Tag Archives: The Episcopal Church

Mondays with the Editors

February 25, 2019Books Worth Reading, Discipleship, Jesus, ResourcesChristian formation, Church Publishing Incorporated, Episcopal Church in Connecticut, Forma, Mondays with the Editors, podcasts, resources, The Episcopal ChurchSharon Ely Pearson

Church Publishing Incorporated’s editorial team now has a Monday Facebook posting (around 9:00am ET) entitled “Mondays with the Editors.” So every three weeks or so I’ll have a post there (which in the past I would have written here). Follow CPI on Facebook to keep up with me and my colleagues to see what inspires us. These were my recent posts:

Going Beyond Books (12/10/18)

As Advent begins, it has become my tradition to review what has occurred over the past year, including projects worked on and events that have impacted my life. I gather favorite photos, remember trips taken, and the joys and challenges that have gone before. I begin to write my family’s annual Christmas letter which has become a way of my husband and I to reflect and give thanks. As an editor who has had the privilege of caring for the words of others that will be shared in the form of a published work, I am grateful that is role has taken me on a journey with so many, learning their story as well as developing collegial relationships and sometimes building upon friendships that began long before a book was even a dream.

Such is the memory from November, in which I was honored to “vest” Jenifer Gamber as she was ordained to the transitional diaconate at Washington National Cathedral. I was a friend and colleague long before co-writing (Call on Me) and editing (My Faith, My Lifeand Your Faith, Your Life). And to my joy, many other Christian formation friends also attended; that’s what we do––show up at life’s moments to support one another. And so now I have another photo to remind me of how grateful I am to have friends that I also get to “work” with; women who lead the way in helping make the Church (and the world) a better place. Alongside Jenifer, Wendy Claire Barrie (Faith at Home: A Handbook for Cautiously Christian Parents), and Emily Slichter Given (Building Faith Brick by Brick Iand II) together we have celebrated many milestones in our lives. Being their editor is just icing on the cake, being a friend is what I value most.

Continue reading Mondays with the Editors →

Racial Healing, Justice, and Reconciliation

February 19, 2019Books Worth Reading, Discipleship, ResourcesAbsalom Jones Center for Racial Healing, Catherine Meeks, Debbie Irving, Episcopal Church in Connecticut, Kelly Brown Douglas, racial reconciliation, resources, The Episcopal Church, white privilegeSharon Ely Pearson

2018 slid into 2019 quickly with my New Year’s resolution to post here more often quickly was an instant failure. Yes, it’s been awhile (almost seven months!) since I’ve posted here. But those of you who follow me on Facebook or Twitter (plus Pinterest and Instagram (where “I’m still a newbie”) know that I’m still around, active in a variety of ways. So over the next few days I’ll try to make up for that with a snapshot of projects and recaps that I’ve been busy with since last fall – lots of links to resources and articles to come!

Racial Healing, Justice, and Reconciliation

I am now in my third year of a term on the Episcopal Church in Connecticut’s (ECCT) Mission Council (aka diocesan Executive Council). As part of our work stemming from a 2017 diocesan resolution and following Presiding Bishop Michael Curry’s initiative of Racial Reconciliation as part of The Jesus Movement, I have been on a team that has helped kick off a two-year Season of Racial Healing, Justice, and Reconciliation in ECCT. For our quarterly gatherings we have held conversations, read books and articles, and shared personal stories. Continue reading Racial Healing, Justice, and Reconciliation →

The Work Ahead

August 18, 2017Children's Ministries, Curriculum, Discipleship, ResourcesAbsalom Jones, Charlottesville, Christian education, Harriet Tubman, Jonathan Daniels, Jr., lectionary, Martin Luther King, Michael Curry, Race, racism, Sojourner Truth, teaching tolerance, The Episcopal ChurchSharon Ely Pearson

All this week I have been bookmarking articles and resources that have appeared on my news feeds and social media. I wanted to share a curated list of materials that Christian educators and families can use as we attempt to move forward in constructive ways following the neo-nazi and white supremacist violence that occurred in Charlottesville, Virginia on Friday, August 11, 2017.

