https://network.crcna.org/ The Network en Fri, 19 Apr 2024 05:27:25 +0000 Tue, 02 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/children-youth/childrens-ministry/sunday-school/organizing/new-years-checklist Happy New Year! By now you are almost halfway through the educational year, and you’ve tackled some of your most labor-intensive months. Karen DeBoer https://network.crcna.org/topic/children-youth/childrens-ministry/sunday-school/organizing/new-years-checklist Tue, 02 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-practices/two-inspiring-podcast-episodes-your-listening-list Earlier this spring, Chris Schoon and I had the great pleasure of recording two Open to Wonder podcast conversations as part of our series on faith practices. Karen DeBoer https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-practices/two-inspiring-podcast-episodes-your-listening-list Mon, 26 Jun 2023 04:00:00 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-practices/everything-you-need-interactive-series-faith-practices-0 Since launching Everything You Need for an Interactive Series on the Faith Practices (Part 1), we have been over the moon about the exciting ways that ministry Karen DeBoer https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-practices/everything-you-need-interactive-series-faith-practices-0 Mon, 10 Apr 2023 04:00:00 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-practices/intergenerational-activities-faith-practice-generosity This resource is part of a series of interactive, intergenerational ideas for engaging people in faith practices through worship and/or midweek gatherings, brought to you by Worship M Karen DeBoer https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-practices/intergenerational-activities-faith-practice-generosity Mon, 10 Apr 2023 04:00:00 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/children-youth/intergenerational-ministry/you-gift-graduate-bible-do When our young adult daughter was moving out, we wanted to buy her a Bible she could take with her.  Karen DeBoer https://network.crcna.org/topic/children-youth/intergenerational-ministry/you-gift-graduate-bible-do Mon, 20 Mar 2023 04:00:00 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/pastors/how-get-people-all-ages-talking-about-faith-practices By now, you've probably heard about Faith Practices for building spiritual growth and ministry. If not, you'll want to check out Karen DeBoer https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/pastors/how-get-people-all-ages-talking-about-faith-practices Mon, 12 Sep 2022 15:46:56 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/ultimate-collection-family-faith-formation-resources If you were going to fill a gift basket with the ultimate collection of family faith formation resources for churches, which titles would you include? Karen DeBoer https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/ultimate-collection-family-faith-formation-resources Tue, 07 Jun 2022 14:34:46 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/super-fun-way-help-families-form-faith-summer The start of summer provides your church with a wonderful window of opportunity to give families with children faith-forming ideas and the tools they’ll need to try them at home. Karen DeBoer https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/super-fun-way-help-families-form-faith-summer Tue, 17 May 2022 12:30:03 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-practices/everything-you-need-interactive-series-faith-practices Whether you’re Karen DeBoer https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-practices/everything-you-need-interactive-series-faith-practices Wed, 27 Apr 2022 19:24:10 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/discussion-guide-open-wonder-bonus-episode-sandra-van During each episode of the Open to Wonder podcast, hosts Chris Schoon and yours truly explore with our guests all kinds of faith questions: big ones, small ones, weird ones, and hard-to-talk-about-in-church ones, and we invite listeners to imagine wh Karen DeBoer https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/discussion-guide-open-wonder-bonus-episode-sandra-van Wed, 23 Feb 2022 15:30:11 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/how-engage-your-church-conversations-about-beyond-sunday During each episode of the Open to Wonder podcast, hosts Chris Schoon and yours truly explore with our guests all kinds of faith questions: big ones, small ones, weird ones, and hard-to-talk-about-in-church ones, and invite listeners to imagine what Karen DeBoer https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/how-engage-your-church-conversations-about-beyond-sunday Mon, 10 Jan 2022 16:47:14 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/pastors/why-podcast-may-be-perfect-your-next-church-wide-small-group-study In Season One of the Open to Wonder podcast, guest and university pastor Mary Hulst shared the two words the young adults she works with fear most. Spoiler alert: the words are Bible study.  Karen DeBoer https://network.crcna.org/topic/leadership/pastors/why-podcast-may-be-perfect-your-next-church-wide-small-group-study Tue, 07 Dec 2021 14:04:24 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/children-youth/childrens-ministry/how-choose-childrens-storybook-bible-0 My office shelves are lined with children’s storybook Bibles. Some feature fabulous illustrations along with thoughtfully written stories rooted in rich theology. Others, not so much. Karen DeBoer https://network.crcna.org/topic/children-youth/childrens-ministry/how-choose-childrens-storybook-bible-0 Thu, 18 Nov 2021 14:36:15 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/children-youth/childrens-ministry/dwell-curriculum/why-im-so-excited-about-multi-age-multi In 2007, after years of research and in response to requests from churches who were looking for an alternative to an age-graded children’s ministry curriculum, Faith Alive published Kid Connection, a large-group/small-group curriculum with an interactive approach to faith formation. Karen DeBoer https://network.crcna.org/topic/children-youth/childrens-ministry/dwell-curriculum/why-im-so-excited-about-multi-age-multi Wed, 17 Nov 2021 20:23:57 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/four-fresh-ways-tell-christmas-story-family-gatherings Between eating dinner, exchanging gifts, and engaging in conversation at the annual Christmas gathering, sometimes our family has forgotten to retell the story that we’ve come together to celebrate. Sound familiar? Karen DeBoer https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/four-fresh-ways-tell-christmas-story-family-gatherings Tue, 26 Oct 2021 13:26:53 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-practices/try-fresh-idea-helping-families-explore-faith-practices What if, this summer, instead of providing a variety of things for a family with children to do, we provided them with simple faith practices to help them be; encouraging and equipping them to explore each practice at their own pace?  Karen DeBoer https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-practices/try-fresh-idea-helping-families-explore-faith-practices Tue, 01 Jun 2021 13:21:19 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/5-intergenerational-ideas-marking-return-worship-after Each Sunday after online worship during the first four months of the pandemic, I placed the story prop I’d just used for the children’s message in a large, leather-bound box. Karen DeBoer https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/5-intergenerational-ideas-marking-return-worship-after Tue, 11 May 2021 15:45:59 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/fabulous-and-free-idea-help-families-celebrate-pentecost As someone raised in the 1970s by Dutch immigrant parents living in small-town Ontario, I grew up at a time when smoking was encouraged, dancing was forbidden, and at the top of the list of things to fear were The Supernatural and Charismatic Church People.   Karen DeBoer https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/fabulous-and-free-idea-help-families-celebrate-pentecost Sat, 27 Mar 2021 17:51:59 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/worship/special-times/lent-easter/6-creative-ways-include-children-easter-worship-virtually Recently I Zoomed with a group of ministry leaders to share ideas for Easter worship with children. As we talked, I was struck by the deep love these weary leaders feel for the families and children they serve. Karen DeBoer https://network.crcna.org/topic/worship/special-times/lent-easter/6-creative-ways-include-children-easter-worship-virtually Tue, 23 Feb 2021 13:02:50 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/how-help-families-celebrate-holy-week-home Prior to the pandemic, the only time a family may have experienced the stories of Holy Week was during the hour or two they spent inside the walls of a church building on Palm Sunday and Easter weekend. Karen DeBoer https://network.crcna.org/topic/spiritual-formation/faith-nurture/how-help-families-celebrate-holy-week-home Tue, 09 Feb 2021 14:15:23 +0000