Spring Webinar: Emotional Connection with Children

About this Webinar

Center children in your communities! With excitement, we invite parents, caregivers, clergy, and religious educators to join us and explore the important topic of how adults can care for relationships and strengthen emotional connection with children. 

Wednesday, April 30, 2025
1 –2:30pm ET
Online
FREE Registration 

Parents and caregivers know that the quality of emotional connections with children matters. But do we understand how much those attachments impact our children's faith? Recent research shows how secure attachment supports faith transmission through security and freedom, protection and flexibility.

This webinar, facilitated by Dr. Sarah Bixler and Dr. Michael Droege, engages participants to explore emerging findings from the Conectere project at Eastern Mennonite University and Yale Divinity School. Learn how attachment-based training for parents and caregivers, combined with intentional reflection on contextually appropriate practices of sharing faith and values at home, can empower parents and children in their collective journeys of faith.

About the Facilitators

Sarah Ann Bixler (PhD and MDiv Princeton Theological Seminary, BA Eastern Mennonite University) is Assistant Professor of Formation and Practical Theology and Associate Dean of the Seminary at Eastern Mennonite University. Her research focuses on adolescent belonging, attachment, faith and meaning-making throughout the life course, human and spiritual formation, and communal practices of teaching and learning.

Michael William Droege (PhD University of Pretoria, MAR Drew University)is a Postdoctoral Associate at Yale Divinity School and a researcher with the Conectere Project. Michael’s work has been focused on the practical theology of adolescents and he has presented his work at the International Association of Youth Ministries Conference, the Intergenerate Conference, through seminary courses at Drew Theological School, as a congregational coach, as well as various journals and the edited volumes The Generational Church and Engage All Generations.

About Everyday Godly Play

The Everyday Godly Play project invites us to move beyond the walls of the church into the home, supporting parents and caregivers with resources to nurture their children’s spirituality through wonder, narrative, rhythm, and play.