00:13:49 Joe Swimmer: Good afternoon and welcome! Thanks for joining us for this session on faith formation in this moment and the future. We are pleased to partner with our friends from FORMA for this workshop. Please know we recognize that the experiences discussed in this workshop might not represent the breadth of experiences in all churches. However, we hope you garner insights that will spark conversation within your teams and leadership groups. We ask that you post your questions or comments in the CHAT feature here and our panel will try to get to them throughout the session. Please not use the Q/A feature for questions or comments. 00:13:53 Joe Swimmer: We invite you to put your name, parish name, and location in the CHAT for the benefit of our panelists. Finally, if your parish is not a member of Episcopal Parish Network, we invite you to join our work. Our 240+ members make programs like this one possible. More about membership can be learned by e-mailing us at info@episcopalparishes.org or https://episcopalparishes.org/epn-members. 00:14:18 Elizabeth Rees: Elizabeth Rees, Chaplain of St. Stephens’s St. Agnes School in Alexandria, VA 00:14:18 St. Paul's Episcopal Church: Hi! Rev Karen Joy Kelly, St. Paul's, St. Joseph MI 00:14:20 Caitlin Mallery: Caitlin Mallery, Christ Church Episcopal Kalispell MT 00:14:22 Kate Kennedy: Hi! Kate Kennedy from St Luke's Atlanta 00:14:22 Boykin Bell: Boykin Dunlap Bell, The Chapel of the Cross, Chapel Hill, NC. 00:14:22 Keli Shipley Cooper: Hello! Rev. Keli Shipley Cooper | St. Paul’s Episcopal Richmond, VA 00:14:25 Jennifer Deaton: Hello! Rev. Jennifer Deaton from St. Stephen’s, Indianola, MS and St. John’s, Leland, MS! Two tiny parishes! 00:14:26 Sarah Bentley Allred, she/her, Forma Convener: Hello friends!! 00:14:29 Beth Richardson (she/hers): Beth Richardson, St. James Episcopal Church, Keene, NH 00:14:31 Suz Cate: Suz Cate at Holy Trinity in Clemson, SC. 00:14:32 Teresa Phares (she/her): Teresa Phares from Diocese of Oklahoma 00:14:35 Laura King: St James’, Jackson, MS 00:14:37 Kathy S: Hello - Kathy Stump, Church of the Redeemer, Parkville, MO (near Kansas City) 00:14:37 Emma Mitchell: Emma Mitchell, Trinity Cathedral, Little Rock, AR 00:14:39 VHall: Vicki St. James' NYC 00:14:39 Martha Whitesides (she/her): Martha Whitesides, St. Timothy’s Episcopal, Greenville NC 00:14:42 staceypyne: Stacey Pyne, Church of the Holy Apostles, Wauconda, IL 00:14:43 Chris Fentress-Gannon (she/hers): Chris Fentress-Gannon, St. John’s in Plymouth, MI 00:14:45 Randolph(Randy) Smith: Randy Smith-Grece 00:14:45 Whitney (she/her/hers) DioMS: Whitney Robinson, Diocese of Mississippi 00:14:46 Natalie Smith: Hello! I am the Director of Children’s and Youth Ministry at St. James Episcopal Church in Fairhope, AL 00:14:47 Vikki Mitchell (she/her): Hello Vikki Mitchell St. Andrew's in the Pines in Peachtree City, GA 00:14:48 sarahtindall: Hello, 00:14:48 Jean Vinson: Rev. Jean Vinson from Emmanuel Episcopal in Franklin, VA 00:14:48 Trinity Church Towson: Rhetta Wiley, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, Towson MD 00:14:48 Grace Memorial: Alan Cowart, Grace Memorial, Lynchburg, Southwestern VA 00:14:49 Rev Wendy Huber: Rev Wendy Huber Rector St Peters of the Valley Episcopal Church Basalt CO 00:14:50 Rick Mason: hello, St. David's 00:14:51 Cindy Dodson: Cindy St. Mary's Ramona CA 00:14:52 Rich Nelson (he/him): Rev. Rich Nelson, Virginia Theological Seminary and Church of the Holy Cross in Virginia 00:14:53 Mona West: Dr. Mona West, St. David’s in Austin, TX 00:14:55 Sue Vogelman (she/her): Sue Vogelman, St. Stephen's Episcopal Ridgefield CT 00:14:56 Mees Tielens: Rev. Mees Tielens from St. Anna’s Antioch, CA 00:14:57 Katrina Leslie: Katrina Leslie | Trinity Church Boston | Boston, MA 00:14:59 Jessica Potter: Jessica Potter @ St. Peter's in Lewes, De 00:14:59 Laura Mielke: Laura Mielke, Montgomery, AL, Church of Ascension 00:15:00 Jerry Rutledge: Jerry Rutledge, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Mt. Lebanon, PA 00:15:01 Caitlin: Caitlin Bogert St John's Church Barrington RI 00:15:02 Advent in Crestwood MO: Advent & St. Thomas Deaf Churches in St. Louis, MO 00:15:02 Susan Bentley: Rev Susan Bentley, Roanoke, VA, Diocese of Southwestern Virginia. 