BuildingFaith

06/03/2026

Are you curious about intergenerational worship? Do you have questions about what it might look like and how to begin conversations about it in your community?

In this Building Faith Toolkit, Roots & Wings Project Director Sarah Bentley Allred offers responses to some of the most frequently asked questions she gets about intergenerational worship. Check out the articles in the link below to learn more:

Lifelong Learning at Virginia Theological Seminary

06/02/2026

"We invite you to check out the books that speak to you and return to this list in the future when you’re looking for resources. If you have read or do read one of these books, we’d love to hear about your experience in the comments below!"

Lifelong Learning at Virginia Theological Seminary

New Books for Formation Leaders It’s almost summer in the northern hemisphere, and we at Building Faith want to share with you some new resources to help you rest, reflect, and recharge yourselves during these months and beyond. We searched through the new releases for 2025 and 2026 at some of the...

06/01/2026

"People who identify with these terms may define and understand them in differing ways, and what the term means to each person will vary from person to person."

Lifelong Learning at Virginia Theological Seminary
***r

This article provides definitions for common terms used to describe LGBTQIA+ identities.

05/29/2026

"The God’s Pride Evensong at SMST is an expression of the whole community Latinx and not, Q***r and not – it is the embodiment of bringing our full selves to the presence of God and inviting others to do the same. It serves the Latinx-Q***r identified leadership in the church, other members of the congregation, but also offers an opportunity for folks who would not normally attend church (because of all the negative experiences common to q***r persons) to enter the space and see themselves reflected in it in multiple ways: in leadership, in music, in art, in language."

Lifelong Learning at Virginia Theological Seminary

God’s Pride: Creating a sense of belonging in one Episcopal Church The Church of St. Matthew and St. Timothy’s (SMST) is an outreach- and community-focused congregation, in New York City, composed of committed persons that are monolingual and bilingual, multi-racial and multi-cultural, aging, di...

05/28/2026

"This is what calls people of faith to Pride festivals and parades. We want LGBTQIA+ persons and their families to come through our doors. We desire to let LGBTQIA+ persons know that we offer an embrace and not more pain."

Lifelong Learning at Virginia Theological Seminary

Church Participation in Pride Events: Why and How to Show Up Every summer many municipalities, large and small, offer festivals, worship services, and parades to invite communities to celebrate the diversity of the human family across multiple spectrums of identity and expression. Many faith-based o...

05/26/2026

"We searched through the new releases for 2025 and 2026 at some of the most popular publishers in Christian ministry and theological education, and we found 13 books that seem particularly useful for formation leaders and church ministers. They cover a wide range of topics, settings, and perspectives, and some may be fruitful to share and discuss with colleagues, ministry teams, or small groups."

Lifelong Learning at Virginia Theological Seminary

New Books for Formation Leaders It’s almost summer in the northern hemisphere, and we at Building Faith want to share with you some new resources to help you rest, reflect, and recharge yourselves during these months and beyond. We searched through the new releases for 2025 and 2026 at some of the...

05/22/2026

"This is the blessing
that blazes among us
when we speak
the words
strange to our ears

when we finally listen
into the chaos

when we breathe together
at last.”

From "When We Breathe Together: A Blessing for Pentecost Day" by Jan Richardson, The Painted Prayerbook (May 14, 2013)

Lifelong Learning at Virginia Theological Seminary

This article highlights various liturgical and formation resources that communities can use to celebrate the Pentecost feast.

05/21/2026

"Ordinary Time is perfect for engaging faith on your own schedule and in your own way, and journaling can help you be intentional and find new ways to explore your faith in this long church season."

Lifelong Learning at Virginia Theological Seminary

This article discusses the fruitful spiritual impact that a journaling practice can have and provides practical guidance and ideas for journaling during Ordinary Time.

05/20/2026

"As we moved toward summer last year, our church sought to challenge families as well as the whole community to be as intentional in thinking about faith formation as we are about our summer camps and vacation plans. We created a 'Summer Faith Formation Bingo' board for our community."

Lifelong Learning at Virginia Theological Seminary

Summer Formation Bingo: A Family or Church-wide Challenge As the daylight creeps longer and trees begin to blossom, I put away our boots and mittens for (hopefully) a few months and dig through the closet for sun hats and bug spray. Our sleds are stashed in the rafters of the garage, and our lawn i...

05/19/2026

Building Faith is seeking more articles and authors, and you are invited to send us a pitch!

Check out the link in the comments for more info:

Lifelong Learning at Virginia Theological Seminary