ELCA FAITH FORMATION
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    • *Intergenerational*
Imagine people of ALL ages living their faith,
​claiming their Christian identity,
​and sharing God’s love in the world in creative and unique ways.
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Can a 5 year old serve as an usher in worship?
What do we expect of adults to know about the Bible?
This free 10 page pdf from the ELCA gives examples of expectations for all ages when it comes to faith formation.

Faith Formation encompasses all aspects of our lives.  The ELCA Recommended Practices for Lifelong Faith Formation for individuals, congregations, and various faith communities serves to guide a life-long engagement in spiritual practices, respectful relationships, guided learning and faith-filled service. 

And for more background behind why we do what we do here's a brief glimpse of a white paper (you can read more at length) about the the Faith Formation Movement happening in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  We also have a website.

"As a church with a rich history of attending to faith formation and blessed with many faith formation resources, the ELCA is poised to nurture faith in this generation and beyond. Stewarding these gifts for the sake of God’s church and God’s world rests in our hands.  Imagine people of all ages living their faith, claiming their Christian identity, and sharing God’s love in the world in creative and unique ways. Perhaps the church our children lead will be more vibrant than the one they grew up in. What a witness to the gospel this would be." 

"Children are an integral part of the church and if a person is not willing to work with children,
​then they have no business being a pastor." 
​
by Carol Howard Merritt for the Christian Century. Read more here!
In U.S., Childhood Churchgoing Habits
Fade in Adulthood

HIGHLIGHTS:  31% attend services weekly or nearly weekly;
67% did as a child
38% who attended regularly as a child attend regularly now
Most nonreligious Americans
are uninterested in exploring religion

The ELCA Faith Formation team highly recommends Growing Young!
Contact us for discounts and strategies on growing young in your community.

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Fuller Youth Institute has a book out called "Growing Young:  Six Essential Strategies to Help Young People Discover and Love Your Church"

Key Growing Young takeaways include:
*Young people need to sense they play a load-bearing role in the congregation so that they become purposeful co-participants rather than future members.
*"Multigenerational" = sharing the same space.
"Intergenerational" = sharing lives.

Kids Are Essential to the Kin-dom of God

You Tube video from Pastor Janelle Rozek Hooper
​for the Youth Ministry Network Extravaganza 2021! 
Workshop entitled:  "Children Essential to the Kin-dom."
We offer curated Christian faith formation resources,
so you don't have to scour the internet yourself.
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  • Home
    • About
  • Faith at Home
    • Covid Resources >
      • Prayers/Poems
    • Why? Family Centered
  • Education
    • Schools & Early Learning Centers
    • Curriculum *includes Spanish >
      • Bibles
      • Books
      • Devotionals & Prayer
      • Fun & Games
      • Las Programas en Español
      • VBS
    • Young Adults
  • Ministry
    • Children's Worship Resources >
      • Lectionary
      • Music & Musicals
      • Nursery
      • Synod Assemblies
    • Death & Dying
    • Development & Mental Health
    • Ecumenical, Jewish & Muslim
    • ELCA Youth Gathering - 2024 >
      • 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering Resources
    • Podcasts
    • Sexuality >
      • Books-Queer
    • Social Justice (Race and more) >
      • Advocacy
      • Books >
        • Books/Discussion Guides for Adults
      • DEI
      • Disability Ministry
      • Hunger
      • Immersion Experiences
      • Native American
      • Young Adult Missions
    • Stewardship >
      • Artists For Hire
      • Creation Care
    • Training & Certification >
      • Journi
      • Safety
      • Sample Job Descriptions
      • Volunteers >
        • Spiritual Gifts
  • Seasonal Resources
    • Advent & Christmas
    • Epiphany
    • African-American History Month: February >
      • Valentine's (Feb 14)
    • Women's History Month: March
    • Lent & Easter plus Earth Day >
      • Earth Day
    • Pentecost
    • Summer >
      • Pride Month (June)
    • Reformation >
      • Blessing of the Animals
    • All Saint's
    • Thanksgiving
    • *Intergenerational*