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.
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Live Wednesday Evening Bible Study Classes with ChurchNext continues...Respond in "Contact Us" below if you would like to join the live Bible Study Class.
This fall, students can choose to take Bible Study classes live and online! All classes are led by experts in their field. The Bible and Evangelism with Marcus Halley Meets Wednesday evenings from 8-9 p.m. EST from Sept. 12-Oct. 17. Heretics in Good Company with Scott Gunn and Melody Shobe Meets Wednesday evenings from 8-9 p.m. EST from Sept. 12-Oct. 17. The Bible and Racial Justice with Kelly Brown Douglas Meets four times, from 8-9 p.m. on Sept. 13, Sept. 18, Oct. 10, and Nov. 14 The classes are ideal for people who are interested in studying these topics with experts, for people who want to use technology to make individual Bible study easier to manage, and for congregations would like to study this material together in groups. You can take these classes with groups from your church or on your own. Classes run for six weeks starting in September. They are free to subscribing ChurchNext congregations, dioceses, and to individuals who purchase a $9/month ChurchNext subscription.You will be able to take these classes by computer from anywhere in the world using the Zoom online meeting platform. Students may access class materials and interact online using a ChurchNext online classroom. 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 |