teacher SPECIAL ISSUE Episcopal Christian Formation in the Church Today Winter 2018, Vol. 30, No. 2

Transcription

1 Christian Formation in the Church Today teacher Episcopal SPECIAL ISSUE Center for the Ministry of Teaching - Virginia Theological Seminary - Alexandria, VA Winter 2018, Vol. 30, No. 2

2 contents Editorial 3... Editorial and Events Lisa Kimball and Dorothy Linthicum, editors Episcopal Teacher is the newsletter of the Center for the Ministry of Teaching located on the campus of Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia. It is printed three times a year. For information: or cmt@vts.edu. this issue 4... The Charter for Lifelong Formation 6... Moving from Educating Members to Forming Disciples By Sharon Pearson Parish Perspectives 9... Camp Experiences Inform Collaborative Ministries By Aimee Bostwick Teaching Children the Message of Love By Colette Potts Focusing Formation Outward into the World By Demi Prentiss Creating an Agenda for the Future of Faith Formation in the Wider Church By John Roberto Bishop Believes Transformative Formation Opens Minds and Hearts By Audrey Scanlan How Dioceses Can Help Churches Make Disciples By Amy Cook Theological Education Creates Intentional Communities of Transformation By Sheryl A. Kujawa-Holbrook Forma Brings Creative People Together to Share Innovations in Formation An interview with Jamie Martin-Currie and Bill Campbell Why Religious Educators Must Be Media Literate By Kyle Oliver Stop and think. Two people who significantly shaped my vocation were known for saying, Stop and think! I was usually on the verge of an impulsive act when my father first offered me this counsel. Later, when I was in graduate school and studying the philosophy of education, I read similar words by the American educational reformer, John Dewey. As human beings we are at our best when we are attuned to our immediate environment, know our stories of family and faith, and through discernment commit ourselves to doing what we can to build a better future. Today we, at the Center for the Ministry of Teaching, are inviting you to stop and think with us about the landscape of Episcopal Christian formation past, present, and future. What is Christian formation? Is it simply a new way to talk about Christian education? Or, is it something more? Is it a synonym for Christian discipleship? For religious education? What is the relationship between evangelism and Christian formation? Between being a missional church and a church committed to Christian formation? And, let s not forget to ask where Christian formation fits in the Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement. In short, Christian formation is all of that. It is not a program or a static field of study. It is a lifelong, Spirit-led process through which individuals grow into their baptismal identities and vocations, and it is the process by which faith communities are transformed into the Body of Christ in the world. Faith formation requires intentionality and discipline. As Dewey and my father both understood, we learn from experience but not all experiences have something to teach us. As a faith formation leader, you are responsible for creating environments in which people of all ages and backgrounds are optimally positioned to grow in faith. This Special Issue of Episcopal Teacher is designed to help you re-member the foundation on which you stand, re-view present practices and trends, and re-cognize ways you are being formed to assist others as they encounter the living God and Christian tradition today. Lisa Kimball EVENTS around the country January 23 26, 2018 Forma Conference 2018 Charleston, South Carolina January 31 February 3, 2018 Deep & Wide: Boundless Hospitality Association of Presbyterian Church Educators Louisville, Kentucky April 24 27, 2018 Princeton Forum on Youth Ministry Princeton Theological Seminary Princeton, New Jersey June 11 15, 2018 Christian Formation Conference Kanuga Conference Inc. Hendersonville, North Carolina July 5 13, 2018 General Convention 2018 Austin Convention Center Austin, Texas August 1 4, 2018 Story in the Memory of the Heart Festival Gathering of Biblical Storytelling Network of Biblical Storytellers, Int l University Marriott Dayton, Ohio ISSN Episcopal Teacher Volume 30, No. 2 3

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4 Sharon Pearson tells a Godly Play story to children. Moving from Educating Members to Forming Disciples By Sharon Ely Pearson The Episcopal Church is rooted in a history of preparing individuals for proclaiming the Gospel locally and internationally since it was established in The creation of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society (DFMS) in 1835 led to the establishment of a board of missions and then, later in the century, the General Board of Religious Education and Joint Commission on Social Service. In 1919, the General Convention directed the presiding bishop and national council (predecessor of today s Executive Council) to administer and carry on the missionary, education, and social work of the church, building on the corporate model of business that much of America was following at the time. At the turn of the 20th century, a new generation of leaders rose to advocate for education in Episcopal congregations. John Westerhoff comments in his seminal book, Will Our Children Have Faith? (1976, 2000, 2012), that they were embarrassed by the Sunday school and impressed by the emerging public school system with new understandings of child development and pedagogy. They called for the birth of a new church school. In 1903, the Religious Education Association was founded with the purpose of inspiring the religious forces of our country with an educational ideal and the educational forces with a religious one. As time went on, the theological foundations of the religious education movement were identified with church schooling and the instruction of children, youth, and adults according to the methods of modern pedagogy. This did not last long. By the late 1940s and 1950s, religious education changed its name to Christian education, with the instruction methods remaining the same but losing the sense of proclamation and missionary zeal of the individual. The Episcopal Church (and other denominations) ventured into offering materials for organized education programs that became known as the Sunday school in the U.S., occurring on Sunday mornings for children, youth, and adults. From 1949 to 1958, Seabury Press created curricular resources to teach Episcopalians about the Bible, church history, and sacraments in a new program called The Seabury Series. With a teacher s manual of questions and answers, adults were trained to teach students with a pedagogical methodology, believing that facts and information were important to know in order to be a disciple (and Episcopalian). Church classrooms were bursting at the seams as baby boom children sat at tables in rows to learn from a teacher, while their parents attended worship that was typically a service of Morning Prayer. During the 1960s, a variety of voices began to surface in the Christian education field. They proclaimed that effective Christian education needed to be planned in the light of the total mission and ministry of the church not just in a classroom with explicit instruction. They called attention to how the church, at its best, teaches through its worship and witness in a community of faith. However, boomers and their parents still attended worship in their Sunday best and going to church was what Americans did on Sunday. After 1967, financial resources began a continual decline in The Episcopal Church s national structure, including the area of Christian education. As funding and staff positions were withdrawn increasingly, a 1985 task force of General Convention was appointed to study the history and present state of Christian education and recommend actions to strengthen the Church s educational ministry. The task force concluded that the church was teaching but it wasn t forming lifelong disciples of Christ who remain active in the life of a congregation. And then there was this new Book of Common Prayer that had appeared in 1979 that placed the Eucharist at the center and emphasized that baptism meant full participation in the Body of Christ. During this same time period, Maria Harris, a writer, speaker, and advocate of religious education, wrote a book that changed the world for many involved in Christian education. She saw that the educational practices in our churches weren t necessarily creating lifelong disciples of Christ. Fashion Me a People: Curriculum in the Church (1989) spoke about the context and vocation of what a Christian community ( the church ) should be all about. Harris recalled the Acts of the Apostles and how the early church formed disciples (Acts 2:42), suggesting the curriculum (currere = course to be run ) of the Church should focus on the: (1) Kerygma: proclaiming the Gospel by learning the biblical story and its application to our lives; (2) Koinoia: building community and fostering a discipline of care and empathy toward others; (3) Diakonia: asking how do we serve