Faith Formation in the New age of Mobile By The Rev. Todd Sorensen St. Gregory’s, Littleton Please note the videos, accessed by clicking on the small video camera at the bottom of slides 5 and 25. I’ve also added two new resources to slide 42. Email for me: frdrummer@gmail.com

Faith Formation in the current age The Challenges Culture Today’s technological age Societal orientation Opportunities Reaching beyond the borders Networks First Steps

Eight Significant Driving trends in 21st Century Culture Declining Number of Christians and Growing Number of People with No Religious Affiliation  Increasing Number of People Becoming More “Spiritual” and Less “Religious”  Declining Participation in Christian Churches Increasing Diversity and Pluralism in American Society Increasing Influence of Individualism on Christian Identity and Community Life Changing Patterns of Marriage and Family Life Declining Family Religious Socialization Increasing Impact of Digital Media and Web Technologies

Society and Communication

The Old and New Societies

Missional Faith Formation Receptive to Organized Religion Scenario 4 Variable Commitment & Occasional Participation Scenario 1 Vibrant Faith & Active Engagement Scenario 3 Unaffiliated & Uninterested Scenario 2 Spiritual but Not Religious Low Hunger & Commitment to Spiritual Life High Hunger & Commitment to Spiritual Life Resistant to Organized Religion

Missional Faith Formation Receptive to Organized Religion Scenario 4 Variable Commitment & Occasional Participation Scenario 1 Vibrant Faith & Active Engagement Scenario 3 Unaffiliated & Uninterested Scenario 2 Spiritual but Not Religious Low Hunger & Commitment to Spiritual Life High Hunger & Commitment to Spiritual Life Resistant to Organized Religion

Reimagining faith formation Lifelong & Lifewide Intergenerational & Generational Networked Missional Connected & Blended Personalized Curated

Networked Programming A wide variety of diverse faith formation experiences, programs, activities, and resources to match with people’s diverse needs and tailored to their busy lives. Learner centered vs. Provider centered (lecture) Addresses spiritual journey over whole life span Multiple ways to learn and grow Online/virtual & Gathered/physical-- Connects individuals and groups throughout the congregation Mobile - available anytime & anywhere.

Lifelong Faith Formation Network Key Features of a Lifelong Faith Formation Network  A Lifelong Faith Formation Network is a way to provide faith Formation for everyone, anytime, anywhere, 24x7x365. The Network approach to lifelong faith formation has six key features:  A Lifelong Faith Formation Network addresses the diverse life tasks and situations, spiritual and religious needs, and interests of all ages and generations in the four scenarios by offering a variety of content, programs, activities, and resources. 

Lifelong Faith Formation Network A Lifelong Faith Formation Network guides individuals and families in discerning their spiritual and religious needs and creating personal learning pathways—a seasonal or annual plan for faith growth and learning. 

Lifelong Faith Formation Network A Lifelong Faith Formation Network incorporates informal learning, as well as formal learning in faith formation. 

Lifelong Faith Formation Network A Lifelong Faith Formation Network utilizes a variety of faith formation models to address the diverse life tasks and situations, religious and spiritual needs, and interests of people: learning on your own, at home, in small groups, in large groups, in the congregation, and in the community and world.

Lifelong Faith Formation Network A Lifelong Faith Formation Network blends face-to-face, interactive faith formation programs and activities with virtual, online faith formation programs, activities, and resources. 

Lifelong Faith Formation Network A Lifelong Faith Formation Network incorporates communities of practice to connect individuals and groups throughout the congregation. 

Learning Network The “Re-imaging Learning in the 21st Century” report from the MacArthur Foundation (Digital Media and Learning Network) identifies three key shifts that must occur if the educational system is to transform from the current 19th-century paradigm to a 21st century vision: A shift from education to learning. Education is what institutions do, learning is what people do. Digital media enable learning anywhere, anytime; formal learning must be mobile and just in time.

Learning Network A shift from consumption of information to participatory learning. A new system of learning must be peer-based and organized around learner’s interests, enabling them to create as well as consume information. It encourages learners to experiment and to create, produce and design things.

Learning Network A shift from institutions to networks. In the digital age, the fundamental operating and delivery systems are networks, not institutions such as schools, which are a node on a person’s network of learning opportunities. People learn across institutions, so an entire learning network must be supported.