00:15:03 Teresa Burke: Hello! Teresa Burke, Grace Episcopal, Galena, IL 00:15:03 Katherine Berry: Kathy Berry, Transfiguration Parish, Silver Spring, Maryland 00:15:07 sarahtindall: Hello everyone, 00:15:09 St Matts: Hi, Becky Vroman, St. Matthew's Episcopal, Grand Junction, CO 00:15:11 John French: Greetings. John French — Christ the King Episcopal Church, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 00:15:15 Cynthia Knapp: Rev. Cynthia Knapp Christ Church, Macon, GA. 00:15:18 Steve Wilson!: Steven Wilson, Saint Ann’s Episcopal, Old Lyme, CT 00:15:19 deb ganley: Deb Ganley, St. James, Keene, NH 00:15:25 Maxine Simpkin: Maxine Simpkin Parish of St. John the Evangelist Halifax Nova Scotia Canada 00:15:26 Kyle Lambelet (he/him): Greetings all! Kyle Lambelet from Candler School of Theology and Holy Cross Episcopal Church in Atlanta, GA. 00:15:29 Judith Blaisdell: Judy Blaisdell, Christ Church, Exeter, NH 00:15:30 Wilson Brown: The Rev. Wilson Brown, Rector. St. John's, Bedford, VA 00:15:33 Wallace Benton (he/him): Hey-o! Wallace Benton and Maggie Paul Baker from Virginia Theological Seminary 00:15:34 sarahtindall: Sarah Tindall 00:15:38 Larry Ehren: Hi….Rev. Larry Ehren from the Diocese of West Missouri. 00:15:39 Jolene Miller (she/her): Jolene Miller, Trinity Church-Toledo, OH, US 00:15:58 Megan Sheen: Megan Sheen St. John the Evangelist, Middle Sackville. NS 00:16:07 Bernadette Blong: Bernadette Blong, St. Dunstan 00:16:12 Diana Leiker: Arch Deacon Diana from partnership dioceses of WNY and NWPA 00:16:14 sarahtindall: St. Michael and All Angels Shamrock, Texas 00:16:19 Rachel Thomas (she/her) SE & SC Region Missionary: Rachel Thomas, Connecticut 00:16:22 Joe Swimmer: For those who just joined, we're glad you're here. Please post your questions or comments in CHAT box. Also, if you just joined, please post your name and parish/location in the chat! 00:16:22 Drew Massengale (he/him) - Memphis, TN: Hello! Drew Massengale, Minister to Children Church of the Holy Communion Episcopal Memphis, TN Bacon-wrapped asparagus 00:16:24 Lynn Farlin (she/her): Lynn Farlin, Diocese of Southern Virgina, Newport News VA 00:16:28 Chris Veillon (she/her): 👋 Rev. Chris Veillon, Westchester NY 00:16:31 Francene Young: Francene Young, The Iona School of Ministry, The Diocese of Texas 00:16:35 Corinne Bowmaker: Corinne Bowmaker, St. Bartholomew’s Church, Baltimore 00:16:38 Leslie: Leslie from St Peter's Episcopal in Londonderry NH 00:16:45 Jennifer Deaton: Stuffing with walnuts and apples! 00:16:48 Migdalia Hernandez: Migdalia Hernandez Christ Church, Dover,DE 00:16:58 Liz Moss: Liz Moss Lexington, VA, Grace Episcopal 00:16:59 Eric Travis - Trinity Cathedral, Cleveland: Eric Travis, Director of Children's & Youth Ministries, Trinity Cathedral, Cleveland, OH 00:17:00 Ed Milbrada: Ed Milbrada, St. Anne West Chester, OH 00:17:05 Sarah Stell (She/her): Hello! Sarah Stell, Director of Christian Education, St. Augustine’s Chapel in Nashville, TN 00:17:14 Brianna Kelly: Brianna Kelly - Christ Church Cathedral in Cincinnati OH 00:17:20 whitney altopp: The Rev.Whitney Altopp, rector, St. Stephen’s, Ridgefield, CT 00:17:23 Nanette Woodworth: Nanette Woodworth Grace Yorktown, VA 00:17:30 Gladys: Gladys Mitch, St. Matthew's, Wheeling, WV 00:17:37 Dawn Molloy: Dawn Molloy St. John’s Norwood in Chevy Chase, MD 00:17:51 Sr. Marcella, CMR: Sr. Marcella Taylor, Minister of Children’s Formation, Grace and St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Colorado Spring, CO 00:17:54 Kaileen Alston: Kaileen Alston - St. Paul's (Englewood, NJ) 00:18:17 Bonnie Bivins: Bonnie Bivins -Trinity Princeton, Diocese of NJ 00:18:23 Katherine: Katherine Doyle, Priest-in-Charge Emmanuel Episcopal Covington Va, St. Luke's Hot Springs Va and chaplain at Boys Home of Va 00:18:27 Judy Castellano: Judy Castellano - St John's North Guilford, CT 00:18:31 Rev. Stephen: Stephen Hagerty | St Johns (Ellicott City MD) 00:19:31 Harper Bathel: Hi all - Harper Bathel, St. Andrew's, Norfolk, VA 00:20:03 Leslie: Will the recording be available after the webinar? 