others beyond our community? (4) Didache: learning as a process of change or transformation of one s understanding of what it means to be a disciple (based on the teachings of the apostles); and (5) Leiturgia: the curriculum of prayer in which we worship together as a faith community of all ages to be fed in Word and sacrament and deepen our spiritual life. For Episcopalians, this mirrors the language of our Baptismal Covenant. A task force formed by General Convention in 1985 produced a seminal document that urged the church to move beyond the imparting of knowledge of particular, discrete subjects to look holistically at how all ages are equipped to be followers of Christ. Called to Teach and Learn: A Catechetical Guide for the Episcopal Church (1994) articulates the understanding that Christian education as primarily Sunday school and Bible study should be changed to Christian formation (catechesis). The change reflects the ancient model of formation in which the church seeks to equip the whole person for their life in Christ. Within this perspective, education remains a major and critical piece of formation, but not its sole component. With a continued decrease in staff and funding at all levels in The Episcopal Church, Christian education and formation has continued to flourish best at the grassroots level, with locally created programs bubbling up to church-wide popularity and usage. In 1997, The Children s Charter for the Church was developed by a grassroots movement of educators who wanted to highlight the recognition of children as full members of the church. It reflected a deep commitment to include children (ages 0-12) and youth (ages 13-18) in the life of the church, recognizing the ministry of, by, and for children. Its aim was to help churches to affirm the practice of integrating the lives of children into the church and to integrate the church into the lives of children. This reflected a commitment to Sharon Pearson with her granddaughter. 6 Episcopal Teacher Volume 30, No. 2 7

5 Christian formation as a cradle-to-grave enterprise involving both lifelong and daylong learning which continues today. At the 76th General Convention (2009), the Charter for Lifelong Christian Formation was adopted as a model of education for all. The charter defined formation as growth in the knowledge, service, and love of God as followers of Christ that is informed by scripture, tradition, and reason. The charter calls for a prayerful life of worship, continuous learning, intentional outreach, advocacy, and service. Among many charges, it calls the church to develop new learning experiences and equip disciples for life in a world of secular challenges while carefully listening for the words of modern sages who embody the teachings of Christ. The Baptismal Covenant Celebrant: Do you believe in God the Father? People: I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. Today, Christian education is seen as part of a holistic view of Christian formation, centered in baptism and shaped by the Holy Eucharist. The Baptismal Covenant is a model for learning and living out one s faith in daily life. Episcopalians are still trying to send that message to the grassroots level where formation happens and is lived out. Celebrant: Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God? People: I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. Celebrant: Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit? People: I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Celebrant: Will you continue in the apostles teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of the bread, and in the prayers? People: I will, with God s help. Celebrant: Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord? People: I will, with God s help. Celebrant: Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ? People: I will, with God s help. Celebrant: Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself? People: I will, with God s help. Sharon Ely Pearson is the Christian Formation Specialist and editor for Church Publishing Incorporated (CPI) with experience in Christian formation on the local, judicatory, and church-wide level. A graduate of Virginia Theological Seminary and a lifelong Episcopalian, she lives in Norwalk, Connecticut, and has a 2-yearold granddaughter. She writes at Celebrant: Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being? People: I will, with God s help. Parish Perspective: Camp Experiences Inform Collaborative Ministries By Aimee Bostwick Everything I know about formation I learned as a camp counselor. Looking back over the past 20+ years as a church professional primarily in youth ministry I am struck by just how much I learned at camp and the profound influence those experiences have on my current ministry. As counselors, were asked to implement weekly themes in every way imaginable. Crucial to the task was including every person, from adult staff to the campers. Camp staff were divided into planning groups to incorporate weekly topics into every activity, ranging from special events, liturgy, games, and programs, to nightly devotionals. What often emerged from this seemingly exhaustive practice was a week of creativity and connection that was life-changing for me. Through this repeated exercise, I learned the elements that make a program meaningful and successful. As a formation leader in a parish, I still usually plan around themes. The connectedness that happened so naturally in a camp setting, however, doesn t always happen in a church environment. Unlike camp, churches often function like businesses, and employees who have many roles operate independently of one another. My professional work in the church began with youth ministry. I was naïve and hit the ground running, planning as much as I could for the young people, but completely unaware of what other ministries in the church were doing. I didn t have a clear picture, or any picture at all, of how youth fit into the larger picture of the church s programming. In my excitement and with good but misguided intentions, I ended up operating on an island. I learned quickly that working in isolation often leads to failure, even when all the boxes are checked and the work gets done. I missed the support and creative energy I experienced in a camp setting, and longed to replicate that momentum in my church work. Collaborative ministry and the energy that comes from it is an absolute necessity for engaging, transformational programming. Today I serve as the director of programs in a large congregation in Austin, Texas, where we have initiated a new collaborative model of formation. A team composed of leaders for children, youth, adult formation, and parish life provides the vision and leadership. Before we attempted to develop a more wholistic approach to our programming, we took time to know one another, which was time well spent. We began by learning each team members functions, asking hard but necessary questions, such as: What gives us joy in our ministry? What quickly drains that energy? Why did we choose to do this work? The answers established our common values of building trust, creating authentic community, and forming faithful disciples of Jesus. We use these values as a compass in selecting formation themes for the year, which in turn determine the calendar of events. With these parameters, we can gauge whether or not we re doing the good work we set out to do. In both our successes and failures, the team is able to support and encourage one another. Our current team is composed of three lay leaders and one clergy. We have an unspoken understanding that we function with and for one another. We offer support through brainstorming ideas for the calendar year, helping one another assemble communication materials, and even setting tables for our community dinners. No job is too small for any team member. We work collaboratively in all that we do, sharing in each other s joys and sorrows for the betterment of our parish community. The formation team model is a work in progress. Collaborative ministry is not as simple as it sounds. It takes time to get to know one another, to listen to others ideas, to find the time to meet, and to put the needs of others before your own. It can be hard, but I think my camp experiences will help us improve Christian formation in our church. Aimee Bostwick is Director of Family Ministries at The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Austin, Texas. 8 Episcopal Teacher Volume 30, No. 2 9

