Photo by Samantha Borges on Unsplash

The Southern New England Conference’s Faith Formation Leadership Program is undergoing similar types of shifts and changes as are happening in the church. While the classes were being offered via Zoom two years before the pandemic, duplicate sessions at an on-site location were also offered in order to allow students the opportunity to network and form collegial connections with their faith formation and youth ministry peers. 

As of 2022, it became clear that, while face-to-face connections are valuable, online learning is more convenient, time-efficient, and in most ways just as effective as on-site learning. And having now mastered teaching and learning via Zoom for almost four years, the program continues to offer high quality learning opportunities for faith formation & youth ministry leaders and clergy. So the decision has been made to to offer this program completely online. And with this decision, classes can now be offered to those outside of the Southern New England Conference.  

With the help of the national UCC Weekly News Digest’s article on our program, there are now students registered from Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, New York, and New Hampshire, as well as from the Southern New England Conference's own Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut congregations.

You are invited to register for the spring semester of classes taught by highly qualified and experienced instructors, who present their topics while addressing adaptations for faith formation and youth ministries in these pandemic times. 

Classes offered in the next few months are:

Exploring Curriculum & Digital Resources
February 5, 2022
Instructors:  Debbie Gline Allen, C.M.C.F. and Rev. Jennifer Mazur

Engaging Our Sacred Scripture’s Story
February 26, 2022
Instructor:  Rev. Don Remick 

Exploring the United Church of Christ — Our History, Our Beliefs, Our Identity
March 26, 2022
Instructor:  Rev. Dr. Audrey Price
* Does not meet UCC ordination requirements.

Boundary Awareness for Faith Formation and Youth Ministry Leaders
April 2, 2022
Instructor:  Rev. Greg Morisse
* Does not fulfill the Boundary Awareness requirement for clergy.
* Registration deadline: March 28, 2022 to receive & read pre-class assignment

Serving Together — Mission for All Ages
April 9, 2022
Instructor:  Rev. Kevin Weikel

Students of all backgrounds are welcome — lay leaders, local church staff, authorized ministers — with the option of selecting the specific class or classes desired, or choosing to take all five to work toward the total of twelve classes for certification in faith formation and/or youth ministries. Each class session is offered on a Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

A rolling registration is offered in order that participants may begin with any class, but must register at least two days before the class session unless otherwise noted. 

Register today to start making connections; honing and adapting ministry skills with best practices, models, and resources; and igniting a passion for lifelong faith formation.