Sandy Swartzentruber
Resource Coordinator, Faith Formation Ministries
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Posted in: Turn Down the Noise
Amen
Posted in: 5 Ways to Help Kids Worship
Now there's an idea, Hetty. It is so important that we treat children as equal worshipers. There are lots of great ideas for intergenerational worship in Faith Formation Ministries' Intergenerational Church Toolkit and on Teresa Cho's Still Waters site.
Posted in: New Catechism Course! The Big Question
It's very different, Shaun. The Big Question incorporates faith formation practices into the study. You can view a sample of The Big Question here--look for the red "view sample" button.
Posted in: Ten Ways to Be a More Inclusive and Welcoming Adult Small Group
Sounds like you have a great system worked out, Keith! This Ten Ways tool was intended to help people think about how they can incorporate people of all abilities (including immigrants, refugees, people with disabilities, and others) into their small group ministry. If your groups are doing that, we'd love to hear how it's going!
Posted in: Ten Ways to Be a Caring Elder
We're so glad it's helpful, Fran! You can share the link to this article with folks, and if they'd like paper copies of the Ten Ways tool you can order them from FaithAliveResources.org.
Posted in: Bible Study Suggestion for Adult at Teen Level of Understanding?
Hi Kathy! One option to check out would be the Together curriculum from Friendship Ministries. It's designed for people with varying levels of cognitive challenges, and is totally online. I'm not certain how it would work without a facilitator, but perhaps someone at Friendship Ministries could help with that. Website is https://togethersmallgroups.org/. I'd also recommend taking a look at the free videos from The Bible Project (https://bibleproject.com/explore/)--they are fabulous, and your sister could definitely watch those on her own as a way to learn more about God's story!
Posted in: Bible Study Suggestion for Adult at Teen Level of Understanding?
Kathy, if leaving home is an option, she might really enjoy being part of a Friendship group if there is one near you. Here's the form to fill out to see if there's a local group: https://friendship.org/find-a-group/
Posted in: Faith Forming Easter Basket Ideas for Teens?
Hi Staci!
In addition to chocolate (obviously!), you could add a prayer journal, a fun pen, and a bookmark with an encouraging verse on it. I also love this graphic treatment of Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 1--you could create your own version of that using your computer rather than hand-done calligraphy. Making a 5x7 postcard-size version of that would be so cool, and you could purchase inexpensive frames for them if you like.....
Posted in: Faith Forming Easter Basket Ideas for Teens?
P.S. I just found a sticker version of Q&A 1 that would be a fun add to your basket!
Posted in: Advent Curriculum or Study for Adult Sunday School Group?
Check out the Advent study Christmas: Light Splits the Night from Faith Alive. You might also check out When God Comes Down, an Advent study from Abingdon Press.
Posted in: Spiritual Growth Survey?
Hi Gary! The Building Blocks of Faith toolkit that Karen mentioned above includes an assessment tool that could be helpful to you. You'll find a link to that in the "Ways to Use the Building Blocks of Faith" section of the toolkit under the heading "Assessment Tools." And I echo Karen's encouragement to contact one of our regional catalyzers who can consult with you on this important topic!
Posted in: Resources to Talk Race and Racism With Children?
Hi Kelli! The picture book God's Very Good Idea from the fabulous Tales the Tell the Truth series is perfect for framing diversity as part of God's plan from the very beginning. I can't say enough about this series. The books are true to Scripture, they have literary merit, and the illustrations sparkle.