6 Parish Perspective: Parish Perspective: Teaching Children the Message of Love By Colette Potts When I accepted the job as Director of Children s Ministries at Saint Barnabas Memorial Church, I sought to offer a program that parents not only wanted, but also needed. As a trained family therapist, I d become accustomed to parents needing guidance to make parenting a little easier, so my first task was to identify the intersection of what families needed and what our church could offer. As a parent myself, I frequented local playgrounds and would often ask parents what they were missing despite jam-packed schedules. Were drum lessons, dance, lacrosse, hockey, art, gymnastics, soccer, horseback riding enough? Parents told me that although they re busy, exhausted, and spending too much time managing their children s extracurricular activities, they were left wondering if they were raising good kids. One disheartened parent whispered to me while our 6-year-olds played together, I m afraid I m raising a spoiled brat. Parents wanted to raise children who cared about others, not just themselves, and to find a place where families could serve others. The Church is uniquely suited to respond to this need. Our Christian tradition can be the answer to these parents concerns that they can t get elsewhere. But when I set out to find a curriculum that would address the needs of these families, I could only find inexpensive curricula that offered ease of use, or expensive curricula that required materials and training that was beyond our parish s resources. As I wrestled our three young children into church clothes and shuffled them off to Sunday school, I had a hunch that not much was happening in those classrooms. My curriculum took shape during conversations about religion and where the Church seems to get it right, and our experience as a family trying to stay grounded in a complex world. Because few of our highly-scheduled families can attend church every week, we needed to find ways to be meaningful to those with irregular or sporadic attendance. What was the one thing children need to learn if we only had a couple of hours a month to spend with them? The answer was Love First, a curriculum and wraparound program that is focused exclusively on love. Through contemporary literature and age-appropriate Bible stories, children learn about loving themselves, loving their neighbors, and loving God. We put love first into every aspect of children s ministry. We loved our learning spaces, turning them into the de-cluttered, welcoming spaces that children need for sharing. A safe environment allows children to share experiences that stir up emotions like fear, envy, anger or hurt, conversations that can be difficult maybe even impossible to have in other contexts. We put love first in our community, cultivating intergenerational relationships through acts of care. Children sent notes and cards to vulnerable parishioners who often wrote back. Children began giving their classroom projects to neighbors in the pews, connecting people to our children s program in creative ways. Our children also lead the parish in caring for those in our wider community through local service projects. We also loved the adults who didn t feel called to be Sunday school teachers, inviting them to visit our classrooms. Even the unlikeliest volunteers connect with our children s ministry. At every turn, we connect children to other parishioners in meaningful ways, giving children authentic opportunities to respond to the needs of others. Sunday school forms disciples of Christ, no matter how young. Love First is a no-nonsense, pragmatic approach to working with children in the Christian context that acknowledges the busy and over-scheduled lives of children and families. Every gathering is about loving someone or something, so that children understand even after one precious hour that the message is simple: We love first. Colette Potts is Director of Children s Ministries at Saint Barnabas Memorial Church in Falmouth, Massachusetts, and a Harvard-educated family therapist. Love First: A Children s Ministry for the Whole Church (Church Publishing, 2018) will offer a successful model for churches to engage the whole congregation in worship, learning, and service while partnering with parents. Focusing Formation Outward into the World By Demi Prentiss I dream of a church that understands its mission to be sending out agents of transformation into the world so that each person understands themselves as radically sent. I envision the transformational potential of aiming the congregation s Sunday gathering toward the challenges and opportunities of living the Christian life. And I see the church equipping believers to be sent into the world to learn and to teach. We need to do church in a way that will drive home the compelling nature of living the Baptismal Covenant promises daily. This includes continuing in the teaching, resisting evil, proclaiming the Good News, seeking and serving Christ, loving our neighbor, striving for justice, and respecting the dignity of all. (See page 8.) Jesus said, As the Father has sent me, so I send you. Gathering is important vital to the Body of Christ. We gather to gain strength, courage and perseverance, and to experience forgiveness, compassion and acceptance so that we may be sent into the world. As Greg Pierce points out in The Mass Is Never Ended (Ave Maria Press, 2007), the dismissal is the focal event of the Eucharist. At the close of worship, the gathered faithful are dispatched into the world as ambassadors of transformation. Every moment of the Eucharist points us toward the exit doors. The worship is over, the service begins. To form believers to do the work God has given us to do the transformational work in the hurly burly of the world we need to re-think Sunday morning. What if liturgies and sermons celebrated the Gospel work being done by the people of the congregation in their daily lives in homes, classrooms, offices, and courtrooms? Prayers of the People could name professions and how they imitate Christ s compassion. Blessing backpacks could reach further to celebrate the teachers, janitors, administrators, and students who proclaim God s Good News through their life and work. Labor Day could point to the jobs of members. Blessing of the Animals could extend to veterinarians, municipal and county workers, pet owners, and shelter volunteers, making the connection that blessings flow through both people and pets. What if Christian formation classes taught people how Jesus is present in the laboratory, in Uber cars, and in boiler rooms? By focusing a Gospel lens on daily life, we can relate contemporary workplace challenges to the Gospel message. Formation events could be designed with the explicit purpose of equipping people for their daily lives. What if our pastoral care focused on the life-giving ministry that people do in their everyday lives? What if caregivers intentionally celebrated the acts of faithful connection practiced by the recipients of their care, affirming God s work in and through their lives? What if we made workplace visits as commonplace as hospital visits, showing the way workers connect to their work? What if we used church communications to describe how members of the congregation see God at work in their weekday lives? What if we solicited articles or videos to describe different ways people live out their ministries in their world? What if those transformational stories were a major part of the good news we share? What if we took the step of focusing formation outward as well as inward, equipping us to be Christ s agents of transformation in the world? What if we focused on following Christ as much as worshipping him? What if we understood our Baptismal Covenant as our commissioning to be the church scattered, as well as the church gathered? By focusing Christian formation outward, we might begin to both accept and share God s radical welcome. We might also begin to recognize and celebrate the many ways God is working to transform the world through us, by sending us on a daily mission into the world. Demi Prentiss is a certified coach, a program consultant for Episcopal Church Foundation and co-author of Radical Sending: Go to Love and Serve (Morehouse Publishing, 2015). 10 Episcopal Teacher Volume 30, No. 2 11

7 Creating an Agenda for the Future of Faith Formation By John Roberto We are on the doorstep of a new decade. So many of the trends and challenges we experience today were just emerging as this decade began: a 10-decade life span, the millennial generation starting families, baby boomers entering their retirement years, the younger generations leaving organized religion, multiple family structures and living arrangements, the diversity of ethnicities and cultures, the recognition of gender and sexual diversity, and more. The arrival of a new decade is a good time to create an agenda for the future of faith formation. I am proposing seven areas for development on my agenda. I believe these are important for the future of faith formation, and they are areas in which I want to dedicate my time and energy. 1. DEVELOPING A NEW ECOLOGY OF CHRISTIAN FAITH FORMATION We know from research and practice that faith is formed in intergenerational faith communities, in families, in peer groups across the life cycle, and in missional settings where people are introduced to the Christian faith. We need to start thinking and acting ecologically in everything we do. For example, if we are creating a plan for children s faith formation, we need to consider how we will engage children in faith community experiences, including worship, with all generations. Once we have identified faith forming experiences in the broader ecology, we can identity the unique age-group experiences we need to provide children. 