Faith Formation Network Age Group Intergenerational Family On Your Own & Small Groups At Home Large Group: Course, Workshop, Retreat Church Life & Events Community Programs, Events, & Activities Online Activities & Resources

This is utilizing various means of connecting people Network settings This is utilizing various means of connecting people

Leraning dynamics

Families with Children Faith Formation Network Intergenerational Experiences & Connections Sunday Worship @ Home Seasons of the Year Family Life Practicing Our Faith Milestones For Parents Children’s Programs & Events

Not “Either/Or,” but “Both And”

Connected & Blended Faith Formation Online Faith Formation Mostly Online with Regular Interaction in Gathered Sessions Online Faith Formation & Gathered Sessions (Flipped Classroom) Gathered Program with Online Components beyond the Program Gathered Program with Supportive Online Content

Faith Formation 2020 Opportunities 1. Faith Formation through the Life of the Whole Church (Scenarios 1 and 4) 2. Faith Formation using Digital Media and Web Technologies (All Scenarios) 3. Family Faith Formation (Scenarios 1, 2, and 4) 4. Intergenerational Faith Formation (Scenarios 1 and 4) 5. Generational Faith Formation (Scenarios 1, 2, and 4): Builder, Baby Boomer, Generation X, Millennial, iGeneration 6. Milestones Faith Formation (All Scenarios) 7. Faith Formation in Christian Practices (All Scenarios) 8. Transforming the World: Engagement in and Formation for Service and Mission (All Scenarios) 9. Spiritual Formation (All Scenarios) 10. Multi-Ethnic Faith Formation (All Scenarios) 11. Faith Formation for Spiritual Seekers (Scenario 2) 12. Apprenticeships in Discipleship (Scenarios 2 and 4) 13. Pathways to Vibrant Faith and Active Engagement (Scenario 2 and 4) 14. Faith Formation in Third Place Settings (Scenarios 2 and 3) 15. Empowering the Community to Share their Faith (Scenario 1) 16. Interfaith Education and Dialogue (Scenario 1)

Imagine the Possibilities… Online faith formation centers where people of all ages and generations can find (and link to) high quality religious content and experiences— worship, prayer, spiritual practices, Bible study, Christian beliefs and traditions, rituals and milestones, music, and so much more. AND IT’S ALL FREE!!!

Possibilities A wide variety of online Bible and theology courses for individual and small group adult study selected from the best offerings on iTunes University and from college and seminary continuing education programs, cataloged with links to the courses on the church’ faith formation website, and made available to adults who want to study a particular course individual or as a small group, with opportunities via a blog or wiki or Facebook page for people to share their reflections and learn from each other.

Possibilities A parent resource center with the best knowledge, practices, and tools for parenting in print, audio, and video; links to quality parent websites, and a parents blog and/or Facebook page to share their experiences and insights.

Possibilities, cont’d Children’ faith formation that “flips the classroom” so that children are doing projects and activities with their parents at home and online (at a secure site, such as Edmodo, www.edmodo.com), and then refocusing “class time” on practicing and applying, and presenting projects that demonstrate their learning.

possibilities A confirmation program that is tailored to the young people’ spiritual journeys—with online and face-to-face activities—so that young people (with the help of a guide or mentor) can select the content and activities most appropriate to their religious and spiritual growth.

possibilities Online Bible study with small groups of young adults who can connect virtually through a Google+ Hangout each week, and share their written reflections on their Bible study blog or on Facebook or Twitter.

possibilities A virtual art class where people who love art can explore Christian artwork by studying art in the online museums of the world and meeting online and in-person to share their reflections.

AND IT’S ALL FREE!!! possibilities A course for youth or adults on the history, tradition, and practices of world religions with guest speakers from around the country or world presenting live via a Google+ Hangout, or on using YouTube videos, and using the Patheos world religions website (www.patheos.com) as a “ext” or study. AND IT’S ALL FREE!!!

Creating a Lifelong Faith Formation Network Visioning Promoting Assessing Researching Connecting Discovering Integrating Designing

Pick one area of Faith Formation Who are we addressing? (Scenarios, ages, etc) What are we offering? What are their spiritual needs? Life issues, generational characteristics, milestones What might a possible next step look like?

www.becomingfaith.net

And…

Weebly.com

Curation

Key resources 21stcenturyfaithformation.com faithformationlearningexchange.net vibrantfaithathome.org buildfaith.org stickyfaith.org intergenerationalfaith.com lifelongfaith.com

Your Congregation in the year 2020 Dreaming the possibilities of what you could be doing, how would your congregation be doing faith formation in the year 2020?