Wilmington District Spiritual Emphasis Week

Save the date for the Wilmington District Spiritual Emphasis Week, January 4–9, 2026. Join us for a week of powerful worship, discussion, and enlightenment!

2026 Winter Convocation & Ordination

Noon Day Prayer

Zoom Link: https://gmail.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=33499aaf53995e7ef8d11fddd&id=3a19da2e77&e=081dc5f242

Meeting ID: 857 3501 7251

Passode: 960185

Dial-In #: (646) 558-8656

Summerville AME Zion Church: seniors Free Lunch

Wilmington District Men of Zion: Hat Donation

Conectional Lay Council: We Care Prayer Call

2nd Annual Wilmington District Christmas Program

Christian Education Department

Important updates from CED and beyond!

Get Ready to ELEVATE! Registration now OPEN!

Registration for Elevate 2025: Flourish and Thrive is now open!! Prepare now to join us for ELEVATE, the winter meeting of the Christian Education Department of the AME Zion Church! This impactful conference will be held in Baltimore, MD, at the Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor, December 27-30, 2025. This year's theme is "Flourish and Thrive" rooted in Jeremiah 29:4-7. Don't miss this powerful time as we come together to lead our congregations into vibrant ministry despite the shifting landscape. Learning experiences are being prepared for youth, children, young adults, clergy, and CED leaders. We hope to see you in Baltimore for our Zion's premiere educational and evangelistic experience. Let's get ready to ELEVATE!

Elevate Minds | Elevate Ministry
Elevate the Mission of Christian Education

September is CED Month!!

We are excited to share our 2025 Christian Education Month theme:

“F.R.E.S.H. Fire: Reclaiming the Past, Igniting the Future”

This theme invites us to explore FRESH approaches to Christian education ministry that are:
- Focused – Rooted in purpose and intentional discipleship
- Relevant – Speaking to today’s realities with timeless truth
- Engaging – Capturing hearts and minds of emerging generations
- Sound – Built on strong theology and solid teaching
- Holistic – Ministering to the whole person: mind, body, and spirit

In a time of cultural shifts, political uncertainty, and spiritual hunger, we believe God is calling us to reclaim our Methodist fundamentals—class meetings, social holiness, discipleship, and sound doctrine—with fresh perspective and renewed commitment.

Click below to download this year’s CED Month Resource Guide and Sunday Service Template! To download the entire folder, click "quick download it". The folder includes:

CED Month Theme Outline
2025 CED Sunday Worship Template (plus Word version)
2025 CED Month theme logo and graphics
CED Sunday Offering Announcement
Promotions for Thrive on Thursday and other events
Suggestions for enhancing your CED Sunday Celebration
CED theme songs, logos, and publication details

And plan now to join us every Thursday in September for Thrive on Thursday! This year, we are pleased to welcome members of the Board of Bishops who will lead us in thinking deeply about F.R.E.S.H. perspectives for doing ministry that makes an impact! Join us every Thursday at 7pm EST.

We encourage every local church and conference to actively participate in Christian Education Month and to celebrate Christian Education Sunday, which is celebrated the 3rd Sunday of September, the 21st. Join us as we celebrate the men and women on the front lines of fostering the development of credible, committed, Christian disciples in our Zion!

Happy CED Month!

Download the 2025 CED Month Resources!

Sign-up for Email Updates!

Support Christian Education Through Giving!

Stay Connected through the Church School Herald Journal!

Purchase Your Church School Literature!

The Department of Church Growth & Development: The State of Your Church Course Curriculum & The Kingdom Agenda Master Class Series

Dear Zion Family,

We are excited to invite you to SAVE THE DATE for an empowering experience brought to you by the Department of Church Growth & Development, in collaboration with The Board of Bishops and the Department of Records, Research & Archives.

Join us on a transformational journey—Monday nights @ 8 PM (EST) beginning Sept.  8 as we explore The State of Your Church Course Curriculum & The Kingdom Agenda Master Class Series!

Here’s What’s Coming Up:

State of Your Church Course Curriculum

Our course curriculum—unfolding over two semesters—will provide a framework for evaluating, renewing, and strengthening your congregation from the inside out. We’ll explore the 7 Dimension of Flourishing People & 15 Dimensions of Thriving Churches to help us apply these key principles to our local ministries. Click the images below to learn more about each dimension!

The Kingdom Agenda Master Class Series

This Master Class Series features 10 impactful sessions crafted to shift our focus from mere church maintenance to a vibrant Kingdom mentality. Below is a sneak peek at some of the topics.

Stay tuned for registration details and additional info. In the meantime, join us in a Connectional Week of Prayer & Fasting, September 2nd - 8th, 2025. Click the image below to download the Fasting Guide.

Need a Reminder?

Signup to receive text message updates & reminders from the Department about upcoming trainings & events. Just text the word “CONNECT” to

(833) 266-5356

Yours in Christ,

Rev. Dr. Eleazar Merriweather

Executive Director

Department of Church Growth & Development

The A.M.E. Zion Church

The A.M.E. Zion Church Department of Church Growth & Development

Greetings!

Thank you to all who joined us for the Evangelism Lab this past Saturday in Winston-Salem. Below is a link to the session replay. We’ve also linked the handouts below for your convenience.

Click the Image Below for the Replay

DOWNLOAD PRESENTATION

DOWNLOAD QUESTIONNAIRE HANDOUT

Yours in Christ,
Rev. Dr. Eleazar Merriweather
Executive Director
Department of Church Growth & Development
The A.M.E. Zion Church

Johnson Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church

Birthday Blessings

Wilmington District Spiritual Emphasis Week

WH&OMS Leadership Training