A Message from Our President, Diane McGeoch

ATTENTIVE WAITING

As I write this, the Advent season is about to begin. We enter the new church year, with all its possibilities and promises. We also enter a time of waiting, for our Savior to be born, and for our continuing attention to this great gift. What new part of Advent might you experience during this season? Is there an aspect to the story that you haven’t discovered before? How can you help others explore the Advent promises and all that is to come in the other seasons of the church year?

We are all dedicating ourselves to the process of faith formation, whatever our roles in ministry. We empower others to see, hear, feel, and experience the gift of Christ in old and new ways. I am a retired deacon, and I volunteered this year to help with the Christmas pageant at my congregation. This is not something I’ve been involved in for several years. Our first rehearsal is happening soon, and I know I will be discovering new aspects of the story told through the children, youth, and adults who are participating. 

The telling and retelling of stories is at the heart of faith formation. What a gift to be present when someone is hearing the gospel story for the first time, or applying it to their life, or living into the promise of grace in a new way. The Christian Education Network exists to support the telling and retelling in all the ways that it happens, in all the places, and with the people who need to hear. The Board of Directors of the Christian Education Network voted at our meeting on October 30 to enter an intentional conversation with APCE – Association of Partners in Christian Education – about a partnership. This vote happened after months of prayerful conversations and discernment. We will work on a covenant with them - an agreement that will provide integration and clarity about our working together. As this covenant develops, we will have some question-and-answer sessions for members so we can learn more about them and this new relationship. Our future newsletter will include information about APCE and this process as it continues.

Our Board wants to continue our mission of supporting faith formation in the home and congregation, and supporting faith formation leaders as they conduct this work. We also want to provide for a stable and strong future for this work and honor our history as we move forward. We wait attentively for a new partnership to emerge, and trust that God is guiding us as we create something that will tell a new story. Each one of us, wherever we are serving, whatever our role, participates in this process of creation. All our gifts and callings will be needed as we continue our story telling.

Living into Advent hope with you, and looking forward to new stories,

Diane McGeoch

President

Christian Education Network of the ELCA

It is Will with My Soul

Attentive Waiting and Advent Resources

Handouts for Observing the Liturgical Seasons at Home was created during the pandemic for use at home and is a tool for practicing faith at home and learning more about each season of the church year. Each handout includes an introduction to the season or day, scripture passages, a reflection and prayer. As we begin the new church year and the new calendar year, the outlines can provide ideas for congregational and home use.

This free downloadable E-book is from Faith-Lead at Luther Seminary. Navigate A New Future helps leaders and ministry sites discuss the question: Where Do We Go from Here? Letting go of the old while bringing faithful practices into the future is a challenge that requires ongoing discernment. The E-book contains 5 simple practices of discernment to determine faithful steps.

Luther Seminary invites you to use the 2023 Advent devotional “Creator of the Stars at Night”. If you already subscribe to God Pause, you will receive a daily devotion during Advent. Authors of the Advent devotional are Jen Gruendler, Anna Marsh, and Mark Tranvik.

You can subscribe to the free God Pause daily devotions year round by clicking here.

Merry Christmas from the Board of the

Christian Education Netowrk of the ELCA!