ACRE Discussion site

Milestone -- Standing Stones

2010-05-16T11:22:00.001-07:00

My husband Bob and I had a great time on Thursday and Friday evening in Goshen, IN talking with the members of Greene Road Church about faith, children and milestones. When we entered the church a display cabinet caught our eyes. On the wall on shelves were 20 stones. Written on each stone is a child’s name and the year they were baptized. When the child makes profession of faith that date is also engraved on the stone and the stone is given to the individual.

These stones are selected by a member of the church, cut and polished by a mason in the church and then the design is made by another member on the computer and sent to an engraver. The congregation is invested in making these stones! These stones are displayed in the church lobby in a cabinet and serve as a testimony both to the people who’s names are on them and to the rest of the congregation that they are part of the spiritual lives of these people, that they have made a commitment to them in baptism and that they are important to the other members of this church.

What a great way to see milestones events recorded!

More Milestone Ideas

2010-05-11T15:19:00.000-07:00

Recently I received an email from Massachusetts asking if any church had a Faith Milestone program. I don’t know if I answered that email very well. Every congregation has some Milestones such as baptism and profession of faith.

Here are a couple of ideas that may enrich your Milestone program:

Two great songs to sing during a Milestone celebration are “One Generation Calls to the Next” by Greg Scheer or “By Faith” by Keith and Kristyn Getty and Stuart Townend.
A church in Michigan is presenting a Bible to each of their fifth graders. The Bibles were on display in the fellowship hall for two weeks. Congregation members were invited to underline a favorite verse and put their name by the verse in each of the presentation Bibles. The Bibles were then presented to the fifth graders during our worship service.

The Fabulous Reinvention of Sunday School

2010-05-03T09:30:00.000-07:00

The Fabulous Reinvention of Sunday School by Aaron Reynolds was recommended to me a couple of times so I purchased the book but never read it until this week. Reynolds has worked at Willow Creek so his vision of Sunday School is for large groups with an emphasis on performance of the story. He presents this as the only way to do Sunday School. This isn’t my situation so the beginning of the book was a little slow for me.

But when Reynolds focuses on how to tell a Bible story, the book came alive for me. Reynolds gives many bold, useful examples and ideas for how to tell a story. He has advice for adding sound and lighting and even for sprucing up the classroom environment. I found the ideas very helpful, practical and fun.

Even though I really liked parts of the books on storytelling I take issue with the some of what he writes. For example:

Make sure the application is in every lesson. If it’s not, give some real thought to adding it in. Because our job isn’t just to tell [the child] the story of Gideon. Our job is to make sure she knows that the story about Gideon …is a story about [that child].

Reynolds does not discuss on what a good application is or why an application is needed. I also think some of his applications miss the mark. In the above quote I would change that to say “that the story about Gideon.. is a story about God.”

While I have some real reservations about what he says about applications overall the book is fabulous, as advertized in the title. I wish I had read it long ago.

The Bible in 66 Verses

2010-04-25T18:50:00.000-07:00

I came across this really interesting blog post called the “Bible in 66 Verses” on the Lutheran Forum. The author, Sarah Wilson, selected a verse from each book of the Bible that summarizes that book’s content.

I’m not sure how to use it, but I think this is a really interesting way of thinking about the books of Bible. Young people and adults could really rise to the challenge of selecting a verse for the book that they are studying or different church families could chose a book and then select a verse for that book so your congregation could share with each other. The author lists her verse choices and while I haven’t been through the list with a fine-toothed theological comb, I sure enjoyed reading the list and thinking about why that verse was chosen.

Faith and Coasters

2010-04-15T07:29:00.000-07:00

Recently my husband came back from a meeting in Minnesota about Spiritual Formation. He brought home a package of drink coasters. Normally coasters don't merit a blog post but these are especially cool. They ask questions in English and Spanish about faith -- discussion starters. Here are a sample of the questions:

• Does God plan and control life or is life shaped by choices and chance?
• Describe what is is like to talk with another person about God.

I have always loved the Faith Talk Cards produced by Youth and Family Institute (now Vibrant Faith). These coasters reminded me again to share our faith stories and share our experiences of faith. I wonder if I could get our congregation to spend 5 to 10 minutes at a potluck talking about faith.

The coasters are available for purchase from Vibrant Faith.

Growing in Character, Skill and Knowledge

2010-02-24T10:29:00.001-08:00

In May of 2008 the Staff Ministry Committee finished its work in developing a credentilaing process for church staff ministry leaders who are not ordained. Last week a Credentialing Committee met to interview the first four candidates for the process!

The Credentialing Committee is made up of two people who are experienced ministry staff (after the initial process these will be ministry leaders who have been credentialed), along with one member each of the Staff Ministry Committee, the Office of Pastor-Church Relations, and the faculty or staff of Calvin Theological Seminary or another college or university associated with the CRCNA. The Committee also includes one pastor from the classis of the candidate, though not from the candidate’s congregation.

My interview was at 3:30 pm—an hour I began to regret when at 3:00 afternoon drowsiness hit and my eyelids started to feel heavy! But the interview was friendly and encouraging, with questions about my faith statement, strengths and weaknesses, and why I desire to be credentialed. Over half of the bi-national committee joined us by phone from around Canada and the United States, reminding me of the scope of the credentialing process. Once credentialed in educational ministry, my credentials will hold true for every classis in the CRCNA.

After the interview I received a call from Jeanne Kallemeyn, staff ministry specialist, and member of the Credentialing Committee. She welcomed me into the process and emailed me information on the next steps—choosing a Learning Partner (LP), assessing my current level of skills, knowledge, and character for ministry, and developing an Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) for growth. The credentialing process includes a summary of core requirements in each of these areas that will guide me as I work with a Learning Partner to design an ILP.

This is an exciting process—one that could bless individuals, churches, and the whole denomination as educational ministries are strengthened!

