In Fashion Me A People: Curriculum in the Church (1989), Maria Harris writes, "Now we are in a time of movement toward a broader, more inclusive, and more …
Shooting Stars and Lectio Divina: A Hybrid Confirmation Class Using The Way of Love
Two years into the pandemic, we had some interest in preparing for confirmation from a few teens in our parish. Leading a class in normal times is always a bit of a challenge, but …
Music, Spirituality, and Older Adults
Many people believe that music is a “universal language.” However, just because nearly every culture has music, does not mean that we can all connect with and communicate through …
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The Pleasures and Perils of Reading Aloud to Children: Tips From A Children’s Book Author
Every year at our Maundy Thursday service, I told the story of Jesus’ Last Passover. Usually, the children joined me at the front of the sanctuary, where I told the story on the …
Celebrating Graduates: An Act of Holy Hospitality
Holy hospitality is something Jesus demonstrates time and again in our ancient text, and we have the opportunity to reflect Jesus' example to those celebrating rites of passage. …
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The “Back-Pocket Bin”: Thinking Ahead for Unexpected Times
In the decade I have been serving in Christian education, I have found that it is necessary to have a few “back-pocket” ideas that are ready with a moment’s notice. Perhaps a …
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Host a “Good Enough” Book Group
Our congregation recently hosted a book group based on Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie’s wonderful book Good Enough: 40ish Devotionals for a Life of Imperfection. We provided it as …
Creating a Children’s Lending Library for Your Church: Where To Start
Creating our lending library, which we call our “Theological Library for Young People,” has been a result of focused, slow, and ongoing attention over many years. When I started at …
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Beyond Item Collections: 15 Outreach Ideas To Engage Children (& Everyone Else Too!)
As someone who has a heart for service, I make that a big part of my own family and my ministry at church. One of the most common outreach activities for children (especially young …
You’ve Been Egged: A Fundraiser for The Easter Season
During the Pandemic, there was a non-profit in our town that decided to offer a fundraiser called “You’ve been egged” to the community. In this case, "to be egged" means to have …
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