Christian Formation

This resource helps congregations help families do faith formation in their own homes. Parents are children’s first and best teachers, but many parents feel unequipped to do intentional faith formation. This resource provides 10 family events which help parents and children begin working on their faith. Sessions include worship, activities, and reflection. It’s a good way to bring together several generations.

Lesson Plans for Small Churches – ECUSA-Office of Children’s Ministries, New York NY

Lesson plans that may be divided into children, youth, and adults, or may be used intergenerationally Available from the Office of Children’s Ministries for all seasons and years A, B, and C; available for preview: Advent/Christmas/Epiphany for Year C and Late Pentecost C; for lessons go to http://www.episcopalchurch.org/lessonplans

Learning God’s Stories Together –Henderson & McKenzie, The Presbyterian Church in Canada; 2006

This resource is designed for people to work together learning a Bible story and then finding ways to make it their own. There are 4 units, each with 5 stories; each story has a variety of activities that the group can do but each activity should include people of differing ages. The authors also encourage “sharing food” around the session. Sessions can be used in a variety of settings including family retreats, mid-week programs, etc. An excellent resource for a small church or for intergenerational work.

Hands and Hearts: Intergenerational Activities throughout the Church Year – Lois Johansson; 2006

This book includes ideas for the 7 main seasons of the church year; the ideas tend to be quite different from one another so there’s always something new to try. Each lesson has a leader page followed by the explanation and all patterns needed. The “Great Cloud of Witnesses” listed for Ordinary Time after Pentecost could also be adapted for a Jesse Tree in Advent. This is a useful book for special occasions when all ages of the church come together.

Seasons for Praise – Eleanore F. Sudbrock, Creative Communications for the Parish, St Louis MO

If you have artists in your parish this book offers a variety of ideas to create artwork for your sanctuary or other parts of your church. The suggestions are organized by the season of the church year. Ideas are in a number of media so many different people can be involved in creating this artwork. The book suggests ideas and gives some preliminary directions but does not have patterns or explicit directions for artwork.

See also:

Christian Formation - Vacation Bible School: (VBS may be used for children or may be used intergenerationally)

Older Materials, no longer available, but the leader guides give the information about what is needed for each lesson and could be used with a bit of creativity.

Bible Times, B.C. - A ten lesson program designed primarily for VBS, but adaptable; Old Testament emphasis; Theme: "Highlights from Hebrew Scriptures and Holidays"; each lesson includes teacher background, story, activities, games, crafts, and holiday activities (w/explanations of unfamiliar terms); Also available are student books: For 3-6 yrs, and 7-11 yrs.

Jesus Is Giving a Party and We're All Invited

A 5 lesson VBS; New Testament emphasis; set up by chapters, not lessons; Chapters: "What you need for planning", What you need for teaching", What you need for storytelling", What you need for Arts, Crafts, and Games, "Everything else you need". Student books: For 3-6 yrs, and 7-11yrs

God’s Brave People; the Storyteller Series – Cooperative Publication Assoc, St Louis MO; 1995

Complete leader guide

Discovery Center VBS – Lisa Nelms, St James Episcopal Church, Dallas TX; 2005

The Discovery Center idea was developed for a Christian Formation conference in Chicago IL in 2002; it involves a variety of “hands-on” centers with activities that change each day. This was adapted for a VBS format and is material that can be used very creatively and adapted to any situation.

For more information or to borrow a particular item, contact Marnie Bash,

Coordinator, Ministries Resource Center: mpbash@ameritech.net or 989-839-9364.