If you’re interested in becoming credentialed in church education contact Jeanne Kallemeyn at jkallemeyn@crcna.org or 616-726-1152 for more information.

written by Jolanda Howe, CRC Educator

Debriefing

2010-02-22T15:01:00.000-08:00

Six people from our church attended Worship Symposium at Calvin College this January. The group included our pastor, my husband and me. On Friday afternoon I sat next to Amy, one of our church members, before a vesper worship started and we began sharing. She commented that we should all get together and share what we had seen and heard. I mentioned this to our pastor who was all for the idea -- “Any time volunteers are willing to get together and talk about worship, it is a good thing.” So after several emails back and forth we identified the one date in the next two weeks that worked.

As my husband and I talked about how to organize the meeting we thought about writing down all the ideas on a white board but it seemed too much like a meeting where we were trying to get something done instead of a time to share. We talked about making a topic list ahead of time and hitting the topics we were interested in: Prayer, Visual art, Music, Worship, Psalms but again that was maybe too organized for what we were trying to accomplish. At last I decided to just run through the schedule, day by day and see what struck the participant each day. That may not have been the best choice. We began by reviewing Thursday, followed by Friday and by that point we were off on tangents about the things we learned at symposium. I don’t think we ever talked about Saturday. But we did have a great discussion anyway.

So what did we learn? The biggest thing I learned is that gathering to debrief is a great thing – and maybe not having the debrief super-organized helped in the long run. Our discussion quickly focused on a topic I never expected: drama in worship and making better power point presentations. As a group we gathered around these ideas and generated the next steps for our church. We are checking into materials to do a drama at our church. We are talking to the tech committee to see if they are enthused about improving our visuals. We also are now accountable to each other to move this forward. We as a group are accountable for this – not me alone.

The next time I do this, though, I would ask each person before the meeting to think about one thing that struck them during Symposium and begin the meeting with those highlights. Then after giving everyone a chance to speak we could then open the discussion to the whole group. The hour and half was very well spent. Best of all, the ideas we discussed are now owned by the whole group, not by just one person. We are all excited about a couple of new ideas and how we can incorporate that into the life of the church.

Baptism/ Faith Milestone Idea

2010-02-10T13:00:00.000-08:00

At Symposium my husband Bob and I presented at a session about Faith Milestones. We have recently written the book Celebrating the Milestones of Faith published by Faith Alive.

The people who came to our session were great. One participant said that when her daughter was baptized, she had received a large picture frame with a mat and an opening for a 5 x 7 picture (I have one in my basement that we bought at Bed Bath and Beyond for my daughter’s wedding. It is called a signature frame.) The vow that the congregation makes during the service was written on the mat. Every person at the baptism signed the mat as they left the service. The frame and mat were given to her and her husband who later added a picture of the child from that day. What a wonderful reminder of the promise made at baptism and the promises made by the people of God who surrounded her.

Sing With the World

2010-02-05T10:20:00.000-08:00

Last week I attended the Calvin Worship Symposium held in Grand Rapids. At the Conference I met Alison Adam from England. She led a group of high school students and teachers in learning some new songs as well as two children’s school groups in a worship service and a sectional. She introduced her new songs book and CD Sing with the World: Global songs for Children. Written with John Bell, the songs are delightfully and easy to sing. I especially like the song “Don’t be Afraid”. The lyrics are:

Don’t be afraid. My love is stronger

My love is stronger than your fear.

Don’t be afraid. My love is stronger

And I have promised, promised to be always near.

This is a great song to sing with “When I am Afraid”. It is also useful in worship with it's wonderful promise of assurance.

Alison also recommended the CD "Down To Earth" by fischy music. It can be purchased two ways: a CD with just the audio or and audio CD and a CD -ROM that includes teaching notes, lyric sheets, music and videos showing signs and actions. The video part is very simple -- one or two people talking and singing unaccompanied. The songs are also great with titles like" God Knows Everything", "Written on the Palm of God's Hand" and "Part of your Plan".

I bought both of these resources and have already found songs that I could use with the kids at our church.

Church Safety

2009-09-19T16:26:00.000-07:00

My position at church includes being the child safety point person. Each year we have a child safety training meeting. At these meetings I remind the volunteers of where the fire extinguishers, band-aids, forms and more information is located. Much of this information could be communicated in the church newsletter. So I started monthly “Church Safety” column. Here is my first installment:

Church Safety Update

Where are the Fire Extinguishers located?

Our church has five fire extinguishers placed in the buildings. They are located:

• On the counter in the kitchen
• By the door in the library
• In the basement
• In the hallway behind the choir loft
• In the Cadet Building

What other methods of communicating Church Safety do you use?

"She Knows Me"

2009-09-08T10:32:00.000-07:00

Last week I heard Chap Clark speak. He has written several books and I am presently reading Hurt. He is a lively, entertaining speaker. Most of Clark’s work is with adolescents. He spent a lot of time explaining that adolescence begins at about 12 years old and goes to 22 years old today. He said that one way to reach our kids today is to have five people who really know each child. As I thought about this I realized that if teens need five people to really know them, we should begin when they are children.

In my own church I can think of a couple of examples. There is a family with children the same age as mine. We teamed up for carpooling for the kids’ sport teams and church activities. It seemed like all the games our kids were involved in were at the same time so I would take the boys to Little League and she would take the girls to softball or visa versa. About 4 years ago, their high school aged daughter brought a boyfriend to church. She introduced me to her friend and said, “This is Mrs. Keeley. She knows me.”

My son is applying for a youth director position at another church. He was asked about how the church should minister to young people. He talked about how he used to play baseball and one church member, Mr. Mulder would talk to him about baseball often – in fact, he would come to a couple of our sons’ games. He knows my son.

There are two things I’m thinking about here. I need to help the members of my church by coming up with more opportunities for them to make these kinds of connections with kids. My job in children’s ministries is to foster more of these kinds of connections. I also personally need to make sure that I know a couple of kids. It’s important. The church is place where we should know each other, a place where we belong.

What are other ways that we as a church can get to know our children? What ways have other church members come to know children in your ministry?

God's Diverse Creation

2009-09-03T08:21:00.000-07:00

On a recent trip to Kohl’s I purchased the $5.00 hardcover books they have available to use at my church. This fall three books written by Steve Jenkins are offered -- Actual Size, Biggest, Strongest, Fastest, and What Do You Do With A Tail Like This?

