In their retirement, my parents had a very set evening routine. It didn’t include Antiques Roadshow, but it did include Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune! They’d have a cup of tea about 4 pm; Mom would start fixing dinner; they’d eat about 5:30; clean up; and then they’d watch Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. But then the remarkable thing happened. They turned off the television and got out the Bible.
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Tags: adults, Bible, children's ministry, Christian formation, Christianity, family ministry, parents 
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February 28 marks the liturgical feast day of Anna Julia Haywood Cooper, author and educator born in 1858 who lived to be 105. She was one of the most prominent African American scholars in United States history
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“In these days, let us add something beyond the usual measure of our service, such as private prayers and abstinence in food and drink. Let each one, over and above the measure prescribed for him, offer God something of his freewill in the joy of the Holy Spirit.” St. Benedict
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Tags: adults, children's ministry, Christian formation, family ministry, Lent, parents, prayer, resources, spirituality, youth ministry Comments Off
As I grew to love contemporary church music, I discovered music from Taize, from Iona, and from the Catholic Church in the UK and the United States. By the time I was working for a church-funded Saturday choral program for children, and at Saint James Piccadilly in the center of London, it seemed natural to me to have six or seven hymnals spread over the bed in my bedsit to plan one worship service.
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How can the Church move forward into the future, forming disciples to follow Christ in the 21st century? For a number of creative and innovative folks, thinking outside the box while returning to the practices of the Early Church are proving life-giving and energizing for those who never graced the threshold of a church building.
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I believe it’s really important for children to learn that praying should be a part of their everyday life — not just something that they do in church. I also believe that children should be taught that prayers are more than just a “to do” list for God.
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As a parent of two young adults, I was reminded of how little focus I had on my own spiritual growth when they were infants and toddlers. Yes, we went to church, prayed at home and celebrated the church seasons around the dining room table. I recalled how folding laundry became my time for spiritual reflection (when I wasn’t multi-tasking). Life happened, often fast and furious, leaving few opportunities to contemplate the spiritual nature of being a parent.
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In the first century Greek world, an opening greeting and concluding farewell in a letter were prescribed by etiquette. For Paul it was not only courtesy, it was also a matter of inclusion.
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Although President’s Day is upon us, we need to keep the stories of our spiritual heroes alive, too!
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Tags: adults, children's ministry, curriculum, Heroes, intergenerational, Lent, Moses, Presidents' Day, resources Comments Off
In the early Church, Lent was a time of preparation for catechumens, who would undergo a rigorous period of instruction, reflection, self- denial, scrutiny, prayer and exorcism in order to become candidates for baptism.
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Tags: adults, children's ministry, Christian formation, Lent, prayer, spirituality, traditions, youth ministry 1 Comment »
On today’s Christian calendar we remember Martin Luther: Renewer of the Church.
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The pastor, staff, and faith formation leaders see the changes occurring in their church, in their community, and in the world, and wonder what the future holds for them. If present trends continue what impact will they have on the future of the church? What will happen if the church doesn’t respond to the challenges, if faith formation is not aligned well with the life situations and the spiritual needs of people today and in the future?
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