Episcopal Church Foundation Vestry Papers - for leading congregations

The kick-off for our fall Christian formation program was the most successful in years. Thirty adults sat in folding chairs to discuss Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s profound question, “What is church?” Another forty children from nursery age to senior high gathered in different classrooms for Sunday school.

Of course, numbers for the first Sunday don’t always hold through the fall, but I’m betting the momentum will build rather than slack. We didn’t change the core of the formation program. It’s still fifty minutes of Bible-based lessons. But the newly formed Christian formation commission made several key tweaks. 

• First, there was a commission. Involving more people in the planning increased the number of stakeholders. And they encouraged their friends and family to stay after the 10 am service for Sunday school.
• The rector and the commission increased the number of teachers for each class. Now three to four adults rotate as teachers for each class. This creates more stakeholders—and more people (kids and adults) staying for formation.
• The commission also added a new class for preschool children. This hands-on “wonder worship” offers developmentally appropriate formation beyond nursery care—and enables parents to participate in their own class.
• A week earlier, the formation commission sponsored Sundae Sunday, scooping up ice cream and all the fixin’s to generate excitement for the start of the program year.
• For the adult class, the (very) part-time Christian formation director held a quick meeting in August to discuss possible curriculums. Then she made the group decide, increasing their investment in the final selection.
• We also added a bell ringing to signal that the classes were beginning. We don’t have a lot of space in our building, so the adult class is held at one end of the fellowship hall. And our folks like to be social, so it was hard to have a clear start to the class. The bell is a gentle way to move people from coffee hour to Sunday school.

We haven’t solved the challenges of Christian formation. And none of these are a panacea. But each thoughtful decision contributes to a fruitful environment, one that encourages people to see formation as an important part of their Christian life. 

What are you doing this fall to support Christian education? Share your successes!