Where To Find Resources for Episcopal Christian Educators

1. National Association for Episcopal Christian Education Directors (naeced.org). A low membership fee gives you access to a list serve which connects you to Episcopal Christian educators throughout the United States. To join, download the membership brochure from the NAECED web site. NAECED has recently met with our presiding bishop to discuss the importance of Christian education in the Episcopal Church and has written several position papers on resolutions presented at General Convention. Meetings are held annually at various locations around the country and are great opportunities to get ideas, review curricula, and network with other Christian educators.
2. Center for the Ministry of Teaching, Virginia Theological Seminary, Alexandria, Virginia (vts.edu/cmt). This is a lending library working to support and enrich Christian education in the Episcopal Church. The CMT publishes Episcopal Teacher magazine (free to you!). They also host periodic continuing education events, including an annual Vacation Bible School fair. See a complete review of VBS materials at http://www.vts.edu/ftpimages/95/misc/misc_52060.pdf. A curriculum specialist is always available for consultation at cmtcirc@vts.edu. You can get information on videos by emailing videos@vts.edu. A planning calendarfollowing the liturgical year is available at http://www.vts.edu/ftpimages/95/misc/misc_52022.pdf. The Master of Arts in Christian Education (MACE) degree program is also offered at Virginia seminary.
3. Episcopal Council for Christian Education (episcopalchurch.org/myp.htm). This is part of the Ministries With Young People cluster of the national church. Each province has a representative from ECCE. Our Province IV representatives are Ms. Jenny Beaumont (beaumontj@christchurchcharlotte.org) from the Diocese of Western North Carolina and Ms. Sarah Sartain (ssartain@dioala.org) from the Diocese of Alabama. Check out this website for many great resources including *free* lesson plans for small congregations. ECCE has also been very active at General Convention.
4. Theological Education for All (teforall.org) is from the Office of Ministry Development of the national church. This site has resources for Christian education from an Anglican perspective (scripture, tradition, reason), including how to put together learning plans, information on our seminaries, as well as a calendar of various ecumenical educational events.
   
5. Episcopal Life Online (http://www.episcopal-life.org) has lots of news and information about The Episcopal Church, including weekly educational bulletin inserts.
   
6. Forward Movement (www.forwardmovement.org) publishes Forward Day-by-Day and provides resources on their website.
   
7. Church Publishing Group. (http://www.churchpublishing.org) distributes prayer books, hymnals and a wide variety of other Episcopal publications. For a thorough review of curricula used in the Episcopal Church, see CPI's curriculum overview chart at http://www.churchpublishing.org/media/2008CurriculumOverview.pdf.
   
8. Candlepress (candlepress.com) provides resources for Episcopal families with young children to develop faith in the home, including ideas for learning about baptism, Eucharist, liturgical seasons and more!
9. Called to Teach and Learn, this is acatechetical guide for resource development, curriculum choices, and visioning Christian education, spiritual formation, and any learning opportunity in the Episcopal Church. It is available for purchase ($10) at http://www.episcopalbookstore.org or it can be downloaded for free at http://www.episcopalchurch.org/myp in the "Educators" section.
10. National Association of Episcopal Resource Centers, (http://www.noerc.org) supports lifelong learning in our dioceses with materials, consultations, workshops, and training events.

Curricula by Category

Episcopal Curricula

Confirmation

Adult

A People Called Episcopalians, by John Westerhoff, http://www.amazon.com/People-Called-Episcopalians-Introduction-Peculiar/dp/0819219495

The Discovery Series, The Episcopal Diocese of Texas, http://www.epicenter.org/edot/Discovery_Series.asp

Living Water: Baptism as a Way of Life, Klara Tammany, http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?r=1&ean=9780898693621

Young Adults

The Seekers, Rick Brewer, http://www.leaderresources.org/theseekers

Youth

Confirm Not Conform, www.confirmnotconform.com

I Believe:, http://www.leaderresources.org/Ibelieve

I Will With God's Help, Marylee Wile, http://www.livingthegoodnews.com/ep_confirmation.htm

Keeping the Promise, Andrew Parker, http://www.amazon.com/Keeping-Promise-Mentoring-Confirmation-Church-Mentors/dp/081924113X

My Faith, My Life, Jenifer Gamber, http://www.myfaithmylife.org

Middle School

Grow in Grace, http://www.morehousepublishing.org

Youth and Adult

The New Episcopal Way, Carl G. Carloz, http://www.amazon.com/New-Episcopal-Way-Classroom-Independent/dp/0819241024

