The Family Ministry Training will be offered in an online format on Fridays, September 13, 20, 27, and October 4, 11, and 25 (skipping the week of the 18th), 12-2pm EST / 11-1pm CST / 10am-12pm MST / 9am-11am PST. The training is open to individuals and staff teams are encouraged to register together for a team discount. The training will be led by Kathy Smith, CRE-Advance Level and Rev. Samaya Oakley. Registration is limited to 20 participants and the fee is $250 for individuals, $225/person for teams of 2-3, and $200/person for teams of 4 or more. The registration deadline is September 6, 2024.

Module Requirements

The Family Ministry Training is an online learning experience comprised of six two-and-a-half-hour webinars with reading and other assignments for each session. Credit will be offered for full participation in the module. Full participation includes:

• Online attendance at six two-and-a-half-hour sessions
• Reading and reflection to prepare for each session 
• Responses to Reflection Questions on the Discussion Forum after each session.
• Submission of final evaluation within a week of the ending of the module.

Goals of the Training

The overall goals of this training are:

• To explore different ways the idea of “family” is understood—for example, generationally, culturally;
• To provide participants with an overview of family systems and developmental theories;
• To explore ways that congregations are like a family, as well as ways they are different from families;
• To help participants identify components and characteristics of successful family ministry and celebrate what they are already doing well in their congregations;
• To reflect on the power and potential of shared ministry to enhance a congregation’s ministries to its families;
• To explore different ways religious leaders and congregations can nurture and support ministry within families with the goal of helping families live their UU faith at home, in the congregation, and in the wider world; and
• To support participants in beginning to imagine new ways of nurturing the forms of ministry only families, as families, can provide.

Technical Considerations

The webinar platform is Zoom, which you can download from Zoom.

In order register and access module materials, participants must have or create a UUA profile name. On UUA.org, click on “create account” at the top right and follow instructions on the page. If you have already participated in an online module, use the profile name you have already created. You must provide your profile name to be added to the group and begin the preparation required before the first session.

Register here!

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