00:22:14 Joe Swimmer: Yes. A recording will be available tomorrow on our website at episcopalparishes.org If you registered for the session, you will receive an e-mail with the link. 00:22:52 Ed Milbrada: It would be helpful if you could share the slides separately from the recording 00:29:25 Randolph(Randy) Smith: Randy Smith-Grace Episcopal Church-West Palm Beach-FL 00:33:45 Sarah Bentley Allred, she/her, Forma Convener: We invite your questions here in the chat! 00:34:41 Fr. Sadie: I’m at a small church, where almost all leadership and planning comes from the Vestry. How might youth and children’s voices be heard in planning in that structure? 00:36:12 Amy -- Ideation: I arrived to the webinar late so maybe you discussed this already, but I wrestle with the lectionary as an adequate teaching tool. Seasons, yes; week-to-week, no. If someone comes into church brand new to Christianity, the lectionary seldom offers a cohesive method of teaching it to them -- for any ages. 00:37:05 Ed Milbrada: The discussion seems to be focust on formation of youth. Can you discuss opportunities for formationfor adults outside a Sunday morning adult forum and a parish bible study. 00:37:48 Suz Cate: I love the energy that you all have about shifting into new understandings of formation. We are currently experiencing a good bit of frustration with trying to find those on ramps for formation. 00:38:29 Laura Mielke: This is speaking to what my heart has been looking forward to for some time. I just didn’t have the language. Great Job. So glad to be here. 00:38:48 Rev Wendy Huber: How do you recommend balancing— “i don 00:39:39 Joe Swimmer: We want your feedback. When the workshop ends, please complete a short survey found at: www.surveymonkey.com/r/M3ZX8ZG As a reminder, please post questions and comments in the CHAT feature. The panel will get to them as time permits after each group has spoken. Thanks again for joining. 00:40:02 Rev Wendy Huber: Balancing- “I don’t drive after dark”; working moms, kids in school, etc. time and space questions for small family sized congregations 00:43:48 Sarah Bentley Allred, she/her, Forma Convener: As a working parents, I’m more likely to commit to a six week formation opportunity than ongoing Sunday School or Bible Study. 00:44:50 Megan Sheen: During our summer worship, our minister took 5 minutes before the service began to discuss Anglican traditions. It was a big hit and we will be doing faith education again during lent. 00:45:40 Vikki Mitchell (she/her): We have problem getting our youth active due to sports. Is this common in your churches? 00:46:14 Sarah Bentley Allred, she/her, Forma Convener: Yes, @marvin, building upon the gifts and passion that the folks in your community bring! 00:46:20 Suz Cate: Vikki Mitchell—YES 00:47:07 Sarah Bentley Allred, she/her, Forma Convener: https://www.episcopalchurch.org/ministries/racial-reconciliation/beloved-community-storysharing/ 00:47:38 Rick Mason: YES 00:48:15 Sarah Bentley Allred, she/her, Forma Convener: I used to go to lunch with children and youth at their school (with permission from parents). 00:48:28 Drew Massengale (he/him) - Memphis, TN: One sociological buzzword floating around is "gameficiation" as a means of engagement in many aspects of life. Things like accruing points, elements of competition, rules of play, etc.. Do panelists have any thoughts on how this concept might apply in a healthy/constructive way to formation? 