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Support for Formation Mentors & Church School Leaders

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Dear Mentors, Leaders, Teachers, and Companions, 

Thank you for doing this important ministry of walking with others on this faith journey.  If you are not currently receiving the e-news letters from Gennie Callard, please click the link to the right ("Get Connected") to sign up for the "children" or "youth" sections.   

   

   

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Training Opportunities

               

In the Diocese

• There is a montly (most months!) gathering of adults who work with children and youth in parishes (click here to view the Diocesan Calendar

• Safeguarding God's Children certification workshops (click here to find information & dates of upcoming workshops)

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Local (not Episcopalian)

• Western Theological Seminary (in Holland, MI)

• Mars Hill Student Collaborative (a yearly seminar for youth leaders

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Outside the Diocese

• Godly Play Training Opportunities

• Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Training Opportunities   

• Opportunities from the ELCA (Lutheran)

• Peer Ministry Training 

• Kanuga (an Episcopal Conference Center) – Various Conferences and Training

• Vibrant Ministries (ELCA) conferences

• Project Adventure (leadership building activities)

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Seminaries with Continuing Education

   

• Seabury Next

• Princeton Forums on Youth Ministry

• Virginia Theological Seminary - Center for Ministry Teaching

      

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    On-Line Communities

Recently, a number of "blogs" (or weblog) , "facebook" pages and networks have shown up on the web.  These are filled with recoureces, articles and other information that people share.  They're worth a look!

 

Episcopal Communities

• Diocese of Western Michigan - Ministries with Young People (facebook

• Building Faith (blog)

• Leader Resources (facebook)

• Morehouse Education Resources (a part of Church Publishing) (facebook)

• EpiscoYouth - Youth Ministries in the Episcopal Church (blog)

• Episcopal Young Adult & Campus Ministries (facebook)

• NAECED (National Association for Episcopal Christian Eucation Directors) (facebook)

• The Prayerbook Guide to Christian Education (blog)

• Vital Practices (For Leading Congregations) (blog

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Non-Episcopal Communities

• Christian Education Fellowship (facebook)

• United Methodist Church (facebook)

• Lifelong Faith (blog)   

• Faith Formation Learning Exchange (blog)

• Going For Growth (The Church of England's page - transformation for children, young people and the church) (blog)

• Rows of Sharon (Sharon Ely Pearson is the Christian Education Specialist at Church Publishing) (blog)

• Shape of the Light (Conversations Exploring Children's Ministry) (blog)

• The Inclusive Church (Helping Churches Successfully Include Children with Special Needs) (blog)

• Thoughts from the Sheepfold (Catechesis of the Good Shepherd) (blog)

• Worshiping with Children (Including Childrn in the congregation's worship, using the Revised Common Lectionary) (blog)

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Support for the Classroom & Child development issues

  

• Childhood Stages of Development

• Classroom Management 101

• Contemporary Approaches to Christian Education

• Eight Actions that "Deposit Money" in a Child's Emotional Bank

• Exploring Group Formation through work and play

• Fowler's Six Stages of Faith Development

• Summary of Universal Human Needs

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Articles Regarding Change

As you discern in which direction you'd like your ministries to go, these articles will help you plan your course. 

• Children are Welcome in our Church

• Creating a Plan for Change

• Discerning the Shape of the Emerging Church

• Educational Inquiry

• Episcopal Educator's Handbook:  Sizing up Christian Education in your Congregation

• Long-Range Planning

• Planning and Evaluation

• Questions to Resolve for Youth Ministers (and will work with others)

• Some Congregational Realities

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Mentoring & Working with Teens

Mentoring Teenagers means walking on the journey with them, allowing them to ask questions and not having all the answers. 

      

• Finding Your Spiritual Gifts (an assessment tool)

• Handbook for Ministry with Older Adolescents

• Handbook for Ministry with Young Adolescents

• The Spiritual Life of Teenagers