Certificate Program

When I signed up for Forma’s Certificate in Youth and Family Ministry program in 2016, I was a little over a year into my full-time calling as a youth minister. Youth ministry was something I’d felt called to for years, but like many of you I’m sure, turning that into a career was a bit of a challenge. I registered for the program with a desire to grow in the area of biblical theology. I got that and so much more.

From the very beginning, I realized that I was going to learn so much from not only my instructors, but also from my fellow students. As we learned the history of the Christian faith and how it intertwines with our Episcopal heritage through the Book of Common Prayer, my faith came alive in a new way. I started to examine my own faith journey in a different light, one which connected the ancient words of the disciples to the mentors I treasure in the present.

When we gathered at the Claggett Center in Maryland, our community had been learning and growing together for several months; it felt like being reunited with old friends, although most of us had only met together online.

I received my certificate at Forma’s annual conference in January 2018 and came back to my parish ready to grow my ministry in ways that I hadn’t thought possible before the program. Every participant undertakes a ministry plan as a final part of the program; mine was moving our parish from a transactional model of formation to a relational one. The tools I gained in the certificate program have helped me to create a relational ministry for our young people. I use those tools every single day in my work.

Ashley Haggard

Youth and Young Adult Minister

Saint Mark's Episcopal Church, Little Rock, AR

I’m the Children and Youth Missioner at Christ Church Episcopal in Whitefish Bay, WI. I joined the staff at my church in 2017, bringing a background in elementary education and non-profit leadership. My past experiences gave me enough confidence to accept the job and a fair amount of terror about all the tools I knew I did not have. Some examples of what I was lacking: resources to help me connect scripture to children’s literature, advice about tackling volunteerism in the church, and knowing how early I should start planning for Advent. I was fortunate to have two clergy friends who suggested I find the Forma Facebook page and group. Soon after, I joined Forma’s children’s ministry certificate program where the reading list and online discussions were thought-provoking. I was thrilled to discover the many tools at our fingertips as Christian educators.

The cohort retreat at the end of the program was my favorite part of the experience. It’s where I connected to the larger Episcopal Church for the first time. Hearing from a remarkably diverse group of educators – fellow cohort learners and faculty leader – was simply the best! Two years out of the program, I’m still using the tools I received and have found so many more because of the foundation I was given through the Forma certificate program.

Jean Heffernan, Children and Youth Missioner

Christ Episcopal Church, Whitefish Bay, WI

Do you love your job as a youth minister, but feel like you are missing some of the tools to do the best that you can? That is how I felt a few years ago. Having fallen into youth ministry by responding to an advertisement on Craigslist (true story), I jumped into what I thought, at the time, would be a "side job." More than a decade later, I am still a youth minister at Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church after realizing that turn of events actually fulfilled a call for me.

I’m a wife and mother of three small children. I have been a yoga teacher, lawyer, mediator, elementary school teacher, trainer, professional storyteller, resort activity host, actress, and now youth minister. I live in a three-generation household with my husband, parents, and three spirited children. I came to youth ministry without a traditional youth ministry background. Yes, I had lots of organizational skills and experience with children and churches. I was good at my job but lacked the religious training of some of my colleagues. For me, the Forma Certificate Program provided an opportunity to take the time to fill in some of the gaps that could strengthen my work and ministry.

Drawing from all over the United States, the program is designed for children and youth ministers with all levels of training and a variety of expertise. My cohort was filled both with formation ministers with decades of experience to newbies who were just about to start in the field. Some were looking to better organize their church year or strengthen their pastoral care. Others were looking for new ways to engage with families or youth, how to market across different platforms, and how to leverage technology to better meet the needs of their faith community. Whether experienced or novice, all of us benefited from the guidance, teaching, and collaboration provided by the certificate program and its staff.

After some online classes and group collaboration, our cohort joined together for a week of intense learning. Nestled in a retreat center each year provides space and time that is so sorely needed by those whose profession is about serving others. The best part of the program was networking with like-minded professionals. That community has continued beyond the program, and I am filled with gratitude for the opportunity to share my experience with others. If you are considering the Forma Certificate program, I cannot speak highly enough about it. Indulge yourself in the learning and space you need to better serve your community and follow your call.

