Curriculum Connections – Featuring Curriculum Exploration!
Have you ever ordered a curriculum based on what you could see online – and then found that what was sent really didn’t meet your expectations? Then our workshop’s Curriculum Exploration Room is for you! Come and actually turn the pages on the lesson plans from more than a dozen different publishers, and comparison shop for the best materials for your church. In many cases, you’ll also be able to talk to folks who have used the curriculum before, and can explain how they made it work for them!
Do you want to bounce lesson plan ideas off your Faith Formation colleagues in a creative and welcoming space? Or do you want to share an idea that’s been successful at your church, and could work in other contexts? Then our workshop’s Discussion Groups are for you! Come meet Faith Formation specialists from across the Conference, share your ideas, and learn from others. Our Friday discussions will be broken out by target age group; so bring your thoughts and plans for Children’s Ministry, Youth Ministry, and Adult Education. Our Saturday breakout groups will be broken out by methodology, with free-wheeling discussions of Restarting Faith Formation post-lockdown, Multisensory Faith Formation, and Technology in Faith Formation.
We’re looking forward to hearing your questions, and seeing what everyone has to offer!
Can’t make it in person? A Zoom meeting will be held for online attendees, where you can connect and collaborate with remote colleagues and a list of the curriculum websites will be available to our online attendees.
Debbie Gline Allen is a Commissioned Minister of Christian Formation in the United Church of Christ and serves as a Minister of Faith Formation for the Southern New England Conference where she is the Director of its Faith Formation Leadership Training Program (www.sneucc.org/certification). She has previously served as the Minister of Christian Formation in five United Church of Christ congregations, and has served both the New Hampshire and (historic) Massachusetts Conferences on staff, as well as in a wide variety of Christian education and formation ministries. Debbie has written for three UCC-based curriculum resources, as well as having created materials for outdoor ministries. She has held leadership positions in the local, regional, and national settings of the Association of United Church Educators (www.auce-ucc.org), offering workshops and training opportunities throughout the country. Debbie lives in Derry, New Hampshire with her spouse, two sons, and beloved cat.
Rev. Marian R Plant, Ed.D: Marian has a B.A. Religion and Philosophy from Defiance College (OH), a M. Div. from Methodist Theological School in Ohio, and an Ed. D in Educational Psychology from Northern Illinois University (IL). She is a Certified Church Educator of the United Church of Christ, author of Faith Formation for Vital Congregations (Pilgrim Press, 2009) and co-author with Rev. David G. Plant of Surprise! Surprise! Surprise! Cycle A Gospel Sermons for Lent and Easter (CSS Publishing Company)
Rev. Dr. thom bower recently celebrated 20 years of ordained ministry. He has served the church in many ways: seminary professor, youth minister, custodian, and variety entertainer. He holds a doctorate in religious education, and is chair of the Board of Directors for the Association of United Church Educators (AUCE). In the past ten years his focus has been in interim and transitional ministries, currently serving as Transitional Pastor of Faith Mennonite Church in Minneapolis. In his spare time he likes to build LEGO castles and dreams of running away with the circus – again.
The Heartland Conference Faith Formation network connects, equips, educates, and inspires faith formation leaders in their work of nurturing disciples of Jesus Christ utilizing a framework called “Learn It, Live It, Share It!” Interested in learning more about the Faith Formation Network and how you can get involved? Contact the Conference Office at office@heartlanducc.org.
Learn it, Live It, Share It… is a dynamic and interactive approach to Christian faith formation developed in the Heartland Conference that engages the sacred texts of the Bible in their beauty and depth, calls forth a living out of God’s love, and invites others into the shared journey of discovery and discipleship. This transformational model is adaptable to many settings. It can change your life! Training for implementing this model is available throughout the year and is announced through the monthly Heartland Conference eNews and the weekly Fast Five (click here to sign up).
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Curriculum Resources
The best peer-reviewed faith formation curriculum resource listing available is that of the Association of United Church Educators (AUCE). Whether it is Faith Formation in the season of COVID 19 or anti-racism or in the family or youth ministry or just about anything else you might be looking for, this well-organized listing with links is a great place to start. Click here to find out more.
Association of United Church Educators (AUCE)
AUCE is a national voice that advocates for excellence in faith formation and education ministries in the United Church of Christ for people of all ages. As a network of collegiality and partnership it helps to broaden the scope and depth of faith formation and education ministries in the local, regional, and national settings of the United Church of Christ. AUCE is also organized regionally and you can find the Great Lakes Association of United Church Educators (GLAUCE) on their site as well, a group many faith formation folks in our Conference are connected with. Click here to find out more and explore membership with AUCE.
