Consultation Day, Lviv, 5-6 July 2016, Holy Trinity Church office

Eleven teachers and educators participated in our first Christian Education Consultation Day, to give some orientation and direction to our CE Project.

Each participant shared what they have done in education in their local setting. Most shared about Sunday school, telling what materials they had used or developed. We spoke of the challenges and blessings.

We began each day with a devotional  and worship, assisted by Juliette Hacquebord on keyboard. Clay Quarterman, Coordinator of Christian Education for ERSU, and Dasha Pilipenko, CE Assistant, shared about the vision and structure of the work, how ERSU is serving the churches, and what we have done over the past 2 years, as well as giving some ideas for the future, including website, library, materials development, training, and conferences.

Each participant came prepared and shared a report  about Christian Education in their city/church, and it was wonderful to hear all God is doing in each place, and to see the wonderful gifts and creativity God has distributed throughout his Body.  The greatest emphasis was on Sunday schools and summer camps, with each person sharing what materials they were using. 

All agreed that a big hole exists in one special area: Youth Work (ages 12-17). This is a crucial time in these people’s lives. There are very few leaders but also few materials and few people who know how to lead in this area. Sunday school is provided up to a point, and then there’s no place that is age-appropriate for continued training of the young people. They are often just lumped in with the adults, and we lose a lot of them at this point. There’s a big need for materials and training.

One suggestion was to help each church identify a married couple who could take some responsibility in this area and provide them with training, materials, and encouragement.  ERSU will be asking churches if they have good materials and help disseminate them, providing some of the info on our CE site.