ON YOUR HEARTS Spring 2014

Spring!

Spring 2014

Fo r the w inter is past , the rain is o ver and g one .

T h e f lo wers are springing up and the time of the sing i ng of bird s h as co me. Yes, spring is h e re .

Song of Solomon 2:11-12

Love THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR

heart

AND WITH ALL YOUR

soul AND

WITH ALL YOUR

strength. THESE COMMANDMENTS THAT I GIVE YOU TODAY ARE TO

be on your hearts.

Deuteronomy 6:5-6

On Your Hearts Official publication of the Board for Child, Youth and Family Ministry of the Lutheran Church of Australia LCA Child Youth and Family Ministry 197 Archer Street, North Adelaide SA 5006 p: 08 8267 7300 e: bcyfm@lca.org.au www.growministries.org.au

Well, spring has definitely sprung! Just ask my hay fever!

I love this time of year, with the new buds on the trees and vines and the beautiful flowers that are appearing, despite the sneezing!

I’ve just come back from a trip into the centre of Australia and was pleasantly surprised to see evidence of spring even up there. Scattered in pockets through the desert are tiny plants with bright spring time flowers. The roadside bushes are full of beautiful yellow flowers and there are flashes of purple too.

The dry and parched land reminded me of our faith sometimes. As winter retreats we can sometimes be left feeling like the wintry days, bleak and empty, but as the sun bursts forth and the new season begins we can be revitalised too, just like the desert!

This season of On Your Hearts is based on our first guiding principle: Children, young people and their families are nurtured for life in Jesus Christ through vital engagement with God’s word and the rituals, traditions and practices of Christian faith.

Our faith is nurtured when we spend time in God’s word and immerse ourselves in what it means to have a living faith. It means acknowledging God in all our ways and turning everything over to Him. Allowing His truth to seep into every fibre of our spirit will quench the dryness of our souls. Just like the winter rains that have been seeping into the ground and providing life to the trees and flowers, there will suddenly be an overflowing of fruit and abundance.

The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. Isaiah 35:1-2a Blessings,

AN CH UR CH

OF AU ST RA LIA

Vicki

:)

LU TH ER

A Guiding Word Devotions based on the 12 Guiding Principles

A resource to share with congregations, families & small groups. This devotion, based on the Faith5, is one in a series of twelve developed by Grow Ministries that help to share our Guiding Principles.

Please feel free to print and distribute, single copies are available by contacting growministries@lca.org.au

Guiding Principle #1 Children, young people and their families are nurtured for life in Jesus Christ through vital engagement with God’s Word and the rituals, traditions and practices of Christian faith.

Share What do you think it means to be vitally engaged in something?

How often would you read your Bible with your family or household? On your own?

Can you name a family ritual or tradition that is unique to your family?

Share about a time when you felt nurtured in your Christian life through God’s word— this might be a sermon that spoke to you or challenged you, a Bible text someone shared with you…

Talk In what specific ways could you spur one another on toward love and good deeds?

How have you been spurred on by others in your family or small group?

Why is it important to meet together with other Christians (with family members) to read God’s word?

How does God’s word help light up your path? How do you help to share God’s word with others in order to help light their path?

Talk about how your family, household or small group could create rituals and traditions that help us regularly engage with God’s word.

Pray Pray for each other and for your family.

Read Hebrews 10: 24-25 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Pray that you will be sure of God’s love for you through the reading of his word.

Pray for the gift of encouragement and the commitment to spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

Bless each other with these words: (Name), child of God, may his word always be a lamp to your feet and a light to your path. Amen.

Are you looking for a way to incorporate what you are experiencing in worship into what you are sharing in Children’s Ministry? Perhaps you are looking for a lectionary based curriculum?

Lectionary Based

Children’s Ministry Grow Ministries would like to recommend structuring your Children’s Ministry around the Faith 5. This framework provides a simple, yet powerful and relational ministry, for both children and adults, that can be lectionary based.

The Grow Ministries Team can support your congregation in Faith 5 Children’s Ministry by: Talking with your Pastor and/or Ministry Teams to help understand your context of ministry and how we can support you.

Helping you access Faith 5 bookmarks, Faith 5 key ring card sets and Faith 5 PowerPoint slides.

