By:
“For centuries the church has faced difficult situations with great integrity and faithfulness. We are people of faith—not fear. Let us join together in faith to sustain thoughtful and equitable ways to address the current crisis and to support and meet the needs of our congregations and governing bodies as we provide for the shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the children of God for the glory of God.” (From the Advocacy Statement of 2010, see the complete statement at the APCENET.ORG Website)
APCE was begun to help train educators and to advocate for education and educators. We have a wonderful history of advocacy for education and educators. (Read our history on the website—apcenet.org.) In 2010 at the Annual Event we, the members of APCE, passed an Advocacy Statement for education and educators. A presbytery I know has affirmed this statement. We have used the statement in worship and published it in our journal and on the website. What more can we do to hold up advocacy for and with educators and education in the church?
All of us know educators who have been let go or their hours cut back to help balance the budgets of struggling churches, judicatories and denominations. These are difficult economic times. We all suffer as we hear these stories. Education is not valued. The answer seems to be that we can get our education from the Internet and don’t need educational specialists. Many presbyteries, including my own, have given up resource centers—not retooled, but given up providing help by resourcing congregations. We embrace the Internet and social media as good ways of learning. The computer lab is a wonderful way to learn about the Bible and mission and more when combined with good software and a good teacher. We cannot expect the Internet to be the teacher, but the tool. Could we use computers and social media to teach better? Sure, and you might help us think how this will be done.
We expect vibrant and healthy educational ministries. Our church history affirms our value of education. Calvin was an educator. Might we begin to talk about what this means today in our churches, governing bodies and denominations? Could we engage in conversation on Facebook to explore this dilemma?
The Advocacy Statement is a beginning as we search how to hold up education and the educators who value the educational ministry of the church through the continued employment of trained Christian educators in the congregations and governing bodies. We value all educators, professional and volunteer, experienced and novice, lay and clergy in the church and expect that the Annual Event is one way to train educators. Could the Website be another way to offer training? We commit to you that we will continue to offer programs of the highest quality. Your input is important. How else can we help education and educators?
Meet APCE’s president: Jeanne Payne McIver
Member of APCE for 30 years
APCE Cabinet 2005-10
- Membership, Advocacy and Scholarship Chair 2008-2010
- Life Achievement Award winner 2007
- President Elect 2010-11
- GLAPCE regional representative 2005-2010
- GLAPCE president, Lamp Award winner in 2000
Education and Certification
- BS in Education and Vocational Home Economics from Ohio State University 1961
- Studied at McCormick, PSCE, and Princeton for Certification
- Certified Associate 1987 and Certified Educator 1999
- Princeton Seminary Certificate in Youth and Theology
Work History
- Prior to Christian Education–High School Home Economics teacher and Pre-School teacher
- Presbyterian Educator at Sidney First, Dayton Westminster, Dayton Fairmont in Ohio and first retired in 2005 from full time employment
- Part time director of the Presbytery Resource Center
- Retired from Southminster Presbyterian in Dayton summer of 2010
- Currently volunteer director of the Learning Resource Center at Southminster
Other
- Montreat Small Group Leader for Youth Conference
- Montreat Christian Education Conference Workshop leader
- Curriculum Writer for PCUSA—Covenant People and WE Believe Workshop
- Workshop Rotation Workshop leader at APCE events and across the country
Family
- Widow of Guy H. McIver, Presbyterian Pastor
- Mother of four grown children and grandmother to eight children, from ages 30 to 8
Interests
- Reading in many genre especially history, religion and family stories
- I love books (and my Kindle)
- Travel, cooking/eating, music, OSU football, grandchildren’s activities
- Staying close to family and friends
- Learning about and on the computer
Jeanne McIver Retired church educator Jeanne McIver is now the volunteer director of the Learning Resource Center at Southminster Presbytery in Dayton, OH.