Love THE LORD

YOUR GOD WITH

ALL YOUR heart

AND WITH ALL

YOUR soul AND

WITH ALL YOUR

strength. THESE

COMMANDMENTS

THAT I GIVE YOU

TODAY ARE TO

be on your hearts.

Deuteronomy 6:5-6

On Your Hearts Official publication of the Board for Child, Youth and Family Ministry of

the Lutheran Church of Australia

LCA Child Youth and Family Ministry

197 Archer Street, North Adelaide SA 5006

p: 08 8267 7300 e: bcyfm@lca.org.au

www.growministries.org.au

LUTHERAN CHURCH

OF AUSTRALIA

Winter 2014

As I s it here writing it is current ly 8 chi l ly degrees outside and we recent ly had a downpour of rain that fi l led the gutters and produced icy co ld hai l . Al l of the beautifu l go ld and crimson leaves have been stripped from the vines by the wind. Winter is here ! But as I gaze out my window there is sti l l an e lement of beauty. The green of the Barossa hi l ls is beautifu l and lush against the grey of the sky. Recently while serving at a sausage sizzle at the local hardware store, I made a negative comment about the pouring rain to a farmer of all people! He was quick to tell me in no uncertain terms that we needed to be grateful for the rain, that’s what makes things grow!

How often do we do that? Look at the negative rather than focusing on the positive! I know I am guilty of it at times. Of course we need the rain – it’s just that the sunshine is just so much easier to live with. The rain allows the crops to grow and provides much needed sustenance for the world.

Just as we sometimes focus on the negative aspects of winter, sometimes we do that in ministry too. Numbers are dropping, the kids don’t seem engaged and we really need more people on the team. But God promises that His word will produce fruit, He will accomplish all things, despite us sometimes. You will live in joy and peace – let’s remember that and focus on the positive. He goes before us, sometimes we will not see the fruit of what we sow, or the sunshine in the rain, but He does.

‘As the rain and snow come down from heaven and stay upon the ground to water the earth, and cause the grain to grow and to produce seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry, so also is my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It shall accomplish all I want it to and prosper everywhere I send it. You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills, the trees of the field - all the world around you - will rejoice.’ Isaiah 55: 10 – 12

Blessings,

:)

Welcome to the Winter ed i t ion o f On Your Hearts

Vicki

Talk: about what this text is asking us to do as parents, grandparents, aunties and uncles? When and where? Why?

How do you do this?

• “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” verse 5.

• Talk about how God and his love for us, helps us to talk to our children, grandchildren and other people’s children about God’s promises.

• Integrate faith into their family identity and practice.

Pray: for each other and for your families. Pray that you will know God’s love and be prepared to share your story with others.

Bless: each other with these words:

(Name), child of God, May the Lord bless you today and always.

We want to encourage you to share your faith and have a househo ld devotion time. At Grow Ministries we love to share faith and promote intentional faith conversation by using the

It’s our favourIt e! You could use it at meal time with your family. We have heard about ministry teams using it as a way to begin meetings, youth groups and children’s ministries start their sessions with it. We even heard a story about a group of families using it to guide their time of celebrating Easter morning while out camping.

Share: One thing that you can remember growing up that helped you identify that your faith and that of your families was more than a once a week practice on Sunday? This might include:

• Family devotions• Christmas & Easter rituals and traditions• You and/or your family serving your local community • Extended family Christian milestone celebrations Baptism/Confirmation

Share: about a time recently when you experienced faith integrated into your family’s identity.

Read: The Bible verse: Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

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LUTHERAN CHURCH

OF AUSTRALIA

key ring card sets

Faith at Home

C o r n e r p o s t # 1 :

Receiving the Word of God‘… Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds …’ Deut 11:18

The Word of God is to our spiritual lives what food, clothing and shelter are to our physical lives. Making time and space to listen to God’s Word and allow it to strengthen, guide and shape you by:

• Making weekly worship attendance a priority.• Having regular home devotions.• Reading Bible stories.• Learning Bible verses.• Listening to Christian music.