Providing further information about how to lead a creative response.

bookmark HT EVE RY NIG E IN EVE RY HOM

share

FAI TH AC TS IN THE HO ME

read

talk pray bless

share read talk pray bless

powerpoint slides

key ring card set

share

highs and lows

During the share time each person is invited to share a high and a low from their day or week—something that was good and something that was not so good. This can be done in pairs, small groups or all together if your group is small.

Sharing time together helps us to express our interest in one another: our hurts, our joys, our concerns and dreams, our values, our faith. Caring conversations require time to be available to listen and speak.

read

your chosen story from the Bible.

If you are following the lectionary, consult with your pastor or worship planners about what text they are focussing on. You could read it aloud together and invite children to highlight in their Bibles. Other ideas for READ time: Read chosen story from your favourite children's Bible.

Google or GodTube your chosen story for a suitable video or clip of the story.

A devotional life is a way to practise the presence of God through reading His word.

talk

about the Bible reading or story.

Wondering with children is a very special and non-threatening way to begin conversations. First allow a time for children to wonder in silence and process what they have heard, then ask a wondering or open ended question, e.g. “I wonder which part of this story you like the best?” Make sure you allow time for the children to wonder to themselves and do not be afraid of silence. Sometimes children may not respond straight away as they are still wondering. Invite them to wonder with one other person. Other ideas for TALK time: You could discuss these ABCD questions: A | What is the story About?

B | What is the Best thing in the story?

C | What is the most Challenging or Confusing thing in the story?

D | What does God want us to Do and what does God Do for us?

Lead a Creative Response time. A ‘Creative Response’ is a free choice creative activity time where you provide a variety of materials for children to work with. The children’s response is to choose some materials and create whatever the Holy Spirit leads them to create. Two options for materials are: 1. If you have a space that is only used for Children’s Ministry, then the materials could be left permanently set up so they are all there each week. All you will need to do is keep up stock of your materials.

2. If you use a shared space, store your materials in plastic boxes and bring out different ones each week.

Boxes could be: playdough box, lego box, collage box, banner box.

For more information, see the “How to lead a Creative Response” handout.

We all need help in hearing what the Bible is saying to us in our everyday lives. "Sometimes we can better process what we have heard when we are given the opportunity to reflect internally, and to use our gifts to respond creatively.

pray

together

This can be done as a whole group or in small groups. Ideas for PRAY time: Encourage children to pray for each other’s highs and lows and for their wider church community.

Set up a prayer board (this could be a whiteboard, blackboard or pin board with post-it notes) in your Children’s Ministry space and invite children to add to it at any time during your session.

Conclude by praying The Lord's Prayer.

We all need help with the language of prayer and faith in daily life. We recommend encouraging families to regularly include prayer time together in their homes, especially at meal times and bed times.

bless

each other

Make the sign of the cross on each other’s forehead or palm and say the words of the blessing to each other.

The blessing could be as simple as: 'May God be with you this day and always' or ‘The Lord bless you, (name)’ Or you can make up your own blessing. It may match the story of the day.

We all belong to God. It is great to develop a culture of blessing each other.

LEAD A

God created humanity in God’s own image, in the divine image God created them, male and female God created them. - GENESIS 1:27 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation. The old things have passed away.

Behold, all things have become new. - 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17

One of the many aspects of being made in the image of God is that we are creative.

Creative response is taking the time after having heard the word of God, to use your unique gifts and talents to process what you have heard.

This is a time to reflect and co-create with the help of the Holy Spirit. It is a wonderful opportunity to make meaning of what was shared.

To empower creativity in all age groups, we encourage you to provide a variety of materials that allow for all age levels, all knowledge levels and all skill levels to be used.

There are many reasons for providing a variety of choices. Try to include materials and tools that: encourage creativity, exploration and imagination. can be manipulated and used in many ways. appeal to those who like to construct and build. allow for quiet journaling, creative writing and reflection. are natural objects that are from the environment. are recycled things for ‘upcycling’. help the enquirer research some more. let the readers continue reading. offer a variety of media for drawing/painting. are interesting collage bits and pieces.

are different sizes, e.g. papers and card stock. Have a large selection of papers available at all times. Include different thicknesses, shapes, colours and paper in rolls. are helpful for successful creating e.g. scissors that cut, PVA glue, glue sticks, hot glue gun, variety of sticky tapes, rulers, pencil sharpeners etc.

