January 2021
by Catherine Maresca
Oct. 29-31, 2021, Weaving Our Gifts will be convened as a virtual gathering. It’s possible that conferences will be gathering in person by that time, but our board has decided to have an online conference for two reasons:
- We are inviting presenters to submit proposals now, and none of us have enough information to commit to travel by October.
- We would like to gather online at least once to see if Weavings can be accessible to more catechists, and to compare the experience to that of assembling in person.
I’m aware as I write that we are weaving more than gifts into our next conference. We will be bringing our experiences: the limitations, the frustrations, the isolation, the loss of access to the atrium, the acknowledgement of and struggle against racism in our work, and more. These experiences force us to develop skills and experiment with catechesis in ways we would never have imagined a year ago. Can we weave all this together to create a richer, more nimble, better rooted, and more widely accessible Catechesis of the Good Shepherd?
Please prayerfully consider offering a presentation or workshop for Weaving Our Gifts this year. Can you model an online CGS session? Can you lead us through a virtual prayer service or celebration? Can you show us how you help children to work at home as (or after) you offer a presentation? Can you show us how you have addressed racism (and/or sexism) in your materials, environment, and speech this year? How do you incorporate music and art into a hybrid (online and home work) model? How do you serve a group of children with a mix of cultures, languages, disabilities, denominations, or gender identity?
In addition to these topical possibilities, we have an ongoing need to root ourselves more and more deeply in the Montessori methodology and the Biblical and Liturgical content of CGS. What is your expertise?
At a deeper level our keynote speaker, Rev. Dr. Judy Fentress-Williams, will offer two talks under the title, “Psalms in Formation.” This is the perfect year to incorporate the Psalms into our work and conference; we have so much to pray about.
Please copy and paste the form below and use this link to submit a proposal or suggest a topic. Each presentation will take place in a 60-minute session. Save October 29-31 to join us as we weave our wisdom, laments, and joy together this year.
Proposal submission for Weaving Our Gifts, 2021
Time needed: 60 minutes
Presenter:
Email:
Topic/Title:
One sentence description:
Longer description:
Experience presenting online:
Short bio:
Please attach a headshot.
