"In the Heart of the Church"

New speaker series for lay ministers called "spiritual refreshment."

Lay ecclesial ministers from the Archdiocese of Detroit and beyond gathered on November 5 for the first installment of "In the Heart of the Church," Sacred Heart's new speaker series. ValLimar Jansen, a nationally-renowned recording artist for Oregon Catholic Press, delighted the participants with her beautiful voice and animated presentation of Scripture stories.

"What an inspiring afternoon. It was a great opportunity to fellowship with others in ministry," said an attendee of the event. "ValLimar brought Scripture to life and energized us with movement and song. I'm so grateful for this opportunity." Another participant described the event as "a lovely afternoon of spiritual refreshment."

The lay ministers at ValLimar's presentation didn't spend much time sitting in their seats. They participated actively, dancing and singing along with ValLimar's songs of praise and love for the Lord. A recurring theme was the need for lay ministers to journey together, supporting and accompanying one another in their efforts to share the gospel in many different ecclesial contexts, from parishes and apostolate groups to hospitals and prisons.

ValLimar's presentation was a blessed kick-off to what promises to be a speaker series that will provide lay ecclesial ministers with spiritual enrichment, ways to grow in their own roles as ministers, and opportunities for fellowship.

The next date for the speaker series is April 7, 2016, when Deacon Ralph Poyo, a nationally renowned speaker and founder of New Evangelization Ministries, will offer a workshop entitled, "How to Make Jesus Real to a Culture that Doesn't Want Him." To register for this event, visit shms.edu/ministry.