complete the: Congregational Questionnaire, Organizational Chart and Emotional Thermostat. The attendees will meet four times to complete the pre-retreat teaming videos and worksheets.

The CULTIVATING Phase (2 days) Attend retreat weekend. Reflect and learn new insights from the congregational analysis resources. Focus on stewarding God's grace and team building through participation in plenary sessions and breakout practicums. Take time to relax and connect with your ministry team.

The HARVESTING Phase (6 months) Return to your ministry site affirmed and rejuvenated and with new learning. Receive six 90-minute coaching sessions over six months after attending the retreat. The coaching sessions will help strengthen the new learning concepts and encourage enduring improvements throughout the whole life of the congregation.

For more information, please call

Rev. Dr. Martin Lee at 310-479-2358.

Retreat center located 1 mile from iconic Will Rogers State Beach and nearby attractions.

Congregational Healing

Palisades Lutheran Church, 2023

Pacific Palisades Beach - Run, Walk, Swim, Bike!

(or lounge! )

Hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains

Objectives and Expected Benefits

TO STRENGTHEN Teams & Appreciate God's Design of Interconnectedness

Retreats are designed to celebrate each ministry's strengths, identify what may need to be improved, and encourage each ministry to avoid over- or under-functioning. Retreats encourage a shared stewardship approach so that ministry teams find new ways to partner and collaborate in ministry, avoiding silos and fragmentation (1 Cor. 12:25-27; Eph. 4:12-13).

TO IMPROVE Stewardship of Congregational Resources

Retreats will provide leaders new ideas to align the resources God has provided according to His mission and the congregation's vision (Matt. 28:18). Each practicum is designed to link ministry decisions to the congregation's overall goal of loving people and saving souls (John 3:16-17).

TO LEAD the Congregation into the Balcony

Retreats will make your ministry plan explicit and the congregation's mission, vision, and core values prominent. Through "others awareness" leaders will be able to articulate internal customs and value propositions of each ministry in relationship to one another. Through collaboration, leadership teams will provide new insights for strategy development when evaluating ministry interventions like partnerships, mergers and legacy plans.

TO INCREASE Participation in God's Mission, Feeding the Sheep and Reaching the Lost

Retreats will foster opportunities for the emergence of new leadership (1 Tim. 4:12) and for spiritual growth (Eph. 5:16). Leaders will become self-aware and make significant and enduring improvements through leverage, "not through large scale efforts, but from small well-focused actions" (Peter Senge). (Eph. 4:8.)

Trainers and Advisors

Rev. Dr. Martin Lee

Lead Trainer & Coach

Martin has been a faculty member for Lutheran Interim Transitional Ministry since in 2017. He has served as a Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) pastor since 1997 in 11 congregations (8 in transition) in six districts of the LCMS (Michigan, California, Maryland, Pittsburgh and Kansas). He teaches in the areas of parish administration, congregational stewardship, and ministry team building. He has served as Chairman and Financial Secretary of the Interim Ministry Conference of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS). Martin received a Doctor of Ministry degree in congregational stewardship from Concordia Seminary.

Rev. Peter Alexander

Trainer and Coach

Peter has served as an Interim Pastor in the LCMS since 1999, serving 10 congregations in California, Nevada, Arizona, Virginia, and New Jersey. He previously served on the IMC Board and now supports the work of the Board as an advisor, as Clearinghouse Coordinator, and as Dean of Faculty for Lutheran Interim Ministry Training. He currently serves as TIM Pastor at University Lutheran, La Jolla, California. Peter’s experience, passion, and leadership make him a great resource for the Oikonomia Retreats and Conferences Series.

* Continuing Education Units (CEU) to be determined per retreat.