Judy Wiles at Crossroads UMC, my Friday host, took a great set of notes and reflections after our conference there on Friday. In case you're coming to one of my conferences in Nashville, Lake St. Louis, Lincoln, Sioux Falls or Mankato this week and you'd rather listen than write, Judy has done all your work for you below. Thanks Judy!
Faith Ink Thoughts
What is priority for our church?
Families as faith forming centers?
Circles as the main form of church?
Use Priority time and space for priority goal.
Deficiencies in church:
Systems Problem that has developed over time.
People leaving the church.
People disconnected from God.
People have lost foundation in scriptures.
People have given over to the world’s ways.
Children have little guidance in home.
People go to the experts for everything – have lost confidence in parenting
Dads more disconnected than moms
Relationship with God has been lost for many
Relationship with kids lost – time spent with kids minimal over time
Basically – families spend one week a year in real conversation with teens.
New generation tapped into many sources of communication – interactive with
these sources. Want to be involved in learning rather that being talked at.
Sunday teaching format will not reach younger generation – behind the times for
them as based on studies from awhile back. Need shorter teachings and time to
process and interact with teachings – draw out learning
Busy area
1 hour a week not enough to build foundation.
We’ve lost committed Sunday school leaders over the years – gone form leaders
That would teach for the year – building relationships with kids in their groups –
To leaders that will only commit to once a month
Lost family commitment to kids in faith formation
What we have to work with:
People deeply love and care about their children.
Would give their lives for them.
Educated area that can grasp what has been lost and why.
History of Sunday school and establishment
Educated area that could understand the weakening of the church through
Understanding of the splits in the Christian church – 27000 different
Christian denominations in US – stuck on little differences and have lost
Cohesiveness
Educated Area that can understand sleep and how the mind works during the
night.
Educated area that is concerned about changes in the world and what these
will mean for the next generation.
Parent’s knowledge of current education methods and the lack of utilizing these
in the schools and churches…
Home is where a family spends most of their time together
Evening is a great time for families to talk about their days, pray, bless… because
Sleep is a time of absorbing – will tend to absorb most the last things focused on.
Family time greatly valued because it’s limited in busy society – work with that.
Faith Ink Response:
Families need to be faith-forming centers – this is priority.
Family is where life happens – natural intergenerational group.
Group Learning:
Integrated learning a huge help.
Parents can learn with children.
All Learning methods need to be incorporated
Ideal: This happens intergenerationally – setting with parents and kids together
Say the same thing you want someone to learn in different ways – have one main
thing you want to sink in.
Different ways include:
Show and tell for preschool
Music that’s engaging put to scriptures to aid in memory work
Sign Language to engage the body
Stories told with simple illustrations – kids retell stories
Art that brings story to life – shared with congregation
Appeals for children in elementary age:
Cartoons to help tell Bible stories
Kids retell the stories
Reader’s theaters etc… other ways to process
Art to create something of what they are gleaning
Kids share artwork with whole community and teach adults what they see.
Games to reinforce what they are learning
Home Practice:
Give kids a Flintstones Vitamin – need to give spiritual vitamin – piece of the rock
‘Take 5’ – 7 Days a week. Share Highs and Lows, Scripture or story, Talk about connections (let kids connect), Pray for Highs and Lows, Bless the kids
Before bedtime is best – because of memory work that happens as we sleep.
Parenting/Family Guidance from Faith Community:
Stepping Stones – 1st 3 for parents alone – after that, parents and kids meet together.
great way to instill what can be and “model” what it could look like.
Suggestion: Do Sundays after church – while eating lunch – or Sunday evenings
with a meal.
Suggestion: Stepping Stones could be a way to encourage intergenerational
worship.
Sunday Mornings:
Ideal: One place in life where all generations are together. Church needs to take advantage of that.
Intergenerational experience at 9:00 – regular service at 11:00
Follow 4 year Bible teaching plan – to build foundation that has been lost.
Suggestion: Try this out on a first Sunday – use first Sunday to throw out the
hook with the bait and see what response you get. In that way – congregation is a part of discernment – and we will know
If we’re on track if we get response that says, “we should do this!”
Where I see holes or have questions:
Teaching about listening for God – relationship piece.
Practices of Highs/Lows, Scripture, Talk, Prayer, Blessing are
a great foundation – If Parents begin to understand the work of
the spirit of God and how he is with them – bringing life
through connections – then they are well on their way in their
life with God as a family. Basically – see need to connect dots of what they are experiencing so the spirit can breath more life
into the practices.
Opinion: Greater emphasis needed in explaining that
connection in a world far from listening to God and walking in obedience. It’s foreign to many – so help needed to open the eyes.
Sharing Faith Stories of today and the need for adult relationships to support the journey. Feel we need to hear the stories of transformation to give us hope and desire of what could be.
Care Ministry needed for those who need more emotional guidance - Support Groups
Suggestion: This is where circle format of trimester’s idea would fit in. Stepping
Stones could be a part of this – as well as other offerings that would
incorporate the deeper walk. Short term circles to hit on needed things.
More material needed for Preschool – adaptation would be necessary there.
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