Zion Lutheran Church's +GFFFM Repository

Teaching the Faith to a Grandchild (Or Your Own Child)

2008-06-20T12:02:00.000-07:00

1. Begin by remembering your child or grandchild's baptism. Light the candle on the anniversary of their baptism. Frame a picture taken at their baptism along with their baptismal certificate and hang it in their bedroom.

2. Every night when you put your child to bed, say your prayers together and then make the sign of the cross on your child's forehead and give a blessing...like "God bless you with long life, good health, and strong faith in Jesus." Then say, "You received God's blessing when you were baptized!!" Then wait for the day (usually about age 4) when your child traces the sign of the cross on your forehead and gives you a blessing in return!

3. When you hear birds singing in the morning tell you child, "The birds are singing their morning praise to God!" This teaches kids that God is all around them.

4. Look for "Parables in Nature" that tell the wonder of God... like the sunset, the new leaves on the trees, the rain etc, Tell you children or grandchildren that these are signs of God's love and care for the earth and for us.

5. Bring (don't send) your child to church regularly. Sing the songs with gusto, help your child sing along by tracing the words and notes of the hymn with your finger to help them learn.

6. Play Christian music on your home stereo system. Instill in your children the praise of God through music.

7. Pray for your grandchildren that God may lead and guide them in life, hold them in faith and preserve them from harm. Ask for specific blessings that you see that they need and thank God daily for the gift of family. Children and grandchildren are God's blessing to you!

Pastor John & Angie Strand

Raising Children and Youth in the Faith Everyday (3.16.2008) :: Video

2008-04-26T19:46:00.000-07:00

This is video footage from Mark Jackson's teaching on family faith formation ministry.

Mark Jackson is a Professor of Children, Youth & Family Studies at Trinity Lutheran College, where he teaches courses in youth ministry, Christian education, church administration, and spiritual formation. He frequently leads workshops in children's faith formation, long-range planning, youth leadership, and service learning. He and his wife Colette live in North Bend.

You may view the embedded video below, click on the link to on Google Video, or request a DVD copy from a CYFM staff member.

Ryan Ingersoll

CYFM Coordinator :: High School - Adult

Raising Children and Youth in the Faith Everyday (3.16.2008) Google Video Link

What Does It Take? How Hard Is This? (3.9.2008) :: Video

2008-04-26T19:44:00.000-07:00

This is video footage from Mark Jackson's teaching on family faith formation ministry.

You may view the embedded video below, click on the link to on Google Video, or request a DVD copy from a CYFM staff member.

Ryan Ingersoll

CYFM Coordinator :: High School - Adult

What Does It Take? How Hard Is This? (3.9.2008) Google Video Link

It Never Runs Dry: Baptism Is Forever (3.2.2008) :: Video

2008-04-26T19:36:00.000-07:00

This is video footage from Mark Jackson's teaching on family faith formation ministry.

You may view the embedded video below, click on the link to on Google Video, or request a DVD copy from a CYFM staff member.

Ryan Ingersoll

CYFM Coordinator :: High School - Adult

It Never Runs Dry: Baptism Is Forever (3.2.2008) Google Video Link

Passing on the Faith Huddle (1.20.2008) :: Video

2008-04-26T19:10:00.000-07:00

This is video footage from the first Passing on the Faith Huddle we did in January. This huddle focuses on introducing cross-generational family faith formation ministry.

You may view the embedded video below, click on the link to view on Google Video, or request at DVD copy from a CYFM staff member.

Ryan Ingersoll

CYFM Coordinator :: High School - Adult

Passing on the Faith Huddle (1.20.2008) Google Video Link

Frogs Without Legs Can't Hear :: Book Review

2008-04-23T18:20:00.000-07:00

I remember the first time I heard of this book. It was my third year, junior, in college at Trinity Lutheran College in Issaquah, WA. We had to purchase the book for a family ministry course. A couple friends and I were like, "Is this a joke...really this sounds like a kid's book." Well, we went through the course, Debbie Boyce can even attest to this, making fun of the book non-stop. One friend even drew a target on the cover, as a way to kill the frog.

Sometimes it is funny how things we say come back to haunt us. A couple months ago it was recommend that I reread the book (confession, I didn't really read the whole thing in school...). So I began to reread the book; gaining much more out of it than I did during my college (skimming) reading.

Authors David Anderson and Paul Hill provide information, practical implications, and stories to help us understand cross-generational family faith formation ministry. The book provides opportunities for adults, even those without children at home, to learn how to be a witness for Jesus Christ to children and youth. It is all about living it everyday and being a living witness. It isn't about the couple hours spent at church on Sunday morning; rather a lifestyle point to Jesus.

We learn four keys:

1. Caring Conversation

2. Devotions

3. Service

4. Rituals and Traditions

These keys allow adults to take their faith and pass it on to the younger generation.

One way this is achieved is through conversations that are meaningful; not the lame, "Hey! How are you?" Where you really don't care what their answer is. But, conversations that encourage deep connection and intimacy. God gave us two ears and one mouth. Maybe we need to listen more often.

I highly recommend reading and studying this resources. Much of the architectural framework of this new faith formation ministry model here at Zion comes from this content of this book.

The book is rather an easy read.

Please comment below and let us know what you think!

Click here for the Amazon.com link to the book.

Enjoy,

Ryan Ingersoll

CYFM Coordinator :: High School - Adult

Welcome to the new ZLC +GFFFM Repository Beta

2008-04-23T17:56:00.000-07:00

It is our pleasure to release this new repository under the Christian Youth and Family Ministries (CYFM) here at Zion Lutheran Church. This repository focuses on providing our members with resources focused on cross-generational family faith formation ministry (+GFFFM). The staff will work hard to comment on resources. We will recommend some and not recommend others. This repository, will in a sense, be a one stop shop for good theologically sound, practical faith formation resources available.

This resource is called Zion Lutheran Church's +GFFFM Repository. We are currently developing this resource and it will be in a beta state. We hope to officially release it by June 1st 2008. We encourage you to poke around. Please send comments to a CYFM staff member.

Zion Lutheran Church is located in Kent, WA. Zion began a journey over a year ago to shift its traditional ministry model, focused on programs, to a cross-generational family faith formation ministry model focused on equipping parents and adults within the congregation to pass on their faith is Jesus Christ to the younger generations. Zion's website is www.zionkent.org.

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact a staff member. Contact information if found on Zion's website.

In Christ,
Ryan Ingersoll
CYFM Coordinator :: High School - Adult