Lifelong Faith Formation

Volume 16 | April 2024

Faith Formation Findings

resources for everyday faith living

“Lifelong faith formation in the ELCA is guided by our baptismal covenant and the Holy Spirit's ongoing guidance as we live among God's faithful people, hear the word of God and share in the Lord's supper, proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed, serve all people, following the example of Jesus.

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Life of Faith Initiative in the Southwestern Texas Synod

The Life of Faith Initiative is a grassroots effort within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). All advocates of equipping all God’s saints for the work of ministry (Eph. 4:12)

RESOURCES: A great place to start learning about the Life of Faith Initiative is their website: lifeoffaith.info. Check out their video library for an Introductory video, and several others

And the book: The Scattering: Imagining a Church that Connects Faith and Life, by Dwight L. Dubois

Cohorts participating in the Life of Faith:

Abiding Presence, San Antonio
First, Edinburg
Peace, New Braunfels
St. John's, San Juan

Life of Faith Initiative

Update

Faith Practice for All Seasons

Easter: Together As the Body of Christ (Part 2)

4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, ⁵one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.⁷But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. - Ephesians 4:4-7

So, how are we, the body of Christ, in our worship space? How are we moving in the world for Christ, as hands and feet? How do we come together to celebrate? Who is being left out of our body? How can we reach out and include them? Look to see who you are connecting to this Easter season and beyond and how you could do better! You already have everything you need and everyone you need to be the body of Christ. Lean into that for encouragement and support. Christ is Risen!

Faith Practice #1 - (An activity for youth and adults)

Building Sacred Space for Kids

Matthew 19:13-15

13 Then, little children were brought to him so he could lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples spoke sternly to those who brought them, 14 but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” 15 And he laid his hands on them and went on his way.

Children are a part of the body of Christ, and Jesus invited them to participate with him. Could you take a good look at your worship and your sacred spaces?

Are children welcomed?

Do they have a part in worship?

Would families be comfortable there?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions, ask them.

Making a sacred space for children in worship can be as simple as printing coloring pages that accompany the lessons, providing crayons and clipboards, or as complicated (not very) as designating space with a small rug or a kid-sized table and chairs.

If you are interested in a Prayer Space in the sanctuary, gather a group of worship staff, children ministry volunteers, and youth to begin making your worship more meaningful for children (and everyone else). Ask the Holy Spirit to guide your gathering and to lead you to be inclusive of the little members of the body. Then, decide where you’d like to start.

You should consider using resources you already have available, like a rug or a table and chairs, to designate the space. Up near the first pews will give the congregation a chance to see the kids and the parents a place to sit nearby if they choose.

Someone must be responsible for setting up and cleaning every Sunday, so ask volunteers to do this.

Materials for the space might include:

Coloring pages by Sunday Texts

Crayons

Children’s Bible

Simple craft

Chairs

Start simple, and have fun. Parents may be worried at first, so don’t be surprised. But you may also find that the congregation will get to know their children and love them!

Faith Practice 2: (An Intergenerational Activity)

Worry-Free By Practicing Prayer

In the book of Philippians, Paul writes:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

We live in a fast-paced worrisome world. We rush around trying to get everything done, worrying about the next thing, until our lives and our families are stressed out. One way to overcome worry is to stop and pray.

Here are a few ways to stop and pray:

1. Set aside a specific time every day to stop, sit down, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and let go of all the things you are anxious about. Imagine dragging them to the foot of Christ and leaving them there.

2. When you find yourself anxious, take a deep breath, and write down what you are anxious about. Now that it’s written, symbolically put it away.

3. Keep a prayer journal, turning the things you worry about into prayers to God

4. Write your specific worry down as a request for God to handle, remembering that God is with you, always

All habits take time to become habits, so be encouraged that you can do this and that God hears you.

Faith Practice 3: (for children and youth)

Secret Service For the World

Martin Luther wrote about how everything we do can be done for the glory of God, no matter how small or mundane the tasks may be.

For Sunday School or Youth Group

Ask the kids to do five things that will lift someone else’s spirits (secretly) Ask the kids to remember what they have done over the week so they can report back to the group.

Start by asking God to show you people in need of cheering up. Listen to your friends and family, your next-door neighbor, and someone at school or church. Maybe someone you don’t know could use a bit of help. Brainstorm ideas of secret things they might do

Here are some examples at home:

Empty the dishwasher

Fold the laundry

Replace the toilet paper roll

Clean someone else’s room

Or at school:

Give someone a pen or pencil

Share your lunch

Thank your teacher/lunch lady/janitor/bus driver

Well, you get the idea.

When you gather again, ask the kids/youth to share what they did

How did they feel doing it? Would they do it again?

Faith Practice 4: (an intergenerational practice)

Accepting Dinner with "Others"

Supplies: Large glass bowl ½ filled with water

River rocks

Markers

Printed instructions

Instructions:

Take a moment to invite God into this time and space.

Prayerfully consider

Would you accept a dinner invitation from:

A homeless person?

A refugee?

someone who spread an ugly rumor about you?

An opposing team member that treated you badly on the field?

Your worst enemy?

Someone that you have hurt/lied to/abandoned?

The person that scares you the most?

Think about this until you come up with someone you would have the most difficult time accepting a dinner invitation from. If you are having trouble picturing someone, ask God to help you. Then listen, be still.

When you know who it is, take a stone and write that person’s initials on it.

Hold the stone in your hand and ask the Holy Spirit to show you that God loves that person even when they are outside your comfort zone.

Place the stone in the bowl of water, remembering that we are all part of the family of God.