Sealed and Sent Forth, http://www.leaderresources.org/sealedandsentforth

Children's Chapel/Worship Bulletin

Celebrate the Good News, http://www.livingthegoodnews.com/ep_celebrate.htm

The Sunday Paper, www.the-sunday-paper.com

Nursery

Godly Play, http://www.godlyplay.org

Let the Children Come, http://www.livingthegoodnews.com

Children

All Things New, http://www.livingthegoodnews.com/allthingsnew.htm

Beulah Land, www.beulahenterprises.org

Episcopal Children's Curriculum, http://www.livingthegoodnews.com/ecc.htm

Godly Play, http://www.godlyplay.org

My Episcopal Faith, http://www.livingthegoodnews.com/ep_myepiscopalfaith.htm

Seedlings, www.seedlingsinc.com

Workshop Cycles, http://www.leaderresources.org/workshopcycles

Youth

Episcopal Curriculum for Younger Youth, http://www.livingthegoodnews.com/ecy.htm

Episcopal Curriculum for Older Youth, http://www.livingthegoodnews.com/ecy.htm

Journey to Adulthood, http://www.leaderresources.org/j2a

KidText (middle school), www.educationalcenter.org

Making it Real and Relevant, www.seespiritgrow.com

TeenText (high school), www.educationalcenter.org

Young Adults

The Seekers, Rick Brewer, http://www.leaderresources.org/theseekers

Adults

The Adult Journey, http://www.leaderresources.org/adultjourney

BibleWorkbench, www.bibleworkbench.com

Disciples of Christ in Community, www.cathedral.org/cathedral/programs/docc.shtml

The Discovery Series, http://www.epicenter.org/edot/Discovery_Series.asp

Education for Ministry, http://www.sewanee.edu/EFM/index.htm

Emmaus, www.morehousepublishing.org

Journey in Faith, http://www.leaderresources.org/journeyinfaith

LifeCycles, LeaderResources, http://www.leaderresources.org

The New Church's Teaching Series, http://www.leaderresources.org/newchurchsteaching

Practically Christian, http://www.leaderresources.org/practicallychristian

Synthesis CE, www.synthesispub.com

Transforming Literature of the Bible, www.cathedral.org/cathedral/programs/tlb.shtml

Venture Series, http://www.leaderresources.org

Via Media, www.everyvoice.net

All Ages/Intergenerational

Essential Ministries Toolkit, http://www.leaderresources.org/ministrytoolkit

Lesson Plans for Small Congregations (free!), www.ecusa.anglican.org/50534_ENG_HTM.htm

Living the Good News, http://www.livingthegoodnews.com/ep_intergenerational.htm

Other Recommended Curricula (may need to be modified before use)

Adults

Alpha (Independent), www.alpha.org

Disciple (Methodist), www.cokesbury.com/disciple

Kerygma (ecumenical/largely Presbyterian), www.kerygma.com

The Thoughtful Christian (Presbyterian), www.thoughtfulchristian.com

Children's Chapel/Worship Bulletins

Children's Bible Activities (Independent), http://www.bibleactivities.com

Children's Sermon Series (Reformed), http://logosproductions.com

Children

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (Roman Catholic), http://www.cgsusa.org

Live B.I.G. (Methodist), http://www.cokesbury.com/Pdf/Curriculum/Samples/44327T.pdf

Mustard Seed Series (nondenominational), http://www.leaderresources.org/mustardseed

One Room Sunday School (Methodist), http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/curriculum.aspx?sid=124

Workshop Rotation Sunday School (ecumenical), http://www.rotation.org

All Ages

Akaloo (Lutheran), www.akaloo.org

Bible-in-Life (with Anglican supplement), David C. Cook, www.cookministries.com/curriculum/davidccook

Gather Round (Mennonite), http://www.gatherround.org

Seasons of the Spirit (ecumenical), www.spiritseasons.com

Our Whole Lives (addressing human sexuality) (Unitarian/United Church of Christ), www.uua.org/religiouseducation/curricula/ourwhole

Recommended Vacation Bible School Curricula

Aslan on the Move, http://www.leaderresources.org/aslanisonthemove

Bible Adventures: Sharing the Good News, http://www.networks.united-church.ca/bibleadventures

Jerusalem Marketplace Holy Land Adventure (Group Publishing), http://www.group.com/vbs

Listen Up! Messages from God (Mennonite), http://www.mph.org/vbs

Pilgrimage: Seeking the Kingdom of God, http://www.leaderresources.org/pilgrimage

Rainforest Adventure (Augsburg Fortress), http://www.thevbsplace.org

Walk it Out: Together in the Way of Jesus, http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/DynamicContent.aspx?pageid=411&id=67

Wizards and Wonders, A Hero's Journey with Harry Potter, http://www.leaderresources.org/wizardsandwonders