Education

The gospel calls Christians to learn and to teach. Teaching is an important means of communicating this central message of the Christian faith. The Word is proclaimed in preaching and in the sacraments, and it is also proclaimed in teaching. . .To teach effectively the good news of God’s activity in Christ means relating revelation to the learners’ own existence, helping the learners grasp the correlation of God’s answer in the gospel to their own existential question of estrangement and sin.”
(Reprinted from Lifelong Learning, Augsburg ©1997, p. 17)

The Oregon Synod Education Committee is a team that works to support congregations in their Christian education ministry, and to affirm volunteers who work in Christian education in local congregations. These volunteers are available to help congregations in their work to carry out God’s great commission:

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).

It is God’s work to teach, and we want to help the hands in your congregation that work in this important ministry.

Each year the committee invites congregations to nominate a person, team, or event to receive the Excellence in Education Award – someone who makes a significant contribution to the education work in their congregation. Someone from the committee then visits the congregations to present the award and join with the congregation in celebrating their Christian education ministry. Nominations for Excellence in Education Awards will be mailed in October and will also be available on the synod Web site. For questions regarding the Education Committee or the Excellence in Education Award, contact Dianna Bernklau at 503-579-7138.

The Learning Ministries Team is a group of volunteers who are available to present education workshops for a congregation or a group of congregations. They can also provide a consultation to assist a congregation in planning for their education program. To receive information about workshop topics, schedule a workshop, or request a consultation, contact Jeannine Douglas at 503-292-9964.