00:48:53 Sr. Marcella, CMR: Do bible lessons have a place anymore? Where/when is the teaching happening? 00:50:20 Sarah Bentley Allred, she/her, Forma Convener: https://www.forma.church/membership/ 00:50:31 Sarah Bentley Allred, she/her, Forma Convener: https://www.forma.church/2024-forma-conference/ 00:50:47 Wendy Claire Barrie: All Saints Pasadena has had youth with voice and vote on the vestry for 23 years. And—you can invite vestry members to a brainstorming session with children and youth, which is what we did frequently at Trinity. 00:52:14 Sarah Bentley Allred, she/her, Forma Convener: My favorite alternative to a playground is many comfy spaces around the church and multiple shelves with materials. Idea comes from Sylvia Mutia-Miller and this article. https://sgnsource.weebly.com/kids-in-worship.html 00:52:38 Mees Tielens: I’d be curious about your thoughts about bible literacy. Speaking of story sharing, I love all these shifts around what ‘counts’ as formation and where it can happen, but I also think bible literacy is important, in the sense of being grounded in God’s story. How can we do that within this more flexible approach to formation? 00:53:29 Kate Gould: I appreciate it. We have a mixed age prayground during our 10:30 service and it has been a bit of a trainwreck 00:54:16 Jennifer Deaton: Does forma have a cohort for people in very small parishes? We have 4 youth and 4 children. Our diocese is leaning into more peer support for lay and ordained leaders in small parishes, and I’m always eager to hear from other folks in very small parishes. 00:54:57 Drew Massengale (he/him) - Memphis, TN: Our "nave nook" prayground space has not received much attention since we implemented it this summer, possibly because it is somewhat removed from the rest of the congregation. 00:54:57 Vikki Mitchell (she/her): We had to change our toys for the children due to their abilities 00:55:23 Sarah Bentley Allred, she/her, Forma Convener: https://www.forma.church/2024-local-forma-conference-gatherings/ 00:56:07 Katy Denning (she/her): We have a pray-ground and we had no limits on age. Typically it’s a range from toddlers through middle school. Parents are invited to be there with their children during the liturgy. There is a volunteer who often tries to sit here to help the single parents (which is well over half or more of our young parents - even if they’re not solo parents most of the time, we have a lot of Sunday morning solo parents - which is also something that I think is a shifting trend over the last generation or so - that more and more in families, only one parent is engaged in being active in the church. 00:56:43 Wilson Brown: I'm not a Forma member. What kind of structure and events would I expect if I decided to participate in the Conference? 00:57:30 Kyle Lambelet (he/him): How are you all seeing spiritual direction used in your contexts? What opportunities and limits do you see with spiritual direction as a resource for formation? 00:58:25 Sarah Bentley Allred, she/her, Forma Convener: @Wilson - Here’s the Forma Conference Schedule. We also have all workshops and speakers on the website. https://www.forma.church/2024-forma-conference-schedule/ 00:59:34 Joe Swimmer: For those who have to leave us early, thanks for joining today. The conversation will continue with our panel for a bit longer. Please post questions and comments in the CHAT Thanks, again, to our panel for sharing their expertise about formation in this moment and the future. We appreciate them sharing about important and challenging topics around being church. We hope they have provided useful guidance and helpful insights for additional conversation in your church. And, again, thanks to our friends at FORMA for helping facilitate. 