LifelongFaith: 2008 Summer Seminar Program, Multiple locations

Providing knowledge, skills, tools and resources needed to make faith formation in Christian practices an essential element in your church's faith formation effort.

Seminar Description:

• Explore the theology and approaches for lifelong faith formation in Christian practices.
• Discover how to equip families and households at every stage of life to learn and live the Christian faith at home through sixteen Christian practices.
• Experience a blend of presentations, discussion, reflection, application, and hands-on experiences using the new Christian practices resources for home and church created by LifelongFaith Associates.

Topics:

• Topic 1: A Theological Vision of Faith Formation in Christian Practices
• Topic 2: An Experience of Formation in Christian Practices: A Laboratory Experience of Eduction for Christian practices
• Topic 3: Application of a Christian Practices Approach to Lifelong Fath Formation: Models, Resources, and Strategies for Home and Church

Staff:

Each seminar is staffed by a team of three people:

1. One guest presenter: Susan Briehl (St. Paul) and Don Richter (San Francisco and Chicago) from The Valparaiso Project on the Education and Formation of People in Faith (Farmington, CT site to be announced)
2. One author from the new Christian practices resources: Jim Merhaut, Joyce Kelleher, and Mary Carol Kendzia
3. John Roberto, project coordinator (all four sites)

All Inclusive Price $375

• tuition
• 2 nights lodging
• 6 meals
• program materials

Commuter Price $300

• tuition
• 6 meals
• program materials

Dates and Sites:

June 23 - 25
San Francisco, CA
Mercy Center

June 30 - July 2
Chicago IL
Cenacle Retreat Center

July 8 - 10
Farmington, CT
Calvary Retreat Center

June 21 - 23
St. Paul, MN
Benedictine Center

For additional information or to register please visit: http://www.lifelongfaith.com/

Godly Play, Youth Formation, and Lifelong Christian Development Summer Conference, Berkeley CA

Souls Young and Old, at Play and in Story
Godly Play, Youth Formation, and Lifelong Christian Development Summer Conference
Monday, July 14 – Friday, July 18, 2008

This unique conference brings together scholars and religious leaders – lay and ordained – to learn from one another about how experience, reflection, and story shape Christian life and formation throughout our lives. The conference offers a unique opportunity to—
• Learn from speakers and instructors from all over the world who will help deepen and enhance our understanding of lifelong spiritual development.
• Broaden the community of religious educators who draw on various approaches to using narrative, story, image, and play in their ministries.
• Learn applications of Godly Play, youth ministry, and other forms of Christian formation across different age groups and contexts.
• Provide certification, continuing education and advanced training for Godly Play practitioners, youth formation leaders, and directors of religious education.

Each day, participants will gather for worship, hear a plenary talk from and participate in discussion with a significant Christian scholar or leader, share lunch together, and take afternoon classes focused on specific training and enrichment for ministry. The week culminates with a lunch banquet and closing worship.

Participants are encouraged to register for the entire conference, to get the fullest benefit of this rich interactive educational experience and to form new collaborative friendships. However, it is also possible to attend half of the conference, for those only wishing to attend the morning plenary sessions or seeking specific training in the afternoon classes.

This Conference launches our second annual joint summer session for continuing education at Church Divinity School of the Pacific and the Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary. The Conference is co-sponsored by The Godly Play Foundation, Godly Play Resources, Living the Good News, Episcopal Ministries with Young People, and various communities and individuals of the Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.

Registration fees:
After June 2, 2008
Full conference (a.m. and p.m. sessions,
daily lunch) $600 $650
Half conference (a.m. only or p.m. only) $310 $340
Single Plenary $100 $100
Godly Play Teacher Accreditation Training
Certification Fee $ 50

Housing at CDSP is available at a reduced weekly rate. Contact cfurlong@cdsp.edu. Be sure to mention you are attending the Godly Play conference.

Visit http://cdsp.edu/center_summer.php for additional information.

Basic J2A Institute, Atlanta GA

This three-day event is open to all youth leaders and/or coordinators. It is a great way to start a new program or a new year. You'll leave with lots of new ideas and a planned calendar for the entire year. Our sessions will take place at St. Luke's Episcopal Church (http://www.stlukesatlanta.org/) in Atlanta, GA - church and hotel are less than a 1/2 mile from a MARTA (railway) stop.

Tuition/Materials/Meals = $375 per person ($350 for others from the same church)

Reserve your spot TODAY or call 240-483-4139 for more info!

