“People may not be leaving religion behind as much as they are changing what being religious means,” the Rev. Dr. Kenda Creasy Dean told a group of 125 leaders of camp and conference centers affiliated with the Campfire Collective as part of the annual conference of the Presbyterian Church Camp and Conference Association (PCCCA).
“I wish we could talk about voting and politics, because my mom says we are not allowed to,” first grader McKinley said when asked, “If you could talk about anything around the table, what topics would you choose?” on the “Around the Table” podcast.
“Expressions of Older Adult Ministry,” a new online resource created by Presbyterian Older Adult Ministries Network in partnership with the Office of Christian Formation, got a rollout last week during an informational and inspirational webinar attended by nearly 50 people.
gathering will be held in Memphis, Tennessee, and online from Jan. 29-Feb. 1. This year’s theme is “Wrestling with God and Church Toward a More Beloved Community.”
What does it mean to belong? This question has sparked discussions across churches and denominations and among Brené Brown readers for the past decade.
According to the “belonging wheel” by Dr. Erik Carter, professor of Special Education at Baylor University and director of the Baylor Center on Disabilities, 10 essential components comprise a sense of belonging: feelings that you are heard, befriended, needed, loved, present, invited, welcomed, known, accepted and supported.
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.
With the start of the new school year, churches often reimagine how to focus on Christian formation. For some churches with dedicated times for classes and small groups, this may mean a big celebration; for others, it may mean an intentional space in worship and special decorations during fellowship time. No matter what the size of the program or the celebration may be, there is a shared sense of the renewal made possible through the Christian life.
September is a month where “we begin new things, restart or reconnect in our small churches,” said Sandy Safford, a Christian educator and commissioned lay pastor who recently served a small church for 10 years.
As summer comes to an end and schools resume, young adults transition again between communities of formation — the homes and churches that raised them and the universities and vocational programs that promise to continue their growth.
The hosts of the “Around the Table” podcast, the Rev. Michelle Thomas-Bush and the Rev. Cliff Haddox, recently turned to a pair of grandparents to share their wisdom on holding meaningful and helpful conversations with young people. Listen to their 46-minute conversation with the Rev. Robert Hay Sr. and the Rev. Dr. Sarah Reyes Gibbs here.
