8 p.m. Eastern Time | 9 p.m. Brazil

Webinar Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84072127188

Rates of loneliness in the West are high. Church attendance and other forms of social association have declined. The economy often pushes people to move frequently, distancing them from friends and family. Remote work has disrupted connections between coworkers. People long for community.

All this points to a need and an opportunity: to prioritize the art of investing in people, which is the most meaningful type of investment anyone can make. That’s because, according to the Scriptures, there is nothing in this world more valuable than a person.

And yet everyone is busy. We lack time and energy. More importantly, many of us don’t really know how to go about investing in people. What do we have to offer? How do we build deep long-term friendships? How do we get started?

In this GCN Press webinar, we will hold a panel discussion on the lost art of investing in people, and how to do that within the context of work, family, and daily life. This way of life is an art, not a science, but you will come away with Scriptural and practical ideas for deepening your own friendships.

Our Panelists

Pete Kuehni is a Canadian business leadership mentor who works for DeliberateU, an organization “helps small business leaders increase both their acumen and capacity to grow in faith, hope, and love in their workplace, families, and communities.” He has trained and coached executives and managers in leading companies across North America and around the world. In this context, Pete has discovered ways to add depth and meaning to his business interactions.

Karen Benjamin grew up in Latin America and then spent many years, with her husband and three kids, working as an educational therapist in Colombia, Chile, and Brazil. In these distinct cultures, she developed meaningful relationships with her students and their families while incorporating her faith naturally into conversations. Upon returning to the United States, Karen has been working as a bilingual family advocate among Spanish-speaking Latin Americans, which gives her daily opportunities to help and serve remarkable people.  

Tom McMahan is a senior at Colorado State University, where he studies Management and International Business. Born and raised in Brazil, fluent in Portuguese, Tom learned how to navigate the challenges of developing friendships across two cultures. He deeply understands his generation’s relational struggles and pressures, which are remarkably different than anything his parents or grandparents experienced. Tom has written about and led small-group discussions on what it means to be a true friend, using principles found in the Scriptures.

Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86360770239

In this GCN Press virtual event, we will have the honor of learning about work and life from renowned jazz drummer Henrique de Almeida. Born and raised in Recife, Brazil, Henrique immigrated to the United States and established himself as a globally recognized jazz musician.

Henrique believes that music has the potential to inspire individuals and a culture to pursue beauty and meaning. Not all music does that, he says; musicians and composers need to compose, record, and perform art that elevates the dignity of human life. This can occur across many musical genres.

As a music instructor who has taught thousands of students over the years, Henrique also believes that music provides him with a profound opportunity to invest in the personal growth of each student. He is a role model for us in ways to integrate our work with love for people.

During our live conversation with Henrique, he will perform a couple of jazz compositions. To best enjoy the music, we recommend that you use a decent set of computer speakers or headphones.

About Henrique de Almeida

Globally renowned Brazilian drummer Henrique de Almeida is the leader of The Agora Jazz Trio and the jazz fusion supergroup The Truth Project Band. He has performed several times at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York City, and he has performed with an enormous range of internationally known musicians.

In the US, he has been the drummer for Gloria Estefan, Dave Valentin, Larry Coryell, Nelson Rangel, Benny Carter, Nando Lauria (Pat Metheny Group), and many others. His performances with Brazilian pop stars include Alceu Valenca, Gilberto Gill, Raul de Souza, Luiz Gonzaga, Hermeto Paschoal, Leo Blanco, Luciana Souza, Katy Webster, and Oscar Kartaia, among others.

For many years, Henrique was a jazz percussion professor at the elite Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he also is a graduate of jazz composition. He has a master’s degree in music performance from The University of Southern Mississippi. He writes articles for Modern Drummer magazine and has appeared in other publications such as the cover of Drumhead magazine with legendary drummer Steve Gadd.

Henrique is also a prominent music instructor. His educational products are highly ranked in Modern Drummer Magazine and his books are an integral part of the Berklee College of Music curriculum. In 2017, Henrique became the music director and president of the online school TheDrumSetCoach.com. And, in the spring of 2020, he opened his own music school in Palmer Lake, Colorado—The Drum Set Coach Academy.

For information regarding studying with Henrique, and for a complete list of music education products visit:

Webinar Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83656269761

GCN Press will be commemorating the upcoming National Poetry Month (April) with award-winning spoken-word poet Phil Ginsburg, author of In Pursuit of the Almost, a collection of 80 whimsical, humorous, and profoundly meaningful poems.

During the webinar, Phil will share about how his poetry connects with readers in ways that open their hearts to thinking about God. Over the years, his work has authentically communicated his faith in ways that any person can relate to.

Phil, as his poems portray, believes that there is more to this world than we can see, and the unseen is what we most need. From him, we can all learn about the importance of living out our faith in creative ways.