Beautiful and interesting materials help inspire creativity.

Creative response is about time, space and choice for a listener to respond in a way which is personal for them. Creative response helps the listener as they process what they have heard in the message, and allows them to express themselves as the spirit leads. Some wondering questions after the message can also help with the processing.

I wonder what part of the story you like the best?

I wonder where you are in the story, or which part of the story is about you?

During the creative response time people of all generations might like to work together. Sharing with others also helps us to process our thoughts.

ID E AS F OR TU B S Play dough – homemade or shop bought play dough in air tight

containers (keep in fridge during summer and make new after a few sessions), clay, plasticine, include mats, rolling pins, cutters etc and a laminated recipe sheet in this one.

Drawing – look for some different things like pastels, whiteboards

and markers, a sand tray and chalk boards. Include clip boards to lean on.

Building – Lego, wooden blocks, duplo, foam blocks and a flat surface or board to build on.

Recycled – thoroughly cleaned recycled cardboard boxes, lids, containers, egg cartons etc.

Natural – gumnuts, bark, pinecones, rocks, shells, sand, sticks, foliage (check it is safe for children).

Collage – pop sticks, sequins, feathers, papers, stickers, pegs, patty pans, straws etc.

Painting – brushes, rollers, poster paints, water colours, include mats to work on and water pots.

(A great way to make homemade water colours and recycle at the same time – leave your dried out texta in a small jar of water for a week or so. The colour will come out and mix in the water. If the water dries out, leave the colour there and when ready add water and mix).

Sewing/knitting/crochet – needles, thimbles, thread, fabric, knitting needles and wool, crochet

hooks. (This one is terrific when you have volunteers who are skilled in these areas).

Wire – different thickness wires, pliers.

RE SO UR CE TI P S If you have a room that can be permanently set up for storage - display the materials in an inviting and practical way. Include cleaning products so the children can care for this space as well.

If you have a shared space then TUBS are an excellent option. Label them clearly and then you can swap them around each time as you choose.

Another great idea is to ask someone to ‘Sponsor a TUB’ - i.e. a family or an individual could be responsible for maintaining and replenishing the materials in one of the tubs. It is an excellent help to the organiser and invites others to be involved.

For more information contact the Grow Ministries team e: growministries@lca.org.au p: (08) 8267 7300 www.growministries.org.au

A great resource to find ideas for your space and craft supplies is Google Images.

Type in these references for access to an excellent array of photos and ideas: ‘arts and crafts supplies’ ‘organise arts and crafts supplies’ ‘reggio creative art supplies’ ‘reggio creative provocation’

LUTHERAN CHURCH OF AUSTRALIA

NURTURING FAITH

t e e h S t Fac

L C A C H I L D Y O U T H & F A M I LY M I N I S T R Y

Guiding Principles for Effective Child, Youth & Family Ministry

G U I D I N G PRINCIPLE

#1

Children, young people and their families are nurtured for life in Jesus Christ through vital engagement with God’s word and the rituals, traditions and practices of Christian faith.

Hebrews 10: 24-25

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Psalm 119:105

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

The family is the most powerful influence of the faith formation of children and teenagers.

Parents are the first educators of their children and provide the foundation for spiritual life.

As congregations and leaders how can we strengthen and expand faith formation?

Family life has changed significantly in the last forty years. As congregations and church leaders it is essential that we move forward and rethink how we can assist and encourage families to continue growing in their faith together.

It has been our practice to have agesegregated programs which can further divide and ‘over-program’ families. Let’s investigate how we could integrate our ministries to be family friendly and empower our parents to share their faith.

1

M A K E A D U LT FA I T H F O R M AT I O N A P R I O R I T Y

Many recent studies have shown that the importance of faith in the parents’ life has a direct influence on the faith of their children. Faith is caught - not taught! For our congregations to become vibrant communities there needs to be a focus on growing the spirituality of adults.

As congregations, how can we help parents to do this?

• Show them how to live their faith in a practical way. Provide practical knowledge about how to love their wife / husband, perform their work with integrity or treat their neighbour with kindness.

• Create opportunities for people to share their story about how God has been working in their life this week.

