Peace Lutheran Church - Ann Arbor
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Event 1: Learning the family friendly attitude
Event Name: Parents & Youth Confirmation Class
Ministry Area: Faith Sharing
Goals:
• Introduce the concept of faith sharing in a fun and non-threatening way.
• Get parents and youth together and talking face to face.
• Provide opportunity for parents to share why faith is so important to them and for their
child.
Event Description: We held a combined 7th and 8th grade confirmation class with the parents
invited. We gathered around tables with youth seated with parents. Most tables had two families.
We wanted groups no larger than 6. If parents did not come to the class, their students were
adopted into another family group.
Below is the outline of what we did.
Who Is Jesus?
Parents – introduce yourself, your son or daughter. Tell where you grew up & describe the
house you grew up in. (Some of the parents began to talk about their faith and the church
without being asked or coached.)
What is God like?
Make a list of words, adjectives that describe Him.
If you were God, what would you do?
(Bruce Almighty)
Think about what God did when He sent His Son?
Get in groups of 4 to 6 people (2 or 3 families)
Read & Discuss “Who Is Jesus?” handout
Christian Parents want to pass the faith onto their children.
Parents tell your group what you remember about your baptism, confirmation.
Tell you group why you had your child baptized and why you are bringing them to confirmation.
Faith Talks – Explain “The Game”
(We borrowed the cards from Ben. They are available from Augsburg.)
Do one complete round – everyone answering a question from all 4 categories.
If time allows, do one or two more rounds
(This went far better than I expected. Both the kids and the parents got a lot out of the event. I
had to end the discussion because class time was almost over.)
Close: Read together
One Solitary Life
For more information contact: Rev. Larry Courson
larrycourson@peaceaa.net
734-424-0899
Event Name: Sounding the Alarm!
Event Date: January 2006
Ministry Area: Attitude Adjustment
Goals:
• Inform the congregation about our involvement in FFPN.
• Remind/teach families about their important role as faith shapers.
• Make church families aware of problems.
Event Description
Ben Freudenburg shared his Sounding the Alarm presentation with the congregation at a between
services brunch the same day we were installing our Family Life Intern from Concordia. Families
had the opportunity to gather between services for food and a time to learn about the upcoming
year and why the shift.
For more information contact: Rev. Larry Courson
larrycourson@peaceaa.net
734-424-0899
Program Name: Worship Host Family Program
Date: Started February 2006 and is ongoing about once a month
Ministry Area: Service Project/ Family Event
Goals:
• Provide an opportunity for families to serve Christ and His church together, as a family
unit.
• Upon completion of worship host Sunday, host families will feel that they have benefited
by being able to serve together.
• Congregation will learn more about a specific family.
• The community at Peace will grow and be strengthened.
Event Description: This program was created so that families could worship and serve together
and that the congregation could get to know one another better. Worship host families receive
information about the program. They pick a Sunday and a worship service that they attend and
either do what they already do (i.e. usher, acolyte) or have an opportunity to get involved in a
special way (i.e. family testimony, special music, we had one family that provided the
communion wine that week from their family farm) depending on their comfort levels, interests,
and gifts. Prior to serving, the host family fills out a family information form (it’s an opportunity
to come up with a family mission statement and reminisce over God’s mercies). This form is
compiled into a bulletin insert that is shared with the congregation the Sunday that they are
worship host. The family then gets involved in the service in a variety of ways. There is a survey
after their host Sunday where families can reflect on their experience.
For more information contact: Abigail Moss, DFLM
abbymoss@peaceaa.net
734-424-0899
Program Name: Home to Home Across the World
Date: March 2006
Ministry Area: Service Project/ Family Event
Goals:
• Provide an opportunity for families to serve Christ and His church together, as a family
unit.
• Reach homes for Christ.
• Provide an opportunity for lessons on sacrifice and faith sharing.
Event Description: Families participated in the mission to provide Resurrection Egg Kits from
their home to a home in Malaysia or Singapore. They received an information form and were able
to keep informed about the families they helped.
For more information contact: Ben Freudenburg
freudb@cuaa.edu
Program Name: Parents of Adolescents The Hopes and the Hassles by Serendipity Support Series
Date: March 2006
Ministry Area: Parent Education
Goals:
• Provide support for parents of teenagers.
