We hear it all the time – the power of a story can change the world. As Christians, we are called to share God’s story of salvation . . . from Creation to the Resurrection. We share our own stories in times of sadness and joy. Stories center us in time and space as well as give us a glimpse of new possibilities.
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We know there are children in our communities. But why aren’t they coming to OUR church? There could be many reasons – different denomination, parents work on Sunday, sports, etc. But is there also a subliminal message your congregation is giving to the community or visitors who do come with children?
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Posted in Community, Featured, Ministry |
Tags: children's ministry, Christian formation, family ministry, hospitality 
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I am the child of an immigrant, and I married the child of an immigrant. I have come to learn over time that there is a place in all the immigrants I know, a place so deep as to almost be cellular, that I think of as the immigration wound.
| Posted in Featured, Spirituality |
Tags: Christian formation, discernment, family ministry, immigration, spirituality Comments Off
Does your congregation try to engage parents in practicing faith at home? In today’s world, many parents did not grow up with any faith practices or traditions that they can pass on to their children or practice as a family.
| Posted in Community, Featured, Ministry |
Tags: children's ministry, Christian formation, family ministry, parents Comments Off
Have you ever had one of those times where the Spirit came at you from every place in your life and reminded you of what you REALLY know but have forgotten? Well, that has been the story of this Christian Educator for the past few weeks.
| Posted in Community, Featured, Ministry |
Tags: adults, Bible, children's ministry, Christian formation, family ministry, God, Godly Play, Jerome Berryman, youth ministry Comments Off
Focus on relationships with family, friends and other people, and with God, rather that on “stuff.” Spend your time, energy and money nurturing people, not things.
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There is a rather vast, uncharted territory called “Boy Faith.” As Christian Formers, it is rare that we venture into the rough and ragged place where boys live, learn and grow. I happen to have a heart for sharing faith and life stories with elementary school boys so I needed to figure out a new language for faith expression.
| Posted in Community, Featured, Ministry |
Tags: Bible, children's ministry, Christian formation, family ministry 1 Comment »
For over hundreds of years, people have talked about how certain animals are like Jesus, gentle and strong, dying and rising. For children, these can be symbols to help understand difficult concepts and why we often refer to certain sayings and stories in the bible and connect them to the resurrection.
| Posted in Featured, Ministry |
Tags: children's ministry, Easter, family ministry, Jesus, resurrection Comments Off
Like the adult swans, we adults in the congregation are too quick to chase out youth from the church by making the Sunday worship unwelcoming and largely irrelevant to our young people. Okay, so we don’t bloody our youth or physically evict them from the Church, but we instinctually find means to demonstrate the ways they don’t measure up to our goals for them.
| Posted in Community, Featured, Ministry |
Tags: Christian formation, family ministry, parents, youth ministry Comments Off
Mite boxes are one of the many wonderful traditions of Lent. They engage children in the values of compassion and charity through the daily act of praying and giving; and the funds collected help the most vulnerable in our communities.
| Posted in Community, Featured, Ministry, Service |
Tags: children's ministry, family ministry, intergenerational, Lent, Service Comments Off
This is the perfect time of year to include nature in your formation activity plans. Both church and secular occasions already in place in the calendar offer an easy entry point.
| Posted in Community, Featured, Ministry, Service, Spirituality |
Tags: adults, children's ministry, Christian formation, curriculum, environment, family ministry, God, intergenerational, resources, social justice, spirituality, stewardship, summer, VBS, young adults, youth ministry Comments Off
Start by being clear about your purpose: the formation of hearts and minds and souls in community. From this will follow intentionality about the content of the service. For me, the “stuff” of Christian family liturgy is hospitality, compassionate loving, mystery, inclusivity, social justice and servant leadership.
| Posted in Community, Featured, Ministry |
Tags: adults, children's ministry, Christian formation, family ministry, hospitality, intergenerational, parents, prayer, worship, youth ministry 1 Comment »
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