• Relationships - show our families that we care for them as individuals and as a family unit. Get to know them outside of church on a Sunday.

2

M A K E FA M I LY FA I T H F O R M AT I O N A G O A L O F C O N G R E G AT I O N A L L I F E A N D M I N I S T RY

Families that engage in sharing meals and conversations together, bedtime rituals and prayer, grace before meals and participate in family devotions and reading the Bible together will continue to grow their faith.

Congregations can provide opportunities to equip homes to be the centre of faith formation at every stage of life. One way that this can be done is to encourage four key faith practices.

1. Caring Conversations Christian values and faith are passed on to the next generation through supportive conversations.

2. Devotions Our faith shapes the whole of our lives and involves a lifetime of Bible study, reflection and prayer.

3. Service Serving others together provides an opportunity for the children to see their parents’ gifts, faith and values in action.

4. Rituals and Traditions Rituals and traditions communicate meaning, values and relationships that exist between people and with God. Grow Ministries has the Taking Faith Home resource that can help you encourage your families to share these four key faith practices.

activity to an existing ministry or program.

This provides families with an experience of the family activity before they try it at home.

It also develops the confidence and competence of the parent or adult, that he or she can lead the activity at home.

Identify settings where the whole family is present or where you can gather parents while their children are engaged in other activities.

Weekly worship is an opportunity for families to experience prayer, a ritual, or insights into the Sunday Scripture readings—all of which can be extended into the home.

4

USE THE INTERNET TO RESOURCE AND C O N N E C T FA M I L I E S .

Due to the onset of technology, there have been significant changes to the way we communicate and learn!

Mobile devices have fundamentally changed the relationship between information, time, and space.

• Information is now PORTABLE, PARTICIPATORY and PERSONAL • Information will find you through social networking. “If news is important it will find its way to me.”

• People turn to their social networks to help them evaluate new information they encounter.

• People have become content curators – when they discover content they will share it with their broad network Increasingly congregations will need to utilise the Internet and other new communication technologies to reach families with resources and encouragement, and to help families network to share faith with each other.

3

USE CURRENT MINISTRIES AND PROGRAMS TO TEACH, MODEL AND D E M O N S T R AT E FA M I LY FA I T H P R A C T I C E S .

There are multiple opportunities throughout the year where a congregation can add a “teaching and demonstration”

Does your church have a website?

What kind of information is provided online to allow your church to serve and reach families? Investigate how you can better utilise your church’s website to deliver timely faith formation resources to the home, provide social network among families to share faith stories and practices, and provide support, resources, and networking for parents.

In the long and bitter winters of ancient times, people in northern Europe found comfort and hope in branches of trees that never lost their green. When formed into a circle (perhaps around a wagon wheel) and given the light of candles, this winter greenery became early Advent wreaths, reminders of the promised birth of Jesus at Christmas. German Lutherans brought this custom of the Advent wreath to Australia, where it continues to speak the meaning of God’s promised light in a season and a world of darkness.

The Advent wreath can form a focal point for family worship, especially if the wreath is set in the centre of the dinner table. (Ours rests in a jungle of salt and pepper shakers.) The lighting of the wreath at each evening meal can lead into a Bible reading and prayer that reflects the meaning of Advent. If this causes children to wait a little longer before digging in to their meal, they get a small taste of what Advent is about.

Our wreath is a gathering of four purple or royal blue candles and one white candle in the centre (these are available at most discount stores) with green tinsel or artificial pine woven around the candles. You might like to add pinecones or greenery from your garden. It’s not elaborate, but it looks surprisingly good and serves our needs nicely. Last year we just used four advent candles in a row placed permanently in the middle of our table during Advent.

More important than how the Advent wreath looks is that it is used. Use the readings and prayers on the back of this page in your household this Advent. The privilege of lighting the candles can be shared among family members.

TERM 4

ADVENT WREATH Readings and Prayers 2014 Sunday 30th November — FIRST WEEK IN ADV ENT. Use four blue or purple candles and a white centre candle to set up a home Advent wreath. In your household devotion time this week, light the first candle, and use the following words: The first candle on our Advent wreath is the PROPHECY CANDLE. Long ago God promised to send a Saviour.

He used prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah and Micah to give people hope for the future. (Light the first candle.)