• Educate parents on 6 components of parenting teenagers (parenting challenges, teen
changes, communication, self-esteem, dealing with crises, passing on faith).
• Build a parent small group.
• Parents will grow in faith and love for their Lord.
Event Description: This was a self-lead special 6-week devotional series for a small group of
parents of adolescents. We offered it while the Confirmands were in class. Each week parents
studied a different topic by viewing life stories and having a Bible Study. Each meeting was an
hour long and included icebreakers, the core study time for the topic, and time for caring/sharing
concerns and prayer.
For more information contact: Abigail Moss, DFLM
abbymoss@peaceaa.net
734-424-0899
Program Name: Building Blocks for Family and Faith
Date: April 2006
Ministry Area: Faith Development and Communication
Goals:
• Build communication skills between parents and youth (teach a skill).
• Provide a faith-based tool for youth and parents (provide a resource).
• Provide accountability.
• Build faith in families through home devotions.
• Learn how effective the format is and what does and doesn’t work.
Event Description: Our family life intern wrote this program as her senior project. This event
consisted of a one-hour training session with Confirmands and their parents on faith sharing and
active/reflective listening. The session ended with training on how to use the month long
devotional series we were providing for these families. These families then committed to
completing the devotional series via commitment cards. Parents and Confirmands did separate
devotions once a week for four weeks (leading up to Confirmation Sunday) on the same topic
with age appropriate content. Devotions were written from the perspective of the other age
group (teens read advice from parents, parents read feelings from their children). After
completing the age specific devotions, parents and teens had discussion questions to go over
together on the mutual topic. The devotionals were designed to celebrate the Confirmation
milestone and encourage ongoing study.
For more information contact: Abigail Moss, DFLM
abbymoss@peaceaa.net
734-424-0899
Program Name: Home Link
Date: April 2006 and is occasionally ongoing
Ministry Area: Faith Sharing
Goals:
• Provide a resource for family activity.
• Provide discussion questions for family use.
• Intentionally reinforce Sunday message via home discussion questions and activity.
• Build faith in families through faith sharing.
Event Description: This was a Family Time type activity. As a part of the Palm Sunday service
we handed out palm branches. As families left church we handed out instructions for folding the
palm branches into crosses. These sheets also included some Bible passages to look up together
and some possible discussion questions for families to do together while folding the palm
branches. Occasionally we hand out other home links in relation to something done at Sunday
School or Children’s Church.
For more information contact: Abigail Moss, DFLM
abbymoss@peaceaa.net
734-424-0899
Program Name: Family Vacation Bible School “Journey Through the Stars” by Family
Crossfires, Inc.
United Intergenerational Ministries
Date: June 2006
Ministry Area: Christian Growth
Goals:
• Share the Good News of Christ.
• Strengthen families by faith sharing and quality time together.
• Determine if this type of VBS program better meets the needs of Peace.
Event Description: We did Vacation Bible School for those 1-101+. We adapted UIM’s “Journey
Through the Stars” program to fit our needs. Families were kept together and put into small
groups (flight crews) with several other families. We gathered at 5:30pm for dinner and kicked
off our program at about 6:15pm with an opening session. Flight crews rotated between several
stations including craft, Bible Story, Flight Training (hands on object lessons), and games. Flight
crews gathered together at the end for a recap of the day and to work on a team project
(decorating the crew’s space shuttle was the favorite activity). Families enjoyed being together
participating in fun activities all while growing in their faith and knowledge of our Lord and
Savior. At the end of the week families received several take home activities and discussion
starters built around the week’s theme so that the fun and growing in faith could continue at
home.
For more information contact: Abigail Moss, DFLM
abbymoss@peaceaa.net
734-424-0899
http://members.tripod.com/~familycrossfires/vbs.html
Program Name: Faith Weaver Sunday School by Group Publishing
Date: September 2006
Ministry Area: Christian Growth
Goals:
• Unify the church with one Bible Study topic/story for all.
• Provide a tool for ongoing study in the home during the week.
• Share the good news of Christ with our entire church (all ages).
• People to come to and grow in faith.
Event Description:
In continuing to shift to a home centered church supported approach we changed Sunday
School programs. Group’s Faith Weaver curriculum strives to weave faith into every day life.