These are great books to use with children to talk about the wonderful diverse creation that God has created. The colorful pictures draw you into the book. I particularly liked the picture of an elephant’s foot—actual size--in the book Actual Size. I purchased copies of all three books for the teachers to use for those times when they have a few extra minutes to fill. What a fun way to look at the wonders God made!

Symposuim on Worship -- For Educators Too!

2009-08-27T11:50:00.000-07:00

Every year when I attend Calvin’s Symposium on Worship, I’m never sure what I will learn. This yearly conference is held at Calvin College at the end of January. I started to go because my husband was presenting and I could stay with him in the Prince Conference Center on Calvin’s campus, but every year I learn more and enjoy the conference more. Even though the conference is about worship, there are sessions about children and resources that can be used in adult education.

The workshops are varied. This year I heard Sister Joyce Ann Zimmerman talk about baptism practices during the 1st to the 4th Century. Howard VanderWell discussed profession of faith. Craig Satterlee spoke about the stories of the church (and at that session I received a free book!). Barb Newman presented a session about autism, and Kristen Verhulst introduced and recommended many children’s book about worship. I also enjoyed the Jazz Vespers service led by Ed Dolman and Rae Whitney. I felt like I was resting in the Lord’s palm. It was a great way to complete a busy day.

One of the other benefits of attending Symposium is the free resources. This year five resources were given to participants:

Contemporary Songs for Worship (Faith Alive Christian Resources, CICW, 2008).
Worship Words: Discipling Language for Faithful Ministry, by Debra Rienstra and Ron Rienstra (Baker, 2008)
Touching the Altar: The Old Testament for Christian Worship, edited by Carol M. Bechtel (Eerdmans, 2007)
Images of Faith CD, compiled by Sandra Bowden (CIVA, 2008). This CD is full of images that can be used in power point presentations.
The Father & His Two Sons: The Art of Forgiveness, images from the Larry & Mary Gerbens Collection (Eyekons, 2008)

We used the Contemporary Songs book immediately because it featured songs the children could learn in Sunday school and could also be used in the congregational worship service.

No discussion of Symposium is complete without talking about the worship services. There are six worship services over the three days. The services are inspirational and well organized. The group of people who gather at symposium can sing! It is a joy to be part of the singing. I go there looking for ways to include children, teens, and more lay adults in worship, and I always find new things to try in my church. These may be from the readings, music, or art ideas presented. Perhaps the best part of worship at Symposium is that I don’t have any extra responsibilities like I do at my own church. I can direct all of my attention on worshiping God!

Worship Symposium is not a conference about curriculum or programs. It is a conference that focuses on worship and how all the programs and people in a congregation can be involved and nurtured by worship. When I go, I listen to the theology, stories, and music of the church, and that enriches me and nourishes my ministry.

Check out the resources on the Calvin Institute of Worship website.

How would you describe the relationship between worship and education? How do the two intersect in your congregation?

Resource Review

2009-08-25T07:50:00.000-07:00

The God-Hungry Imagination: the Art of Storytelling for Postmodern Youth Ministry by Sarah Arthur (Upper Room Books, 2007)

In The God-Hungry Imagination, Sarah Arthur combines her experience as a youth leader along with her love of literature and makes a compelling case for the importance of story not only in the lives of the church’s young people, but in all of us. In this fascinating and enjoyable book, Arthur reminds us that the Bible is a great story (rather than just a set of smaller stories) and that making sure that we understand the story and are willing to share it is one of the most important things we can do for our kids. The book includes both conceptual ideas for why story is important in ministry and also some concrete suggestions for how to carry out the idea.

--Robert Keeley, Professor of Education, Calvin College

Have you noticed this emphasis on story and God’s one big story turning up a lot lately in books and resources?

Marking Faith Milestones

2009-08-22T11:35:00.000-07:00

Each Sunday, just before the sermon, my pastor calls forward the children to pray for them before they are dismissed to go downstairs for children’s worship. Last week, something special happened, the congregation celebrated a milestone in Taylor’s life.

As the kids gathered up front, I went forward with them, and the pastor handed me a microphone. I told the congregation that Taylor was now at the age that she would be staying upstairs to listen to the pastor’s sermons. I gave her a very cool notebook, with a pen attached, and a note inside, and told her that this was a milestone in her life—she was now ready to listen and learn along with the older children, teens, and adults, as the pastor shares a message from the Bible!

I also let her know that we were glad that she heard God’s stories downstairs, and that we were eager to see her enjoy the sermons upstairs. “It reminds me,” I said, “of the story of Jesus staying behind in the city because he was eager to sit at the feet of the teachers in the temple as they shared God’s Word.” After saying a few more words about that we prayed as a congregation for Taylor—that she would continue to be eager to hear God’s Word and grow in faith.

The whole celebration took only about two minutes, but they were an important two minutes! Not only for Taylor, but for the younger children who were standing next to Taylor, knowing that soon they would be sitting with Taylor, listening to the pastor’s sermons upstairs. And for all of Coit church, the celebration challenged us to think about whether we are eager to hear God’s Word each week. Are we excited that kids in early elementary school are sitting with us in the pew, being shaped by God? That God is at work among us?

Marking faith milestones is a meaningful practice in the life of a congregation—it draws us near to God with grateful hearts and nearer to one another as well. It helps us see that we share in this journey of faith, and that our God is always calling us in new directions along that journey!

—Jolanda Howe, Coit Community CRC in Grand Rapids, Michigan

What faith milestones do you mark in your congregation? Which have been most meaningful to you?

A Renewed Sense of Mission

2009-08-18T10:23:00.000-07:00

The Belhar embodies what I love most about our Reformed sense of mission—that through Christ, God is reclaiming and restoring all of creation, and that we are part of that process! We are active agents in the world—working for God’s glory and spreading God’s good news so that the world, and the people in it, might be transformed!

That good news includes these Biblical and theological themes, identified by Synod 1996:

Creation
1. The world as God created it is rich and God-glorifying in its diversity. 
2. The created world with all its diversity has its unity in the one God, who created it through Jesus Christ. 
3. The unity and diversity of the human race and of created reality reflect the unity and diversity of the triune God (namely, his oneness and threeness).

Fall
4. A fundamental effect of sin is the breakdown of the community.