Have a household member read Isaiah 9:6. Then say the prayer together, repeating after the leader: Reading: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”’

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for keeping the promises you made through the prophets and sending us a Saviour. Fill us with hope as we get ready to celebrate Jesus’ birth. Amen.

Sunday 14th December—T HIRD WEEK IN ADV EN T This week, light the first and second and third candles on your home Advent wreath. In doing so, use the following words: The third candle on our Advent wreath is the SHEPHERD CANDLE. When the shepherds heard the news of Jesus’ birth, they went to Bethlehem with joy. Because of Jesus, we can rejoice in God’s love.

Have a household member read Luke 2, verses 7 to 14.

Then say the prayer together, repeating after the leader: Reading: “And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.”

Prayer: Lord Jesus, the good news of your birth makes us joyful. Like the shepherds, help us to come to you with joy this Christmas. Amen.

Sunday 7th December—S ECO N D WE E K I N ADV EN T This week, light both the first and second candle on your wreath. In doing so, use the following words: The second candle on our Advent wreath is the BETHLEHEM CANDLE. After a long wait, the Saviour that God had promised to send was born in Bethlehlem. He was sent to bring us peace with God. Have a household member read Micah 5, verses 2 and 5. Then say the prayer together, repeating after the leader: Reading: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. And he will be our peace when the Assyrians invade our land and march through our fortresses. We will raise against them seven shepherds, even eight commanders.”

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for Jesus our Saviour, born in Bethlehem. Fill us with peace as we get ready to celebrate his birth. Amen.

Sunday 21st November—FO URTH WE E K I N ADV EN T This week, light the first, second, third and fourth candles on your home Advent wreath. In doing so, use the following words: The fourth candle on our Advent wreath is the ANGEL CANDLE. When Jesus was born, the angels announced that our Saviour had come. God the Father sent his Son to earth to save us because he loves us.

Have a household member read John 3, verses 16 and 17. Then say the prayer together, repeating after the leader: Reading: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for showing your love to us by sending Jesus our Saviour. Fill our hearts and our homes with love this Christmas. Amen.

Thursday 25th December—CHRI STM AS DAY Today, light the first, second, third, and fourth candles as well as the white CHRIST CANDLE on your home Advent wreath.

Before you open your Christmas presents have a household member read the Christmas story from Luke 2 or from a Bible storybook. Ask each person to share their favourite part of the story.

Prayer: Lord God, we gather today as a household to celebrate the gift of your Son Jesus. Be with us as we give gifts to one another. Draw us closer to you and one another, and fill this home with love, peace and joy.

Amen.

TERM 4

At your intergenerational Advent gathering this year, why not create, build or assemb le your own manger to be placed front and centre of your Christmas tree at church and in homes.

As we take four weeks to help us get ready for the birth of our Saviour, the empty manger reminds us that we have the hope and promise of a Saviour. On Christmas morning, a baby doll could be placed in the manger, the true meaning of Christmas.

You might already have a manger for your church which could help as an idea of how to build one.

Gather those in your congregation who have a gift in woodwork, building or designing. These people will have a good supply of tools and also maybe timber.

Speak to those who might have access to ‘off-cuts’. Go to your local hardware shop and see what is in the ‘off-cuts bin’.

You might prefer to work with cardboard boxes.

This activity is brilliant for involving everyone and for working together across the generations.

The Three Trees is a lovely story about how the trees are used in the bigger picture of God’s plan for the world. Three forest trees dream of what they will one day become. One dreams of becoming a royal throne; one of being a ship that can withstand any storm; and one longs to stay in the forest and grow as tall as tall can be. When they are felled, it seems their dreams are over.

But as each tree is crafted into a new item-a manger, a fishing boat, and a rugged cross-it becomes clear that through the role they play in one important life their hopes are more than fulfilled.

You can watch this story as part of your intergenerational Advent gathering. It's available on youtube, type in this link http://www.youtube.com/eatch?v=ktYroQPA5A1C. The book is also available from Amazon bookstores or you could ask your local bookstore to get it in for you!

Please take photos of your community in action and the mangers that are created.

Email them to Grow Ministries so we can share them: growministries@lca.org.au

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A l l y o u n e e d i s p ro v i d e d i n t h e re s o u rc e k i t .

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