C o r n e r p o s t # 2 : “Faith Talk” in the Home

‘Teach these words of mine to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.’ Deut 11:19

God’s desire is that our faith is not just a set of beliefs to nod yes to on Sundays but something living and active that is discussed and shared in daily life. We can do this by:

• Sharing “highs” and “lows” each day and praying about them.• Sharing our daily “God-sightings”. Sharing about what your faith in Christ means to you.• Talking together about how God’s Word applies to issues that arise in your lives.• Looking for the many “unscripted” opportunities that arise.

C o r n e r p o s t s

Bu i ld ing Fa i th at Homeby Pastor Greg Priebbenow,

St John’s Lutheran Church, Bundaberg Qld

Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie

them as symbols on your hands and bind them on

your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking

about them when you sit at home and when you walk

along the road, when you lie down and when you get

up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and

on your gates, so that your days and the days of your

children may be many in the land that the Lord swore

to give your ancestors, as many as the days that the

heavens are above the earth. - Deuteronomy 11: 18-21 -

In these words and the wider book of

Deuteronomy God’s peop le are given 4 cornerposts

for bui ld ing homes of faith.

C o r n e r p o s t # 3 : Faith Rituals & Traditions

‘… tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. … Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.’ Deut 11:19

Symbols, rituals and traditions give shape and order to our lives - they give us patterns to live by and remind us of what is most important. Many Christian adults remember special Christmas or Lent rituals or traditions that helped to shape their faith as children – the challenge for today’s Christian home is to revive, rediscover and reinvent rituals and traditions that will do the same for their children like:

• Mealtime prayers.• Blessing one another.• Observing the church year – Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, Pentecost.• Giving a faith “twist” to birthdays, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, start and end of the school year.• Celebrating baptismal birthdays.

C o r n e r p o s t # 4 : Serv ing Others

‘I command you to be open-handed toward those of your people who are poor and needy in your land.’ - Deut 15:11

The power of service is that it gives practical expression and content to our faith. Have a servant God who calls us out to serve others – and in doing so we meet him right there. A serving home is a home that is growing together in Christ. The challenge is to not just do occasional acts of service but to nurture a culture of service in our homes. We can encourage this by:

• Doing chores in the name of Christ.• Volunteering together in church and/or community.• Donating to charity.• Doing deeds of kindness for neighbours.

Godly Play is a Montessori method of telling Bible stories, developed by Jerome Berryman, using parables, sacred stories and liturgical lessons about religious traditions using simple materials. Godly Play is used extensively with adults and children in many settings, from schools to hospitals, churches to aged care facilities. Godly Play can be a way of preparing children to join the worship life of their congregations as they experience sacred stories, symbols and rites and encounter the religious language associated with worship within the context of our faith tradition.

A Godly Play Session includes time to:

Get ready Experience a story Explore the story with the questions “I wonder . . . ?” Respond with a free choice of creative experience Enjoy a simple feast.

Godly Play:Promotes biblical knowledge, empathy, spiritual growth,Provides a multi-sensory approach to learning,Respects Children’s spirituality.Develops language and communication skills,Encourages thinking skills,Has depth and reflection in every session,Engages the listener in God’s word and the rituals, traditions and practices of faithAND is for every generation. . .

specifically likes Godly Play because it ticks many of our Guiding Principles for Effective Child, Youth and Family Ministry.

1. Children, young people and their families are nurtured for life in Jesus Christ through vital engagement with God’s word and the rituals, traditions and practices of Christian Faith.

2. Faith is integrated into family identity and practice.3. Children and young people have multiple adult mentors of vital faith.4. Children and young people are given opportunities in meaningful cross generational church

experiences in which they are valued.5. Children and young people are given opportunities to be involved in leadership.6. Children and young people are encouraged into participating in service in the name of

Jesus Christ.7. Quality age-specific child, youth, and young adult ministry.8. Children and young people are supported within an engaging Christian community during

times of personal crisis.9. Ministry practices and approaches have strong missional focus and dimension, reaching

out to children, youth and families in the wider community in Christ’s name.

