Karen DeBoer
When I worked as the Resource Developer for Faith Formation Ministries, I gathered ministry resources for online toolkits (including The Intergenerational Church, Family Faith Formation and more); created Dwell at Home resources for families; wrote resources for intergenerational faith formation; shared ideas on The Network and cohosted the Open to Wonder podcast. I'm the author of Home Grown Handbook for Christian Parenting and I served as a contributing editor for both You’re Invited: a Week of Devotions for Families on the Lord’s Supper and God’s Big Story Cards (Faith Alive Resources). Most recently, I was a chapter contributor for two books on intergenerational faith formation: A Gospel for All Ages, Teaching and Preaching for the Whole Church (Fortress Press) and All Ages Becoming, Intergenerational Practice in the Formation of God's People (ACU Press).
Posted in: Back to School With a Blessing
Thanks for sharing this idea, Drew. I love that you include both public and Christian students and that you also include teachers and administrators. It sounds like a very powerful intergenerational moment in the life of your congregation and I imagine that everyone---those who were prayed for and those who prayed for them---are blessed by the experience.
Posted in: Ideas for Using a Peg Doll Nativity Set?
How wonderful! Some families enjoy having the nativity set up prior to Christmas and waiting until Christmas day to add the baby Jesus as a way to create a sense of anticipation and waiting.
If your set came with Magi (wise men) you might wait until Epiphany (January 6) to add them because, although the magi are often part of a nativity set, they weren't there on the night Jesus was born. Invite your children to imagine what the home Mary and Joseph were living in when Jesus was around 1-2 years old might have looked like. They might even enjoy making it out of blocks or any art supplies you have on hand. Place your peg dolls in that scene and add the magi as you read the story together.
And of course, Jesus didn't just come for the people who were present when he was born. He came for your family too! So one other idea is to pick up some extra pegs dolls at the craft or dollar store, decorate them together to represent each one of you (and other people too!) and include them in your scene at some point too.
Posted in: COVID-19 and Kids?
Great questions, Kelly! Here's a list of the best resources we've found over the past few days: Children's Ministry During COVID-19.
Posted in: Zoom With Kids?
Hi Lidia,
Although I haven't tried a zoom call with a kids only group, my church is meeting each week for worship with all ages and we are using zoom. Some of the things we're doing to engage with and include children are outlined in the posts COVID-19 and Including Kids in Online Worship (Part 1) and (Part 2). Inside the Part 1 post you'll also find two links to excellent resources that other ministry leaders have provided for the families with children in their church; each includes ideas that might help as you plan an online gathering with children.
A few other ideas:
I wonder if you might keep things simple---welcome kids, wave to each other (get those wiggles just like we do before we do things in person together!), talk with them briefly and/or share with them a brief Bible story (with some wondering questions thrown in so they can reflect more deeply), and prayer (take requests! let them know how to signal they have a request to share or invite non-readers to have a parent enter their request into the chat box, older kids can enter requests themselves).
I might also begin any planning by writing down the goal for meeting together via zoom. Is it to provide space for kids to see each other? To nurture faith? To share a Bible story? To reassure children that God loves them (and so do you!) All of the above? Or? Whatever your goal is will help you plan.
Blessings to you as you continue to encourage the little ones in your context.
Posted in: Zoom With Kids?
That must have been awful, David. I'm hearing similar "zoom bombing" stories from churches. You're right, it's so important to ensure that any platform we are using is safe. I've heard that the way to do that now with zoom is to require participants to enter a password prior to entering the online zoom gathering.
Thank you for the reminder to be careful.
Posted in: Zoom With Kids?
Good to know. Thanks so much, David.
Posted in: Spiritual Growth Survey?
Hi Gary,
Your church may find the Building Blocks of Faith to be a simple, helpful tool. You can read more about the concept in this wonderfully accessible article by Bob and Laura Keeley: Building Blocks of Faith.
