Professional Development
Upcoming educational programs
You may also want to view the chapter pages for additional in-person and educational sessions.
Digitizing Your Story: Archiving and Protecting What Matters Most
David Shehadi, Strategic Account Manager
Wednesday, August 26, at 2 p.m. ET
Does your organization have aging videotapes, audio recordings, or film reels gathering dust in storage? Are you concerned about losing irreplaceable stories, testimonies, historical footage, or community moments to time and technology?
Join us for an essential conversation about preserving your organization’s most valuable media collections. Whether you’re safeguarding decades of worship services, oral histories from founding members, or documentation of your community’s ministry impact, this webinar will equip you with practical strategies for archiving and digitizing what matters most.
In this session, you’ll learn:
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How to assess and prioritize media collections for digitization
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Best practices for preserving audio, video, and film materials
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Strategies for making archived content accessible to your community
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Common pitfalls to avoid when digitizing historical media
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Resources and tools available to faith-based organizations
Whether you’re stewarding a small, local archive or managing an extensive media library, this webinar will help you protect your stories for future generations.
About Our Speaker:
David is a Strategic Account Manager at Memnon Archiving Services, where he helps organizations preserve and digitize valuable media collections. Originally from Dorset, Vermont, he now lives in Maine with his wife, Alex, and their son, Howie. He brings a lifelong passion for history and is dedicated to supporting efforts that preserve and improve access to important historical and cultural materials.
Past Recorded Webinars and Convention Presentations
Shared below are our most recent educational development webinars; click here to go to our YouTube channel, with videos of past webinars, convention presentations and Wilbur awards
Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations (EPIC)
2025 Resultsand Forecasting for 2026 and Beyond
Allison L. Norton, Associate Professor of Migration Studies and Congregational Life
Wednesday, July 8
What does congregational life really look like five years after COVID—and where are we headed next? Dr. Allison L. Norton of Hartford International University, shared findings from the national EPIC study and offer practical insights for leaders discerning their next faithful steps.
Drawing on her research in congregational life, migration, and multicultural ministry, Dr. Norton helped participants understand emerging attendance patterns, online–in‑person hybrid realities, and how shifting demographics and identities are reshaping ministry in 2026 and beyond.
View recording here
Link to Megachurch Resurgence: How Big-Attendance Churches Rebounded After the Pandemic

Strategic Storytelling & Audience Development for Faith-Based Organizations
Carolyn Clendenin, CMC Creative
Wednesday, June 24
How do you tell your story in a way that truly compels people to listen, care, and respond? In this practical session, a seasoned communications strategist who has spent the past decade shaping narratives for nonprofits, educational institutions, elected leaders, and corporations answered exactly that.
Carolyn Clendenin, CEO of CMC Creative, discussed how to clarify one’s core message, reach the right audiences, and share stories that both reflect the mission and move people to action. She challenged viewers to rethink how they communicate, and shared tips on how to tell compelling stories using an authentic voice.
View recording here.

