Rows of shoes lined the temple

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1 2003 christian education week Christian Education and Serving in The Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs in the midst of wolves. Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick who are there, and say to them, The kingdom of God has come near to you. The seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us! He said, Do not rejoice at this, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. (Luke 10:1-20, NRSV). Rows of shoes lined the temple steps, patiently waiting for the owners to return. The shoes never go into the temple. They leave with the owners and never see the inside of the temple. For Christians, this image would become, The shoes never go into the church. Imagine the shoes as a metaphor for how our faith and life connect. Many of us leave the shoes of daily life and service outside the church. We go inside to don the slippers of faith. But when we come out, do we leave our faith slippers inside for another week and return home with just the daily shoes? If we leave our faith inside the church, what do we take with us into the workplace and activities of the week? Often, people live, act, work, and serve as faithful disciples without realizing it and without the support of their congregations, which itself is an extended family. How can our families and congregations equip all of us to cultivate our relationship with God and the Christian community during worship, then return to the workplaces and daily life, equipped to serve as faithful disciples wherever we are? How does the congregation welcome persons back to the worshiping community? Does the congregation affirm us for the work and service we have done during the week? I can see all the faithful disciples returning to the worshiping community ready to be re-energized, wounds healed, willing to share battle stories from their workplaces and in their communities. The Purpose of CHRISTIAN EDUCATION One primary task of every church is to make Christian disciples. Christian education settings can be entry points for persons into the congregation, places to reach out and receive others. Persons can come to know God and make life-changing decisions in those settings, whether they are toddlers in the two-yearold class or the oldest adult in a weekly Bible study session. They are encouraged to grow and mature in the faith and are sent forth as Christian disciples to make the world more loving and just. (Foundations, page 8) christian EDUCATiON week How do congregations welcome and nurture our faith, and how do they prepare us to be sent back out into our workplaces and communities? Christian Education Week 2003 centers on the theme, Connected Through Christ: Serving in Community. We encourage you to consider how Christian formation occurs during our service to others in the name of Christ and about how our varied family and extended family systems can support and nurture persons in service. Alyne JoAnn Eslinger is Director, Ministry in Daily Life and Community and Justice Ministries, United Methodist General Board of Discipleship, Nashville, TN.

2 Connected Through Christ PRACTiCAL ideas for Forming Faith Through Service When I was a child, I remember vividly the visits of missionaries to our congregation. I was impressed by these individuals who sought to serve God overseas. My impression at that time was that this was the only way to be involved in mission and service. I didn t see that I could do this with my family and within the community where we lived. One of the keys to forming faith is being involved in mission and service. There may be a need in your congregation to expand the definition of mission and service from one as limited as mine was as a child, to a more encompassing view. Perhaps the key place for forming faith is in the home. Regular devotions, celebrations and rituals, conversations about faith, and service together in church and in community help form faith. While the congregation may offer many avenues for service, these are often offered through specific Sunday school class projects, in age-specific ways, such as a youth mission 2 trip or as part of a committee in the congregation. However, when we serve with family members, this allows for conversation, reflection, and faith growth in the home. IDEAS FOR FAMILIES Here are some suggestions for involving families in acts of service and mission: Select a mission program (like Children s Fund for Christian Mission, Heifer Project International, or one from the Advance Special Catalog). Spend a set amount of time (a month or six weeks) learning about the various aspects of the project(s), talking about ways you can help as a family, and following through on some of those selected ways. Take a regular rotation of preparing meals for the local Ronald McDonald house or other center for families at your local hospital or for a family shelter in your community. Adopt a grandparent (or if you are a grandparent, adopt a child) from your church family. Celebrate joint family activities, particularly at holidays, birthdays, or special occasions. In the spring and fall, spend one day together doing seasonal chores, e.g., yard work, window washing. As a grandparent, teach a child a skill, such as creating a scrapbook or stamp collection. Talk about ways to surprise others with kind acts. As a family, plan to show kindness to others every day for a week. Put a coin in a parking meter. Pick up trash left on a sidewalk. Clean snow off a neighbor s car windshield. Give a plate of cookies to your church secretary or postal deliverer for no special reason. Each evening talk together about what each person has done. Take a tour of your neighborhood or community. Using all your senses, make a keen assessment of what is happening in your community and make a list of the needs you observe. (continued on page 8)

