Tue Aug 5
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Sat Aug 9
View DetailsPrism: Insights in Church Leadership and Education for Faith Formation (Online)
- August 9 @ 9:00 am
- - August 9 @ 2:15 pm
Teaching Clinics
Teaching Clinics create occasions for pastors, educators, and study leaders to hone their teaching skills through the interplay of fresh approaches, emerging methods, practical applications, and coaching cohorts, so that learning experiences become that which enlivens and engenders faithful living.
Teaching Clinics
Foundations Series
Welcome to the Center for Excellence in Christian Education, a nexus of creativity and innovation in educational leadership, research, and practice.
Foundations Series
PRISM
PRISM events, held annually, are designed to equip and empower church leaders by exploring key topics in Christian Education, faith formation, and church leadership. Like a prism separates light, these events break down complex subjects through workshops, keynote speakers, and collaborative learning. Each event encourages participants to analyze and reimagine ministry with fresh ideas and models. PRISM is open to all involved in congregational life, including pastors, educators, deacons, youth advisors, and others seeking to deepen their discipleship.
PRISM
Symposium
The Center hosts biennial symposia that focus on contemporary topics at the intersection of congregational ministries and Christian Education. The Inaugural Symposium in 2023, More Than, featured fresh ideas for adaptive challenges. The 2025 Symposium, Critical Conversations in Curriculum, focused on emerging theme for curriculum development. The recordings for both events are available in the Curriculum Connection. The 2023 Symposium recordings are available at no charge. The 2025 Symposium recordings are available at the online conference rate until March 15, 2026.
Symposium RecordingsEducator Certification
James Smart wrote, “The Church must teach, just as it must preach, or it will not be the Church.” The Church calls leaders to guide the work of Church education in a variety of ways – chairs of Christian Education and Faith Formation committees, Directors of Christian Education, Faith Formation, Youth and/or Children’s Ministries. Some have degrees and others have no formal education. If you are serving in an educational leadership capacity and want to grow in your knowledge and skills, there are several avenues for moving to deeper expertise. If you are seeking Educator Certification in the PC(USA,) you can complete your process is two-years with Union Presbyterian Seminary’s Leadership Institute. It is the only place where you can get all six content area courses with its 18 month cycles. This leaves the remaining six months for you to complete your Integrated Project.
PCUSA Educator Certification
UPSem Certificates and Degrees:
- Certificate in Christian Education
- Master of Arts in Christian Education
- Dual degree combining the MACE with a
Master of Divinity or Master of Public Theology
Opening Doors to discipleship
A partnership with the Center for Excellence in Christian Education
Opening Doors to Discipleship is a place for you to engage as a leader and learner in Christian community. You are invited to open a door to learn about best practices in education, our shared story in Reformed theology, and leadership in faith formation ministries. UPSem faculty and students are partners in the Educational Practices door.
Opening DoorsAPCE
Association of Partners in Christian Education
APCE is an association made up of those who are serving or have served in educational ministries, as ministers, professional or volunteer educators, or students, in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Reformed Church in America, The Presbyterian Church in Canada, the Moravian Church in America, and the Christian Reformed Church in North America. Its purpose is to advance educational ministries in the Church and increase the ongoing witness of our faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
APCE