By the Rev. Carolyn Peterson, Discipleship Pastor at First UMC of Olympia, WA
When I first started out as a volunteer Sunday school superintendent which quickly led to being the Christian education coordinator, I didn’t have a clue about where to begin, what to do it with, or who to help me. I would have loved to have connected to someone on the internet or Googled Christian Education 101 or sent out pleas on my Facebook page!
Today, I bask in the sunshine of a group known as CEF – Christians engaged in faith formation. The group is a collective of people just like me who want to share ideas and learn from one another. You can check them out on www.cefumc.org.
An even better idea would be to attend their bi-ennial conference, held this year in October in the mecca of Country Music, Nashville, TN. It is a fabulous experience: networking with people across the United States, learning and gathering resources from myriads of folks who have been at it for awhile or have new ideas, or simply enjoying the energy and adventure of being with others in the ministry.
AND, even if you aren’t a country music fan, the opening night dinner is in the Country Music Hall of fame, and who wouldn’t want to see Elvis’ pink Cadillac or Reba’s favorite dress?
