Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida: Education and Training

Youth/Young Adults:

The Rev. M. Katherine Tate
Director of Youth,Young Adult
& Higher Education Ministries
7313 Merchant Court
Sarasota, FL 34240
Phone: (941) 556-0315 Ext. 274
Fax: (941) 556-0321

Here you will find foundational and theoretical information on the catechetical process in the Episcopal Church along with resources to empower Christian Educators and others to engage in theological reflection in relationship to the ministry of life long faith formation.

Adults Working With Youth
A weekend retreat held every year offering continuing education for those who work with youth.


Home > Education and Training
Safeguarding All God's Children is the program developed by Church Pension Group and Praesidium Religious Services which deals with prevention of child sexual abuse. For our diocese, we are adapting the program to include the diocesan Policy on Sexual Conduct, and adding modules for the protection of ALL of God's children, including adults. This program replaces the former two programs: Sexual Harassment and Child Sexual Abuse Recognition.
Peer Ministry Leadership Training Learn how to be a leader: how to express yourself well! How to plan fun events that will really happen! How to run meetings and solve problems! How to make a difference in your parish and in your community! What is the purpose of Peer Ministry Leadership Training? The training is designed to teach leadership skills to mature high school teenagers so that: they can be empowered to understand more about ministry they can be empowered to give sound advice and suggestions to the parish regarding their needs and the parish’s current youth programming they can be empowered—with the caring adults who will mentor them—to become a parish team of active peer ministers. The program assumes that the parish has a commitment to youth ministry, and that the adults who direct that ministry will be present for the training, and are committed to listen to what the participants have to say. Who should attend the Peer Ministry Leadership Training Retreat? Youth: Peer Ministry Teams are small groups of motivated, mature high school teens with a commitment to serve their parish and improve the youth ministry their parish provides. A group of 10-14 youth assessed as having some leadership potential is a good number. (A minimum of 8, and a maximum of 16 is recommended.) The youth are expected to be active participants for the entire two-day training. Adults: Two adults committed to be leaders for this new team need to be active participants for the entire training as well. For more information on 2008 Peer Ministry Trainings Click here Pastoral Leadership Search Effort (PLSE) The Pastoral Leadership Search Effort (PLSE, pronounced ‘pulse’) helps dioceses and congregations identify and cultivate gifted young people interested in exploring the ministry as a possible vocation. Part of a multi-year ecumenical effort begun with funding from the Lilly Endowment, Inc., now an integral part of the Episcopal Church’s program, PLSE focuses on all areas related to the cultivation of young vocations towards ordination, including: • offering an online environment for young vocational explorers to voice their interests and questions • creating congregational ecologies that cultivate vocational inquiry and exploration • encouraging adults to relate directly with young people as part of expressing their own baptismal identity • examining and confronting the attitudinal and structural restraints in our ordination processes Learn more by visiting the PLSE Web site.
Are you looking for lesson plans that follow the Revised Common Lectionary for young children, older children and adults? Well here they are!

Peer Ministry Leadership Training

For more information on 2008 Peer Ministry Trainings Click here