2. FOCUSING ON FAITH MATURING We need to focus formation on the essential characteristics of lifelong growth in Christian faith and discipleship. These characteristics would incorporate knowing and believing, relating and belonging, practicing and living. With a lifelong vision of maturing faith we could address each characteristic in developmentally-appropriate ways at each stage of life. In this approach we would build our curriculum around the people and the faith maturing characteristics. 3. PERSONALIZING FAITH FORMATION We need to tailor faith formation to the individual journeys of children, youth, young adults, adults, and families to address their increasing spiritual and religious diversity and life stage needs. By personalizing learning (tailoring the what, when, how and where people learn), we can address the individual needs and interests of each person. To personalize faith formation we need to create pathways that guide people in discerning their faith-growth needs. In this approach we would develop a personalized faith growth plan or what educators are now calling playlists of content (print, audio, video, online) and direct experiences to address their needs. 4. BECOMING INTENTIONALLY INTERGENERATIONAL We need to become intentional about strengthening the intergenerational character of our congregations and faith formation experiences. We can create a plan that (1) utilizes the intergenerational events and experiences of church life as primary content in faith formation by preparing people with the knowledge and practices for participating, by engaging people in the event, and by reflecting upon the meaning of the event and how to apply it to daily life; (2) infuses intergenerational experiences and relationships into existing ministries and programs, such as age group programs; 3) connects the generations through new intergenerational programs and experiences through learning, celebrating, praying, reading the Bible, serving and working for justice, and worshipping. 5. EMPOWERING AND EQUIPPING PARENTS AND THE FAMILY We all know how important parents and the whole family are in the faith-forming process. Today s families of Gen Z children and teens, and Millennial and younger Gen X parents present new challenges and opportunities. We will need to create new faith formation initiatives for the home and identify which practices work best. There are proven strategies that can guide the development of a comprehensive plan for family faith formation. With new digital tools and media, we have the ability to reach today s parents and families anywhere and anytime with engaging and interactive faith-forming content. (See Families at the Center of Faith Formation for the strategies.) 6. DESIGNING 21st-CENTURY LEARNING EXPERIENCES We can dramatically improve our effectiveness in promoting faith growth and learning by using the new approaches and methods that are being designed by educators for 21st-century learners of all ages children, youth, and adults. We know today s younger generations learn best in environments that are interactive, participatory, experiential, visual, and multi-sensory. Among today s most promising educational innovations are personalizing learning (see #3), blended learning and flipped learning, micro-learning, and immersive learning. All of these new approaches and methods are enhanced by the use of digital technologies, methods, and media. Blended learning integrates learning in physical and online settings where a person has some control over time, place, path, and/or pace of the learning experience. One form of blended learning is flipped learning in which the content moves from the group learning space to the individual learning space (usually online), and the group space is transformed into an interactive learning environment for discussion and application. Micro-learning experiences are short-form 5-, 10- or 15-minute learning experiences designed for anytime, anywhere learning that can be combined into multi-part learning programs. Micro-learning experiences are one response to short attention spans and mobile learning. We can curate a series of micro-learning experiences (on a digital platform) to engage people in all types of faith formation content. Immersive learning is faith-forming experiences that are interactive, participatory, experiential, visual, and multi-sensory. With the rise of anytime, anywhere faith formation content we need to ask, What is the role of gathering people for faith formation? Today, children (and their parents), youth, and adults can access online most of the content that we teach at church. We have already been offering these types of experiences. What if we expanded our immersive learning opportunities (VBS, mission trips, and more) and focused our gathered settings on immersive faith formation in extended settings offered throughout the year (but not weekly)? 7. EMBRACING NEW LEADERSHIP ROLES We need to develop new leadership roles to match the new approaches to faith formation in the 21st century. We are blending traditional roles such as developing religious content, designing programming, managing programming, and teaching/facilitating programming with three new roles: architect, curator, and digital designer. Learning architects design and identify environments which can become settings for faith formation. Digital designers create platforms John Roberto describes his new ecology of formation. (websites, social media) where people can connect with each other, access content, engage in learning activities, and more. These platforms provide faith formation 24/7. Curators of religious content and experiences are needed when there is an abundance of content. Roles shift from creator to curator, who are engaged in finding and identifying quality content in all formats. They then match content with the needs of people and provide it on a digital platform (and often in gathered settings). That is my to-do list for where I want to focus my time and energy. Now it s your turn. What is your agenda for the future of faith formation and how will you bring it to life? John Roberto s life work has been in faith formation first in youth ministry and now in lifelong faith formation. He is the coordinator of training services and project coordinator of the Certificate in Faith Formation for the 21st Century a two-year online ministry education program at Vibrant Faith ( He is the founder of LifelongFaith Associates ( Lifelong Faith Resources Amidei, Kathie, Jim Merhaut, and John Roberto. Generations Together. LifelongFaith, Kehrwald, Leif, John Roberto, Gene Jolene Roehlkepartain, and Jolene Roehlkepartain. Families at the Center of Faith Formation. Lifelong Faith, Roberto, John. Reimagining Faith Formation for the 21st Century. Lifelong Faith, Linthicum, Dorothy, Jim Merhaut, Kyle Oliver, Janet Schaeffler, and John Roberto. The Seasons of Adult Faith Formation. Lifelong Faith, For more information about vision and practices, go to 12 Episcopal Teacher Volume 30, No. 2 13

8 Bishop Believes Transformative Formation Opens Minds and Hearts By Audrey Scanlan One of the highlights for a congregation at a bishop s visitation in my diocese is the Children s Moment. You know, that time at the close of the Opening Hymn or following the Exchange of the Peace when the children of the parish gather at the chancel steps (some, albeit a little timidly), and the bishop engages in some back and forth with the children to the delight of those in the pews. This moment is based on the premise of an old radio show premiered by Art Linkletter in 1945 that counted on the idea that Kids (will) Say the Darndest Things. In my experience of this format at the chancel steps, the children ask good and honest questions and share their unvarnished truth. On occasion, a child will say very interesting things as I show them the various episcopal accessories the crozier, miter, ring and pectoral cross and invite their comment. It is my custom after the Children s Moment to give these items away to some of the children for the balance of the church service (the ring and cross, at least). While I know that it makes everyone nervous, there is something very connecting about handing over something precious to a little someone whom you ve just met, if even for just an hour. It creates an immediate bond and begins a relationship in a short moment. This logic doesn t always work perfectly. In one church, an apologetic grandmother of a shy two-year old returned the pectoral cross to me at the altar rail during communion telling me that her granddaughter found it way too heavy and way too long. Indeed! The Children s Moment is, of course, not all about the children. Parents lean forward, eagerly, hoping to learn, themselves, things that they think they should already know about hats and sticks and saints and things with funny names like ciborium or aumbry. 