New Creation
5. The uniting of all things in Jesus Christ is at the heart of God’s eternal plan for the ages. 
6. Reconciliation with God and reconciliation with one another are inseparable in God’s saving work. 
7. Already in the old covenant the scope of God’s mission is racially and ethnically inclusive. 
8. In Pentecost, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the church, God gives new power to the church, power to break down walls of separation and create a community that transcends divisions of race, ethnicity, and culture. 
9. The church is God’s strategic vehicle for embodying, proclaiming, and promoting the unity and diversity of the new creation. 
10. God calls Christians to find their deepest identity in union with and in the service of Jesus Christ.
 11. Obedience in matters of racial reconciliation calls us, individually and corporately, to continually repent, to strive for justice, and to battle the powers of evil. 
12. Christians live and work in the hope that one day the reconciliation of all things will be fully realized.

 —From the Acts of Synod 1996, pp. 512-13, posted on the CRC Belhar site, www.crcna.org/belhar, on the History page.

A New Appreciation for Confessions
A confession happens when the church speaks—when there is something so important that it requires a voice. The original letter accompanying the Belhar included these words: “This confession is not aimed at specific people or groups of people or a church or churches. We proclaim it against a false doctrine, against an ideological distortion which threatens the gospel itself in our church and our country.” (From statement number three of the original 1986 accompanying letter.)

The Belgic Confession, the Cannons of Dort, and the Heidelberg Catechism were written a LONG time ago (between 1561 and 1619). That doesn’t make them any less valuable, but it makes the events leading up to their writing a little less familiar in our minds. The Belhar comes to us with a freshness and urgency that challenges us to revisit the confessions with new eyes, to ask questions like,

Who writes confessions, or decides when one should be written?
What did these statements of faith mean to the original writers and audience, and what do they mean to us now?
What do we value in confessions; what do we look to them for?
How has God used the confessions to shape his people over time?
What issues is the church struggling with today that the confessions speak to? What issues weren’t anticipated by the authors?

The Belhar brings the past into the present, reminding us that confessions are not simply documents that sit on a shelf and show up in church school—they are evidence of God’s work in the church and in the world. They challenge us to think deeply about our faith so that we might live in a way that reflects God’s goodness and grace.

Visit www.crcna.org/belhar for articles and resources, and consider the RCA Belhar study, Unity, Reconciliation, and Justice, available through Faith Alive.

-- Jolanda Howe, Coit Community CRC in Grand Rapids, MI

What is the buzz in your congregation? What might the Belhar mean for your church?

Hugs and Kisses

2009-08-12T13:40:00.000-07:00

In June Gretchen Wolff Pritchard presented at the Children’s Spirituality Conference. Her thoughts about story were very interesting. For children she suggests that we shouldn’t get bogged down with details such as learning all the ten plagues. Tell them the ten plagues happened and then move on. The details, she says, get in the way of children seeing the big picture. She also mentioned how in our visual culture children need a visual vocabulary of the faith.

So I read her book Offering the Gospel to Children. This book was written in 1992 but here is a short except about the church and children taking communion. I think it is an interesting view.

“In our family lives, we express love, forgiveness and acceptance by hugging and kissing. Hugs and kisses are the sacrament of family love. Every member of our culture knows and understands that touching a baby’s cheek with our lips and making a strange little smacking noise signifies our love and care for the baby, and our delight in him. But the baby, at birth, does not know this. He learns, quickly enough, by experience. And we start to teach him to do it too: “Kiss Mommy.” “Give Daddy a big hug.” Kissing and hugging quickly become, for the baby as well, sacramental actions – signs of love and pleasure.

Imagine if, until your child was six, you never kissed her, but only let her watch older people kissing each other. Then when she had learned to red and write (and, incidentally, had already passed the age where her imagination was most eager to grasp non-verbal experience and make it a part of her deepest self), suppose you sat her down with a special curriculum entitled “Kisses and Hugs: Signs of Love.” She would color picture of people hugging and kissing and read exemplary stories about families and answer questions about why we choose this way to express our love. Finally, on a special day, when you were sure she understood enough about hugging and kissing to e truly “read,” you would hug and kiss her for the very first time. She would wear a new party dress, and Grandma would come to lunch and bring a present, and she would feel so proud and so special.

Or would she?“

From Offering the Gospel to Children by Gretchen Wolff Pritchard, Cowley Publications, 1992. p. 160-161

Celebrating Milestones

2009-08-03T17:07:00.000-07:00

As a Director of Children’s Ministry, I am always looking for ways for the children to know how a Christian acts. We use 7th and 8th graders as helpers in Children’s Worship, for example, to encourage them to model how a middle school child behaves for the younger children. But we often don’t encourage the adults to talk about their faith. If we don’t do this, children and teens won’t be able to see how these Christians model how God has worked in their lives. We need to share the stories of faith and the stories of God’s faithfulness to his people.

On Thursday evening I was very excited to receive a copy of the new book, Celebrating the Milestones of Faith, written by my husband Bob and me. Milestones has been on my mind for the past three or four years. A milestones program is a wonderful way to remind us that God is faithful. We need to take time to recognize and celebrate what God is doing in our lives and in the lives of those around us.

Yesterday we celebrated my daughters eighteenth birthday. It was a time of cake and gifts. What we forgot to do was to talk about how God had been faithful in her life and in all our lives over the last eighteen year. And we wrote the book! It’s easy to miss these opportunities without some sort of structure to remind us to do it. I guess that’s why God told the Israelites to build a monument near the Jordan River so that when you walked by kids would ask what happened and we would tell the stories.

We need to more intentional about sharing how God is working in our lives and remind ourselves of his faithfulness at church and at home. Faith Milestones can help us do that. Our new book can give you ideas about how to do it in your church.

While the adults are in small groups…

2009-02-10T17:25:00.000-08:00

We have been using the small group format for some of our evening services. The High school teens and adults are studying Living in Community for five weeks. We first gather for 18 minutes in the sanctuary for singing, prayer, and a short devotional lead by the pastor. Then we break into small groups.