00:59:38 Joe Swimmer: Tomorrow you can find the recording of this session and related materials at: www.episcopalparishes.org/past-workshop-recordings/ There are additional digital workshops on endowment management, formation (with the Godly Play and Being With programs), and capital campaigns coming up in the next weeks. We hope you join us as you are available. You can see a list here: www.episcopalparishes.org/upcoming-workshops/ More workshops are added regularly. Finally, please join us for next year’s 39th Annual Conference in Houston from March 6-9. Early-bird registration is open at https://episcopalparishes.org/2024-annual-conference/ 00:59:44 Vikki Mitchell (she/her): Superbook is a great cartoon of the Bible stories 01:00:11 Cynthia Knapp: There are some great resources from Virginia Theological Seminary that we have started to use to supplement our Godly play program to have take home materials and a little more structure to the class as well as activities etc. for the teachers to use. 01:00:56 Ed Milbrada: With respect to the lectionary, another parish in our diocese has a discussion around the lectionary readings for the following Sunday so parishioners can go into the service better informed about what will be read and what it may mean. I've heard that the Rector has, more than once, incorporated learning from these discussions into her sermon. 01:01:32 Rev Wendy Huber: or “Episco-peeps” 01:02:13 David Lucey: Thank you all. Great Zoom meeting. Good luck at your FORMA meeting! 01:02:36 Larry Ehren: Concerning the Lectionary. In the congregation I serve, we have a Lectio Divina before the Liturgy that focuses on the Gospel of the day. Easy, low cost….and over time it changes and enriches lives. 01:03:24 Brianna Kelly: 👏👏👏 thanks for touching on the resistance to change 01:04:05 Brianna Kelly: it’s so lonely sometimes!!!! 01:04:10 Vikki Mitchell (she/her): My most difficulty with all formation is getting people safeguard trained for children and people 01:04:36 Sarah Bentley Allred, she/her, Forma Convener: @vikki I agree and it is so frustrating! 01:05:36 Wendy Claire Barrie: Shifting a culture takes SEVEN YEARS. 01:05:57 Eric Travis - Trinity Cathedral, Cleveland: The Safe Church modules are a lot easier to take. 01:07:28 Sarah Bentley Allred, she/her, Forma Convener: Want further conversation? Lifelong Learning offers Open Office Hours! 01:07:28 Sarah Bentley Allred, she/her, Forma Convener: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/christian-formation-discipleship-office-hours-registration-109192995188?aff=ebdsoporgprofile 01:07:46 Larry Ehren: Thank you for offering this! 01:07:54 St. Paul's Episcopal Church: Thank you all! 01:08:03 Joe Swimmer: Thanks to our panelists and to Sarah for moderating. Hope this was a helpful discussion for you and your ministry team. 

We look forward to welcoming you to additional workshops in December and January. 

And, please do join us in March in Houston. episcopalparishes.org. 01:08:16 Sarah Stell (She/her): Thank you so much! 01:08:24 John French: Will these chat comments be shared with the recording? 01:08:31 Drew Massengale (he/him) - Memphis, TN: Our whole Spring Programming model is in "chunk" form this year. As it happens, there are 4 three-week "chunks" that align (more or less) with our church's calendar - Jan 21-Feb 11, Feb 18-Mar 3, (Spring Break Mar 10 & 17), Apr 7-21, May 5-19 01:08:35 Joe Swimmer: We look forward to welcoming FORMA back to our workshop lineup! 01:08:39 whitney altopp: Thank you so much! 01:08:39 David: You all are a bunch of cowards by failing to answer my question posted in the Q&A. No wonder the church is failing. You will all be called to account for your cowardice. 01:08:46 Leslie: Thank you sp much for this webinar. I have taken away a lot to meditate on! I have had the pleasure of attending many of Sarah's webinar's since Covid, and always (!) learn something! (PS love your mug :) Blessings everyone. This too shall pass -- we're just doing what we know in a new way :) 01:08:52 Joe Swimmer: We will post the chat with the recording. 01:09:06 Joan Hill: Assume you will share the slide deck also?