Typical Year

You can earn a certificate in one year that includes:

Two Residencies

Cohorts meet for 2.5 days at the beginning and end of their program. The week is designed so that the returning cohort has time at the beginning of the week. They are joined by the new cohort for shared work, including Capstone Project presentations by the returning cohort. The new cohort ends the week by themselves sharing case studies to introduce themselves and their contexts and using the Anglican Communion Competency Grid to help discern learning goals.

The next residencies will be August 7-11, 2017 at Virginia Theological Seminary.

  • The 2016 Cohort (RETURNING) reconvenes at 7 pm ET on Monday, August 7, 2016 and concludes about 2:30 pm on August 10, 2017.
  • The 2017 Cohort (INCOMING) convenes at 7 pm ET on Tuesday, August 8, 2016 and concludes about 2:30 pm on August 11, 2017.

The 2018 residencies will likely be in October.

Communal Reading and Personal Reflection

Each year, the faculty select seminal readings for the cohort to read. This enables us to develop community reference points and shared language.

Monthly Web Conferences

Cohort and faculty members meet each month to discuss texts, guide progress toward learning goals, support capstone project progress and encourage courageous leadership.

Independent Study

The certificate program is designed to customize learning to individual needs. After discerning personal goals, participants will develop a learning contract that specifies the research and resources to achieve them.

Monthly Meetings with Mentor and

Individual Time with Faculty as Requested

Lisa Kimball
Diocese of Washington
Director, Center for the Ministry of Teaching
Professor, Christian Formation & Congregational Leadership at Virginia Theological Seminary

Victoria L. Garvey
Retired, Biblical Scholar

Donald Schell
Diocese of California
President, All Saints Company
Co-founder of Saint Gregory of Nyssa Episcopal Church in San Francisco

Julie Lytle
Diocese of Massachusetts
Executive Director Episcopal Province New England
Digital Evangelist/Theological Education Media Consultant at M3 (Message, Method, then Media)

Certificates are awarded at the annual Forma Conference to participants who demonstrate proficiency in theology & practice of Christian formation by successfully completing and presenting capstone project at the second residency.