“Oh I love that story, it really touched me, and

when something touches you, you never really

forget it.” Tessa Schuster, age 10,

The Great Family, story of Abraham and Sarah.

Grow Ministries like Godly Play because it:

Promotes biblical knowledge, empathy, spiritual growth,

Provides a multi-sensory approach to learning,

Respects Children’s spirituality. Develops language and communication

skills, Encourages thinking skills, Has depth and reflection in every session, Engages the listener in God’s word and the

rituals, traditions and practices of faith AND is for every generation. . .

What is Godly Play?

Godly Play is a Montessori Method of telling Bible stories, developed by Jerome Berryman, using parables, sacred stories and liturgical lessons about religious traditions using simple materials.

Godly Play is used extensively with adults and children in many settings, from schools to hospitals, churches to aged care facilities.

Godly Play can be a way of preparing children to join the worship life of their congregations as they experience sacred stories, symbols and rites and encounter the religious language associated with worship within the context of our faith tradition.

It invites the listener to connect faith stories with personal experience through wondering questions and open-ended response.

A Godly Play Session includes time to:

Get ready

Experience a story

Explore the story with the questions “I wonder . . . ?”

Respond with a free choice of creative experience

Enjoy a simple feast.

At Bethany Lutheran Parish we have been sharing Godly Play during the worship service both as an age specific children’s ministry and also during the worship service for everyone (especially during school holidays Lent and Advent).

All generations are involved in sharing their gifts to help in this ministry and we love that this ministry is multi-generational. We now include pastoral care visits as part of our Godly Play ministry.

As our team expands, we now have members borrowing stories to share wherever they are serving in their mission fields, for example in their homes, school, Cross Roads Family Learning Centre and Tanunda Lutheran home.

Our Godly Play room is available adult and family bible study groups, families and for visitors who are interested in experiencing Godly play.

The Godly Play room is a great place to share stories during the Vintage Festival with schools and other visitors.

Tessa Schuster age 10 The Great Family, story of Abraham and Sarah: “Oh I love that story, it really touched me, and when something touches you, you never really forget it.

At Bethany Lutheran Parish we have been sharing Godly Play during the worship service both as an age specific children’s ministry and also during the worship service for everyone (especially during school holidays Lent and Advent).

All generations are involved in sharing their gifts to help in this ministry and we love that this ministry is multi-generational. We now include pastoral care visits as part of our Godly Play ministry.

As our team expands, we now have members borrowing stories to share wherever they are serving in their mission fields, for example in their homes, school, Cross Roads Family Learning Centre and Tanunda Lutheran home.

Our Godly Play room is available adult and family bible study groups, families and for visitors who are interested in experiencing Godly play.

The Godly Play room is a great place to share stories during the Vintage Festival with schools and other visitors.

Tessa Schuster age 10 The Great Family, story of Abraham and Sarah: “Oh I love that story, it really touched me, and when something touches you, you never really forget it.

At Bethany Lutheran Parish we have been sharing Godly Play during the worship service both as an age specific children’s ministry and also during the worship service for everyone (especially during school holidays Lent and Advent).

All generations are involved in sharing their gifts to help in this ministry and we love that this ministry is multi-generational. We now include pastoral care visits as part of our Godly Play ministry.

As our team expands, we now have members borrowing stories to share wherever they are serving in their mission fields, for example in their homes, school, Cross Roads Family Learning Centre and Tanunda Lutheran home.

Our Godly Play room is available adult and family bible study groups, families and for visitors who are interested in experiencing Godly play.

The Godly Play room is a great place to share stories during the Vintage Festival with schools and other visitors.

Tessa Schuster age 10 The Great Family, story of Abraham and Sarah: “Oh I love that story, it really touched me, and when something touches you, you never really forget it.