For the children we have been using Kid Connection. I have chosen lessons that fit with the theme of the studies that the adults are using. Kid Connection is large group/ small group format so the middle school kids help with the large group presentations and with the younger children during the small group time. Two adults lead the children each session. The adults have had plenty of material to use and enjoyed working with the kids and working together as a team for one lesson. It has been a good fit for our church.

For these 5 weeks the curriculum for the children is:
Session 1: Foundations

“Red Rope Rescue,” Kid Connection Year 1 Quarter 2 Unit 5 Session 3
Focus: Rahab helped the spies because she trusted God. God made her part of his family.

Session 2: Worship – We’ll focus on Foundations from Session 1

“I’m With You,” Kid Connection Year 1 Quarter 2 Unit 6 Session 1
Focus: God lead Ruth to join God’s people.

Session 3: Fellowship

“Lazarus, Come Out!” Kid Connection Year 2 Quarter 2 Unit 5 Session 4
Focus: By making Lazarus alive again, Jesus showed that nothing can ever keep us from his loving care.
Emphasize how Jesus cried with the people when he heard that Lazarus had died. He also rejoiced when Lazarus was raised. We also cry and rejoice together.

Session 4: Challenges – Forgiveness

“Zacchaeus, Come on Down!” Kid Connection Year 2 Quarter 2 Unit 5 Session 2
Focus: Jesus can change sinful people into friends and followers.

Session 5: Witness – Creation Care

“You’re In Charge!” Kid Connection Year 1 Quarter 1 Unit 1 Session 3
Focus: God let’s us be in charge of the whole world and all the creatures in it.

I Wonder What Else He Heard

2009-02-04T18:42:00.000-08:00

My husband Bob and I have been writing Christmas dramas for a number of years. We wrote because we couldn’t find a Christmas program for kids that kids could enjoy presenting, that adults would appreciate and that had an overriding principal. In our latest play, two Hebrew people are talking about the new coffee shop in Israel the year Jesus was born. In a discussion about the special language used in coffee shops, one person complains about how you can’t just say “I’d like it fast” you had to say “I’d like it ‘Expresso’.”

Sunday a mother from our church told me about a visit she made to the coffee shop with her four year old son. After getting the coffee, the four year old asked his mother if she had to get it ‘Expresso’. He even used quotey fingers like the kid in the play did. This line was exactly as it was in our Christmas drama. I guess he was listening.

My first thought was that of all the good stuff we put in the play, why did this child remember only the ‘Expresso’ line? My husband’s response to the story was different. He figured if the child heard that part, imagine what else he heard! I guess that is part of the mystery and joy of working with children.

Children's Books about Worship

2009-02-02T09:08:00.000-08:00

The Calvin Symposium on Worship was held at the end of January. Beside thoughtful worship services, there were many great workshops. At one workshop Kristen Verhulst shared several children’s books about worship. Children’s books offer another avenue to teaching our children the language the worship. Books can help kids revel in the presence of our great God and help kids and adult articulate our faith.

Kristen is always updating her list of books and has posted it on the web! Check it out!

Check out Gina's blog

2009-01-25T18:35:00.000-08:00

Check out Gina Dick's Blog. Gina worked at Sunshine Church in Grand Rapids in church education as well as leadership. Now Gina is a full time student at Calvin Theological Seminary.

Art, Theology and Children

2008-11-19T08:05:00.000-08:00

Ron Rienstra wrote a blog post about a display of children's art work he recently saw while visiting another church. Read more here.

Christmas Gifts for children

2008-11-17T07:13:00.000-08:00

What do you give to the children at church at Christmas?
Here are a few ideas from children’s ministry directors in the Grand Rapids, MI area network:

• Last year we gave our kids a Christmas ornament that would remind them of the program. I found some reasonably priced ornaments on-line at Oriental Trading.

• I have been giving ornaments for the past 5 years. I order from CTAinc.com which has nice ornaments for $1- pewter ones for $3. I also order from orientaltrading.com. This gives the children a collection of ornaments and they can remember their growing up years in church.

• Creative Communications for the Parish has wonderful advent calendars—a picture with 25 windows to open. They are cheap and the families love them. You have a choice of several designs and sizes.

• We gave kids Christmas ornament kits to assemble at home, made from brightly colored old Christmas cards. There are directions here.

Faith Formation Committee

2008-11-15T06:54:00.000-08:00

The Faith Formation Committee has a new web site. Check out it out: www.crcna/faithformation

Christmas Gifts

2008-11-12T18:45:00.000-08:00

Here is an article I recently wrote about Bible Storybooks for our church newsletter. Feel free to copy it!

Bible storybooks or Christian magazines make great gifts for your child or grandchild! Surround children with stories about our God. Here are some ideas for young children:

o The Little Christian is a new magazine coming out in January. Each issue, which comes in the mail, includes a Bible story, a page using sign language, a faith based story and other ways to enrich your child’s faith. A subscription of 10 issues is $24.95. Subscriptions are available at: www.thelittlechristian.org

o The Read Aloud Bible Story Books Volume 1, 2, 3 and 4 by Ella Lindvall and H. Kent Puckett are great for reading to young children or for early readers. The language and large pictures easily engages children. Each book contains 5 stories. Cost: $14.99 per book

o God Love Me series by Patricia Nederveld contains 52 books. Each book includes a Bible story, a prayer and suggestions for activities to further think about the Bible story. The books can be purchased separately or in groups. Cost: $2.95 per book available at Faith Alive Christian Resource (www.faithaliveresources.org or call 1-800-333-8300)

For Elementary children:

The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name by Sally Lloyd-Jones and illustrated by Jago. Each story told in this book points toward Jesus. Each story “vividly illustrated as it is portrayed, but also each tale is telling one Big Story—the Story of Jesus. Even the Old Testament stories of ‘The young hero and the horrible giant’ and ‘Daniel and the scary sleepover’ come full circle to Jesus, the greatest Hero, King, Lover and Rescuer the world has ever known.” More to Life Magazine. Cost: $16.99

Is Beth Moore Reformed?