Faith Formation Ministries has developed a terrific toolkit on the topic; we've also run a cohort in which CRC's experimented with the tool and then shared what they learned. It's all free. Access the toolkit at https://www.crcna.org/FaithFormation/toolkits/building-blocks-faith.
Our Regional Catalyzers are also happy to support your church in working with this tool--via phone, email, in person, with a workshop, whatever is most helpful! You'll find contact information for them here: https://www.crcna.org/FaithFormation/about.
Posted in: How Do You Share Ministry Resources With Families?
Hi Melissa,
I love your idea of story kits! And I love reading the comments with other ideas too. Thank you for asking such a great question.
One of our fabulous friends in ministry is John Roberto. His research indicates the importance of using a variety of strategies to connect with parents--print, web based, in person, etc---because each parent/family with kids has their own way of learning and engaging with resources. In addition to the ideas people are sharing in the comments you might be inspired by the brief chapter of the book Families at the Center of Faith Formation which John graciously allowed us to include in our Family Faith Formation toolkit. It's one of my favorite chapters (in a book I turn to frequently!). Here's the link: Chapter 6: Developing the Family-at-the-Center Approach to Faith Formation.
Posted in: Has Anyone Used "Telling God's Story" Curriculum?
Hi Mary,
I know David Csinos, have attended workshops led by Ivy Beckwith and have found their book Children's Ministry in the Way of Jesus to be a very helpful resource. Although I'm not familiar with the Telling God's Story curriculum, I can point you in a few directions which might help as you do your research and determine what's best for your church. The first resource is this Ten Question Tool for Choosing Curriculum. It's an easy to use tool which will assist you in drilling down to the heart of the curriculum you're considering. This video version of the tool might be something to share with your team as well.
Second, Faith Formation Ministries of the CRCNA has put together a wonderful online Children's Ministry toolkit which contains reviews of other curriculum (both Reformed and those which aren't Reformed) and many other excellent resources to use in your ministry. You can access it here.
Finally, as a CRC you have access to free Children's Ministry support---no matter what curriculum you use! Your go-to person for that help is Mimi Larson. She's available to answer your questions and to support your team via email, video meetings, phone conversations---whatever works for you. You'll find Mimi's contact information in the Children's Ministry toolkit.
I hope that helps!
Posted in: Ministry Evaluation Tool?
Hi Jay,
Have you explored the Building Blocks of Faith as a ministry evaluation tool? It was developed by Bob and Laura Keeley in 2014 and ministry leaders who use it have found it to be very helpful.
It begins with the premise that our identities as people of faith of all ages are shaped by building on the framework of four themes: Belonging, Understanding/Knowing God's story, Having Hope, Being Called and Equipped. The four themes (blocks) form a tool which can be used not only to evaluate every ministry within a church but which can be used with every age level.
Click here to read the excellent article in which the blocks are described. (Be sure to check out the great chart on page 12!) Faith Formation Ministries (FFM) has also developed a Building Blocks Toolkit. It's filled with related resources as well as ideas from CRC's which have used the tool in their contexts. You can access it here.
If you have any questions feel free to contact FFM. They'd love to help!
Posted in: Family Devotional?
When our children were preschoolers we loved using Little Visits for Toddlers by Mary Manz Simon. And I'm hearing great things about Snuggle Time Prayers and Snuggle Time Psalms by Glenys Nellist.
PS This fall Faith Formation Ministries will be launching a Family Faith Formation toolkit to support ministry leaders as they encourage and equip families to nurture faith both in community and at home. The toolkit include dozens of suggestions for excellent resources (including devotional books for each age level) for families to use at home. We're excited about this kit and can't wait to share it!
Posted in: Beach Party, Surfin the Scriptures
Hi Kathie,
I'm Karen DeBoer from Faith Formation Ministries. Although I don't have access to the resource you're searching for, I can suggest another place you might post your question. There is a Facebook page for Church Educators and it's a wonderful place for gathering and sharing ideas and for getting to know others in educational ministry---including those who plan and lead VBS. A Facebook search for 'Church Educators' should get you there. Hope that helps!