About Phil Ginsburg

Phil is an award-winning poet and playwright whose work has been published and performed in the US, England, and Israel. In 2019, his musical Almost Jerusalem earned “Best Libretto” at the Moondance International Film Festival. His book In Pursuit of the Almost was published in 2021 by Endeavor Literary Press. You can learn more about his book at this link: https://www.endeavorliterary.com/ginsburg

Event Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82712783804

In this virtual event, we will interview the daughter of an Auschwitz survivor, Israeli author Bracha Horovitz. At eighteen, Bracha trained in the Israel Defense Forces. Then, while serving at IDF headquarters among Israel’s top military leaders, she was selected to participate in the Miss Israel beauty pageant.

In a beautiful love story, Bracha married an honorable, entrepreneurial man. The two of them seemed to have it all—lucrative careers, a happy marriage, and a small family. And then . . . tragedy struck. Bracha’s son was born with severe disabilities.

Bracha’s new book Soldier On is the story of how one woman and her family discovered how they could, with courage and perseverance, transform suffering into a beautiful life. This book reminds us that no amount of suffering should destroy hope and love. 

Date: December 5, 2022

Time: 6 p.m. Mountain Time / 8 p.m. Eastern Time / 22 horas Brasil

No registration is required.

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83968590632

In this edition of First Mondays, our guest panelist is Dr. Justin Barrett, professor of psychology at Fuller Theological Seminary, president of Blueprint 1543, and co-author of Thriving with Stone Age Minds (2021).

Over the millennia, we have shifted from foraging to farming, from close-knit farming towns to the anonymous metropolis, and from coal-fueled factories to the digital information age. But have we designed a world that is suitable for human thriving?

Dr. Barrett explains that there is a widening gap between the way God designed us and the world that previous generations have created. This misalignment appears in our work, economic systems, family relationships, and sense of self-worth. The wider the gap, the more we might experience increasing stress and anxiety.

During this conversation, Dr. Barrett will share his research about how modern society affects us and how we can make practical changes to be more aligned with God’s designs for life.

Zoom Link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83395509478?pwd=d1UyQTdreEh2T0lOTDNiMzNrU0xsQT09

Survive. That’s what the owners of startups and small businesses must do—or perhaps starve. Singlehandedly (often) and courageously (always), they embrace immense personal and financial risk to start new ventures.

Most American entrepreneurs are quite unlike the famous guys worth billions, those guys who go to space and rarely pay income taxes. Most are like Joel Houston, a small business entrepreneur who launched and operated a warehouse while sustaining a healthy marriage and raising sons. He represents the majority of American entrepreneurs, who collectively are the backbone of the American economy.

In this live webinar, Joel Houston, author of the new book Surviving a Startup, will share his often humorous in-the-trenches experiences, hardships, successes, and lessons about launching and running a small business. You’ll learn about:

·        How to assess risks and overcome fears

·        How do you know if your idea for a business is "good"?

·        Integrating family and work

·        The importance of small businesses entrepreneurs in America

·        How should we define "success" in our professions?

Even if you don’t plan to start your own business, you’ll learn a lot about life and work from Joel. He’s also the author of the witty memoir titled Surviving Babies and Toddlers, which means you could learn a few things about how to survive as a parent!

Zoom Link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86494668309

Perhaps the most essential aspect of professional life is . . . our relationships. Workplaces, entrepreneurial endeavors, business deals, leadership, and economics all depend on healthy relational connections. In fact, an economy is a vast network of relational interactions.

And yet many studies show a significant breakdown in trust between employers and employees. Leaders who relate poorly fail to gain the respect of those they lead. Or when corruption becomes systemic, distrust will undermine business negotiations and overall economies. In fact, very little happens without healthy relationships.

In this First Mondays webinar, we will discuss what the Scriptures say about “Working Together.” A lot is at stake. By learning to imitate God’s model for relationships, we can bring meaning and hope to the people around us. And if we relate well at work, we will be more likely to advance in our professions.

Panelists will include Samuel Seal, a scientist and high-level manager for the Waters Corporation, and Miguel Raimao, a mechanical engineer, entrepreneur, and vice president of a global powerhouse in the energy sector. We will also include insights from the brand new book by GCN Press author Jim Petersen (published posthumously) titled Working Together: A Practical Theology of Workplace Relationships.

About the Panelists

Samuel Seal graduated from the Colorado University of Colorado Springs with a dual major in Chemistry and Biology. After graduation, Sam worked as a scientist at a small testing lab for seven years and then moved to the Waters Corporation, a manufacturer with more than six thousand employees worldwide. At Waters, he has worked in highly relational roles such as Sales Technical Support to Sales Strategic Business Specialist for the US West and Canada. https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-seal-6663aa2/

Miguel Raimao is a firm believer in servant leadership based on trust and empowerment. He is vice president of Mobile Pipeline® at Hexagon Agility, where he leads an international commercial team that works in the clean and renewable natural gas sector. Prior to joining Hexagon, Miguel founded an energy consultancy business. He is an expert in advanced engine technologies and energy conversion. He’s conducted business in fifteen countries and enjoys cross-cultural relationships with his colleagues and customers.