14 Episcopal Teacher CONTRAST OF EDUCATION AND FORMING RELATIONSHIPS It is the difference of expectation in this moment between adults and children that serves as an icon for my understanding of Christian formation: Those of us who are now adults were raised with an understanding of Christian formation as Christian education, where we learned Bible stories, soaked up a modicum of church history, and maybe had a go at some liturgical theology or, at least, church etiquette. The children today who toddle their way to the chancel steps, however, are less interested in learning facts than they are in forming a relationship or at least learning Who is this person in the tall hat? And who is she to me? I believe that both education and the development of relationships are critical components of comprehensive Christian formation and that, when pursued with intention and faithfulness over time, lead to a closer awareness of God and our own personal transformation. CONNECTING WITH EACH OTHER AND CHRIST On Sunday afternoons, after the morning s liturgies, after the covered dish supper, and after the photos with confirmands, I sit down with the rector, wardens and vestry of the parish for a conversation. The key items on their agenda are usually the financial health of the parish, forecasting capital improvements, and questions about how to increase membership. The key item on my agenda is to ask: What are we doing here? Not here, in the moment, but here, in Church. Why do we come here? What do we do here? How has it transformed us? The Church today is at risk of becoming a religious social service agency. I believe that though we engage in myriad, critical acts of helpful and healing social mission, until we understand that in reaching out to others, we, too, are changed (and that God is in the mix), then we are in danger of losing our core mission, which is transformation. Social service is important, but connecting with each other and Christ in the process is spiritually transforming. This transformation begins when we allow ourselves to become "This transformation begins when we allow ourselves to become vulnerable; when we look into the eyes of the person whose plate we are filling at the soup kitchen; when we sit down next to them and eat, elbow to elbow; when we begin to share and build relationships, each to each, story by story. In this, the Holy Spirit is present and we are changed. We are transformed. This is Christian formation." vulnerable; when we look into the eyes of the person whose plate we are filling at the soup kitchen; when we sit down next to them and eat, elbow to elbow; when we begin to share and build relationships, each to each, story by story. In this, the Holy Spirit is present and we are changed. We are transformed. This is Christian formation. RHYTHMS OF GRACE Many years ago, the Christian Formation Director of the church where I served as curate partnered with me to design a program called Rhythms of Grace. It was the pastoral response to a parent in the church who had announced that he would no longer be coming to church because his 6-year old son with autism was too old for the nursery, too unmanageable in the Sunday School room, and too disruptive in the worship service. My colleague, Linda Snyder, and I decided to create a program tailored to those with sensory, language and kinesthetic processing needs that were different than our own and to provide a worship experience that included Bible stories, therapeutic play, craft activities and a celebration of Holy Communion. We called it a program of reverse inclusion. Anyone was invited, but we were dedicated to honoring first the special needs of our friends with autism. The program grew slowly as the network of parents and children with special needs learned about this new way of being church, and we developed lesson plans for three years that taught many stories from our Holy Scripture, educated our members about the church calendar, feast days, some history and theology and, in the long run, provided a solid Christian education. But there was so much more. We became a community. We learned about each other s particular sensitivities, tastes, tolerances and how to honor them. We discovered that God s reach extends beyond words or memorized facts or stories learned. In the beginning, we worried at the end of each session about how much each participant had gotten We wondered if our work was getting through. The real transformation occurred for us when we stopped asking. We learned to trust that the Spirit was at work in and through us, and we learned, over time that not only had our new members been transformed, but that we had, too, in sighs too deep for words. (Romans 8:26) FINDING A NEW KIND OF FORMATION The changing context of church and its place in our increasingly secular communities calls for us to re-think how we participate in Christian formation. Opening ourselves to a new understanding of formation as ongoing, relational and transformational is a much-needed shift that allows parishes to focus on the most important question: What are we doing here? We understand that church is a place to encounter the living, holy God and to be in community with people who also thirst for personal renewal, reconciliation and growth. We do not expect one or two adult forum classes to fill us with everything that we need to know, but we understand, instead, that formation is more of a spiritual layering of ideas that works on us over time. Christian formation is transformative. May we open our hearts and minds to the work of God in and through us. The Rt. Rev. Audrey Cady Scanlan is bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania and co-author of Rhythms of Grace: Worship and Faith Formation for Children and Families with Special Needs. Volume 30, No. 2 15

9 How Dioceses Can Help Churches Make Disciples By Amy Cook A s a diocesan Christian educator, I have seen all kinds of programs, the latest gurus sharing their books, and new mission strategies designed to move the church forward. Often these sorts of presentations start with the assumption that everyone has the same vocabulary, is a follower of the way of Jesus (a Christian), and shares the basic goals of growing the church of Jesus as well as growing their faith. But I think we can start with people all over the place, spiritually and theologically. Factor in cultural time constraints, a lack of formation practices, and the absence of common theological understanding, and it s no wonder that the latest fad in Episcopal church life doesn t usually create lasting change. And yet, our goal for faith communities is to make disciples by deepening faith, transforming lives, and feeding and strengthening participants to go out and do God s work in the world. Here are my observations of the reality of church life that focuses on spiritual formation: Churches place more reliance on programs and yet the leaders of these programs (lay or clergy) have less and less time to spend on preparation. Adults have less time for small groups where discipleship through relational ministry could be supported. Instead, adult formation (of any kind) is often offered only during a liturgical season such as Advent or Lent. If there is regular adult spiritual formation, it often takes the shape of the adult forum a series of speakers on a variety of unrelated topics, which don t provide an avenue to go deeper or help participants apply the information to a working spiritual life. Church members are less able to inject faith into their daily lives, or even recognize the connections between faith and life. Churches that are close to closing (little money and few members) have no meaningful adult formation happening. As more churches use more part-time clergy, more areas of ministry are taken on by volunteers who may or may not have any kind of ongoing training in discipleship practice and often lack practical support and resources. SUPPORTING FORMATION IN DIOCESAN CHURCHES First and foremost is the role of the bishop in spiritual formation. Often the bishop is the one who can define language, preach and teach on discipleship, and make spiritual formation a priority in the corporate life of the diocese. However, it is often the role of the staff person to flesh out that priority in meaningful ways through diocesan events and identifying resources for individual parishes. The tone set by the bishop can work its way through all diocesan programs with intentional crafting of both written words and shared experiences. One of the best ways to strengthen spiritual formation is through diocesan programs that both model best practices in formation as well as allow the participants to bring those practices home to their churches. A well-designed diocesan training or event gives participants an understanding and experience of a spiritual practice, discipline or activity and then provides them the tools, resources, and flexibility to take that resource back and adapt it for their own faith community. For many parishioners, the only time they experience a different form of worship, prayer, small group spiritual work, or even a new theological framework is when they attend a diocesan gathering. These programs can be structured as major formation events even if the content is church business, pre-convention meetings, or something else that seems outside of the realm of a traditional spiritual experience. USING FORMATION TO RESHAPE DIOCESAN EVENTS