Parents are the MOST IMPORTANT PEOPLE in Children's Faith Formation
This article is similar to one posted on our Youth and Families page
because that article was my first draft. This is a second look at this
topic because it is of vital importance to our children.
Some people brought children to Jesus so that he would place his hands on them and pray. But the disciples scolded them. “Allow the children to come to me,” Jesus said. “Don’t forbid them, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to people like these children.” Then he blessed the children and went away from there. – Matthew 19:13-15
When I was called to serve Emmanuel and Our Savior’s, one of the areas that I was asked to focus on was youth ministry. I have done my best to make that an area that I focus on. This summer, at one of the continuing education events I went to, I read a quote that got my attention.
By the time our children are ten or eleven years old, they have figured out if faith practice is really real and important to their parents, or if they do it only for the sake of the kids.
The article it came from is linked to on our website on the Youth and Families page. It reinforced my dedication to find and develop resources for our ministry to families and young people.
In the promises made by parents, sponsors and the congregation at a child's baptism, we ALL promise to support or:
Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, K3WL, C+LIFFE, Luther League and other activities are a way for the church to do it's part. But as the article states:
Parents are the primary educators in the faith.
Home / family has the most influence on whether and how faith is transmitted from one generation to the next. Along with church and other communities, the household is where faith is formed, nurtured, and passed on. But practicing faith at home, even for a few minutes a day, or one faith practice per week has stronger and more lasting impact than church programs because it shows that faith practices are important to the parents and family.
Check out FISH (www.oursavioremmanuel.com/fish).
FISH stands for Families Integrating Sundays at Home. It is designed to help families better practice their faith in their daily lives.
I'll update this page every month or so with new resources that can allow children, youth, and adults to connect with God and put faith at the center of their lives. We started with prayer in the summer. We have added resources about reading the Bible to connect with the beginning of Sunday School.
Let me know what resources you would like to have
With the love of our Lord, Pastor Brian
Some people brought children to Jesus so that he would place his hands on them and pray. But the disciples scolded them. “Allow the children to come to me,” Jesus said. “Don’t forbid them, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to people like these children.” Then he blessed the children and went away from there. – Matthew 19:13-15
When I was called to serve Emmanuel and Our Savior’s, one of the areas that I was asked to focus on was youth ministry. I have done my best to make that an area that I focus on. This summer, at one of the continuing education events I went to, I read a quote that got my attention.
By the time our children are ten or eleven years old, they have figured out if faith practice is really real and important to their parents, or if they do it only for the sake of the kids.
The article it came from is linked to on our website on the Youth and Families page. It reinforced my dedication to find and develop resources for our ministry to families and young people.
In the promises made by parents, sponsors and the congregation at a child's baptism, we ALL promise to support or:
- bring them to the word of God and the holy supper,
- teach them the Lord's Prayer, Creed, and Commandments,
- place in their hands the holy scriptures,
- and nurture them in faith and prayer, so that your children may learn to trust God, proclaim Christ through word and deed, care for others and the world God made, and work for justice and peace.
Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, K3WL, C+LIFFE, Luther League and other activities are a way for the church to do it's part. But as the article states:
Parents are the primary educators in the faith.
Home / family has the most influence on whether and how faith is transmitted from one generation to the next. Along with church and other communities, the household is where faith is formed, nurtured, and passed on. But practicing faith at home, even for a few minutes a day, or one faith practice per week has stronger and more lasting impact than church programs because it shows that faith practices are important to the parents and family.
Check out FISH (www.oursavioremmanuel.com/fish).
FISH stands for Families Integrating Sundays at Home. It is designed to help families better practice their faith in their daily lives.
I'll update this page every month or so with new resources that can allow children, youth, and adults to connect with God and put faith at the center of their lives. We started with prayer in the summer. We have added resources about reading the Bible to connect with the beginning of Sunday School.
Let me know what resources you would like to have
With the love of our Lord, Pastor Brian
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