May 6, 2019
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A Super Fun Way to Help Families Form Faith This Summer
Interested in helping families with children form faith while having fun? Get inspired with this summer bucket list of ideas.
Community Builder
Karen DeBoer
Church:
Website:
About Me:
I work as the Creative Resource Developer for Faith Formation Ministries of the CRCNA from my home in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario. Working from home may sound like I work alone, but most days are anything but quiet as I’m participating in video conversations with individuals or groups who are engaged in ministry. Those kinds of interactions are what make the job so energizing!
I’ve been involved in children’s ministry since I was a child myself and I’m so thankful for the ways children have nurtured and continue to nurture my faith. I think it’s that kind of cross-generational faith nurture that led to my interest in intergenerational ministry. I love it when different generations gather in worship, in service, and to learn from and with each other. And studies show how important it is for God’s family to do together!
Over the years I’ve worked as part of a team to shape the children’s ministry curricula Kid Connection and Dwell, published by Faith Alive Resources. I’m also the author of the Home Grown Handbook for Christian Parenting and a contributing author/editor for the family devotionals You're Invited and God's Big Story cards.
My family and I attend The Journey church where you’re most likely to find me sitting on the floor asking wondering questions with a group of 4 year olds.
Interests:
April 3, 2019
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The Ultimate Collection of Family Faith Formation Resources for Every Church
Every resource on the list belongs in your church library, whether that library is a dedicated room or simply a basket in a well-traveled hallway. Additionally, many of these resources belong in the homes of everyone with children in their life.
March 5, 2019
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Six Ways Your Church Can Say “Welcome to the Family!” at Baptism
Baptism provides God’s big family with a beautiful opportunity to say, “Welcome to the family!” to the one being baptized. Use these easily adaptable ideas to help your church do that with arms open wide.
December 13, 2018
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Four Fresh Ways to Tell the Christmas Story at Family Gatherings
Have you ever ended a family Christmas celebration and realized you’d skipped telling the story you’d gathered to celebrate? Start a new tradition this year by using one of these meaningful and fun intergenerational storytelling ideas.
November 27, 2018
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12 Easy Ideas for Keeping Family Christmas Celebrations Focussed on Jesus
Looking for ways to surround your kids with more of the biblical Christmas than the commercial one? Here are twelve of them.
November 12, 2018
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Four Ways Your Church Can Help Every Household Celebrate Advent
Imagine what might happen if you gave people the actual tools they could use to celebrate advent.
October 30, 2018
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Help Families Practice Gratitude in November with this Free Calendar
The prompts in this daily calendar provide an easy way to practice gratitude while nurturing faith.
October 17, 2018
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What to Give the Kids at Church This Christmas
These Nativity Sticker sets are so fabulous they may sell out before you finish reading this post. Here's why.
October 3, 2018
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You're Invited to a Children's Ministry Webinar
Looking for resources to strengthen your ministry with children? Join us for a 30-minute webinar introducing the Children's Ministry Toolkit!
September 26, 2018
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Fresh Ideas for Family Faith Formation
Life has changed for families. Could it be that the church needs to change too?
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Kate Kooyman, this is awesome. Thank you.
posted on: Grace Like Rain -
It has come to our attention that Group's Roar! VBS contains culturally insensitive, inaccurate and inappropriate activities. (If you'd like to learn more about what was problematic, see Africa...
posted on: VBS Reviews You Can Trust -
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...
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Thank you for sharing what's happening in your church, Natalie. Those are wonderful ideas!
posted on: Knock Knock, Communion Calling -
Thanks for sharing what you learned at the conference, Ron. Thanks also for the reminder to all of us to brighten our eyes and welcome the teens and young adults in our midst this Christmas,...
posted on: 1,000,000 or a Name -
Hi Angela,
I'm going from Faith Formation Ministries and we are hoping we will be able to send at least one other team member as well.
The Regional Gatherings happen over a dinner (...
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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...
posted on: Family Devotional? -
Thank you for sharing your idea as well as this hope-filled reminder, Shannon.
posted on: Hope for Graduates -
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...
posted on: Ministry Evaluation Tool? -
Great question, Sarah. Some of the ideas I shared are free (the Story Prompts, the list of questions from the Storytelling Toolkit and the Faith5 devotional method) and most of them could be...