As traditional learning events are restructured, the intentional process of transformational learning should be transparent and include on-going explanations. Changing the format from an expert talking on a subject to one where learning is mixed with interactive small group discussions and spiritual practices can be hard for some participants. That shouldn t deter us from using diocesan events to create moments of learning and space for meeting God. Through intentional design a diocesan convention or training then becomes a model that churches can use in designing annual meetings or vestry meetings to include spiritual formation. One example of reshaping an event through a formation lens is a vocations conference in the Episcopal Diocese of California. For various reasons, the Commission on Ministry (COM) was considering a redesign of its vocations conference. Traditionally the conference invited nominees to meet with small groups of COM members and answer a series of questions over two days. After redesigning the experience with a spiritual formation emphasis, COM members are now entering a discernment and formation process alongside the nominees, both modeling and discerning their vocations with the invited participants through Bible study, discussion, and interaction with foundational pieces of Episcopal theology. They chose to see discernment as a discipleship process instead of ordination gatekeeping. They traded in their roles as gatekeepers to become spiritual companions on a journey toward discernment. Often one of the greatest needs in formation in parishes is the opportunity to work more closely with others doing similar tasks. Networking for information, support and inspiration can deepen faith practices within the congregation as those in leadership draw support and learn best practices from each other. But many church professionals or volunteer staff are already stretched thin, and finding time to organize this kind of networking becomes an added burden. A diocesan formation staff person can help create thriving networks by taking care of the administrative and technical piece of organizing both face-to-face and online networking opportunities. CURATING RESOURCES FOR CONGREGATIONAL PROGRAMMING A final thought about the role of diocesan formation staff is the important work of curating resources. We live in an age of information overload. Online searches result in millions of possibilities. Most church volunteers and even paid staff do not have the time to sift through the many curricula and programs that are available. And even if they have the time, they are often drawn to publishing houses with sophisticated marketing, slick brochures and online ads, which may or may not be the best theological match to their church. Diocesan staff can curate resources, finding the best matches for their faith communities, as well as helping churches think through best practices for implementing programs to use curriculum to its fullest potential. CHANGING THE CULTURE TO EMBRACE SPIRITUAL FORMATION Here are some suggestions for changing the diocesan culture around spiritual formation and discipleship: Talk about Formation! Use the language of spiritual formation, spiritual practices, discipleship, and deepening faith at all diocesan events. Define terms for a shared diocesan understanding. Don t assume that everyone automatically understands everything that is said. Clearly spell out the mission of the church and how the diocese understands its service to God in the context in which it exists. At every diocesan event or meeting, give participants a chance to share their faith stories with each other, to mentor each other, and to pray together in ways that feel authentic to the community. Model different faith practices at each event such as introducing a new prayer practice, asking thoughtful discussion questions, or using music or a meditation practice. Invite educators onto planning committees. Encourage discernment practices for all baptized believers, not just those seeking ordination. Give all church members the opportunity to learn and use spiritual practices as they listen for God s call. Amy Cook was recently named Working Group Head for Faith Formation in the Episcopal Diocese of California. She formerly was the Missioner for Education, Formation & Discipleship in the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts. 16 Episcopal Teacher Volume 30, No. 2 17

10 Sheryl Kujawa-Holbrook with graduates of the Claremont School of Theology. Theological Education Creates Intentional Communities of Transformation By Sheryl A. Kujawa-Holbrook The late Marianne Micks, a professor at Virginia Theological Seminary, who published widely on baptism, writes, Most of us are looking for a God who is too small and too tame...what does this tell us about the power of baptism? The awesome dynamism of God the Spirit should lead us to ask ourselves: with what kind of expectation and anticipation do we prepare for baptism, either our own, or that of someone we love? Do we really expect to be shaken to our foundations? Do we really expect to change? Are we willing to discover that volcanic inferno beneath everydayness? Most often, I suspect we are not. (Micks, 42) Micks writes that all who have been baptized by water and the Holy Spirit are called to ministry far beyond the walls of any church building. They are Christ s ambassadors to the world. They are agents of the good. (Micks, 93) In my experience, much of the focus of Christian formation in theological education, in general, is too small and too tame. From the perspective of baptismal living, 18 Episcopal Teacher Christian formation focused on denominational literacy or curriculum materials alone is inadequate, as important as these emphases remain. Rather, Christian formation is a dynamic and embodied process whereby our hearts and minds are turned toward God in the expectation of transformation on every level of our being. Christian formation is about both theory and practice: the integration of academic content, practical skills, and ritual practice, along with a deepening knowledge of the self, intersectional identities, relationships, contexts, and commitment to a just peace. If we believe that authority for all ministry comes with baptism, then seminaries are called to vigorously advocate for theological education for the priesthood of all believers, along with our support for those with ordained vocations. In this theological framework, the outcomes of transformational Christian formation unlocking of giftedness, healing of painful pasts, experiencing of community, practicing peace with justice, and serving all creation are relevant to all who minister: preachers, teachers, workers, parents, children, youth, elders, citizens, activists, and yes, even seminary professors! A recent study on pastoral imagination funded by the Lilly Endowment, Inc. suggests that capacities for pastoral leadership are sparked early in life, and take years of daily practice before they come to fruition. (Scharen and Campbell-Reed, 12) As the borders of the church grow more porous, and as institutional resources for ministry decrease, it becomes more necessary to support all Christians in their baptismal living to serve as Christ s ambassadors to the world. The baptismal living movement reminds us that each community already has within the gifts of its members its ability to thrive. Through the life-long process of Christian formation we all are called to make connections between baptism and our daily living. The great transformation exists only in germ in each of us. Its fruition lies ahead, writes Micks. (Micks, 65) In my experience, part of what theological education gives to the world is a framework within which we practice formation from the perspective of the transformation of whole persons in community. Ironically, the best way we can witness to the importance of theological education for all, and to the value of Christian formation in the church, is to give the world more than churches. Perhaps we need to begin to teach about Christian formation in more expansive terms inclusive of the many ways people live together and work with their neighbors for justice and peace in the world. Within the Anglican/Episcopal tradition we live out ministries in a sacramental way, through baptism and eucharist, and united through the framework of the Book of Common Prayer. Our tradition teaches that ministry is deeply incarnational. As the Church we commit to each other from birth until death; from the beginnings of this life until the next. Anglicans are called to live out a spirit of authentic love; that is, live lives which are icons for the love of God in all creation. The world is sacrament, for all that we can see, hear, taste, smell and touch conveys the presence of God. Interestingly, very little of Jesus public ministry took place within traditional religious spaces, except for a few scenes we find in the gospels, none of which turned out very well. Mostly Jesus preached on the road, teaching among the people. God came among us in the person of Jesus to start a movement, said Presiding Bishop Michael Curry this past Easter. A