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Sharon Ely Pearson became Church Publishing's first Christian Formation Specialist in November 2007 after ten years as Children's
Ministries and Christian Education Coordinator for the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut. With a B.S in Special Education,
she has a certificate in Christian Education from Hartford Seminary and a Master's degree in Christian Education from Virginia
Seminary. Her thesis, "A Theology of Confirmation for the 21st Century" was the spark for new diocesan guidelines implemented
in 2005.
Having over 30 years experience in Christian formation at the parish, diocesan, provincial and church-wide level, she is an
EfM mentor and certified Godly Play teacher. From 2000-2006 Sharon was a member of the Episcopal Council for Christian Education
(ECCE) and is currently a member of PEALL (Proclaiming Education for All, an Executive Council task force charged with making
recommendations regarding theological education and Christian formation to the 2009 General Convention). She was on the design
team for "Will Our Faith Have Children? Christian Formation Generation to Generation" in 2003 and "Wrestling With
the Big Questions: Loving God with all our Heart, Mind and Soul" in 2006.
Active in the National Association for Episcopal Christian Education Directors (NAECED), she completed a board term in January
2007. Sharon is a regular contributor to Episcopal Teacher magazine and has had articles published in Episcopal
Life, Vestry Papers, Religious Products magazine and several academic religious journals.
Known for her monthly e-newsletters while in the Diocese of Connecticut, quarterly A Child CONN-Nexus, and diocesan
website pages, Sharon has experience in helping congregations choose curriculum for children, youth & adults as well as leading
workshops or retreats on a variety of topics, including Confirmation.
Sharon was also an advocate for children and Christian education at 2006’s General Convention, having participated as
a facilitator at children’s tables during the daily Eucharist and speaker at several hearings and committee meetings
urging for the inclusion of children and education as a priority of our Church. She lives in Norwalk, CT with husband, John,
a dog and too many books waiting to be read and several that are waiting to be written. They are the proud parents of a graduate
student at Boston University and a daughter who is a marine biologist and educator.
Faith Formation Summit Workshops led by Sharon Ely Pearson
One
Size Does Not Fit All: How to Select Curriculum for Your Congregation
Curriculum is a "course to be run." It is a tool for helping us achieve
our goals, helping us move from one way of understanding to another. Resources that are produced as curricula should be seen
as guidelines for leading the way on a journey; they can give a framework for planning and a structure for implementation.
But every child or youth, teacher and parish is different, and flexibility and creativity ensure a successful use of any material.
Learn about the various genres of curricula as well as tools for discerning the best resource to fit the needs of your congregation.
Confirmation as Baptismal Renewal, Not Exit Strategy
The way in which Episcopalians are being prepared
for their life in the church apparently does not produce committed members; it has been estimated that at least 50% of those
confirmed drop out of active church membership. Reviewing the history of confirmation and the faith development of adolescents,
as well as their cognitive, emotional and physical growth stages, can perhaps inform our understanding of how a young person
can make a mature commitment to a system of beliefs and a faith community. Still many struggle with the concept of confirmation
seen as a "rite of passage" in the faith community. Parents voice concern that if their children are not confirmed they will
"leave the church" or at least, "we should confirm them before they go." What’s a parish to do? Learn how to develop
your own "theology of confirmation" and a strategy to move forward with it.
Click Here to download the "One Size Does Not Fit All" Flyer
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