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Faith Formation: Children's Ministry

Resources including: Children & Family Curricula & Storytime; Confirmation/Affirmation of Baptism; Denominational Resources; Tween & Teen Mental and Spiritual Health; Sexuality & Identity; and Online/At-Home Tech

Books

     The Gifts They Bring     A Gospel for All Ages: Teaching and Preaching with the Whole Church  -     By: David M. Csinos & HyeRan Kim-Cragg          

Curriculum

Building Faith’s Top Picks for Children’s Ministry Curriculum

By BuildFaith Editors on Jul 11, 2023

Building Faith's annual Children's Ministry Roundup considers five types of Sunday School curriculum:

  • lectionary-based
  • Montessori-based
  • rotation model
  • story-based
  • thematic
  • their Intergenerational Picks can be found separately - here

Read the whole article here for their suggestions.

Our favorite children's curriculum are listed in our Sunday School Curricula lib guide.

See our age-specific areas for curriculum suggestions and what's In Our Library:

Websites

Peace Circles

Building school wide Climate & Culture of Caring & Compassion
by teaching social emotional intelligence and life skills

  • Student driven Conflict Resolution
  • Classroom and school wide Community Building
  • Awareness of respectful relationship interactions and interpersonal affect
  • Preventative Restorative Justice Practice
  • Classroom Management tool

Laura Stephens-Reed, in the CBF Blog, underscores Why Bringing in Young Families is not a Magic [Cure] for Your Congregation, as she underscores some key do's and don'ts with regard to welcoming young adults and young families.

seedling logo.jpgNurturing Young Faith created this report after surveying numerous global, interdenominational congregations.

Read the report. Take the new survey. Participate and learn how to move into what's possible.

 Traci Smith at Yale Divinity School talking about Empowering Parents to Practice Faith at Home.

Welcome to Cathy's Music - Cathy's Music

Cathy’s Music is music where faith and fun meet. Your children will sing about the promises of God and the stories of God’s people and have fun at the same time.

Kid-friendly Christian songs that make a director’s job easy!

Real Kids Real Faith logoReal Kids Real Faith is reimagining how children’s spirituality looks, sounds, and acts in this moment.

Godly Play - In Our Library

Blogs, Articles, & Podcasts

family, children, parentsBe the church that embraces children, not just tolerates them

By Sam Rainer, Op-ed Contributor 

Activities

The Postcard ProjectThis intergenerational story shows readers that postcard materials hide everywhere--from cereal boxes to garden weeds--and includes an easy DIY project sure to spread kindness right off the page.

Download the free Postcard Project guide to help kids make their own unique postcard to send to a loved one.

Judicatory Resources

AUCE-2019-horizontal-#2-no-WHY.pngFind resources from the Association of United Church Educators, UCC, including webinars, curriculum, book lists, and more.

Discipleship Ministries | Equipping World-Changing DisciplesThe UMC's Discipleship Ministries offers numerous resources for Ministry with Children.

Children's Ministry - In Our Library

          9780764434396: The Best of Children's Ministry Magazine: 110 Totally Awesome Crafts for All Ages                         Children, Youth, and Spirituality in a Troubling World     Children's Ministry in the Way of Jesus     Children’s Ministry That Fits               CHURCH ON PURPOSE          Exploring Spirituality of Children     9781770645745: Faith Forward: A Dialogue on Children, Youth, and A New Kind of Christianity     Faith Forward : Re-Imagining Children's and Youth Ministry     Faith Forward Volume 3: Launching a Revolution through Ministry with Children, Youth, and Families  -     Edited By: David M. Csinos     Families at the Center of Faith Formation by [Eugene C. Roehlkepartain]                         Hope for the Future: Answering God’s…               Let the Children Come: Reimagining Childhood from a Christian Perspective by Bonnie J. Miller-McLemore - Paperback - 1 - 2003-08-20 - from Ergodebooks (SKU: DADAX0787956651)     Listening to Children on the Spiritual Journey: Guidance for Those Who Teach and Nurture  -     By: Catherine Stonehouse, Scottie May     Love First: A Children's Ministry for the Whole Church  -     By: Colette Potts     Making A Home For Faith | Nurturing The Spiritual Life Of Your Children, Revised (Caldwell)          Nurturing Children’s Spirituality               Raising Children to Love Their Neighbors: Practical Resources for Congregations     9780787962579: Sacred Stories of Ordinary Families: Living the Faith in Daily Life          Picture of Seven Things John Wesley Expected Us to Do for Kids     Spirit of the Child - Hay, David: 9780006278559 - AbeBooks          Hardcover Spur-Of-The-Moment Crafts Book     Sustainable Children's Ministry          Welcoming Children: A Practical Theology of Childhood