Network of Biblical Storytellers Festival Gathering: "Who are you? Face to Face with the Mystery"

    
The 21st Annual Festival Gathering at Simpsonwood Retreat and Conference Center, Norcross, Georgia will be held August 6-9, 2008 with keynoter Miriam Therese Winter, professor of liturgy, worhsip, spirituality and feminist studies at Hartford Seminary, Hartford CT

For more information or to register online visit www.nobs.org

Godly Play Accreditation, Jacksonville FL

Save the Date!!
Godly Play Teacher Accreditation
All Saints Episcopal Church
Jacksonville, Florida

For more information:
Angela Atkins
904-993-1894 or angelaatkins@mac.com

www.godlyplay.org

Compressed J2A Institute, Chicago IL

This is another basic level J2A Institute open to all youth leaders in any role. We will be meeting and staying at the Retreat Center at University of St. Mary-on-the-Lake Seminary in Mundelein, IL - about 30 miles north of downtown Chicago. The time will be a little more compressed because of tagging onto the Province V Whose Church is it Anyway? Conference for Adults who work with Children & Youth being held in that same location and beginning on August 22nd. This annual event hosted by the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago offers a wealth of workshops, keynote speakers and time to interact with some of the best educators in the Midwest so you can get more bang for your buck -- travel once, but get double the experience!

Tuition/Materials/Meals = $295 per person ($275 for others from the same church)

Reserve your spot TODAY or call 240-483-4139 for more info!

For more info about the "Whose Church is it Anyway" Conference, please contact Courtenay Smith - 312-751-4206 or csmith@episcopalchicago.org.

Godly Play Accreditation Training and Workshop, San Antonio TX

Godly Play Accrediation Training and Workshop
St. Mark's Episcopal Church, San Antonio Texas

Cost: $360
Saturday workshop only: $75

For additional information contact Elaine Enloe at elaineenloe@yahoo.com or eenloe@stmarks-sa.org, or call at 210-226-2426.

Catechists course for 3-6 year old children, Mount Rainier MD

This level I course is designed to attune participants to the religious life of 3-6 year old children and to provide specific methods and materials to foster that life.

Individuals may take the course as participants or auditors.

Participants are preparing to be catechists. They spend time after each lecture practicing with materials and preparing a catechists's album.

Auditors are interested parents, pastors, teachers, or religious educators who attend the lecture and presentation of materials only.

Classes are held at:
Christian Family Montessori School
3628 Rhode Island Avenue
Mount Rainier, MD 20712

Course Dates:

Sept. 20, 2008
Oct. 11, 2008
Nov. 8, 2008
Dec. 6, 2008
Jan. 10, 2009
Feb. 7, 2009
March 7, 2009
April 4, 2009
May 2, 2009
June 6, 2009

For more information, vist www.cctheo.org

Level II, 6-9 year old Workshop, Mount Rainier MD

Using 3-6 year-old atrium materials with 6-9 year-olds.
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

During the transition to establishing a 6-9 atrium, catechists can successfully adapt 3-6 materials for use with older children. This workshop explores ways to meet the 6-9 year-olds needs within the 3-6 atrium.

For more information, visit www.cctheo.org

Western Christian Educators' Conference, Lake Tahoe CA

Professional Christian educators, Sunday school teachers and others
committed to Christian formation won't want to miss the 10/12-15 Western
Christian Educator's Conference at beautiful Zephyr Point Conference
Center in Lake Tahoe. A cooperative venture between NAECED, APCE
(Presbyterian) and AUCE (United Church of Christ) educators, this
annual conference features excellent speakers, presenters and musicians;
a lively diverse crowd of educators and publishers; and all at a
spectacular Lake Tahoe location (fly into Reno, Sacramento or San
Francisco). Early (discount) registration closes this July 1; download
forms and more information at
http://www.lessonsfromtheshepherd.com/wcec.htm

Advanced J2A Institute, Atlanta GA

For several years, Leader Resources has heard many unique questions and concerns from their most experienced J2A users, so they have created a special Advanced Institute. You must have at least 5 years experience with the J2A program in order to register for this event. This Institute will focus on helping experienced users enhance their J2A experience, revitalize their program, re-vision the pilgrimage, explore ways to work with older youth (especially focused on ideasto create a successful YAC program) and address the specific challenges of your church.

Hosted by Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, with hotel rooms available at Holiday Inn. The church and the hotel are both about 1/4 mile from the Decatur MARTA station.

Tuition/Materials/Meals = $375 per person ($350 for others from the same church)

Reserve your spot TODAY or call 240-483-4139 for more info!