Renee Simpfendorfer Bethany Lutheran Church – Cross Roads Family Ministry Centre. - observations and reflections about Godly Play in under 3s:

toddlers and pre-schoolers really enjoy re-enacting the story after the story teller has told the story. They like to touch and work with the materials to re-enact the story, sometimes with the storyteller saying some of the key phrases while they are working with the materials. They really immerse themselves in the story.

my two year old son has spent many hours playing with our Holy Family. He calls the Jesus figure by name.

my two year old son has made so many connections between Godly Play, church and other things. After hearing me learn the Mystery of Pentecost, he said ‘hot’ every time he saw something red. I was also not aware that he had become familiar with the term ‘Holy Spirit’ as I could not recall using it in prayer or conversation with him. But one day he was talking about the Holy Spirit. I asked him where he had heard about the Holy Spirit and he said ‘church’.

I am learning more about how to have faith like a child.

I think the most beautiful thing was when my two year old

son said ‘I want to tell the story.’ Isn’t that what it’s all about?

I pray that he will share the story with many people

throughout his life. Watching my son has taught me so much

and every day

It invites the listener to connect faith

stories with personal experience through

wondering questions and open-ended

response.

LC A C H I L D Y O U T H & FA M I LY M I N I S T R Y

LC A C H I L D Y O U T H & FA M I LY M I N I S T R Y

“Some children during the work time when they can do anything have chosen to make cards for newly baptised babies that they don’t even know, or for a Vicar who is leaving. We don’t always have time for a feast but everyone wants to help serve and clean up when we do. I love Godly Play because as a leader I spend more time coming closer to the Stories of the Bible than in running around to find craft materials and colouring sheets. It is the closest thing I have experienced with the children to the idea of Prayer and Meditation as the route to finding God. Godly Play is open to the unexpected. When I am wondering with the children I feel like I am on a journey with the children and not just another adult telling them what they should do or how good and faithful the bible heroes were.”

Nicole Hall – Godly Play Coordinator, St Pauls Lutheran Church, Blair Athol, South Australia

“I am learning more about how to have faith like a child. I think the most beautiful thing was when my two year old son said ‘I want to tell the story.’ Isn’t

that what it’s all about? I pray that he will share the story with many people throughout his life. Watching my son has taught me so much each and every day.”

Renee Simpfendorfer - Cross Roads Family Ministry Centre, South Australia

Although Godly Play was originally developed for children, it has also been successfully used with older people, including people suffering from dementia.

Shannon has been shared godly Play at Tanunda Lutheran Home each Monday afternoon during Term 2. How wonderful it will be when we are ready to invite some school children to join us from time to time.

Pastor John Thiel – Tanunda Lutheran Home

“What happens here for the people who are listening is like what a Pastor does each week as he prepares the sermon. He reads the verse, looks at other verses, reads a bit more, thinks about what this means to/for him and then writes a sermon for the people. Here each person has the chance to listen to the story, think about it and work out what it means for them.”

Jan – Tanunda Lutheran Home

“The first time I came to Godly Play, I was devastated by family news.

“My experience with creative writing led me to draw a tree. It had to have strong roots, reminding us of God’s promises ... and it led me to draw these promises – all gifts from God’s compassion and love. I drew single footprints reminding me of when God carried me.”

Want to know more? www.godlyplay.com.au

Godly Pay can help you see and do things differently. Experience Godly Play through an introduction session where you can become a part of a Godly Play session, reflect on the ideas and values that underpin Godly Play and explore the resources.

Contact Shannon Schuster Shannon.schuster@lca.org.au

The Bethany/Tabor Lutheran Parish has been sharing Godly Play during the worship service both as an age specific children’s ministry and also during the worship service for everyone (especially during school holidays Lent and Advent).

All generations are involved in sharing their gifts to help in this ministry and they love that this ministry is multi-generational. We now include pastoral care visits as part of our Godly Play ministry.

As their team expands, they have members borrowing stories to share wherever they are serving in their mission fields, for example in their homes, school, Family Learning Centre and in Aged Care Faclities.

Their Godly Play room is available for adult and family bible study groups, families and for visitors who are interested in experiencing Godly play. The Godly Play room is a great place to share stories with schools and other visitors.

Godly Pay can help you see and do things differently. Experience Godly Play through an introduction session where you can become a part of a Godly Play session, reflect on the ideas and values that underpin Godly Play and explore the resources.Contact Shannon Schuster. e: shannon.schuster@lca.org.au

Shannon has sharing Godly Play stories at Tanunda Lutheran School Early Learning Centre.

