Rediscovering what matters in Christian formation

Registration for the 2027 Association of Partners for Christian Education Annual Event is now open. Early bird registration lasts until November 15, 2026. The full leadership roster, workshop descriptions, schedule, hotel details and registration information are available on the APCE 2027 Annual Event.

APCE's keynote speaker, the Rev. Dr. Patrick Reyes, is president of Auburn Theological Seminary and author of "The Purpose Gap, Nobody Cries When We Die," and his newest book, "Pedagogy of the Ancestors: Practices and Teachings for Future Generations," published in September. (Photo courtesy of APCE)

The inspiration for this year’s theme, “Can These Bones Live? Rediscovering What Matters,” comes from Ezekiel 37:3–6. According to Anna Sheetz and Brendan McLean, the 2027 Event Co-Chairs, Ezekiel’s vision offers a hopeful answer: “In a time when so much can feel depleted or disconnected, it is easy to wonder whether the things that have sustained ministry can still live. God invites us to reconnect and revitalize our ministries, building on the foundations that have sustained us while allowing them to become more inclusive, welcoming and life-giving.”

Sheetz and McLean, along with the APCE Annual Event Team, chaired by Anne Wilson and Rebecca Gomez, have been working on this gathering for more than a year and a half to shape the vision, theme, and spirit of the event, which will occur in Portland, Oregon from January 27-30, 2027.

“We intentionally sought leaders whose work brings together theological depth, practical wisdom, imagination and a commitment to the flourishing of communities and future generations,” said APCE executive director Thom Cunningham, describing the diverse experiences and depth of the featured speakers, preachers, artists, musicians and liturgists.

Keynote speaker, the Rev. Dr. Patrick B. Reyes, is an educator, author, and president of Auburn Theological Seminary, whose work Cunningham described as centering “on healing, vocation, intergenerational leadership, and imagination.” Cunningham also praised conference preachers and leaders Junha Kim, abby mohaupt, Chris Dela Cruz, and Kevin Nye for bringing “voices grounded in justice, community, advocacy and faithful ministry.

“Together with artist Rev. Lauren Wright Pittman, musician Kim Mendoza, liturgist Beth Neel, and spirituality center director Lanie Sipes, they will help participants explore where God is breathing new life into the church,” Cunningham said.

The walkable downtown and riverside location of the Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront offers easy access to restaurants, coffee shops and opportunities to connect learning with the life of the local community.

Every year APCE chooses a local mission partner. This year’s partner is Barbie’s Village, an Indigenous-led community creating housing, healing, cultural connection and hope for Native families. Participants will have opportunities to learn more about that work during the event.

APCE's conference artist, the Rev. Lauren Wright Pittman, is director of branding and founding creative partner of A Sanctified Art, a collaborative arts ministry. (Photo courtesy of APCE)

Online participants will be able to choose closed captions in English, Spanish or French. Despite not being able to offer a fully Spanish-language online event or Spanish interpretation for the in-person gathering as was offered last year, Cunningham expressed hope that “this will make the online experience more accessible for participants whose first language is not English."

“Annual Event Online is designed to be a connected experience rather than simply a livestream,” said Cunningham. “Online participants will be able to join worship and plenaries, select from 21 online workshops, participate in conversation groups, and enjoy special interviews with event leaders.”

Starting Monday, January 25, 2027, pre-event opportunities invite participants into deeper learning, conversation, and connection before the annual event officially begins. These opportunities include workshops co-sponsored by the Around the Table initiative of the PC(USA) and NEXT Church. Participation in pre-event learning combined with Annual Event workshops and a post-event cohort create the foundation of a new “Children’s Ministry Micro-Credential,” that APCE is launching called “Building Blocks of Faith of the Next Generation.”

“This is the first of several continuing-education pathways APCE hopes to develop for people serving in faith formation,” said Cunningham, who noted the idea was developed in response to an expressed need. “We have heard from many volunteers, part-time educators, pastors, and newer ministry leaders who are doing vital work with little formal training and who are asking for accessible, practical learning opportunities.”

Cunningham said there had already been a positive response to the micro-credential track in this first week of registration.

APCE is a partner association of the Presbyterian Life & Witness through the Christian Formation Collective.

You may freely reuse and distribute this article in its entirety for non-commercial purposes in any medium. Please include author attribution, photography credits, and a link to the original article. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDeratives 4.0 International License.

Topics: Christian Formation, Christian Educators, Association of Partners in Christian Education