Each Sunday Pre-K through adults study the same Bible Story and topic in an age appropriate
way. Parents are given a summary sheet full of questions and activities to follow up and start
faith sharing with their children during the week. This helps to maximize the message’s impact
and gives families common ground for discussing faith.
For more information contact: Abigail Moss, DFLM
abbymoss@peaceaa.net
734-424-0899
http://www.grouppublishing.com
Program Name: Faith Inkubators Confirmation Program
Ministry Area: Christian Growth
Goals:
• Confirmands will come to and grow in faith and knowledge of our Lord.
• Confirmands will be prepared to publicly confess their faith.
• Provide a tool for home learning.
• Encourage Bible reading and prayer in the home.
Event Description: In continuing to shift to a home centered church supported approach we
changed our Confirmation curriculum. Classes are taught through both a large session and small
group time. This curriculum also includes a home huddle. Home Huddles contain a home journal
along with prayers for each day of the week. Parents and youth share their highs and lows, read
Bible passages, and pray together each day. We have developed a parents small group that meets
during Confirmation. It has been a good support for the parents. This curriculum helps parents
and youth be on the same page. It also places some of the responsibility for learning where it
belongs, in the home.
For more information contact: Abigail Moss, DFLM
abbymoss@peaceaa.net
734-424-0899
http://www.faithink.com/
Event Name: Family Christmas Festival
Event Date: December 2006
Ministry Area: Worship
Goals:
• Provide an opportunity for families to gather and celebrate Christmas TOGETHER.
• Enable people to use their talents and abilities to glorify God.
• Provide families with an opportunity for talking about and rediscovering what the
Christmas story really means.
• Build faith in families through faith sharing.
Event Description
Instead of a traditional children’s Christmas program we had lots of ages involved. The kids did
gather to sing a few songs but sat with their families throughout the service. As a part of the
program we talked about bringing our gifts to Christ. We adapted the banner project from Ben
Freudenburg’s book, The Family Friendly Church and each family brought an angel that they had
made to hang on the tree.
For more information contact: Rev. Larry Courson
larrycourson@peaceaa.net
734-424-0899
Ministry Area: Faith Sharing
Goals:
• Introduce the concept of faith sharing in a fun and non-threatening way.
• Get parents and youth together and talking face to face.
• Provide opportunity for parents to share why faith is so important to them and for their
child.
Event Description: We held a combined 7th and 8th grade confirmation class with the parents
invited. We gathered around tables with youth seated with parents. Most tables had two families.
We wanted groups no larger than 6. If parents did not come to the class, their students were
adopted into another family group.
Below is the outline of what we did.
Who Is Jesus?
Parents – introduce yourself, your son or daughter. Tell where you grew up & describe the
house you grew up in. (Some of the parents began to talk about their faith and the church
without being asked or coached.)
What is God like?
Make a list of words, adjectives that describe Him.
If you were God, what would you do?
(Bruce Almighty)
Think about what God did when He sent His Son?
Get in groups of 4 to 6 people (2 or 3 families)
Read & Discuss “Who Is Jesus?” handout
Christian Parents want to pass the faith onto their children.
Parents tell your group what you remember about your baptism, confirmation.
Tell you group why you had your child baptized and why you are bringing them to confirmation.
Faith Talks – Explain “The Game”
(We borrowed the cards from Ben. They are available from Augsburg.)
Do one complete round – everyone answering a question from all 4 categories.
If time allows, do one or two more rounds
(This went far better than I expected. Both the kids and the parents got a lot out of the event. I
had to end the discussion because class time was almost over.)
Close: Read together
One Solitary Life
For more information contact: Rev. Larry Courson
larrycourson@peaceaa.net
734-424-0899
Event Name: Sounding the Alarm!
Event Date: January 2006
Ministry Area: Attitude Adjustment
Goals:
• Inform the congregation about our involvement in FFPN.
• Remind/teach families about their important role as faith shapers.
• Make church families aware of problems.
Event Description
Ben Freudenburg shared his Sounding the Alarm presentation with the congregation at a between
services brunch the same day we were installing our Family Life Intern from Concordia. Families
had the opportunity to gather between services for food and a time to learn about the upcoming
year and why the shift.
