Greetings! As we head into the fall season, you may be blessing the new school year, holding rally days and celebrations, and looking to the program year ahead of engaging all ages in faith-formation opportunities. In the PC(USA) we recognize Sept. 10 as the beginning of Christian Formation Celebration Week, and during this week or whenever you celebrate, we pray for all those leading us into new expressions of faith formation and life together. This quarterly newsletter keeps you updated on new and seasonal resources and training opportunities. Don’t miss out on our fall grant to receive copies of the newest FlyAway book, Psalms of Wonder, for your households! Each book will also include a beautiful parent guide from our partners at Presbyterian Publishing. This book bundle is offered in English and Spanish. Small churches and worshiping communities are especially encouraged to apply for this grant. We continue to look for ways to engage faith formation at home. We are thrilled to share the news that we have received a $1.25 million grant from Lilly Endowment, Inc. as part of their initiative for Christian Parenting and Caregiving Initiative.
We have an offer of this new children's book for FREE to support at-home faith formation with children! Think creatively about how you can reach young children and their guardians. Both English and Spanish 10-book bundles available. You may choose one or both.
Deadline to apply is Oct. 15. The books will ship in November.
Take a look at the cohorts being offered for leaders this fall in partnership with APCE, PYWA, POAMN, and UKIRK. Cohorts will begin the week of Oct. 9. Registration closes Sept. 15.
Opportunity to connect, share, and learn with the Office of Christian Formation staff and formation leaders around a different topic each month with an option of two meeting times. Click button below for monthly topics, registration link, and resources shared in past months. Sept. 14 at 1 p.m. Eastern; the topic will be Advent Resources.
PCCCA (Presbyterian Church Camp and Conference Association) Annual conference that seeks to address the needs of outdoor ministry leaders from across the United States and Canada. “Building Bridges – Connecting Communities” Conference at Ferncliff Camp & Conference Center (Little Rock, Arkansas) Nov. 13-17, 2023. More information here.
APCE (Association of Partners in Christian Education) Annual Event to take place in St. Louis at Union Station Hotel Jan. 24-27, 2024. The event theme is “Come all who are thirsty.” Registration opens in October. Look here for more information.
Curriculum Update from PPC
New Follow Me Units Available this October—Preorder Now • Do Not Fear – Ideal for Advent, in this unit participants will learn that whatever trials befall us, we can remember that we are created for faith, not fear. • Worship God – In this unit, participants will learn that worship is the primary way to follow Jesus and emphasizes that the worship actions we do together regularly shape us to be people following Jesus in the world. • Comfort Those Who Mourn - In this unit, participants will learn that as we nurture our ability to comfort others, it is equally important to be in touch with how we grieve. New Children’s Books from Flyaway Books From a fabulous crab who learns that being himself is the best way to shine, to the story of a young boy who learns through confronting his anxiety that there is inherent value in simply offering our best, to a gorgeously illustrated collection of Psalms (also available in Spanish!), the new picture books coming out this fall are sure to enhance your ministry. Preorder or order today! New for Advent In Stay Awhile, pastor Kara Eidson presents a banquet table of inspiration for Advent, including weekly reflections for personal and small-group use, brief daily devotions, and ideas to involve the whole congregation. Congregational resources include liturgies, sermon starters, children’s moments, and even a no-rehearsals-needed Christmas pageant. Learn more and preorder today!
Season of Peace is Sept. 3-Oct. 1, 2023. This four-week pilgrimage is designed to deepen the pursuit of peace for congregations, families and individuals. Downloadable resources for participants.
Evangelism Sunday is Sept. 17. These resources are for use with all ages and in a wide range of contexts from personal devotion to community engagement to small groups or Sunday morning worship. Some of these resources directly address evangelism through the Matthew 25 vision.
Educate a Child, Transform the World a churchwide initiative to improve the quality of public education for children in the U.S. and globally. Check out the resources in the Educate a Child toolkit.
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Migration Accompaniment MinistriesLook here for humanitarian response to and advocacy on behalf of refugees, asylum seekers and other forced migrants. Refugee Ministry: Welcoming Guide is a resource guide for congregations.
From despair to hope:
Mobilizing your church to end gun violence an article from the Presbyterian Outlook.
The Office of Public Witness is the public policy information and advocacy office. Its task is to advocate, and help the church to advocate, the social witness perspectives and policies of the Presbyterian General Assembly.
Christian Formation Week Resources: Christian Formation Week is Sept. 10-16. Resources to help celebrate starting a new school year, new programs, and commissioning formation leaders. Included are blessing of the backpacks, Bible presentation, worship liturgy, at-home resources, and intergenerational event.
Christian Formation Week Begins Sept. 10 with resources here and a news article about how some churches are celebrating.
Faith Formation Leader Connection Monthly Resource Zoom Sept. 14 at 1 p.m. Eastern: The topic will be Advent Resources. October’s topic is Training Leaders. Registration information here.
POAMN Fall Conference Sept. 14 and 15: Join the Presbyterian Older Adult Ministries Network in Grosse Ile Township, Michigan, around the theme of Walking in New Shoes. See details and register here.
Peace & Global Witness Sunday Oct. 1: 25% of this offering to congregations, mid councils retain 25% and 50% used by Presbyterian Mission Agency to advocate for peace and justice in cultures of violence through collaborative projects of education and Christian witness.
Young Adult Advocacy Conference Oct. 20-22 in Louisville, Kentucky.The fall conference is being offered free to college students, seminarians and other young adults. Learn more and register here.
PCCCA Annual Conference Nov. 13-17: Outdoor Ministry leaders will gather around the theme of “Building Bridges – Connecting Communities” at Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center in Little Rock Arkansas. See details and register here.
APCE Annual Event Jan. 24-27, 2024: The Association of Partners in Christian Education will gather for its annual event in St. Louis with the theme “Come All Who Are Thirsty.” Learn more here. Registration will open in early October.
Fernclipse: Solar Eclipse Intergenerational Event April 6 -9, 2024: Join the Office of Christian Formation and Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center in Little Rock, Arkansas, for this special intergenerational event. Learn more here and save your spot.
Presbyterian Mission Agency, 100 Witherspoon Street, Lousiville, KY
