Adult Formation
Formation doesn't stop once a Christian ages out of Sunday school, vacation Bible school or youth group. A wealth of resources are available for adults looking to deepen their biblical knowledge, learn a new spiritual discipline, or find some comfort and inspiration. We've collected a handful of our favorites below.
Find adult formation opportunities at churches
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SACRED GROUND FACILITATORS TRAINING
Who:
- People who have taken Sacred Ground and want to gain skills and support around facilitating Sacred Ground
- Experienced Facilitators who want to gain more insight and best practices
What:
- Three 90 minute sessions
- Opportunity to share the framework of Sacred Ground, share discussion questions and themes for each week, integrate “tools” to help participants move to action, integrate spiritual practices to ground the work in our faith and life
When:
- June 30, July 7, July 14, 7-8:30 p.m., or
- August 8, 13, 22, 7-8:30 p.m.
SACRED GROUND DIOCESAN GROUP
Have you wanted to offer Sacred Ground for your church but wanted to experience it first? This is your chance to experience the program. With this program, we want to equip facilitators to begin groups in the fall.
Who:
- People who have not taken Sacred Ground and may want to facilitate
- People who want to explore their faith and racial justice
What:
- 10 biweekly, 90-minute sessions
- Readings, two core books, and film and spiritual practices
The two core books for the class are "Waking Up White” by Debby Irving and "Jesus and the Disinherited" by Howard Thurman. If you need the Diocese to order these books for you, please tell us which books you need in the registration form.
When:
- Every other Wednesday, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., beginning July 13 (July 13, 27, August 10, 24; September 7, 21; October 5, 19; November 2, 9 [two weeks back to back])
EDUCATION FOR MINISTRY (EfM)
Education for Ministry is a four-year theological education program which familiarizes individuals with the foundation of the Christian faith and teaches them how to interpret and express that faith in daily life. EfM groups exits throughout the Diocese and usually meet in churches. Most new groups come together each fall, but a few groups begin in January.
For more information, please e-mail Marcia Moore, EfM Coordinator for the Diocese of North Carolina.
BIBLE STUDIES WITH BISHOP SAM
Browse the collection of Bishop Sam's monthly Bible studies with special guests. (And follow us on Facebook so you can watch future installments live!)
FEAST DAY VIDEOS
Browse the collection of Bishop Sam's meditations on feast days.
VIDEO CURRICULA
The online media library of the Short Courses for Adult Christian Formation, created by the former School of Ministry, has been moved to a new platform. Nine programs, comprised of more than 35 individual videos varying in length from 5 minutes to 25 minutes, are available. All include facilitators' guides for leading discussions of each program.
GO SPEAK: RECONCILIATION EDITION
Go Speak is a program introduced in this diocese in 2014. The people who have participated in Go Speak have found it to be valuable, not only because they told their own stories, but because they heard others’ stories of faith. This is evangelism at its best!
Knowing the power of this process, and recognizing our church’s priority to engage in acts of racial reconciliation, a second deck of cards—Go Speak: Reconciliation Edition—was created in response to requests from across the Diocese. Using these cards will help us to speak out of our own experiences as we respond to our Christian call “to act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God.” (Micah 6:8)
Learn more about Go Speak and download a deck.
VIBRANT FAITH
Vibrant Faith is an organization with a team of passionate, ecumenical ministry leaders on a mission to explore the changing landscape of faith formation in the hearts of people today. Vibrant Faith provides resources in several different areas: action research, training, and digital strategy.
BUILDING FAITH
Building Faith is a free website that offers practical resources for ministry with children, youth, and adults. You’ll find articles, advice, reviews, features, and resources for Christian formation with people of all ages. They are here to serve you, as you make and form disciples of Jesus Christ.
Building Faith is a resource of the Center for the Ministry of Teaching (CMT) at Virginia Theological Seminary.
FORMA
Forma is an association and dynamic community of Christian educators, formation professionals, and their institutional partners that celebrates and upholds the diverse ministries of Christian formation across the Episcopal Church. You can join and participate in this network for idea-sharing with Episcopal Christian educators and formation personnel across all ministries of the Church, including children, youth, young adults, adults, chaplaincies, camp and conference centers, resources centers, seminaries, publishers, and more.
LIVING COMPASS
Living Compass grounded in Scripture and the tradition of the Church, is a faith-based wellness ministry that provides resources, coaching, education, training, and support to individuals, families, and congregations as they seek to live the abundant life God intends for them.
CURSILLO
Cursillo in the Diocese of NC is an Episcopal movement under the direction of our Bishop. The goal of Cursillo is "to change the world, to remake the world in Christ and to restore all things to Christ," beginning with our own environments. (Notice the deliberate parallel with the Catechism statements on the purpose of ‘the church’ on pages 1012-1013 in BCP.) The Three-Day Weekend introduces the strategy of Cursillo – a structure or a backbone for Christian life in every environment. The Fourth Day represents the ways that we continue to support each other in living that Christian life and it consists of Group Reunion (small group), Ultreya (an area wide gathering), Spiritual Direction, and Communities in Action. These things are the heart of the movement.
Typically, a person attends a weekend first and then joins a small group but many people first join a small group. The weekend itself is usually held at a local church to keep costs low. The weekend is full of both instruction, inspiration, and fun!
Learn more and find upcoming events:
Missioner for Adult and Life-long Formation
