Hinton Rural Life Center retreat, mission outreach, and training ministries provide opportunities for churches, small groups, organizations, and individuals to grow in faith and in their discipleship, becoming more equipped to bring help, healing, and hope to others. Resources on this page include:

• Theotokos Connections Confirmation Curriculum info and order form
• Registration and other required forms, information for mission teams
• Mission-related articles, books, and online activities
• Digital learning resources for ministry in smaller membership churches

Theotokos Connections Confirmation Curriculum

In our ongoing efforts to support rural churches, Hinton has partnered with Dr. Jonathan LeMaster-Smith and Rev. Shannon LeMaster-Smith to create a United Methodist Confirmation resource that is accessible, relevant, and affordable for smaller membership churches. Because it is designed to be flexible and adaptable for the needs and contexts of different Confirmation ministries, churches of all sizes and settings will find it to be easy to use, youth friendly, and theologically solid as a United Methodist resource.

This resource shares the Theotokos name with the Theotokos Confirmation Retreats ministry offered at Hinton, but it is not used at the retreats nor is it required to be used by groups that attend the retreats. It does share a focus on and highlights the connectional aspect of our Methodist polity and experience. (For information on the Theotokos Confirmation Retreats, visit http://www.hintontheotokos.org .)

Theotokos Connections is a digital resource consisting of 6 sessions. With the exception of the first session, the sessions can be used in any order. There are multiple options offered for openings, learning activities, and closings, and it includes an appendix full of ideas and resource links.

TO PREVIEW AND ORDER:

• To receive a preview version of the introduction and first session, email karen@hintoncenter.org .
• To order the resource, complete and submit the order form linked HERE, with payment, or complete the online form by clicking HERE. For churches in the Western North Carolina Conference (WNCC), complete the online order HERE , using the discount code “WNCC.”
• The cost for this resource is $10/user, which includes numbers of confirmands and adult leaders. This is a one-time charge, but if you continue to use the resource in the future, we hope you’ll consider making a donation to Hinton Rural Life Center to help support our Theotokos Confirmation ministries.