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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. 
Casting our Nets ……Wider - The 2019 ONE conference
Make plans to attend The ONE Conference on Thursday, May 9th at St. Stephen’s in Birmingham-10:00-3:00 PM. The cost is $25 with lunch included. This conference is designed for formation leaders-children, youth and adult, clergy, parish administrators, communications coordinators, and vestry members. Basically, anyone in our parishes looking for ways to better connect those inside and outside our churches- therefore widening out nets! This year we welcome Sarah Stonesifer, Digital Missioner, Lifelong Learning @ Virginia Theological Seminary as our guest speaker and one of our workshop leaders. She will join others from our diocese in leading workshops where we will explore topics such as:
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.
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Just Launched: Walk in Love, a 5-Course Curriculum with Scott Gunn and Melody Shobe
Scott and Melody cover basic Episcopal beliefs and practices in these courses: the sacraments, daily prayer and the liturgical calendar, core beliefs, the nature of the church itself, and exploring Christian life through the lens of the Holy Trinity. Each course is available in versions formatted for individual study and for group learning. Courses may be taken as part of the full curriculum or on their own. This curriculum is ideal for people who are new to or curious about the Episcopal Church. It covers the uniquely Episcopalian approach to different central aspects of the faith. The courses are also good for people who want to go back and re-explore the basics — the big questions. How do we know what God wants from us? How do we think about the mystery of the Holy Trinity? What exactly happens when we are baptized? Scott and Melody address these great questions in ways that are accessible to people who are new to the church while offering food for thought to Christians who want to revisit these central tenets of the faith. Watch a preview of the course below: 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 |