2008-09-01T09:16:00.000-07:00

Here is a recent email discussion from people involved in Adult Education:

I've heard that Daniel by Beth Moore is a great study and I am considering using it this fall. Has anyone else gone through it yet, and is there any conflict with our (CRC) beliefs or theology? (My pastor is encouraging caution.) I would appreciate your input! Kerri

Here are the responses: I am sure you will find them helpful. I did!

I did the Daniel Beth Moore study a couple of years ago. Part one was great, no problems. Part two, dealing with the end times, was not reformed. The women did enjoy the study. Sam

Our Thursday women’s Bible study, that consisted of four or five groups combined, used it this past year, as did several co-ed and women’s small groups. We reviewed the material in advance. Our leadership highlighted that the last part of the study didn’t reflect the theology of every denomination, that Beth Moore was explaining one perspective, which Beth Moore clearly states.

We had our pastor join in the last day of class to hear testimonies and provide a reformed perspective and answer questions. The results were a more well-informed group of people who seemed to appreciate the learning experience greatly. Many people had also read the Left Behind series of books without any opportunity to discuss this in light of various understandings of scripture. Offering this study helped follow up on those folks as well. We found it to be very positive. Gina

We had 60 women go through Daniel last year, as some have said the only “problem” comes in the last few lessons on end time theology. I am the leader of that group called WORD and introduced the subject and its differences with the traditional Reformed teaching. I copied a chart I had from a previous class taught by one of our pastors on the 4 views on the millennium and a time line. The Lord also led me to draw one of my own describing the time line of God’s relationship to His People—first Jews, then Jews and Gentiles that make up the Church. It seemed to make things clearer for many. I can send those if you wish. I also ordered 20 copies of The Day by Andrew Kuyvenhoven which sold well. He addresses the very same issues and texts that Beth does. She is very fair and explains all the main views and encourages the student every week to study, read other sources and speak to their pastor about these things. She never says her way is the only way, just how she understands the scripture. Actually since so many have read the Left Behind series without ever being able to discuss the interpretation, we found the study very enlightening and refreshing. You might also note that Reformed theologians Sproul and Ladd are both Historic Pre-millennial adherents. Hope this helps a little.
Judy

Reformed Does Matter

2008-08-15T09:07:00.000-07:00

The August issue of The Banner includes an article called “Reformed, Whatever.” by Sandy Swartzentruber (see pages 22 -24). In addition there are four more articles about how Faith Alive Christian Resources are being used in churches through out the North America.

The Christian Reformed Church is blessed to have a Reformed publishing ministry. Over the years the name has changed from the Board of Publications to CRC Publications to the current name -- Faith Alive Christian Resources. In a recent study conducted by Faith Alive only 56% of the CRCNA churches are using Faith Alive materials. Many CRC churches are not using these materials and turning to more evangelical based materials.

I have used Faith Alive materials in my church school programs and grown to appreciate the thoughtful goals and how the materials reflect these goals and good Reformed theology. My teachers also find them easy to use and kids are engaged! I am excited to try the Year 2 Disciples Worship this fall with my church’s adults.

Most Faith Alive materials are not available in bookstores so if you want to learn more about what they offer you need to check out their catalog. You can also go on line to http://www.faithaliveresources.org/ but looking through the catalog can be more fun. The catalog includes Faith Alive products but it also includes products from other publishers that are written from a reformed perspective. If you would like to actually see the materials, you can visit the bookstore in the CRCNA building on 28th Street and Kalamazoo in Grand Rapids. Materials can also be ordered on line or by phone. (1-800-333-8300)

Explore the many great resources at Faith Alive. Help support this Reformed ministry!

Webinars

2008-08-14T14:08:00.000-07:00

Faith Alive is offering free webinars for the Kid Connection, Walk With Me and Disciples materials. Check it out. All you need is a computer, internet access and a phone.

What is a webinar? From your computer you display a power point presentation and your phone gives you the oral presentation. It is almost like being part of a classroom but you can do it from your home or office! And in your pajama’s or sweats. It is very easy. Just sign up and the Faith Alive sends you information. Make an appointment to learn more today!

2008-08-01T12:40:00.000-07:00

Check out these five advent/Christmas children's bulletins with Joel Tanis' art work. Joel Tanis' art work is well known in Western Michigan. These bulletins are free!

Grants for Network Groups!

2008-07-30T12:01:00.000-07:00

ACRE would like to encourage you to start a network group of church educators! A $500 grant is available (through Faith Alive Christian Resources) to help for any ACRE member start a group. This grant can be used in a variety of ways from purchasing books for book discussions or paying for a guest speaker. This is a great opportunity for you to learn more about the educational ministry and to build relationships with other educators in your area. A trip to the APCE (Association of Presbyterian Church Educators) conference in January in San Antonio, TX for the leader is also included!

Why all this emphasis on network groups? Many church educators are volunteers or ministry staff with a heart for ministry but not necessarily a lot of training in church education. A network group can provide support and encouragement for your ministry and build a broader awareness of what church education is all about.

Recruiting Volunteers with Armor On

2008-07-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

Summer in Michigan is great for a lot of reasons. But it always goes way too quickly and as it gets to be late July it is time to check the volunteer lists. We always like to give our teachers and leaders a rest before we ask them to commit for another year so every summer we face the same questions: Who will teach again? Who else should I ask? How many calls will we have to make to get all the slots filled?

Of course, it isn’t just filling slots. We try to match people with tasks so that they feel fulfilled in their work and so that the kids are ministered to by someone who has gifts to do what we’re asking them to do but, even with all that, the classes have to be staffed and we need names to go in every slot. I have a very many veterans who return and teach the children and youth programs every year. It is pretty easy to call them – they sometimes wonder why I don’t just assume that they’re going to do it but we both know that I need to ask them anyway. But even for some of those people I hate making the calls. Partly it’s because there are a LOT of calls to make and you can get to the point where you don’t even know who you’re talking to if you do too many in a row. But it is also because you never know when someone will hit you with an unexpected response. I was talking with Kathy, another children’s director, about asking people to volunteer. We both admitted that this is a particularly difficult part of the job. We both find it hard to avoid taking the “no thanks” remarks personally. I find that every time I need to make a call I have to get prepared. I have to somehow gear up for the conversation (which is really strange because I know and like all of these people.) Kathy says that she does the same thing. She calls it “putting on her armor.” I kind of liked that image because it really does describe what I do too. The problem, though, is that I put on the armor for Monday when I make the calls but on Wednesday, when I’m not wearing it, I get the calls returned and I’m not ready.

