About The About TheDepartment of Christian Formation
The Department of Christian Formation is comprised of 16 members, chosen by the Bishop to serve as a voice for Christian Educators in the diocese. We provide parishes with opportunities for training, community building and resource guidance. The committee strives to support all who are involved with education in the parish. We have trained consultants and you may access their gifts and talents! Contact: Kathy Graham at 205.715.2060 ext. 9229 or email:kgraham@dioala.org We are happy to send a representative to your parish or help you find the resources you need. How do we sustain quality Christian formation in the 21st century? Many churches are finding the answer online! ChurchNext offers online Christian Formation that is led by experts in their fields of study and taught from a mainline Christian perspective to help you and your parish to: Form & Shape Disciples, Help People to Cross Important Thresholds, and Build Community. Clergy are invited to learn more about the diocesan ChurchNext Subscription. Reach out! The Department of Christian Formation is here to help.
|
THE ONE CONFERENCE @ St. Stephen's in Birmingham
Thursday, May 3, 2018 from 10AM - 2PM Creating Sacred Digital Space Best practices and essential tools for the church The conference is for all clergy, Christian formation, communicators, volunteers, vestry, youth ministers, and all who want to seek and serve God in all persons. 
The One Conference
Keynote Speaker: Lisa Brown As the Director of Digital Ministry for Membership Vision, Lisa helps people find God in the digital space. She works with churches and faith- based organizations across the country to map their ministries onto a digital landscape. Lisa is also passionate about creatively enriching spiritual lives through experiential learning, and collaborative art installations. A former Director of Children's Ministry, she is the author of The Best VBS Workbook Ever! and is also a contributing writer to the upcoming Faith Formation with a New Generation with John Roberto and others. A contributor to Building Faith, an active member of the e-formation and Forma communities, she thrives on supporting others in their ministries. She continues to grow in personal faith through participation in Education for Ministry, and holds a Certification in Leadership in Lifelong Faith Formation from Virginia Theological Seminary. She serves on the vestry of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania, where she formerly held the position of Communications Coordinator, and will represent the Diocese of Pittsburgh as a Deputy to General Convention in 2018. 
Kanuga Christian Formation Conference 2018
June 11-15, 2018 “Coming Home...experience the peace that passes understanding.” We look forward to sharing this incredible experience with you. We'll save you a rocking chair on the porch! Want to know more about the tract of courses that St. Stephen's, Birmingham created for Sunday Christian Formation time? Click the Home Life Series below for a full description of courses. Thanks to the good folks at St. Stephen's for sharing! A few words from those who are using ChurchNext Online Christian Formation in their parish:
St Stephen’s, Birmingham We began using ChurchNext courses for our Sunday morning and Wednesday evening programs. We developed Home Life series course tract using the video courses on topics like Difficult Children, Money Management, Being Single, and Prayer. Our church has responded very well to the video series and the following discussion. Each "For Groups" course includes a facilitator and participant guides that you may download and print. The Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, Guntersville: With an iPhone and AppleTV, we had an instant video series that was thoughtful and engaging. The Episcopal Church of the Resurrection, Rainbow City “I used ChurchNext for Congregations as a supplement to my Adult Confirmation Class. The courses offered a wonderful way for those seeking confirmation to learn on their own time and then come to Sunday class ready for in-depth discussion. I am grateful to our diocese for supporting this extremely helpful Christian Formation resource.” The Rev. Michael Goldsmith Grace Episcopal Church, Anniston I found CN very helpful and used it in a variety of settings. In the spring during the Sunday morning Christian Ed time, I used different courses that focused on Spiritual Practices to highlight different practices. I have also used classes for Wednesday evening programming and I used two during Confirmation classes. The format is good for jump-starting conversations in groups. There are usually 4-5 short segments in each course so the time required can vary depending on what is available or how much conversation is generated. The Rev. Dr. Lee F. Shafer |
