Rev. Dr. Simon C. Holt
The Chef, The Theologian, God at Work

Offered by Vocatio Creation and HKPES in partnership with Jubilee Ministries, Catering Evangelical Fellowship, CCC Cheung Sha Wan Kei ToChurch, Central Gospel Mission, and Evangelical Community Church. Sponsored by Ascetics@Work and Workplace 300.

Simon Carey Holt is Senior Lecturer in Practical Theology and Associate Dean for Research at Whitley College, University of Melbourne. Prior to teaching, Simon spent 10 years in pastoral ministry with the Baptist denomination after his earlier career as a qualified chef in several notable restaurants and a number of hotels—including at one of Melbourne's finest five star hotels. Simon’s passions for theology and for food have converged in a number of creative ways, most notably in publications and television. He has hosted a 13-part television series on fishing and cooking throughout Israel on Australian television. He currently meets with people of faith working in the hospitality industry of Melbourne to explore issues of spirituality and work. Simon’s recent books include The Bible and the Business of Life (2004) and God Next Door: Spirituality and Mission in the Neighbourhood (2007)—the latter has won the Australian Christian Book of the Year 2008 Award. His personal website is at www.simoncareyholt.com.

About Me

I would love to say that I am a writer and for that to be the beginning and end of it. Sadly, though, writing doesn’t pay the bills. Nor does it tell the full story.

To earn my keep, I am Lecturer in Practical Theology at Whitley College, the Baptist Seminary of Victoria, a position I’ve held since 2001. Truth be told, without the discipline of teaching and my life-long formation within the Christian faith, I would probably have little to write about.

Before my ordination to the Baptist ministry and ten years in church planting and pastoral leadership, I trained and worked as a chef. Specializing in patissier and garde-manger, I found in cooking a wonderful avenue for creativity and self-expression. I still do.

Following postgraduate study at the Fuller Graduate School of Theology in Los Angeles, I have spent the last 10 years teaching, primarily in spirituality, ethics and pastoral theology, first at Macquarie Christian Studies Institute in Sydney, and now at Whitley.

My research and writing interests include the ethics of everyday life, the theology of food and hospitality, and the nature of Christian mission in suburbia. In 2008, my book God Next Door: Spirituality and Mission in the Neighbourhood (Acorn Press) was awarded Australian Christian Book of the Year by the Australian Society for Christian Literature. My current long- term project is a book called Eating Heaven: Spirituality at the Table, an exploration of the role eating plays in our quest for meaning and community.

My partner is Dr Brenda Southerland Holt, Chief of Staff at Trinity College, University of Melbourne. Together we have two school-aged children, Ali and Nathaniel, and enjoy our home in the heart of Melbourne, a vibrant and gracious city for which I have a deep affection.

I am part of the community of St Kilda Baptist Church, a paid up member of Slow Food Australia, and a loiterer in cafes and bookshops. As a happy introvert, I love walking, especially at night. As a committed Christian, I am fascinated with the adventure of discovering the presence and purposes of God in everyday life.

When the Going Gets Tough: Sustainability in Ministry
牧會艱難重重：如何持續得力事奉

Date:

June 29 (Monday)

Time:

9.30am-5.00pm

Fee:

$200
Early bird (on or before June 22): $180 per conference or $320 for both conferences I & II

Faith@Work: Empowering Congregations for Ministry in the Marketplace
信仰@職場：建立信徒，勞力化為得力

Date:

June 6 (Monday)

Time:

9.30am-5.00pm

Fee:

$200
Early bird (on or before June 22): $180 per conference or $320 for both conferences I & II

Heaven All Around Us: Finding God in Everyday Life
到處都是天堂：在生活中遇見神

Date:

June 30 (Tuesday)

Time:

7.30pm-9.30pm

Fee:

$80
Early bird (on or before June 22): $60 per lecture or $100 for both lectures I & II

These Hands Belong to God: Discipleship in the Workplace
憑雙手打拚：職場榮耀神

Date:

July 7 (Tuesday)

Time:

7.30pm-9.30pm

Fee:

$80
Early bird (on or before June 22): $60 per lecture or $100 for both lectures I & II

Spiritual Formation in the Workplace: Some Lessons from the Kitchen
從廚房神學到職場靈性

Date:

July 8 (Wednesday)

Time:

7.30pm-9.30pm

Fee:

$120 ($80 for CGST Alumni)
Early bird (on or before Jun22): $100 ($60 for CGST Alumni)

Welcoming Strangers: Hospitality as Skill, Practice and Gift in Today's Marketplace
職場好客之道：技巧、實務、恩賜

Date:

July 11 (Saturday)

Time:

9.30am-5.00pm

The gift of hospitality lies at the heart of the Christian faith. In Christ, we have been embraced by God's generous hospitality. Our mission is to extend that same hospitality to the world, embracing the stranger with the grace and love of God. Of course, how we actually do such a thing in our daily lives is one of the great challenges of discipleship. Most of us live and work in a marketplace driven by the values of competition and profit. Even in the hospitality industry, every service we offer has a price. How, then, do we embody God's vision of hospitality amidst the realities of the marketplace?
In this intensive, we will explore the biblical understanding of hospitality and the radical nature of hospitality in the ministry of Jesus. From there we will identify creative ways to embody the hospitality of God in our daily work, especially for those working in the hospitality industry.

1. The Host of Heaven: The Hospitality of God
2. The Subversive Jesus: Hospitality as Mission
3. The Hospitality Industry: A Reality Check
4. Hospitality at Work: Paradox & Possibility

Fee:

$800 ($700 for CGST Alumni)
Early bird (on or before June 22): $700 ($600 for CGST Alumni)