MiaLisa Millares, Children’s & Youth Minister

St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, St. Paul, MN

When you work in ministry it can be hard to find the time to take another class or read another book. Let's face it, we’re all busy working super hard to improve our ministries, leaving little time for things that aren't worthwhile. The Forma Certificate for Youth and Children’s Ministries program is a program that is worth your time. It isn’t just for someone who is new to ministry, it is also for veterans and everyone in between. The diversity in participants’ experience truly makes this program phenomenal. I was still fairly new to youth ministry when I participated in the program four years ago. Having the opportunity to learn from some of the best in their fields was truly an incredible experience. My favorite part of the class was the week-long in-person intensive. Not only can you build incredible relationships and connections during this week, you also build a support group. We all know relationships and support groups are some of the most important things you need to build a great ministry. It is these relationships that make the program so spectacular and worthwhile. Working side-by-side with your peers and class instructors is not only fun but also provides a foundation to create and improve your ministry in your home context. The final project involves a ministry plan that you build with the instructors to implement in your parish. My project had a positive impact on my ministry area. As a very new youth director (at the time), I can confidently say that the certification program helped shape me into the youth director I am today.

Chase Monson, Assistant Director of Youth Ministries

St. Michael and All Episcopal Church, Dallas, TX

In June of 2018, I began my job as youth minister at Saint John’s Cathedral in Denver, CO. I was a recent college grad with a year of experience in youth ministry. Needless to say, I was looking for guidance on where to begin in youth ministry at Saint John’s. I kept asking myself, “How will I build a program? What will I teach? Who will help?” My supervisor, Tina Clark, gave me incredible guidance and wisdom, but to learn more, she suggested I apply for the Certificate in Youth Ministry program, which she had completed in 2017. I expected to learn the answers to all my questions (which I did), but the mentors focused on a question I was ignoring: Why is youth ministry important for church communities?

During the week-long intensive at Camp Allen in Texas, the “why” of youth ministry became more apparent as I formed relationships with other participants and program mentors. At the first meeting, we asked one another, “How did you fall into youth ministry?” Then we told our own stories about why we were youth ministers. While each story was different, they all pointed to our desire that youth know that they are valued and loved by God and that their stories matter.

When I completed the certificate program, I realized that the “why” question was the most important question for me to explore. Knowing why youth ministry is important inspired me to figure out the “what” and the “how.” When I find myself getting caught up in tasks rather than focusing on the mission, I turn to the team of people in my certificate program, who remind me of our common goal for the youth of the Episcopal Church.

Christina Rutland, Youth Minister and Formation Assistant, Saint John’s Cathedral, Denver

I began my career as a twenty-three-year-old intern through the Episcopal Service Corp in Baltimore, MD. I thought it would just be a year of my dream job working as a full-time diocesan youth minister and then I would have to find a secular career to follow. Luckily for me, my predecessor and mentor had other plans. After my year of service had concluded I continued to work at the Diocese of Maryland. The first thing diocesan youth leader Wes Wubbenhorst suggested to me was the Forma Certification in Family Ministry. I was unsure of being part of the pioneer class, but he was adamant that it was going to be a fantastic opportunity.

That fall I began taking courses online with a dozen other people who were diverse in a multitude of ways. We emailed about the different videos we watched, the readings we were covering, and the lessons presented to us by our professors. The emails led to a sense of community that transferred to fast friendships when we all met in Chicago for our week-long intensive. That week was spent learning, praying, and singing karaoke together, which solidified our tribe.

Our course material covered basics to complex theologies. Our professors were seasoned and passionate about the work they did. The different levels of experience and opinions gave new perspective to old challenges. I would love to cite a few things that I learned that year for a quick tag line. But I cannot. So much of what we learned over the course of six months is so engrained in my ministry that I honestly cannot separate it out. I am forever grateful to my mentor for giving me a push. Now I have a full ministry toolbox, a tribe of educators and peers to turn to, and a shiny piece of paper on my office wall that says I know what I am doing.

Kate Riley, Baltimore, Maryland