For more information contact: Rev. Larry Courson
larrycourson@peaceaa.net
734-424-0899
Program Name: Worship Host Family Program
Date: Started February 2006 and is ongoing about once a month
Ministry Area: Service Project/ Family Event
Goals:
• Provide an opportunity for families to serve Christ and His church together, as a family
unit.
• Upon completion of worship host Sunday, host families will feel that they have benefited
by being able to serve together.
• Congregation will learn more about a specific family.
• The community at Peace will grow and be strengthened.
Event Description: This program was created so that families could worship and serve together
and that the congregation could get to know one another better. Worship host families receive
information about the program. They pick a Sunday and a worship service that they attend and
either do what they already do (i.e. usher, acolyte) or have an opportunity to get involved in a
special way (i.e. family testimony, special music, we had one family that provided the
communion wine that week from their family farm) depending on their comfort levels, interests,
and gifts. Prior to serving, the host family fills out a family information form (it’s an opportunity
to come up with a family mission statement and reminisce over God’s mercies). This form is
compiled into a bulletin insert that is shared with the congregation the Sunday that they are
worship host. The family then gets involved in the service in a variety of ways. There is a survey
after their host Sunday where families can reflect on their experience.
For more information contact: Abigail Moss, DFLM
abbymoss@peaceaa.net
734-424-0899
Program Name: Home to Home Across the World
Date: March 2006
Ministry Area: Service Project/ Family Event
Goals:
• Provide an opportunity for families to serve Christ and His church together, as a family
unit.
• Reach homes for Christ.
• Provide an opportunity for lessons on sacrifice and faith sharing.
Event Description: Families participated in the mission to provide Resurrection Egg Kits from
their home to a home in Malaysia or Singapore. They received an information form and were able
to keep informed about the families they helped.
For more information contact: Ben Freudenburg
freudb@cuaa.edu
Program Name: Parents of Adolescents The Hopes and the Hassles by Serendipity Support Series
Date: March 2006
Ministry Area: Parent Education
Goals:
• Provide support for parents of teenagers.
• Educate parents on 6 components of parenting teenagers (parenting challenges, teen
changes, communication, self-esteem, dealing with crises, passing on faith).
• Build a parent small group.
• Parents will grow in faith and love for their Lord.
Event Description: This was a self-lead special 6-week devotional series for a small group of
parents of adolescents. We offered it while the Confirmands were in class. Each week parents
studied a different topic by viewing life stories and having a Bible Study. Each meeting was an
hour long and included icebreakers, the core study time for the topic, and time for caring/sharing
concerns and prayer.
For more information contact: Abigail Moss, DFLM
abbymoss@peaceaa.net
734-424-0899
Program Name: Building Blocks for Family and Faith
Date: April 2006
Ministry Area: Faith Development and Communication
Goals:
• Build communication skills between parents and youth (teach a skill).
• Provide a faith-based tool for youth and parents (provide a resource).
• Provide accountability.
• Build faith in families through home devotions.
• Learn how effective the format is and what does and doesn’t work.
Event Description: Our family life intern wrote this program as her senior project. This event
consisted of a one-hour training session with Confirmands and their parents on faith sharing and
active/reflective listening. The session ended with training on how to use the month long
devotional series we were providing for these families. These families then committed to
completing the devotional series via commitment cards. Parents and Confirmands did separate
devotions once a week for four weeks (leading up to Confirmation Sunday) on the same topic
with age appropriate content. Devotions were written from the perspective of the other age
group (teens read advice from parents, parents read feelings from their children). After
completing the age specific devotions, parents and teens had discussion questions to go over
together on the mutual topic. The devotionals were designed to celebrate the Confirmation
milestone and encourage ongoing study.
For more information contact: Abigail Moss, DFLM
abbymoss@peaceaa.net
734-424-0899
Program Name: Home Link
Date: April 2006 and is occasionally ongoing
Ministry Area: Faith Sharing
Goals:
• Provide a resource for family activity.
• Provide discussion questions for family use.
• Intentionally reinforce Sunday message via home discussion questions and activity.
• Build faith in families through faith sharing.
