Family Faith Formation Resources | Epiphany

This article is part of the Family Faith Formation Toolkit - a collection of resources for equipping ministry leaders, parents, and caregivers with family faith practices and resources, brought to you by Faith Formation Ministries.

In the following links you’ll find creative resources and practices for Epiphany to use both in community and at home. These ideas can be seamlessly woven into existing church programs and into family life.

Epiphany: In Community

• Invite each person to select a word (printed on a paper star) upon which to reflect during the coming year. (Depending upon your context, the following year you might invite people to share the ways in which the Spirit used that word in their life.) Learn more about the practice and obtain a list of words to use in the posts Star Gifts and Star Words. You might also find it helpful to read Epiphany!!! (with exclamation points!!!), a sermon by Rev. Marci Glass. 
• Be inspired by this intentionally multicultural Epiphany celebration designed to “celebrate all people included in Jesus’ ministry” and this description of a worship service during which people shared stories of Scripture verses that held special significance for them in the past year. How might you borrow from those ideas when planning a worship service that nurtures the faith of all ages at your church? 
• Host an Epiphany event in which all ages eat, play, learn, and pray together using the stand alone, for-purchase event in GenOn’s All God’s Children: The Church Family Gathers for Christmas series. 

Epiphany: At Home 

• Share with families the post Guiding Stars: an Epiphany Activity at Home which provides a fun, simple way for family members to select a word that will guide them in the coming year. Even better, provide every household with the tools to try this at home: a small collection of paper stars with words on them and a note card explaining what to do. 
• Families with young children might enjoy using this free printable Epiphany Playdough Mat after reading with their little ones  the story of the Magi’s visit to Jesus. 
• The book An Amazing Star! by Pat Nederveld tells the story in a way that’s perfect for preschoolers and includes additional activities to do at home.
• Wondering what myrrh is and where the magi may have gotten it? The Third Gift, a picture book geared to ages 6-9, tells the tale beautifully. 
• The post Our family’s Twelfth Night traditions help us keep the twelve days of Christmas describes how one family celebrates Epiphany with a feast, simple gifts and a reminder that Jesus came “not just as the Jewish Messiah, but as the savior of the whole world.”

QUESTIONS?

If you’re part of the Christian Reformed Church in North America and you have questions about how to equip ministry leaders, parents, and caregivers with family faith practices and resources, one of Faith Formation Ministries’ Regional Catalyzers would love to talk with you about ideas and strategies.