movement to change the face of the earth. A movement to change us who dwell upon the earth. A movement to change the creation from the nightmare that is often made of it into the dream that God intends for it. (Curry) Our Anglican forbearers teach the value of comprehensiveness as a way of holding opposites together in creative tension. Living this type of spirituality requires formation which supports a diversity of approaches and practices. It is apparent that Jesus focus was on expanding boundaries to include those most feared, rather than teaching about who should be excluded. There is an argument which suggests that the church is going downhill because we bring up controversial issues and hang out with the wrong people. But the idea that moderation contributes to growth is reminiscent of a time when the church was much more accepted as part of the dominant culture. Presiding Bishop Curry s vision of the Episcopal Branch of the Jesus Movement captures what is attractive today not conformity, but communities of passion, authenticity, and commitment. In my own formation, I learned if I first transform my understanding of myself as powerless, then everything changes. I am then empowered to expand my vision of how I am called in the world as a baptized Christian, as a member of the priesthood of all believers, as a priest, and as a theological educator. Positive and life-giving formation builds agency and moral integrity. All around us we have examples of negative formation, whereby religious identities are fragmented and formed in opposition to others, rather than in the spirit of the commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves. As a Christian, my ongoing formation at home, church, and seminary have shaped my vision of the reign of God in a palpable way. As a theological educator, not only am I concerned with my own formation, and my students, but that of the communities we both serve now and in the future. We have all failed the dream of God, writes the late Verna Dozier, who was a life-long Christian educator. The terribly patient God still waits. (Dozier, 114) Christian formation is about strengthening hearts and challenging minds. At its most basic, theological education is about creating intentional communities of transformation. This work is yet to be fully realized; there is much ahead to do. The Rev. Sheryl Kujawa-Holbrook, Ed.D., Ph.D., is Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty, and Full Professor of Practical Theology and Religious Education at Claremont School of Theology. She is also Professor of Anglican Studies, Bloy House, the Episcopal Theological School at Claremont. Works Cited Marianne H. Micks, Deep Waters: An Introduction to Baptism (Cambridge: Cowley Press, 1996). Christian Scharen and Eileen Campbell-Reed, By Grace and By Grit. How New Pastors Learn in Practice, In Trust (Spring 2017). Presiding Bishop Michael Curry s message 2017, Episcopal News Service, April 3, Verna J. Dozier, The Dream of God. A Call to Return (New York: Seabury Classics, 1991, 2006). Volume 30, No. 2 19

11 Forma Brings Creative People Together to Share Innovations in Formation The most visible advocate for Christian formation in The Episcopal Church (TEC) is Forma, an association of Christian educators and formation professionals that upholds the diverse ministries of Christian formation across the Church. With members from over 40 states and 60 dioceses, Forma has strong links to TEC and other institutional partners. Forma was founded in 1997 to support those responsible for Christian formation in the Church and to create a place where they could share best practices and advocate for lay employment rights. First incorporated under the name NAECED (the National Association for Episcopal Christian Education Directors), in 2012 the association was re-named Forma to reflect its growth to nearly 400 members who represent broad ministries from parishes, dioceses, camps and conference centers, seminaries, and others. Forma members today rely on each other for resources through a listserv, Facebook page, and an annual conference, and to be a voice of professionalism in The Episcopal Church. We recently talked to Jamie Martin-Currie (JMC), current president of Forma and Missioner for Christian Formation for the Diocese of Texas, and Bill Campbell (BC), Forma Executive Director, about Forma s role in Christian formation. CENTRAL THEMES While our conversation with Bill and Jamie was farreaching, two central themes emerged: radical inclusion in parishes and the wider church for all people, and the need for a broadening of skills to move formation into all areas of parish life. We also touched on leadership, participation, retention and succession planning, Forma s certification program, and the organization s future plans. RADICAL INCLUSION Although The Episcopal Church is known for its inclusion of people from many different backgrounds, races, and gender identity, formation leadership remains primarily white and female. BC: In a 2008 census of Christian educators by the Church Pension Fund, 94 percent of the respondents were women, and 98 percent were white. Most Christian educators fit this pattern. JMC: At its visioning retreat in March, the Forma board decided to focus on inclusion. We want to be an example 20 Episcopal Teacher for the Church through racial reconciliation and inclusiveness. BC: Forma is not inclusive enough, although during our annual conference we strive to be a safe place for everyone. Not everyone, Jamie Martin-Currie, Forma president, and Bill Campbell, Forma executive director however, finds acceptance. It is important for Forma to lead by example in how we welcome people of different cultures, those with different sexual orientations, and others. MOVING FORMATION INTO ALL AREAS OF PARISH LIFE Educators operate Sunday schools, youth ministries and adult education; committees run stewardship campaigns, worship and outreach; volunteers and church staff keep up communications but rarely do we apply formation principles across all vocations. BC: Forma has been reaching out to other organizations, such as the Episcopal Communicators, CEEP (Consortium of Endowed Episcopal Parishes), eformation, ECF (Episcopal Church Foundation), and others. Formation is a part of all of these organizations. JMC: The Mission Amplification Team of Diocese of Texas will soon begin cross training to add flexibility. So when another missioner from the team gets a question about formation, that person is able to provide an answer other than call Jamie. This will allow us to be more responsive and change the way we think about our areas of expertise. BC: Clergy today are being asked to consider bi-vocational ministry, combining work outside the church with ministry inside the church. Forma members are reluctant to move in that direction, but I see the joining of two skill sets as a positive way forward for lay professionals. People doing formation need the language of stewardship, congregational vitality, and communication. JMC: This is one way we could break down silos in our churches, giving us a greater understanding of who we are. FORMATION LEADERS Membership in Forma reflects changes in formation leadership, including more diversity, men, and people of different cultures and sexual identities. Most are lay, but clergy are becoming more prevalent. BC: While at the recent Gathering of Leaders conference in Seattle, I was so excited to hear that a priest who could hire a sexton or a part-time Christian formation person selected a Christian educator. I gave her a standing ovation. When is that not going to be so rare? JMC: There s a small percentage of clergy that have formation in their DNA. They are constantly lifting up and forming leaders, especially young people. They give them the keys to responsibility for an important ministry of the people, and they are trusted. JMC: The importance we give Christian formation is reflected in parish budgets often it s not there. It s just not a priority. RETAINING PEOPLE AND PROGRAMS Churches go through cycles of dynamic children s programming such as Godly Play or a strong youth presence. But these often fade as personalities drift to new places. Succession planning for church leaders and lay ministers can keep parishes on a steadier course. JMC: I think this calls for lifting up young leadership. Too often I see youth and children s ministers leave abruptly with chaotic results. Perhaps we need to train formation leaders to think through retention from the beginning. BC: Forma might think about how it could encourage churches to have transition plans in place. When I left St. Paul s (Alexandria, Virginia), I worked with my successor to change from a rotation curriculum, which was losing momentum. This is the kind of planning that needs to be done in churches of all sizes. JMC: There is also a revolving door for professional formation leaders. We lose many to seminary, while others leave because they are not compensated appropriately. Some report that they are separate from the congregation and are not being fed spiritually. ADDING PROFESSIONALISM THROUGH CERTIFICATION The certificate programs are a recent