I’ve been doing a lot of research on faith development these past few weeks. While there are many models and stages of faith development, this Building Blocks of Faith article by Keely and Keely has captured my attention recently. They propose that in order to grow in faith there are four Building Blocks of Faith: I …
I’ve recently updated the Advent section of the website with more recent posts including an Advent youth gathering, mason jar advent printables, impromptu pageant tips, reflections and more. Speaking of Advent survival, subscribers to my email list are able to download a printable Impromptu Christmas Pageant Checklist. Click here to download and here to see …
My oldest is a high school junior, which means we’ve been logging lots of miles on the road visiting colleges. I’ve discovered that some schools welcome prospective students in the way I remember from my own experience: watch a video, take a tour, offer a few minutes to ask current students questions. These visits are …
Recently a colleague remarked that Christian education isn’t rocket science. Hmm. I’ve never been a rocket scientist. But, I did spend two years in chemical engineering school and I can tell you that while there may be less math, children’s and youth ministry is still wonderfully challenging. I was pleased to see a recent article …
On sharing stories with Kenda Creasy Dean, learning a TON about innovation, and a free tool for starting Bible discussions with youth.
Having been a part of several congregations where children were in worship on Communion Sunday, I wanted to share a note of encouragement this week. Check the end of the post for a couple of ideas for having children create art for Christ’s table. Dear Mom of Young Children, I had known you all of five minutes …
This is the most visited post at Bless Each One. I hope you enjoy this quick & fun craft. What a great way to keep a highlighter handy to mark scripture passages!
Who doesn’t need a few photos suitable for social media backgrounds? Here are seven copyright free photos taken by me. I used one of the photos in Canva to make this week’s prayer of the week. Enjoy! Continue reading
I spent last week in Des Moines, at CEF 2018, where I presented an Online Faith Formation workshop to two, full rooms (slides and handouts are in the Workshops section of this website). One of my colleagues took notes on the many resources shared by participants in the second workshop. I’m sharing the list we … Continue reading
This past week, I heard Brian McLaren talk at CEF2018 about creating “studios of love” within our churches. He asked us to imagine yoga studios without mats – just lectures on yoga. Or basketball practices with no courts or balls – just videos about game strategy. These were his metaphors for the way church often … Continue reading
Once again I found my people at CEF. Once again I was reminded of my call to ministries of faith formation that engender justice seeking. Once again we are reminded that the church is changing rapidly. As CEF wisely moves from the conference model toward a model of nooks and neighborhoods, I have spoken with … Continue reading
Wow! This week will be the 6th anniversary of this blog- and the very beginning of my digital ministry (shout out to Tim Gossett!). My first post was created in Green Lake, Wisconsin during the CEF 2012 Conference. I went to that conference knowing no one. While there I met several Northern IL colleagues who … Continue reading
Big news! I am in a new role at a new place (more about that here). The first week serving a new church (especially when it is a very different size from other churches I have served) feels a lot like the part of an eye exam where the doctor finds the glasses strength that … Continue reading
I am always amazed at implicit learning that happens Godly Play stories. We finished the last lectionary reading about bread (so much bread in August!) in worship today- and the children have been paying attention. Last week when I took out the parable box and wondered what was inside, a child said “maybe it is … Continue reading
This Thursday evening, August 9, I will lead a FREE webinar through Practical Resources for Churches. Register to view live or receive the recording via email. Recordings of my Prayground Activities and Youth Ministry: 15 Minutes at a time webinars are also available. Youth Ministry 101: No two days are alike in youth ministry! This … Continue reading