So, other church educators out there - how do you avoid taking the negative responses personally? Any advise?

Join ACRE Now!

2008-07-26T11:27:00.000-07:00

If you’re a staff member or volunteer whose role fits these titles: Sunday school coordinator/superintendent, education director, education committee chair, children’s ministry director, director of discipleship, family pastor, etc., you may want to consider joining ACRE. We believe this organization will be the voice that shapes the future of educational ministry within our denomination!

The annual membership fee of $55 for volunteer educators and $65 for professional educators includes these benefits:

Copies of three new educational resources from Faith Alive throughout the year (valued at $50), and an opportunity for your input to shape future resources.

A $45 registration discount for the annual Grow conference.

Full membership in the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators (APCE), including
a subscription to The Advocate, APCE’s quarterly educator’s journal that features articles and ideas from educators in the CRC, RCA, and PCUSA (valued at $30).

a $175 discount for the APCE Main Event (the 2009 Event will take place in San Antonio, Texas, January 28-31).

access to $500 grants for ministry networking groups, and full scholarships (including registration, travel, lodging, and meals) for the APCE Main Event for educators who lead networking groups (five grants and five full scholarships awarded per year).

Most important, access to the wisdom of a bi-national network of church educators connected through e-newsletters, a webpage, and a blog that tracks educational ministries throughout the CRC—from opportunities for continuing ed. to great ideas from educators across North America.

For more information click here

Faithful

2008-07-26T10:15:00.001-07:00

The year is winding down but my thoughts are about what the next year will look like. Who will teach? How many three and four year olds will be coming? How much material and supplies should I order? Sometimes my mind gets so caught up in thinking about the details that I forget to think about the people.

Ministry includes so many children. I think about the 3 year old who is allergic to wheat and the child who does not want his mother to leave. I think about the 7 year old who appears to have no friends. I think about the 12 year old who who seems to always be irritated about something. I think about the 15 year old whose parents are getting a divorce. I think about the 16 year old taking on the responsibility of driving. I think about the 17 year old who is making decisions about what do to after high school.

These thought can leave me feeling overwhelmed. How can all these needs be met? Focusing on details is a lot easier.

Then I remember that I really only need to be faithful. This is a word that has meant a lot to me ever since I read Real Kids, Real Faith by Karen Marie Yust. I’m not sure I am using the term the same way she does but I’ve been thinking about that word a lot lately. I have been called to serve the Lord and use my gifts in ministry. This isn’t a vocation I chose. It chose me. My focus needs to change from me to God. It helps me to remember that it isn’t my job to form the faith of the children. My job is a lot smaller than that. It is my job to provide the tools for children and other adults to know God and see recognize the gifts that God has given them to be faithful. I’m merely doing the work that he’s asked me to do – I don’t have to do everything to build up the faith of all the people I work with. I only have to be faithful in that work. And as I am, I have the privilege of listening and watching to see God’s work as I and the people I serve are being formed by God in our faith.

What about adults?

2007-04-09T18:03:00.000-07:00

A local church educator wrote this to our email group:

I have a couple of questions about adult Sunday school if anyone has time to answer...thanks for your input!
#1- Who oversees your adult discipleship classes? ( By that I guess I want to know who chooses the teachers and the curriculum)
#2- What classes does your church offer for adults?

I'd love to hear input from anyone reading this blog. What do you do about these things?

Time Flies -- Keeping Track of Hours

2006-02-21T18:03:00.000-08:00

Do you keep track of your hours? If your position is hourly the answer is obvious. Well, maybe not so obvious. Some hourly church workers put in many more hours than they are paid for. Some church workers are asked to track their hours even if they’re not paid by the hour. Others who are not asked keep track anyway.

So, what do you do? Do you get paid by the hour or are you on salary? If you get paid by the hour do you count Sunday mornings? If you are on salary do you track your hours?

Mid Week Church Programs

2006-02-18T08:26:00.000-08:00

Our church is reviewing our midweek programs. Can you help us?

Our church does not serve dinner with our midweek program. Has serving dinner been successful? Do more people to come to the church programs if you offer a meal?

How long are your classes? When do you start and when do you finish? Presently our programs runs from 7:00 to 8:30. Do you have something else that works well?

Programs are offered for children in 3rd to 8th grade. Should we start inviting 1st and 2nd grade to our programs? Should we spit the group into 3rd to 5th grade and 6th to 8th grade. What works for you? What doesn’t work?

Please share your experience!

What's in a Name?

2006-02-17T13:49:00.000-08:00

What do you call your programs? I am looking for some good (or even mediocre) names for programs at church.

So I will start with what our church calls our programs:

The midweek program for girl’s is JOY (Jesus- Others- Yourself) Club.
The midweek program for boys is called Boys Club.
The 3 year old children’s worship program is called TLC – The Little Children.
Middle school youth group is Crosstrainers.

Readings for the Education Committee

2006-01-18T07:54:00.000-08:00

Our church’s education committee is reevaluating our education programs. I have suggested the committee read a few books to have some background in church education. Here is the lists of books I have suggested.

Family Base Youth Ministry by Mark DeVries
Postmodern Children’s Ministry by Ivy Beckwith
Junior High Ministry by Wayne Rice
Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions by George Barna
Sunday School that Really Works by Jessie Schut

Do you have any other ideas?

Time for Change?

2005-10-13T17:40:00.000-07:00

A group of educators met last week in Cascade and one of the topics we discussed was participation. How do we get children and adults to come to church and be part of the education programs? Molli told a story that got me thinking. She mentioned that in their church’s GEMS group only 4 girls out of the 9 girls who could participate came to the meetings. One of the leaders asked “Do we do this for only this small number of girls? What should we do differently so the other girls will participate?” Molli’s response was “Why do the girls who don’t come control the agenda?”

