Growing Faith During Crisis

This is a Zoom webinar. The Zoom link will be sent to registrants the day of the workshop.

Early adolescence is a crucial time for the development of faith, when many tweens and teens begin to decide what they believe and how they want to live out their faith. The current COVID-19 crisis has left teens with overwhelming grief, anxiety, and uncertainty. The comfortable structures of youth ministries have been thrown into disarray. Join three church leaders as they share how they are continuing to care for and shape the spiritual lives of the youth in their congregations.

Panelists will address how they are adapting their ministries during the pandemic and what lessons they have learned. They will discuss how they work with youth through pressing current events like anti-racism. Youth are wading through the long process of trying to incorporate their experiences of the pandemic and America’s racial tensions into their emotional development and faith journey. Churches have an opportunity to provide crucial care to these youth in their communities.

Our panelists include Sister Dottie Almoney from St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Kate Beiler Toner from Grandview UMC, and Don Hackett from Centre Presbyterian Church.

Sister Dottie Almoney is the director of Education and Outreach at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Lancaster. She is an ordained deacon and a member of the Deaconess Community of the ELCA. She has been working in Youth and Family Ministries for 25 years. She has an M.Div. as well as a certificate in Youth and Young Adult ministries from Lancaster Theological Seminary and is currently working on her doctorate. She has a passion for Christian education and believes that Christian formation of youth needs to bridge church and world.

Kate Beiler Toner is the Director of Family Ministry at Grandview United Methodist Church of Lancaster. She earned her Bachelors of Science in Early Childhood Education from Messiah College and her Youth Ministries Certification from Lancaster Theological Seminary. Born and raised United Methodist at First United Methodist of Lancaster where she later worked for 7 years as the Youth and Young Adult Minister. She joined Grandview’s staff in 2019 and oversees the church’s ministry to children and families along with the Safe Sanctuary policy. Her enthusiasm and passion for children, education, faith, and community connection is evident in her smile and big heart.

Rev. Dr. Don Hackett lives in Lancaster, PA and serves as pastor at Centre Presbyterian Church in New Park, PA. He consults and leads workshops for local churches and businesses. He focused on regional youth ministry for his D.Min. from Fuller Seminary and has served in several churches as pastor and entrepreneur. Hackett sees many everyday activities as faith-deepening practices, including baking bread, yoga, walking with his wife, and photographing nature.