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It may be summer, but think about gearing up for fall

By June 1, 2023November 2nd, 2023Christian Formation, Features

Now is the time to be gearing up for the Christian Education experiences your church will offer this fall.

Engaging possibilities might be …

  • Now is the time to advertise fall online and in-person Education for Ministry class opportunities. Read more to learn what Education for Ministry can offer you, your congregation, and this diocese. There are ongoing in-person classes in Kansas City and Springfield, but West Missouri needs more, so please get in touch with the Spiritual Formation office to learn more about mentoring.
  • Now is the time to consider how Small Group opportunities using the Way of Love, Forward Movement, or Living Compass material might fill a niche in your congregation. Some coursework is specifically designed as short-term, four-to-six-week commitments. And please get in touch with the Spiritual Formation office if you are interested in Small Group Facilitator training.
  • Now is a great time to slooowwwwly plan your next calendar year well in advance. This Annual Planning Calendar Templates for Years A+B+C  is offered by well-known author and Christian Educator Sharon Ely Pearson. What you’ll find through the link is being updated for use in West Missouri and will be made available soon. For the time being, this is a terrific place to begin working towards a big-picture year ahead.
  • Now is the time to check into the robust Building Faith Curriculum Center, which recognizes the right choice of curriculum depends entirely on your context and your goals. This site has articles that help you identify your needs, capabilities, and hopes, along with curriculum charts to sort through options. Sharon Ely Pearson offers an excellent resource to help choose and evaluate curriculum.  

And speaking personally, I’ve found many times over that now — summertime — is also the perfect time to gather together and explore the resources that can make a congregation’s ‘best fall ever’ happen. It also happens to be the ‘best’ way to spend the summer (and share meals) with church friends and help your faith community at the same time!

Kim Snodgrass is Assistant to the Bishop for Christian Formation.