3 PRAYERS God of Sarah and Abraham and of our own heroes and heroines of faith: We give you thanks for the faith that has passed to us through hundreds of generations. As we engage in another year of study, help us plant and nurture seeds of faith and faithfulness that will be harvested for generations to come. AMEN. My Spirit Is One with You #71, Voices We Pray for Your Wisdom #73, Voices Deuteronomy 6:1-8 Micah 6:6-8 Matthew 4:18-22 John 13:1-17 Philippians 2:1-8 SCRIPTURE PASSAGES Teaching through family and lifestyle Loving justice and mercy Disciples called to be sent out Serving one another Humility and servanthood 2003 Christian Education Week worship RESOURCES HYMNS Go Forth for God #670, UMH Lord of the Dance #261, UMH As a Fire Is Meant for Burning #2237, TFWS Tu Has Venido a la Orilla #195, Mil Voces Para Celebrar; #344, UMH Sois la Semilla #291, MV; #583, UMH Where He Leads Me #42, Songs of Zion God Brings the Kingdom #149, Come Let Us Worship Rise to Greet the Sun #146, CLUW A COVENANTfor Church EDUCATORS LEADER: Loving God, we thank you for the people who have lovingly presented themselves for the work of Christian education and formation. PEOPLE: Gracious God, thank you for this opportunity for growth and service. We come first as disciples, seeking wisdom and knowledge from you. Teach us so that we can teach others. LEADER: We covenant to pray for our leaders and for all the children, youth, and adults who will attend classes this year. Lord, enable all of us to grow spiritually and study diligently. May this year of learning enlighten and transform us. PEOPLE: Amazing God, grant each of us fresh vision of faith and a new understanding of your grace. LEADER: We pray for those, dear God, being drawn by your love, who will venture into our classrooms for the first time. We pray especially for those who will come searching for God and for a Christian family. PEOPLE: Accepting God, show us how to welcome the stranger. Use our classrooms and small groups as loving examples of Christian community for persons of all ages. LEADER: Help us, loving God, to encourage all in our care to love you with all our hearts, our minds, our souls, and our strength, and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. ALL: Empowering God, help us all to believe what we teach and to practice what we preach! Amen. Safiyah Fosua is Director of Invitational Preaching Ministries, United Methodist General Board of Discipleship, Nashville, TN. 3

4 THanks Teachers and Leaders! Learn to serve Serve to Learn DISCIPLES SERVE Learn to serve Serve to Learn EVERY DAY

5 THanks Teachers and Leaders! Families Serving Together Families Serving Together DISCIPLES SERVE EVERY DAY

6 Learning in Community A WORKSHOP FOR SERVING IN COMMUNITY TIME: About 90 minutes PURPOSE: To help intergenerational groups develop a plan for a service project in the community. AUDIENCE: Participants in and leaders of your educational ministries, grades 2 through adult. PREPARATION: Set the date and time for the workshop and advertise it several ways. Ask the participants to bring their Bibles. Have on hand hymnals, some simple art supplies, and a few small toys for each group. Place copies of pages 1-2, 7-8 of this leaflet on the chairs as a reference. Set up the room with tables, if possible, or circles of chairs. The workshop activities can also be presented in learning centers. LEADiNG the WORKSHOP Have families sit together in table or circle groups of up to ten people. Be sure each table group has a mix of adults and children. Opening (5 8 minutes) Introduce yourself. Invite persons to greet and meet others in their table group. Sing together Sois la Semilla (#583, UMH) or another song that everyone knows. Tell Stories of Serving (15 20 minutes) Invite participants to think of an experience of serving someone in the immediate family, extended family, or community and to say one sentence about it. ( I took a pie to our new neighbors to welcome them. ) Then tell two or three longer stories from the examples. Hear at least one child s story. Reflect on what made the experience a blessing to the recipient and to the giver. Help children recognize and express why serving and giving feels right and good. Study the Bible (15 minutes) Ask an adult to read aloud Luke 10:1-20, then ask a child to read Deuteronomy 6:4-8, while others follow along in their Bibles. Within the groups, summarize the main points in a sentence or two. (Consider using puppets, toys, drama, or other visual means to convey the Scripture as well.) Distribute art supplies. Ask group members to create pictures showing what one of the passages means to them; then discuss these questions. If you had been present with Moses or Jesus, how might you have felt about the experience? If the message were spoken 6 directly to you, what would you think was being asked of you? What does this passage say to you about the value and necessity of service to others? Allow time for the children to tell about their pictures. Identify Opportunities to Serve (20 minutes) In the table group, pass around a small toy randomly to identify whose turn it is to speak. Ask each speaker to name a way persons are in need. They can personify the toy to help them. (Who do you think might be sad? Sick? Hungry? Need help at home?) Review the suggestions in the leaflet, pages 1 2, 7 8. Recall the insights from the Scriptures. Choose a feasible service project in which all ages can participate. Encourage families and extended families to work together. Develop a Plan (20 minutes) In family groups, brainstorm, then organize, specific steps that can be taken and by whom. Be sure to identify what the children can contribute. Use the toys or art supplies to act out or visualize the result you want. Set dates to begin and to come together to reflect on the experience and celebrate it. Close with Devotions (7 minutes) Ask a spokesperson from each group to mention his/her plan and to offer the service of the group to God s glory. The rest of the groups will raise their hands in benediction and say, Amen. After all projects are mentioned, close with the Lord s Prayer. Diana L. Hynson is Director of Learning and Teaching Ministries, United Methodist General Board of Discipleship, Nashville, TN.