addition to Forma, answering a need for entry-level training and to recognize and build on experience lay leaders gain in parish (or other) ministry. Forma envisioned the certification programs to address the revolving door for professional formation leaders. BC: The certificate program for youth and family ministry and children s ministry equip participants with a foundational learning, rooted in practical applications. The children and youth programs are good for people entering that field. The Leadership in Lifetime Christian Formation program is more about each individual and his or her discernment of a vocation in lay leadership. Both tracks emphasize theology and scripture. GENERAL FORMATION ISSUES FORMATION GOALS IN PARISHES When parishes go through a curriculum selection process, they often discover that they lack clear formation goals for general age groups or the church as a whole. JMC: When I visit churches, I often ask what qualities in a child graduating from high school that you want to be in place. Their answers often fall into three broad categories: A relationship with Jesus Christ Familiarity with the Bible A compassionate heart. I recommend that they take those qualities and begin to work backward to define program goals throughout a child s life. BC: Some churches have created an arc of formation that covers children and youth, but there is less structure for adults. JMC: We lack a rule of life for adults. Parents in particular need training in how to live a Christian life. SUNDAY ATTENDANCE BC: People are not showing up on Sunday mornings. So what do we do? There are too many other things vying for people s time and attention, from sports to hobbies. JMC: We lost the idea that Sunday attendance was a twohour commitment. Now it s shifted to only one hour. It makes formational worship that much more important. BC: Scheduling youth in the evening doesn t work any better. Youth who attend evening programs usually do not attend Sunday morning worship. It is hard to put Jesus in the hearts of young people when they have not been to worship. GOING FORWARD Forma is still determining the direction it is headed and the issues that it needs to address. Connecting with other organizations will help broaden its scope, and the certificate programs will add legitimacy to lay professionals and ministers who lead programs in churches of all sizes in The Episcopal Church. BC: One of the things that Forma does well is bringing creative people together so they can share what they are doing in their churches. Too often Christian educators spend time and energy reinventing the wheel. Small churches can often be more creative and innovative. Forma s role is to support their efforts with resources and training. JMC: We can also model inclusion in our annual gathering and training. BC: And we can train our leaders to move formation to the center of our churches. Dorothy Linthicum Volume 30, No. 2 21

12 Why Religious Educators Must Be Media Literate...and why that s good news for the Good News By Kyle Oliver A few weeks before writing this article I saw a tweet from British comedian, actress, and writer Bethany Black. It s the kind of sentiment bound to get a graduate student in a learning media department nodding sagely. Still, as a relative newcomer to the interdisciplinary field of media literacy education little more than a bystander, to be honest I should probably stick to just retweeting such thoughts and avoid the sweet temptations of the personal I told you so. If there s one religious media scholar who does have a right to such boasting in times like these and, I suspect, would absolutely never exercise it it s Luther Seminary Professor of Educational Leadership Mary Hess. For years, Hess has been a rare if not quite singular voice in theological education. She s been inviting us to recognize that media cultures matter, including to people of faith and especially to those of us who teach in religious communities. Hess wrote the following in the introduction to her 2005 (yes, 2005) book Engaging Technology in Theological Education: To me, theological reflection lives and breathes amidst movies and music, in the interwoven webs of the 22 Episcopal Teacher Internet, and in the daily and quite ordinary ways in which digital technology is built into just about every form of media we now engage. If we are to teach and learn in contemporary culture, we have to engage these media. As a theological educator and a media literacy educator, Hess has been a living example of the kind of leadership consciousness we all need to develop in these days of Tweeting popes, religious blogger authority wars, and the digitization of Bible reading. MEDIA LITERACY EDUCATION We all know that faith formation ministers are strapped for time and resources. Why should they why should you, dear reader add media literacy education to your ministry toolbelt? You probably won t be surprised to learn that I made a list: 1. THE PEOPLE WE SERVE INCLUDING ADULTS ARE SPENDING MORE AND MORE TIME ON THEIR SCREENS. WE SHOULD BE THERE IN DIGITAL AND HYBRID SPACES TO MEET THEM. For educators who can walk the tightrope that spans playfulness and planfulness, the new media ecology offers perhaps unprecedented opportunities to reach faith learners from all walks of life. It s not a panacea and it certainly isn t easy, but the Internet is a place where people consider ideas and connect with their loved ones. That can make for a wonderful learning environment. Incidentally, I m not discounting that when we meet our people online, we might occasionally encourage them to spend a little less time on their screens. Helping guide generations of smartphone users into spiritually wise digital habits is a rich, meaningful, and urgent calling. But in this Kyle Oliver Mary Hess particular teaching role, I think Jesus is a better mentor than John the Baptist (see Matthew 11:19; Luke 7:34). 2. CREATING MEDIA IS A MUCH BETTER LEARNING ACTIVITY THAN CONSUMING MEDIA. One of the core commitments of today s media literacy educators is to encourage students to learn by doing. Yes, this can help us become detectives sleuthing out hidden messages in advertising and media releases. But we should put those same skills to work in crafting our own statements on behalf of the causes we care about and the traditions we hold dear. As we embrace our calling as media literacy educators, we can help guide our communities toward becoming more effective advocates and evangelists. The same goes for more traditional faith formation outcomes. I had the pleasure last summer to co-facilitate a media-making workshop with BimBam (formly G-dcast) founder Sarah Lefton. As she reflected with our students on what they had learned creating storyboards to animate famous proverbs, I was reminded that there s no better way to teach a story than to help learners tell it themselves: I d like to think that six months or a year from now, you will remember your proverb in a different way, Lefton said. You ve gone pretty deep, you ve made something you could share, and I hope you ve observed a process you could use with your students. 3. MEDIA-LITERATE CHRISTIANS CAN CONTRIBUTE TO A CULTURE OF TRUTH-TELLING, TRANSPARENCY, AND RESPONSIBLE DISCOURSE IN THE PUBLIC SQUARE. We re not going to singlehandedly change the cultural and social practices of the world s spinmasters and power brokers. But since the first days of the early church, it has been a central part of Christian vocation and witness to resist patterns of domination and manipulation. Whatever our political loyalties, the only Christian response to public discourse that would have made Orwell and Huxley blush is to model something different, teach our children and our peers something different. That will require our own continued formation and learning. 4. MEDIA CULTURES ARE FUN AND SOMETIMES WE SHOULD HAVE THAT. The first draft of this list had a lot more items cut for space, but I couldn t bring myself to cut this one. To play, to laugh, to hope: these too are acts of resistance to what we (and most other generations, incidentally) have euphemistically labeled Times Like These. Change is hard for religious people perhaps cultural change particularly so. To be active, critical participants in the process can help us have our say in it. Such participation also gives us the chance to enjoy the journey as often as we can. There are richer and poorer definitions of fun to be had among our media cultures. All of them have their place, and many of them can positively benefit us on our learning journeys. With their help, we can change our media literacy narratives from too much, too big, too chaotic, too intractable to something that evokes the guidance of the Holy One and our regular liturgical charge to live in the world rejoicing in the power of the Spirit. The Rev. Kyle Matthew Oliver, first digital missioner at the Center for the Ministry of Teaching, studies communication in education at Teachers College, Columbia University. He is a media enthusiast and assistant priest at St. Michael s Church. Find out more about Kyle at Volume 30, No. 2 23

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