Pre-Events
- Human Growth and
Faith Development - Presbyterians Organized in
Nurture and Teaching (POINT) - Presbyterian Youth Workers’ Association (PYWA)
Our Truth in a Time of Transition: Telling and Hearing our Stories
PCUSA Educator Certification Hybrid Course: Human Growth and Faith Development
led by Rebecca L. Davis
Dates: January 4-31, 2021 (Asynchronous @ Home)
January 29-February 3, 2021 (Synchronous via Zoom)
See syllabus for details
Registration Fee: For Certification Credit ($150) or for Continuing Education only ($100)
Registration Deadline: December 15
Minimum number of 6 participants
This intensive course will explore historical and contemporary theories of human psychological, sociological and faith development. Participants will apply these theories to teaching people of all ages in the church. Theories for human and faith development and their application will be organized around the significant movements of the Christian Life from Baptism to Confirmation to Resurrection.
Led by Rebecca L. Davis, a Minister of the Word and Sacrament and a Certified Christian Educator in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Before being appointed to the faculty of Union Presbyterian Seminary on the Charlotte Campus, she served as Associate Professor of Religion and the Director of the Christian Education Program at Presbyterian College in Clinton, South Carolina.
Presbyterians Organized in Nurture and Teaching (POINT) led by Katie Snyder
Free
Choose One:
• POINT Training A: Monday February 1, 2021 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
• POINT Training B: Tuesday February 2, 2021 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
The same training is offered on two different days to give you some flexibility. At this training, you will learn about our new multiage children’s curriculum, Growing in God’s Love: A Story Bible Curriculum, and our new curriculum for the whole church, Follow Me: Biblical Practices for Faithful Living, coming in the summer of 2021. We will show you new and faithful books that will help you in your ministry and others that will be great for adult studies. We will also look at new and upcoming books from everyone’s favorite children’s picture book publisher Flyaway Books!
Are you a POINT Member or Partner? Not sure? Learn more here and decide what is right for you. Partners and Members are both welcome to attend this free training.
Led by Katie Snyder, a certified Christian educator working for the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation, as curriculum specialist and POINT Coordinator.
Presbyterian Youth Workers’ Association (PYWA)
Our Truth in a Time of Transition: Telling and Hearing our Stories
Led by Christian Brooks, Shannon Guse, Brian Kuhn, and Christy Williams
Additional fee required
Date: Tuesday, February 2, 2021 11:30 am – 5:00 pm
We were living in a time that felt very uncertain and polarized before the COVID19 pandemic. New realities of life have only added to questions about what the future looks like, how we are responding to competing narratives, and where God is in all of it. This pre-event will help youth workers engage with the stories that every youth and family bring into the church with the hope of setting the stage for greater understanding of the self, others, and the Holy. The event will focus on mental health and social justice.
Christian Brooks, MDiv, MS is the Representative for Domestic Issues at the Office of Public Witness in Washington, DC. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Pittsburgh, a Master of Divinity from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, and a Master of Science in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University.
Shannon Guse is a former middle and high school health teacher who has been working with youth at Faith Presbyterian Church in Tallahassee, FL, for approximately 15 years. She loves reading young adult novels that capture the quirkiness of teenagers and uses books as a way to tackle the tough issues that teenagers face.
Brian Kuhn, MA, LPC is the Executives Director of PYWA and a 20-year youth and family ministry veteran. He is also a Licensed Professional Counselor specializing in adolescences and families. He has written curriculums and training on suicide awareness and prevention for faith communities: Soul Shop for Youth, Soul Shop for Youth Workers, Soul Shop for Campus Ministry, and Soul Shop for Campus Ministry Leaders.
Dr. Christy Williams, D. Ed. Min., MACE, has been the director of Christian Education at First Presbyterian Church of Tallahassee, FL, for 31 years! She has also worked at Montreat Conference Center as an adjunct staff person for the Alpha weeks of the youth conferences for 12 years. Christy has written youth curriculum resources for her local Presbytery camp, the denomination, and her church.