Youth Ministry

Confirmations

Resources for Youth Ministries

Youth ministers — full-time and part-time, clergy and lay — engage in the theological work of developing relationships with young people, modeling to them the unconditional love of God through community. Responding to the needs of young people for community development, spiritual formation, and physical and emotional wholeness is no simple task, and the diocese works to support youth ministers in every way possible.

Keeping in touch

  • The Episcopal Youth Ministry Network is run out of the Department of Faith Formation at the church-wide level. Sign up for their monthly newsletter that includes links for the Third Thursday Zoom meetings every month, updates on church-wide gatherings like EYE, and sharing of incredible new resources.
  • Forma: Partnering to Inspire Christian Formation, is a national group for spiritual formation workers in the Episcopal Church. Forma advocates at the church-wide level, works as a resource gathering group, and is generally awesome support for those working in ministry with young people.

    Leadership Development

    Forma Conference

    Every January – keep an eye out for the 2027 dates

    Join colleagues and new friends from across the country. With a keynote speaker (or two) each year and a heap of fantastic workshop offerings from a wide variety of topics, the program is always fruitful. Aside from formal program, time for quiet reflection or networking and fellowship with friends new and old abound.

    Online Resources

    •  Whole & Healthy Church: Diocese of California policies for creating a safe church for all ages
    • The Episcopal Church department of Youth Ministries page 
    • Choosing Your Curriculum. Build Faith’s excellent guide to choosing lessons to use with your youth.
    • d365 (also available as an app) a partnership of the Episcopal Church, The Presbyterian Church, and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship that provides daily meditations for youth and those who care about them.
    • Episcopal Resource Center (located in Sunnyvale; website includes a searchable online catalog)