Track 5 – Children Forming Faith

How are children's faith formed as a part of a congregation? How do we integrate children forming faith into the way we think of being church? Can children be disciples of Christ and how might we help children live holy lives as children? These are some of the key questions we will address in this track about children. This track is for anyone wanting to build a congregation for all ages, encourage children to believe and live out their faith in everyday life.

Carolyn Edwards is the Children and Youth Adviser for the Diocese of York, responsible for equipping and resourcing those working with children and young people in the 620 churches in the area. Prior to that, she was the Programme Lead for the Mission and Ministry degree courses at Cliff College, having previously worked with Oxford CYM training students in youth and children’s ministry. She has a wealth of experience both as a practitioner, a lecturer and trainer, working for her local church as a Children’s Evangelist and running events like the Scripture Union mission in Aylesbury. She has written material for Scripture Union for many years and is the author of ‘Slugs and Snails and Puppy Dogs’ Tails: Helping Boys Connect with God’ and co-editor of “Re-thinking Children’s work in churches”. She is currently completing doctoral research into children’s spirituality and faith development, but in her ‘spare’ time loves being with friends and family, drinking good coffee, laughing, and looking at beautiful things.

Anne Thompson is course leader of the Cliff College Certificate in Children's Ministry in Denmark. As a Methodist Minister in a local congregation in Vejle. Denmark, she has a wide experience of everyday church life and of the challenges facing a church with and for children and young people. Anne has a M.Div. and finished a course on Children, Mission and Ministry from Cliff College, UK. Anne is married and has two sons, which brings the urgency of children's ministry close to home. Anne blogs on digogmigogvitro.dk about children, faith and church.