Event Description: This was a Family Time type activity. As a part of the Palm Sunday service
we handed out palm branches. As families left church we handed out instructions for folding the
palm branches into crosses. These sheets also included some Bible passages to look up together
and some possible discussion questions for families to do together while folding the palm
branches. Occasionally we hand out other home links in relation to something done at Sunday
School or Children’s Church.
For more information contact: Abigail Moss, DFLM
abbymoss@peaceaa.net
734-424-0899
Program Name: Family Vacation Bible School “Journey Through the Stars” by Family
Crossfires, Inc.
United Intergenerational Ministries
Date: June 2006
Ministry Area: Christian Growth
Goals:
• Share the Good News of Christ.
• Strengthen families by faith sharing and quality time together.
• Determine if this type of VBS program better meets the needs of Peace.
Event Description: We did Vacation Bible School for those 1-101+. We adapted UIM’s “Journey
Through the Stars” program to fit our needs. Families were kept together and put into small
groups (flight crews) with several other families. We gathered at 5:30pm for dinner and kicked
off our program at about 6:15pm with an opening session. Flight crews rotated between several
stations including craft, Bible Story, Flight Training (hands on object lessons), and games. Flight
crews gathered together at the end for a recap of the day and to work on a team project
(decorating the crew’s space shuttle was the favorite activity). Families enjoyed being together
participating in fun activities all while growing in their faith and knowledge of our Lord and
Savior. At the end of the week families received several take home activities and discussion
starters built around the week’s theme so that the fun and growing in faith could continue at
home.
For more information contact: Abigail Moss, DFLM
abbymoss@peaceaa.net
734-424-0899
http://members.tripod.com/~familycrossfires/vbs.html
Program Name: Faith Weaver Sunday School by Group Publishing
Date: September 2006
Ministry Area: Christian Growth
Goals:
• Unify the church with one Bible Study topic/story for all.
• Provide a tool for ongoing study in the home during the week.
• Share the good news of Christ with our entire church (all ages).
• People to come to and grow in faith.
Event Description:
In continuing to shift to a home centered church supported approach we changed Sunday
School programs. Group’s Faith Weaver curriculum strives to weave faith into every day life.
Each Sunday Pre-K through adults study the same Bible Story and topic in an age appropriate
way. Parents are given a summary sheet full of questions and activities to follow up and start
faith sharing with their children during the week. This helps to maximize the message’s impact
and gives families common ground for discussing faith.
For more information contact: Abigail Moss, DFLM
abbymoss@peaceaa.net
734-424-0899
http://www.grouppublishing.com
Program Name: Faith Inkubators Confirmation Program
Ministry Area: Christian Growth
Goals:
• Confirmands will come to and grow in faith and knowledge of our Lord.
• Confirmands will be prepared to publicly confess their faith.
• Provide a tool for home learning.
• Encourage Bible reading and prayer in the home.
Event Description: In continuing to shift to a home centered church supported approach we
changed our Confirmation curriculum. Classes are taught through both a large session and small
group time. This curriculum also includes a home huddle. Home Huddles contain a home journal
along with prayers for each day of the week. Parents and youth share their highs and lows, read
Bible passages, and pray together each day. We have developed a parents small group that meets
during Confirmation. It has been a good support for the parents. This curriculum helps parents
and youth be on the same page. It also places some of the responsibility for learning where it
belongs, in the home.
For more information contact: Abigail Moss, DFLM
abbymoss@peaceaa.net
734-424-0899
http://www.faithink.com/
Event Name: Family Christmas Festival
Event Date: December 2006
Ministry Area: Worship
Goals:
• Provide an opportunity for families to gather and celebrate Christmas TOGETHER.
• Enable people to use their talents and abilities to glorify God.
• Provide families with an opportunity for talking about and rediscovering what the
Christmas story really means.
• Build faith in families through faith sharing.
Event Description
Instead of a traditional children’s Christmas program we had lots of ages involved. The kids did
gather to sing a few songs but sat with their families throughout the service. As a part of the
program we talked about bringing our gifts to Christ. We adapted the banner project from Ben
Freudenburg’s book, The Family Friendly Church and each family brought an angel that they had
made to hang on the tree.
For more information contact: Rev. Larry Courson
larrycourson@peaceaa.net
734-424-0899