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Faith Formation: Mentors & Volunteers - Books & Other Media

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 & Downloads

How To Talk about Politics with Young PeopleHow To Talk about Politics with Young People

By   / 

Discussing social and political topics can be challenging, especially in light of widespread disillusionment and polarization. Springtide asked young people what adults can do to make young people feel like they can talk about these topics with the adults in their lives.

Neurodiversity Training Handbook Resource Toolkit (Printed Version)Neurodiversity Training Handbook Resource Toolkit (Printed Version)

What's Included? 

  • 102 Page Neurodiversity Affirming Handbook 
    • 8  Page ND Affirming Care/Therapy Best Practices 
    • 12 Page Material Toolbox
    • 5  Page ND Affirming Principals & Challenging Behaviors 
    • 8  Page Parent Collaboration Information Pack 
    • 16 Page ND and the IEP (Accommodations and Goals) 

Get ready to dive into the "Handbook for Neurodiversity-Affirming Practices" – your new BFF in embracing and celebrating the beautiful spectrum of our students' brains.

Equipping Volunteers for Excellence

By Bryant Johnson (he/him/his) on Jul 17, 2023 in Building Faith

Johnson highlights four key ingredients to equipping excellent volunteers:

  • An invitation to the Ministry Vision and Goals
  • Sharing New Information
  • Collecting and Sharing Experiences
  • Volunteer Appreciation

The article concludes with a downloadable Equipping for Excellence Volunteer Training Planning Worksheet.

In On Purpose: Finding God’s Voice in Your Passion, authors Magrey deVega, Sam McGlothlin, Jevon Caldwell-Gross, and Susan Robb help us see God's purpose for our lives, how to open ourselves to God's voice, and how to take the first or next step to follow God's call. Reading this book and exploring life choices alongside others, individuals will learn how to channel their passions, hear God’s voice, and live the life they were meant to live.

To support reading in a group, resources include a full leader’s guide and DVD with four teaching sessions.

Watch this promo to learn more about this study. Additional components include: 

Safer Sanctuaries: Nurturing Trust within Faith Communities continues the tradition of Safe Sanctuaries ministry by building on the trusted policies and procedures that have guided churches over the past twenty-five years. This resource contains theological grounding for the work of abuse prevention, psychological insights about abuse and abuse prevention, basic guidelines for risk reduction, age-level specific guidance, and step-by-step instructions on how to develop, revise, update, and implement an abuse prevention plan in your church or organization.

Also available is the Safer Sanctuaries Online Guide, an interactive companion for your team as they work through the process of developing and implementing a Safe Sanctuaries policy.

Bundle and Save

Save 20% by purchasing the Safer Sanctuaries Print Book and Online Guide bundle. You will receive one print copy of Safer Sanctuaries: Nurturing Trust within Faith Communities as well as one enrollment in the Safer Sanctuaries Online Guide.

Announcing: The New Normal

Springtide Research Institute is a wealth of research-based information for boundaries and best practices for youth and young adult ministries. The New Normal: 8 Ways to Care for Gen Z in a Post-Pandemic World is but one example.

After Doubt: Swoboda: 9781587434518: Amazon.com: Books                    The Deepest Belonging: A Story about Discovering Where God Meets Us Cover Image     The Gap Decade               In Deep Waters: Spiritual Care for Young People in a Climate Crisis               Teaching at Twilight     Tongue-Tied     You are Changing the World: Whether You Like it or Not     Youth Beyond the Developmental Lens: Being over Becoming     Youth Change Agent: Empower a Young Person to Make the Transition to a Better Life

Rev. Diane Shallue created Twelve Devotions for Ministry Teams & Committees as part of the Christian Education Network of the ELCA series, “Learning Strategies for the Life of Faith Initiative.” They were developed "to equip congregational leaders to find ways to love and serve the world in all that they do", are ecumenical in scope, and free to share with teams and leadership groups.

Recruiting & Empowering Your Church Volunteers a free ebook from SparkHouse

Blogs, Podcasts & Articles

It’s Go Time: 10 Tips for Youth Group Chaperones

No youth event can take place without adult chaperones, particularly when taking youth offsite, overnight, or on trips of longer duration. Parents are the most logical choice to be chaperones, but just because someone is a parent to a teen doesn’t mean they have the necessary understanding or skillset to be a good chaperone for a large group of young people.

Moving from Mistakes to Success in Recruiting Volunteers

Successful volunteer recruitment practices in your church and ministry will never be a passive activity. Additionally, volunteer systems like recruiting and equipping volunteers are never complete. There is always something to do throughout the year that will help sustain the volunteers in your ministry and encourage other potential volunteers to join the team as well. Read more...

The Small Church Ministry Podcast | Podcast on Spotify The Small Church Ministry podcast with Laurie Acker – for example: 5 Fresh Ways to Structure Children’s Ministry If You’re Short Volunteers Or Just Need A Break.

Image credit: Barbara Holmes, Untitled 14 & 21 (detail), 2021, photograph, United States, used with permission. Abel Marquez, Lady Praying, 2020 (detail), photograph, free use. Jenna Keiper and Leslye Colvin, 2021, triptych art, United States.

Fr. Richard Rohr and others explore prayer as A Quality of Relationship.

Take a fresh look at how you can partner with caregiving adults to ignite a lifelong love of Jesus in your students.

In Our Library - Children

Good People Everywhere cover image

Websites

Scientists in SolidarityScientists in Solidarity is passionate about increasing and retaining diversity in the life sciences. Their mission is to create a supportive community of BIPOC students and professionals. Through career development opportunities, mentorship, and outreach, we seek to create a space to learn and thrive in our field.

     moral development in children     Erik Erikson's Stages of Psychosocial Development

Luther Crest

Bold Transformational Faith

A partnership to bring faith formation tools and resources ​from CAMP to your CONGREGATION

Gifts/Gratitudes/Encouragements

Check out this (admittedly academic) mentor map to encourage mentors and help yourself know your team.

 

Whether you’re putting together gifts for high school/college graduates or looking for a nice, simple gift to give your volunteers and Sunday School teachers...Illustrated Ministry has a wide range of products to suit your needs:

Trainings & Webinars

Building and Training Your Team with Jen Bradbury

Finding enough leaders can be one of the biggest challenges in ministry. When you do find them, what then? Join Jen Bradbury of Fuller Youth Institute for key insights on recruitment and volunteer training.

View Here

In Our Library

Big Questions, Worthy Dreams: Mentoring Young Adults in Their Search for  Meaning, Purpose, and Faith - Kindle edition by Parks, Sharon Daloz.  Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.     9780986903007: Christian Mentoring