Continuing Education
Certificate in Lifelong Formation
This certificate program by Forma and Virginia Theological Seminary is offered over the course of an academic year with courses taught by both VTS professors and practitioners in the field. The content will reflect formation across the whole lifespan with the flexibility to tailor learning to your specific ministry context and growth areas. Learning happens in community, and so our courses will be a mixture of online asynchronous and synchronous work as well as an onsite residency at VTS. For more information, visit here. Deadline to register for the 2024-2025 cohort is May 1.
Yale Divinity School Certificate in Youth Ministry Leadership
Youth ministry practitioners engaged in this program from the Youth Ministry Institute at Yale Divinity School will gather for education and networking in a cohort-based model for learning. Together, the group will read important literature, hear from the nation’s leading scholars and talk together about three key topics:
- Leadership Theory in Church Organizations (10 weeks)
- Theological and Spiritual Care for Youth (8 weeks)
- Empowerment, Liberation, and Justice Work with Youth (8 weeks)
This program is entirely online and includes both synchronous and asynchronous components. It consists of pre-recorded lectures and one live Zoom discussion per week. There will be an optional on-campus gathering at the end of the course. For more information, visit here. Deadline to register for the 2024-2025 cohort is May 15.
Faith Formation Leaders Training
This six-session blended (synchronous and asynchronous) course from Pathways for Baptismal Living by Bexley Seabury prepares participants to teach and form God's people. This includes understanding the rudiments of formation from an Episcopal theological view, choosing a curriculum, understanding faith development, program planning (geared specifically to baptism and confirmation prep), and more. Each week, participants will engage in independent study, asynchronous reflection prompts, and live web conversations to gain comfort and confidence in developing and leading formational offerings across a variety of contexts of ministry. This training can fulfill the canonical requirements for a Catechist license, with the support of a bishop. Stay tuned for information about the next cohort. Learn more about the course here.