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry released a video message this afternoon to respond to the continuing rhetoric, violence, and outrage that continues to fester. He asks, “Where do we go from here?” Do we feed chaos or do we build community? He acknowledges the work that is ahead of us, but reminds us that we do have a way – and The Way is to follow Jesus. That is the work that remains ahead of us.

So, I am called to return to my liturgical tradition to see what resources might inform our current times, knowing that there is more to be done than reading a book or teaching a Sunday School lesson. Continue reading The Work Ahead →

Christian Education in The Episcopal Church: A Brief History

February 15, 2016Adult Formation, Christianity, Curriculum, General Convention, ResourcesCharter for Lifelong Christian Formation, Children's Charter for the Church, Christian education, Church Publishing Incorporated, DFMS, Forward Movement, Seabury Series, The Episcopal ChurchSharon Ely Pearson

The following is an entry I contributed to “The Encyclopedia of Christian Education” ed. George Thomas Kurian and Mark A. Lamport (Rowman & LIttlefield) that was published in 2015. This three volume set is a comprehensive resource of 1,200 entries by 400 contributors that most likely can be found in a theological library or institution. I also wrote entries for “Fund for Theological Education,” “Denominational Publishing,” “Ecumenical Publishing,” and “Division of Christian Education for the National Council of Churches.” My hope is that this gives those of you who work in Christian educational ministries in the Episcopal Church some context into the roots and history of education from our denomination.

The Episcopal Church is rooted in a history of preparing individuals for proclaiming the gospel locally and internationally since it was established in 1789 as an American denomination. The creation of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society in 1835 had led to the establishment of a Board of Missions and then, later in the century, A General Board of Religious Education and a Joint Commission on Social Service. In 1919, the General Convention directed the Presiding Bishop and Council to administer and carry on the missionary, education, and social work of the Church, building upon the corporate model of business that much of America was following. Continue reading Christian Education in The Episcopal Church: A Brief History →

How The Episcopal Church Can Learn from Forma

January 30, 2016Mission, On the Road Again, Resources, The Church, Thoughts & Ramblingscertification, Forma, The Episcopal ChurchSharon Ely Pearson

FormaGroup2016 I have just returned from the 19th Annual Forma Conference in Philadelphia, and it occurs to me that our Church can learn much from how this organization for Christian Formation leaders in The Episcopal Church has been behaving lately.

We’re always hearing about the decline in church membership, the “graying” of those in the pews, and younger generations who are choosing to stay away – preferring to be “spiritual” rather than “religious.” These past few days in Philadelphia gave me time to reflect on what was different (and exciting) as I listened, watched, and rejoiced in what was going on all around me.

First, a little history. Most of my adult vocation has been in Christian education on a parish, diocesan, or church-wide level. I’ve seen decline in church attendance, alongside the budget cuts of formation positions (and education funding) on all church levels. I’ve been a Forma member almost since its inception (which began in 1997 as NAECED – the National Association of Episcopal Christian Education Directors), joining when I was a part-time Church School Coordinator.

200202021058050 — Forma Leadership in 2002 in New Orleans

I’ve been to at least 15 NAECED/Forma conferences, with my first one in New Orleans in 2002. There were about 40 people present and all our sessions were together in a small hotel conference room. We were all women (with maybe two men), mostly lay folk, and most involved in children’s ministries. And we were aging – just like the church in general. We did not represent the diversity that exists in our communities. As years (and annual conferences) went by I was beginning to wonder if there was a future generation to follow in my footsteps, or if the vocation of Christian education was to go the way of the dodo bird (and maybe organized religion). Continue reading How The Episcopal Church Can Learn from Forma →

Rows of Sharon

Thoughts of a Christian Educator