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Pastoral Care: Children & Families - General

hotlines, guidelines and crisis intervention contacts; and support for pastoral care for children, tweens, teens, families, differently abled persons, elders and folks with memory concerns; including mindfulness, personal care and volunteer support

Welcome

Welcome to The Ministry Lab's curated list of resources to help caregivers engage parents and children in counseling and conversation around a variety of topics. Here you'll find:

  • Books & Downloads
  • Blogs, Podcasts & Articles
  • Websites & Curricula
  • Judicatory and Other Denominational Resources

If you don't find a resource to fit your need, don't hesitate to consult with The Ministry Lab's director, Rev. Emily Meyer, who is happy to assist you.

Books

The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt     Embracing Queer Family: Learning to Live Authentically in Our Families and Communities     The Empathic God: A Clinical Theology of At-Onement          Finding Our Way Forward     In Deep Waters: Spiritual Care for Young People in a Climate Crisis     The Me I Was Made to Be     Mothers-Daughters-Body-Image-Hillary-McBride     Sistering | The Art of Holding Close and Letting Go (Dickey and Neff)     The Soul of the Family Tree               Unshakable Kids | Baker Publishing Group

based on and reflecting numerous family stories shared through the award-winning podcast IF THESE OVARIES COULD TALK, asking LGTBQ families every question imaginable about their journeys to parenthood.

Free Spirit Publishing specializes in social/emotional learning. Books are age-appropriate from pre-reader through high school.

Comfort & Reassurance

As Babies Dream     Drawn Together     Everyday Prayers for Families     Faithful Families: Creating Sacred Moments at Home     God Is Just Like Me     God's Protection Covers Me          Is Was     It's OK     Mabel's Topsy-Turvy Homes     Picturing God          Slug and Snail Search for Home (Manfredini & Gould)     Amazon.com: When I Fly with Papa (9781634891158): Claudia May, Jena  Holliday, Jena Holliday: Books     Look Inside Where Is Home, Daddy Bear?     Wherever You Are

Download this handy discussion guide to help parents and kids explore the many metaphors for God in the Bible.

Rene Mehlberg of Trinity Lutheran, Laporte, MN offers this short service of Holy Communion - and its participant version - for small group in-person sharing.

illness books.jpg

The Ghost Who Was Afraid of Everything     The Hospital     How to Return a Monster     Mama's Days: Andi Diehn, Ángeles Ruiz: 9781478875994: Amazon.com: Books

Blogs, Podcasts & Articles

On Being with Krista Tippett
Esther Perel
The Erotic Is an Antidote to Death

ResourceUMC has assembled a list of resources to support students and teachers during this particularly unique back-to-school season.

Christmas & Covid

Wired Magazine's What Should You Do about Holiday Gatherings and Covid-19? can help in family and congregational conversations - including a few creative alternatives.

In Our Library

The Gift to Listen, the Courage to Hear