How are you feeling?
Are you feeling overwhelmed as you consider the reopening of your Sunday school, youth group and/or mid-week programming for the fall?
I hear from many church leaders that they are.
This is absolutely to be expected given all that our churches have weathered over the past two and a half years as we have strived to provide all the programming and care we can during this pandemic.
If you missed the Zoom meeting hosted by the Synod of CNOB last week that considered plans for faith formation programming for the fall, here is an opportunity to view a video of the power point workshop portion of that meeting.
In this 42 minute video you will be asked to reflect on four distinct phases of educational ministry that occurred in many of our PCC churches over the past two and a half years. These phases shaped us and brought us to the place we find ourselves in now. Then we will look at helpful research coming out of Scripture Union Canada and by Dr. Sarah Holmes from Liverpool Hope University in the UK. These two in depth research projects confirm much of what we experienced ourselves and further invite us to consider how these findings might influence how we move forward and with what. Taking all of this into consideration we will then walk through a gentle and well-informed approach to the reopening of our Christian education programming for the fall.
You will also find a link to an excellent and very practical resource entitled Post-Pandemic Pondering and Planning that comes to us from the Office of Christian Formation with the Presbyterian Church USA and the Association of Partners in Christian Education (previously the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators) at the end of this article. This document offers a step-by-step process for considering your church’s pandemic experience, the programmes you have offered in the past and reconsidering what you will offer going forward.
I hope all of this helps you and your church as you make plans for the fall. May your ministry be transformative for all.
Click on the video blow to view Faith Formation in a Post(ish) Pandemic World.
To download the document Post-Pandemic Pondering and Planning click HERE.