Christian Education Sunday, set for August 16 this year, raises vital funds to empower and equip local church leaders in the Michigan Conference for faith formation ministry. See where your dollars go and plan for this year’s offering.
We’ve turned the calendar, and August is upon us. School will start soon for Michigan families, and churches are busy planning their fall programming. As we look to the changing seasons, let’s not forget to mark an important special Sunday on our church calendars.
Christian Education Sunday, set for August 16 this year, gives local churches the opportunity to highlight the faith formation opportunities they offer, honor students with a backpack blessing, and take up an offering in which 100% of the funds received will support grants for local churches, leader training, resources for youth and young adult ministries, and much more.
Please note: If August 16 does not work for your congregation to celebrate Christian Education Sunday, choose a date that fits better.
The Michigan Conference has put together a web page with more information about this special Sunday, along with downloadable flyers and bulletin inserts illustrating what this offering supports. You’ll also find links to give online and a QR code you can duplicate in your newsletters and bulletins.
Review and download resources to promote Christian Education Sunday.
Every dollar given on Christian Education Sunday supports the Michigan Conference as we invest in equipping, empowering, and encouraging faith formation leaders. The offering supports regional gatherings and training for faith formation leaders, such as the upcoming Rooted: Reclaim event at Okemos Community Church on October 19-20. This fall event focuses on renewal and deepening leadership amid the changing landscape of ministry. Learn more.
It also helps faith formation leaders attend the Perkins School of Youth and Children’s Ministry (PSYCM). This training at Perkins School of Theology, a United Methodist seminary in Dallas, Texas, resources leaders whose ministries focus on children, youth, and young adults. This year, 14 children and youth ministry leaders from the Michigan Conference attended the event, and plans are underway for 2027. The next PSYCM is scheduled for January 11-13, 2027. Learn more.
Susan Adam-Rita, Director of Lifelong Faith Formation at Chelsea: First UMC, highlights the value of attending PSYCM: “One workshop that continues to influence my work was Pioneering New Ministry Models with Rev. Melissa Gepford. It helped me understand the history behind many of the ministry models we rely on today and invited me to imagine what God might be calling us to next. Rather than simply improving what already exists, I was challenged to dream up new ways to nurture faith in today’s world. It gave me practical tools, a fresh perspective, and the courage to explore new possibilities for lifelong faith formation in my congregation.”
Two PSYCM workshops stood out to Erica Kozlowski, Director of Children & Youth Ministries at Traverse City: Central UMC: “In Journeying with Today’s Families, I gathered so much information to use with our nursery and elementary-aged children, and in LGBTQ+ Care and Support with Youth and Older Children, I learned that not all spaces are as kind and open as ours and that there is still a lot of work to be done here.”
Kozlowski found companionship and encouragement by attending PSYCM, made possible by the Christian Education Sunday offering. She notes, “I gained a lot of insights and really enjoyed meeting new friends and being in a space with others who do the same job I do. It is so refreshing to spend time being renewed as we sit at tables, in spaces, and grow in grace together.”
Dollars from the annual Christian Education Sunday offering help ministry leaders like Adam-Rita and Kozlowski attend PSYCM and Rooted: Reclaim and utilize all the resources and workshops provided by the Michigan Conference. Discover more offerings on the Lifelong Faith website, a ministry of the Michigan Conference made possible thanks to Ministry Shares from local churches.
Explore faith formation ministry resources for all age levels.
If you need assistance with the Christian Education Sunday resources or would like to learn more about connecting with any of the ministry opportunities mentioned above, contact Rev. Kathy Pittenger, Associate Director of Faith Formation and Leadership Development for the Michigan Conference, at [email protected].
“We are grateful for your partnership in these vital ministries,” says Pittenger. “Together, we are tending seeds of faith and helping them flourish. Thank you for your generosity! Your faithful support is making a meaningful difference in congregations across Michigan.”
The curation of faith formation resources on the Lifelong Faith website is made possible thanks to generous financial gifts from local United Methodist churches in Michigan through Ministry Shares. Thank you! Learn about the impact of Ministry Shares on mission and ministry in Michigan and around the world.
Last Updated on August 10, 2026