A rally cry for lifelong formation

Office of Christian Formation offers resources

October 14, 2024

The theme of “bee-longing” energizes the start of the Christian formation year at Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church in Severna Park, Maryland, in 2023. (Contributed photo)

The PC(USA)’s Office of Christian Formation has collected and updated resources for congregations of all sizes wishing to mark Christian Formation Week, which was designated Sept. 8–14 but can be celebrated anytime.

Covenant Presbyterian Church celebrates Rally Day with a Sunday School Kickoff during the Christian Formation hour, which includes breakfast, a few energizers and singing before teaching teams and children meet and explore the classrooms. Adults remain in the fellowship hall to learn about opportunities for adult education and discipleship at the Activities Fair.

In worship, major milestones are honored with Bibles for second graders and T-shirts for sixth graders as they move up to the “Youth Division.” After church, people of all ages gather for a picnic potluck, crafts and games. “We are using the resources on the Christian Formation webpage as a way to dream of new ways to celebrate our traditions,” said Watson, who pointed out how helpful the resources were in planning for intergenerational connections. “We will be including conversation starters at our tables to build intergenerational conversation on Rally Day!”

For JoAnne Sharp, director of Faith Formation at Hodges Boulevard Presbyterian Church in Jacksonville, Florida, the first week of September is a time “to remind the folks that faith formation is a lifelong process that doesn’t end at confirmation or graduation from high school.” Over her career as a Christian educator, Sharp has seen the traditions and patterns of the church change in regard to Sunday school and how formation is approached.

“It is hard to get people to let go of the old language of Rally Day,” said Sharp, who explained how the term worked “when society rallied at the end of summer to start the new program year.” Now, Sharp acknowledges the church attendance trends and “the struggle to see families more than twice a month during the program year.” Currently, Hodges Boulevard Presbyterian Church doesn’t have a dedicated faith formation time on Sundays, so there is no promotion to new classes as part of Christian Formation Week. But Sharp pointed out there are still ways to recruit and honor participants through recognizing volunteer leaders during worship and hosting a “covered dish brunch with ministry teams’ information booths.” The church has renamed the occasion “Celebration Sunday,” and will use the Office of Christian Formation’s QuickSheet with recommended liturgy and worship for the occasion.

Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church in Severna Park, Maryland, celebrates the return to Christian formation programming with “puppet parables” in worship. (Photo by Kat Green).

“Balloons may or may not be involved on Celebration Sunday as folks are coming into worship. Confetti will not be in play, nor glitter!” said Sharp.

Recently, the PC(USA)’s Office of Christian Formation hosted an online community circle focused on listening to the needs of small churches. “So often in a small church you feel like resources for Rally Day don’t fit because you feel you aren’t kicking off something,” said Sandy Safford, a Christian educator and commissioned lay pastor. In her work as a consultant and coach in Denver Presbytery, Safford encourages leaders to adapt resources to scale and to take their time with launches. One leader shared that in her church of fewer than 75 members, they don’t try to bless the backpacks, commission the new teachers and throw a launch party all on the same Sunday. Instead, they space each of these special celebrations out over August and September.

Safford said that small churches tend to be “community-oriented” and recommends that small neighboring churches rally together to host such an event for the community.

Miatta Wilson, associate for the Office of Christian Education, is hopeful for what may come from the rallying cry that came out of the 226th General Assembly (2024) that approved a resolution to research and develop curriculum and resources in the small church context (CF-01). The Office of Christian Formation has already compiled existing small church resources and looks forward to adding more.

Beth Waltemath, Communications Strategist, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

Today’s Focus: Christian Formation Week

Let us join in prayer for:

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Chenoa Stock, Mission co-worker serving in Peru, World Mission, Presbyterian Mission Agency 
Rebecca Storti, Director, Meetings & Special Events, Board of Pensions 

Let us pray

Gracious God, we plant and water the seeds, but you alone give the growth to our mission and outreach projects. Keep us faithful in our work in your vineyard that our labors may bear fruit and we may help others grow in the knowledge of your love and grace. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.