AE Online –

The APCE Annual Event Online

January 24-27, 2024

Register today!

2021 Virtual Event zoom picture of some attendees

Corporation Meeting Documents

Worship bulletins

Awards Dinner Program

About the

Annual Event Online

(AE Online)

AE Online grew out of necessity in 2021, when the COVID-19 pandemic made it impossible for us to offer an in-person event. It was offered entirely online, and was very well received. From that point on, we have been building and growing our Online version of the Annual Event, and 2024 promises to be the best one yet!

Worship and Plenary Sessions

You can expect amazing online worship experiences as well as engaging and thought- and action-promoting plenary sessions. The worship and plenary leaders will also visit the online studio for an exclusive “chat” with our online hosts and online audience.

Pre-Events

Begin your AE Online experience on Tuesday or on Wednesday morning with one of our hybrid Pre-Events.

Educational Technology Through the Church Year

Tuesday, 9:00am – 4:00pm
How can educational technologies help us deepen faith and create space for the in-breaking of the Holy Spirit? Which technologies should we use? How do we integrate them into our ongoing ministries? How do we decide between distance, hybrid and in-person teaching? Let’s explore these questions, a host of educational technologies, and sharpen our skills with a hands-on project. Choose a day or season in the liturgical year and bring an idea for creating an experience to enrich faith. We’ll spend the morning learning and practicing educational technologies as you work on your own project. A two-hour break mid-day will allow time for lunch, continued personal work on your idea, and coaching. We’ll finish out the afternoon by sharing our work and learning from one another. Bring your computer, your ideas, and your sense of possibility and let’s see what we can create together.
Available in hybrid format to in-person and AE Online participants.
This Pre-event is underwritten by the Center for Excellence in Christian Education at Union Presbyterian Seminary.
Fee: $25

Creating a Culture of Lifelong Faith

Wednesday, 8:30am – 1:00pm
Learn how to create a church culture that nurtures a vibrant and vital faith in all ages and generations – for a lifetime. The workshop presents the vision, practices, and tools leaders can use to create initiatives that build a culture of lifelong learning and faith formation in their church. Discover how to create and implement a lifelong blueprint for your church.
Fee: $55

Instructor: John Roberto
John Roberto has spent a lifetime working in Christian faith formation—teaching, writing, researching, and consulting. He founded Lifelong Faith Associates in 2006 to continue his work. His latest publication is Lifelong Faith: Formation for All Ages and Generations (Church Publishing 2022). His earlier books include Faith Formation with a New Generation, Families at the Center of Faith Formation, Seasons of Adult Faith Formation, Reimagining Faith Formation for the 21st Century, and Generations Together.

Workshops

AE Online 2024 features more hybrid workshops than ever! You will be able to join five workshops from the 22 hybrid workshops offered during the Annual Event and have access to the video recordings of all 18 following the Annual Event.
New this year, especially for “seasoned” and retired educators – an in-depth Bible study offered across blocks A, C, D, and E. If you are looking for personal development more than professional development, you’ll want to sign-up for this workshop.

Each day, there will be times on the Annual Event Online schedule called “Live in Studio”. Here’s a summary of what conversations with leaders will be held and when they will happen.

Wednesday, Jan. 24

2 pm – Welcome, Making the Most of Your Annual Event Online Experience and Guest Mark Yaconelli

5 min after Plenary 1 – Rev Cedric Portis

Thursday, Jan. 25

8 am – Morning Welcome, Day In Review and Guest Rev Melanie Marsh

5 min after Plenary 2 – Guests 2024 Annual Event Co-Chairs, Jon Brown and Mich Phillips

Friday, Jan. 26

9 am – Morning Welcome, Day in Review and Guests Beth Mueller and Hugh Donnelly

5 min after Worship – Guests Rev Philip Doeschot and Rev Stephanie Doeschot

Saturday, Jan. 27

8:45 am – Morning Welcome and Day in Review

5 min after Worship – Guests 2025 Annual Event Co-Chairs, Tatayana Richardson and Jaime Staehle

The Hosts for the Annual Event Online

The Annual Event Online (AE Online) is more than just live streamed and recorded bits and pieces of an in-person conference. It is an opportunity to connect with others who are participating online, and to have unique interactions with the leadership of this Annual Event, hosted by fellow Faith Formation colleagues.

Emily Heeg

AE Online Host

Anna Sheetz

AE Online Host

Patty Arcia

Host, AE Online en Español

Emily Heeg is the Executive Director of Operations and Faith Formation at Riverside Presbyterian Church in Jacksonville Florida. Emily’s family includes her husband, Paul, her three sons ages 23, 21 and 16, and 2 greyhound dogs. Emily is excited to be a part of the Annual Event Online team and looks forward to being with the online community during the conference.

Anna Sheetz is the Director of Christian Education at the First Presbyterian Church of Iowa City in Iowa City, Iowa. Anna’s family includes her husband Layne, 5 year old Oliver, and 2 year old Emily. She loves to hike, kayak, bike, or generally be out in God’s good creation! She is excited for her first year on the Annual Event Team and looks forward to serving the online community to the best of her abilities and gifts.

Patty Arcia is the Director of Outreach at Myers Park Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. Patty says, “It’s so joyful to share successes and challenges with people in your same roles, but it’s even better to be able to do it in your native language! APCE is one of my favorite events for the possibility to connect, learn and grow in ministry. Having a Spanish online APCE event is even more exciting, as it would allow more of us Hispanic/Latinx leaders to engage with one another.”

AE Online Schedule

Plan now to join us Tuesday – Saturday! AE Online includes exclusive interviews with our preachers and other leaders. If you want to see who is being interviewed when, just click on the words “Live in Studio” each time they appear.