I thought that was a good question. Do the people who choose to stay home have the ability to control programs? Should we change to get more people to come out or should we ask the people who come what they want to do? We often focus on the people who don’t come. Sometimes their lack of participation has nothing to do with our programs – they’re too busy with other things or they have family obligations that conflict, for example. There are lots of things that might keep them away. And what if they just don’t like the programs? Should we change it from something that some people DO like just to try to get a bigger crowd?

So… when do you change the program? Isn’t attendance a clear indicator that it is time for a change? Is there a time when low attendance is not used as an indication of a time to change the program?

I’d love to see some comments.

So Much More

2005-10-06T20:26:00.000-07:00

Today I met with a group of church educators who work with adults. An interesting time in the discussion was when we were wondering about spiritual hunger. Is there a spiritual hunger? Are people too busy to have time to hunger after a spiritual life? It seems that once a person has turned 18 years old that they think they don’t need church education. Is the preaching on Sunday enough?

My grandfather used to buy theological books. Did he have more time to read? Did he feel that he had to safeguard the churches theology more than we do now? Is it is sign of our busy lives that we don’t think about church education?

Deb’s Rienstra’s new book So Much More was mentioned. Just the title is intriguing in that it challenges us to think, learn and live life as Christian with an attitude that there is so much more for us to do and learn. We serve a great God and our knowledge of him shouldn’t stagnate.

Is Children’s Worship too expensive? If wooden figures could talk...

2005-06-23T16:38:00.000-07:00

Recently a new member in our congregation marveled at the expense of the Children’s Worship program. She wondered if the wooden figures were worth the expense. She suggested that we could just use clothespins or paper figures.

As I thought about this I picked up one of the wooden figures. It has been used in our church for almost 20 years. The wood has changed color from age and finger oils. I wondered how many children and how many worship leaders had used that figure to tell a Bible story. Some of the first children to use this figure are graduating from college this year. Some of them went on to be helpers in our program, then leaders. Now they are moving on to other churches and bringing what they learned with them.

Many years ago our church made a financial investment -- shelving, figures, fabric, larger classrooms, etc. If this was just a one year program then the money probably wouldn’t be worth it. But this program has been here for an entire generation. These figures have given many leaders, helpers and children an opportunity to gather around and experience the stories of God together. It is in a richer worship experience for the whole church because we are thinking about and involved in worship. The figures were a bargain.

Adult Education

2005-06-22T18:56:00.000-07:00

At a recent gathering of church educators, one educator was commenting about the lack of commitment by the adults to church education. How do we get parents to stop dropping off their children for church education and get the parents to attend? Parents are teaching their children that church education is only for the children. How do help adults value church education? How do we get parents to include church education for themselves in their busy schedule?

Girl’s Club

2005-06-21T19:18:00.000-07:00

Our church’s Girl’s Club (we call it Joy Club) consists of 20 girls in 3^rd to 8^th grade from a core city environment. We have a hard time finding materials that speaks to all the girls. We’ve looked at several curricula and still haven’t found one to use. We haven’t been able to find one that really fits the girls who we have attending our girls club. For example, one curriculum focused on talking at home about faith with their mothers and fathers. A number of our girls come from families that do not have a church home and some don’t live with their parents. One of our girls was taken away from her mother for neglect. She lives with her grandparents. We need to be sensitive to her and the other girls in our group as we chose curriculum. Another curriculum talks about playing with American girl dolls. First of all, these dolls aren’t inexpensive. They’re out of the league of more than a few of the girls we serve. Also, though, some of our girls are taking care of real babies. At least two of our girls talks about taking care of their older sister’s baby. We have a pretty wide range of experience in a pretty small group and this makes finding a curriculum a real issue for us.

I’m sure we are not unique in this setting. I wonder how other educators are meeting these challenges. Any suggestions about curriculum for a group like this are appreciated

Teaching the catechism

2005-04-09T16:37:00.000-07:00

Trying to make the catechism meaningful to teens is tough. I think the questions and answers from the catechism become even more meaningful the more you study them and the more you hear them. Of course, it could be that just getting older (and wiser?) helps. Maybe many of us appreciate things like the catechism more as we get older. There is a reassuring sense of oneness to hear other Christians respond to “What is your only comfort in life and death?”

As a denomination, the pastors aren’t preaching from the catechism as often as they used to. Does this mean that catechism study is less valuable than it used to be? Should the catechism still be taught to young people? If so, what is the best place for that, youth group, church school, Wednesday night programs?

If we do think teaching the catechism is important, what format is most effective? Do the same materials work for teens as well as adults? What materials have worked well for you? What format do you use? A catechism weekend retreat? Weekly church school?

I would appreciate hearing from other educators.

Ministry is messy!

2005-03-11T13:56:00.000-08:00

I could run the perfect program. I could plan, prepare, make signs and make the perfect program happen. But then I would be planning, preparing, and making signs. Okay, I make signs. And I take great pleasure in how centered, colorful and helpful my signs are. I also plan and prepare. But the perfect program has never happened.

The perfect program is only in my mind. Unfortunately my mind isn’t perfect. Maybe I should say fortunately. Because what happens in my programs isn’t perfect. Children and adults are talking to each other. A child leaves just as the story hits the pinnacle to go to the bathroom. I say ministry is relational but sometimes I forget and try to run the perfect class. God isn’t concerned with gorgeous crafts and perfectly behaved children. He is concerned about my relationship with him and the children seeing God’s hand on me. Our church’s children run in the hall, climb the hall walls, and even drink punch in the nursery! They are spontaneous, energetic, and love their God. They don’t sing on pitch and they climb on the cupboards. They would rather make paper airplanes then draw pictures. These children are challenging and fun and I have the privilege of working with them to further God’s kingdom.

SO my perfect program won’t happen. But what does happen builds the faith of the children and the adults of my church. I get the opportunity to make a place for this to happen. Whenever these people meet and talk about God and tell the stories from the Bible, good things happen. I can’t control the children. I can’t control the adults. It reminds me of when I put my babies in the crib at night after a long day. I would put the baby in bed and pray, “Lord, I did my best today. Now you may take over while I get some rest.” In children’s ministry I do my best and then the Lord takes over. His design is always better than mine.

Getting Started

2005-03-09T13:20:00.000-08:00

I hope this can be a place for discussions about church education.