7 involving the Congregation As you develop the theme of serving in community throughout the coming year, help your congregation move beyond seasonal service projects to a broader understanding of Christian discipleship as a lifestyle. LOCAL OPPORTUNITIES You will find many needs in your own community, city, and state that will benefit from the time, talents, and financial resources of your congregation. No one individual or congregation can meet all the needs, so consider these ideas. Plan a meeting with the mayor, city council members, or other community leaders to get a perspective on the most pressing needs facing your community. Sponsor a mission fair with displays from United Methodist agencies, as well as other human service agencies, such as United Way or the Red Cross. Invite your congregation to learn about these ministries and discover ways to serve during the coming year. If you live near any of the United Methodist agencies, ask for a tour. In your congregation discuss which needs are of most concern to your members; then consider the gifts present within your congregation. Which need(s) can be most effectively addressed with the gifts available through your congregation? Then plan a variety of responses by all age groups and within family groups to that need throughout the year. Responses might include donating food, volunteering at a homeless shelter, working with a school/school board, helping build a house through Habitat for Humanity, and contributing money. GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES The United Methodist Church has congregations and ministries all around the world. In addition to providing opportunities for worship, fellowship, and study, these ministries seek to meet basic human needs related to education, housing, and healthcare. For example, Hope for the Children of Africa is a denominational initiative providing services to children whose lives have been devastated by civil war, AIDS, and poverty. Your congregation might adopt this or another initiative as a yearlong emphasis, learning about the initiative in various classes and sending financial or material contributions to the initiative. For information about United Methodist mission opportunities, including Volunteers in Mission, see Resources, page 8. You can also participate in work camps throughout the United States and beyond. Contact your district or conference office to learn about agencies and contacts within and outside your community. BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS Regardless of the choices you make, you have an opportunity to build partnerships in meeting local and global needs. Talk with the leaders of your United Methodist Women/Men groups, outreach team, and stewardship team. Find ways to work together to set priorities and involve the congregation in a focused effort to address particular local and global needs. Invite all Sunday school teachers and small group leaders to meet to discuss what the focus of study or prayer will be in the coming months. Discuss how the mission and outreach opportunities can strengthen that learning and be included in intercessory prayer. Provide teachers with tools for helping group members reflect on their experience in light of Scripture and the Christian heritage. MAKING CONNECTIONS As you plan for the coming year, build in plenty of opportunities for prayer, reflection, and feedback, both within the different age groups and within family or extended family groupings. Make this year a time for emphasizing how faith and belief motivate ministry in daily life. Provide settings for people to talk about what they are learning and doing in mission and Christian discipleship and how they are coming to understand God s vision for the world. In a worship service, celebrate what you have learned, and build into your educational plan ongoing experiences for further learning and reflection. Carol F. Krau is Director of Christian Formation and Spiritual Leadership, United Methodist General Board of Discipleship, Nashville, TN. 7

8 FORMING FAITH THROUGH SERVICE... (continued from page 2) Together, decide one small thing you can do to make a difference. Write a letter to your newspaper telling about your experience. Use the United Methodist Prayer Calendar or Children s Prayer Calendar and pray for the missionary families every day. (Order from the Service Center, 7820 Reading Road, Caller 1800, Cincinnati, OH ) Contact a shelter for homeless families with children in your community. Collect games, children s clothing, back packs or other child necessities for the children in the shelter. Volunteer at a nearby long-term healthcare facility, adult daycare or retirement community, or senior high-rise center. Help the activities director with planned activities, lead a worship service, or plan regular visits to someone who has no nearby family. Select a missionary family in another country. Write regular letters to them about your family. Ask questions about their life and about the country where they live. Mary Alice Gran is Director of Children s Ministries and MaryJane Pierce Norton is Director of Family Ministries at the United Methodist General Board of Discipleship, Nashville, TN. SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY Christian Education and Serving in Community Worship and Daily Life: A Resource for Worship Planners. Nashville: Discipleship Resources, Order #DR or Coalition on Ministry in Daily Life, an ecumenical organization that resources congregations in support of the laity in the concept of ministry in daily life; The Advance Partnership in Missions annual catalog of over 2000 ministries to which 100% of giving is used for specified projects. #1745; $3.00. Contact General Board of Global Ministries Service Center, Or go to for mission ideas. Heifer Project International, , Johnson, Jan. Growing Compassionate Kids. Nashville: Upper Room Books, United Methodist Children s Fund for Christian Mission Packet, General Board of Discipleship, , Ext toll-free, cschmutz@gbod.org What Every Teacher Needs to Know: Complete Set. Nashville: Discipleship Resources, A set of ten booklets, especially helpful for new teachers: The Bible, The United Methodist Church, People, Classroom Environment, Theology, Teaching, Faith Language, Curriculum, Living the Faith, and Christian Heritage. Available as a complete set: order #DR374; or in packages of 10 copies of an individual title in the set or PO Box Nashville, TN (877) Diana L. Hynson, Editor Willie Foreman, Associate General Secretary, Discipleship Ministries Karen A. Greenwaldt, General Secretary 8 C Printed on recycled paper. All articles in this leaflet may be reproduced for free distribution.