- Details
-
Tuesday, 17 September 2024
-
Written by Anna White
"Everything is so virtual," Faith Hatton, editor of the Greater Fayetteville Business Journal said of the business world. She explained that many community members know of community leaders but have yet to meet them in person.
The Greater Fayetteville Business Journal wants to change that dynamic with its Power Breakfast Series, which features food, networking opportunities and a discussion panel.
"You can actually meet [community leaders] at our power breakfast," Hatton shared. She said the event is about community involvement and gives attendees the chance to have a conversation with people they might not otherwise meet.
The upcoming Sept. 24 Power Breakfast is titled "Creative Impact." It will highlight the impact of the Arts on participants' business lives and the local economy and what community members can do to foster that impact. But it's not only about community members meeting leaders. Hatton hopes the connections formed will help leaders as well. "We want to give [leaders] a spotlight, give them a position to talk to people who might be able to help or support them."
Conversations are underway with several Arts community leaders who will serve as panel members at the breakfast. They are helping craft the questions that will guide the panel discussion. "The arts community here is a very close-knit community," Hatton explained. She described a collaborative dynamic during the question-crafting process, where many participants already knew each other and had mutual acquaintances.
Panel members include Mary Catherine Burke, Artistic Director of Cape Fear Regional Theatre; Christopher B. Hoffman, CEO of Cape Fear Botanical Garden; Anna Meyer, Executive Director of Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra; and Robert C. Pinson, President/CEO of The Arts Council of Fayetteville.
Hatton expects the panel members will have a very productive conversation. They will address a number of topics that affect Fayetteville. The conversations will cover information about programs run by each organization represented, their growth over the last several years, new programs, and community impact.
Equipped with her experience hosting TV interviews, Hatton will be taking the panel format in a new direction this year. In previous years, an emcee has asked questions of panelists from a podium. This time, Hatton says she'll sit at the same level as panelists and offer minimal direction in what she hopes will be a free-flowing conversation.
Throughout the event, attendees can text questions that may be featured in the Q+A session later on. "It is just a way for the community to be in on those conversations a little bit and also kind of get inspired as to how they can contribute to these organizations, " she shared.
The Greater Fayetteville Business Journal has been hosting Power Breakfasts since it began publishing in 2021. Hatton said past popular topics included their "Big Challenges" Power Breakfast and "New Leaders and New Directions" Power Breakfast.
According to the Greater Fayetteville Business Journal, the "Big Challenges" panel highlighted how area businesses were solving problems within the Fayetteville community, while the "New Leaders and New Directions" panel introduced the community to professionals newly occupying leadership positions in local organizations.
Each Power Breakfast has highlighted a particular business sector and brought leaders and community members together over shared goals. Hatton describes it as an opportunity to spend time with like-minded people.
At the Creative Impact Power Breakfast, first-time visitors can expect networking to start at 7:30 a.m.. There will be assigned tables and breakfast foods such as pastries, eggs, and coffee served by Two Brothers Catering. After a word from the event sponsors, the panel discussion will start at 8:30 a.m. and continue until 9:30 a.m., with a Q&A session included.
Hatton recommends purchasing tickets from Eventbrite quickly if interested in attending. She noted that before ticket sales opened, they were already receiving calls from interested attendees.
"I don't want to say they sell out, but they go really, really quickly, " she explained.
The breakfast will be at the Cape Fear Botanical Garden in the Ralph and Linda Huff Orangery. The location itself underscores the event theme.
"It is art and science all in one." Hatton described. "I don't think people really think about that when they think of horticulture."
She anticipates business connections, partnerships, and friendships will form as professionals connect over the arts, "We're just excited to get these panelists in front of some of the business community!"
(Photo: Presenters sit on the stage during a Greater Fayetteville Business Journal Power Breakfast. These breakfasts encourage networking with Cumberland County leaders. Photo by GFBJ)
- Details
-
Tuesday, 10 September 2024
-
Written by Amber Little
It’s election season and the commercials and ads have bombarded the airwaves and internet. The climate of this election is turbulent, and citizens are looking for information and guidance. For people of faith, moral beliefs guide everyday life, including voting, which begs the question, how is the church supposed to approach politics? First Presbyterian Church is hosting its annual Calvin Lecture Series and this year’s topic is Christian Citizenship: What Is The Church’s Role In Politics and Government? “This Calvin Lectures series is a Biblically-based discussion of Christianity’s response to politics in today’s United States.”
A two-day lecture series, the Calvin Lectures will run from Sept. 14 to 15 at the church located at 102 Ann Street. There are three lectures on Saturday, starting with What is Government For?, at 9:15 a.m. This lecture “will provide insights from the Bible and Christian tradition on the purpose of government and civil authority.” The second lecture, What is Government Not For?, starts at 10:45 a.m. and “will discuss the limits of the government’s role in supporting the Church and its missions.”
Lunch will be at noon in Eller Hall and attendees can purchase a box meal for $12. Options range from cold-cut sandwiches to chicken salad. After lunch is the last lecture for the day, The Practice of Christian Citizenship, starting at 1 p.m., and “will present faithful and practical ways Christians can live out their citizenship in our time.” The final lecture, “The Keys of the Kingdom”, will be Sunday’s Sermon and will be given at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. in the chapel. To learn more about the Calvin Lecture Series visit www.firstprez.com/CalvinLectures. To register visit bit.ly/2024CalvinLectures.
This year’s guest speaker is Dr. Paul D. Miller, a former White House staffer who worked under the Bush and Obama administrations. Dr. Miller authored The Religion of American Greatness: What’s Wrong with Christian Nationalism, a history of Christian Nationalism in America before and post the 2006 election. He has also contributed to The Washington Post and Christianity Today. As a veteran, scholar, and Christian, Dr. Miller, looks to distinguish the lines that have been blurred. Senior Pastor, Dr. Mike Garrett and the other members of the Calvin Lecture Series committee are hopeful this series will bring clarity to the roles the church plays in government for parishioners and leaders. “What do Christians need to think about? You know, as opposed to being driven to their ministers, becoming advocates for one camp or another. What is it that we are supposed to be bringing to the table during this process other than partisanship,” Dr. Garrett said.
The Calvin Lectures are open to everyone in the community regardless of religion or denomination. “We are extended invitations, direct invitations to members of the academic community… that is going to include invitations to individuals at Methodist University, FSU, Campbell University, Campbell Divinity School, and Fayetteville Tech. We are also inviting local area pastors to come, particularly in the downtown area. The downtown pastors and all of their congregations are invited to come. It really is open to the public,” he said.
How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
