On New Years Eve I was invited to a Contra Dancing
party. I looked it up online, where I
learned it was folk dancing. I wanted to
do something for the holiday, but I hemmed and hawed as I thought about
strangers, and dancing dances I don’t know with strangers, and a place I have
never been. Finally I chose to go, but I
took my own car in case I wanted to leave.
I began the evening making Mr. Darcy jokes, but like he, I soon had a change of heart. In the end, I loved it. I discovered I already knew people there, and
I met new people. To participate you have to work together with friends and
strangers. You have to truly connect with other
dancers. That Contra dance was a blessing
to my well-being and my spirit and laid to waste all that time I had spent debating
whether to go. Maybe you have been there. Maybe there is a group you think about but hold back. Maybe your reasoning is solid. In the meantime, consider this.
One of the best horizontal networks in the Episcopal Church
is FORMA. Once known as NAECED (National
Association of Episcopal Christian Education Directors) in the last 5 years it
has reshaped itself to meet the contemporary needs of Episcopal leaders serving
in lifelong formation. Similarly the
ecumenical Western Christian Educators Conference has evolved into PNEUMA to
nurture anyone serving in lifelong formation.
FORMA comes from the Latin `to shape’ and so to does PNEUMA referring to
the breath of God that fills our service.
I am a long term member with
FORMA and on the planning board for PNEUMA, and both are invaluable to
my ministry of formation with all ages.
The most important part of the membership and conferences
are the connections. There is not a
single person serving in this diocese who is serving alone. There are hundreds of fellow servants
wondering about program and insurance and planning and teaching and pastoring. Everyday on the FORMA Facebook page and list
serve there are colleagues who are asking the question you just thought of, and
others you have but have never put words to.
These connections become resources in themselves. People to lean on when the life of ministry
is challenging and ideas to copy when your creative feet grow weary. The PNEUMA conference offers the particular
gift of an ecumenical connection. It is
incredibly easy to get stuck in our own denominational dance clubs and group
think. The ecumenical dimension helps us
to discover that our brothers and sisters are often trying the same dances, and
sometimes they have discovered ways to flow that we have missed.
Last summer I encouraged a friend and new formation minister
to apply for the lifelong ministry certificate with FORMA. He says ” The FORMA conference is an
incredible occasion to meet youth workers and learn what others are doing on a church
wide level. The vast amount of knowledge and expertise at available through
FORMA has allowed me to make incredible connections with formation workers
across the international Episcopal church."
I have said it elsewhere, and I will repeat myself. FORMA membership is the best money any congregation
can spend to support anyone who teaches or supervises or baptizes or nurtures
in the Episcopal church. Period. This is an association of ‘those who get
stuff done’ and some of the hardest working and most helpful people in our life
together. The PNEUMA conference on the
other hand offers nurture for those who nurture, and a colleague network that
shares the experience of proclamation in the Western USA. Furthermore the Province 8 Youth Ministry
network meets concurrently with PNEUMA, and has substantial scholarship funds
available to support your participation. Take the time and commit the resources to a more connected formation ministry. Join the dance!
To become a FORMA member visit
www.episcoforma.org.
Our next conference is in January 2016 in
Philadelphia.
To learn more about the PNEUMA Conference visit
www.pneumaconference.com . Our next
conference is this October at the Bishop’s Ranch near Santa Rosa,
California.
It will feature congregational systems and diversity expert Eric Law.
And the Sonoma wine country. Which isn't as good as Washington Wine country, but it ain't bad.