Shannon sharing a Godly Play session at Bethany Tabor Lutheran Parish ‘Claytons Camp’ – for families.

Grow Ministries likes Godly Play because:

1. Children, young people and their families are nurtured for life in Jesus Christ through vital engagement with God’s word and the rituals, traditions and practices of Christian Faith.

2. Faith is integrated into family identity and practice.

4. Children and young people have multiple adult mentors of vital faith.

5. Children and young people are given opportunities in meaningful cross generational church experiences in which they are valued.

6. Children and young people are given opportunities to be involved in leadership.

7. Children and young people are encouraged into participating in service in the name of Jesus Christ.

8. Quality age-specific child, youth, and young adult ministry.

10. Children and young people are supported within an engaging Christian community during times of personal crisis.

11. Ministry practices and approaches have strong missional focus and dimension, reaching out to children, youth and families in the wider community in Christ’s name.

Want to know more? w w w. g o d ly p l ay. o rg . a u

Sharing Godly Play stories at Tanunda Lutheran School

Early Learning Centre.

Want to know more? www.godlyplay.com.au

Godly Pay can help you see and do things differently. Experience Godly Play through an introduction session where you can become a part of a Godly Play session, reflect on the ideas and values that underpin Godly Play and explore the resources.

Contact Shannon Schuster Shannon.schuster@lca.org.au

“Godly Play is great because it equips people of all ages to enter

into Scripture for themselves and learn to listen to the voice of our heavenly Father

without the fear of getting it wrong.”

Pastor Eugene Minge St Pauls Lutheran Church, Blair Athol, South Australia

Pray together at the table - HOW - use the Faith5 at family meal time.

Spontaneously thank God for his blessings during the day - HOW - while driving in the car to school thank God for the sunshine or the rain.

Listen to worship music at home, in the car.

Read bible stories at bed time or story time – IDEA – share what those bible stories meant to you as a child

Talk about how you saw God at work in your life today.

HOW CAN CONGREGATIONS HELP?Congregations can assist parents to have the opportunity to share their faith with their children in ways that will encourage a faith that lasts, a faith that sticks. Below are 4 ideas that Congregations can start with….

Connecting Sunday Morning with Monday-Saturday in the Home

Make Sunday worship a prime time for resourcing families. Model and resource the 4 Keys: faith talk, devotional practices, rituals and traditions, service.RESOURCE: Taking Faith Home

Use the Seasons of the Church Year to Help Households Live Faith-fully

Advent, Lent or Pentecost Workshops / cross+generational events. Provide seasonal household devotional resources. Make it easy for them.RESOURCE: GIFT – Generations in Faith Together (Advent, Baptism, Pentecost, Lent)

Use Baptisms and Marriages as Key Strategic Opportunities

Use baptismal preparation to give parents guidance and resources for the future. Use marriage preparation to help couples think about the future “shape” of their family life.RESOURCE: GIFT Baptism

Build Parent and Household Dimensions into your Child & Youth Ministry Activities

Provide “at home” materials for households to use together. Bring together kids and their parents – help them “do the faith” with one another.RESOURCE: Taking Faith Home, Faith5, GIFT events

Contact bcyfm@lca.org.au for more information regarding the recommended resources.

Parents continue to be the single greatest influence on their children’s faith. Interestingly, grandparents come in closely at second. So how can we best support the families in our communities to pass the faith on to their children?

The Old Testament is filled with clear messages that parents are to be their own children’s faith teachers.

“Recite these words to your children when you lie down and when you rise” (Deut. 6)

Passover was perfectly cross-generational: Children were involved in all aspects of Israel’s corporate life. (Exodus 12:1-11)

Feast of Pentecost (Deut. 16:6-12)

Feast of Tabernacles (Deut. 16:9-12) were cross generational.

One generation is to tell the works of the Lord to the next (Psalm 22:27-31)

In the New Testament, Jesus went to the temple with his whole family

In Acts, the temple AND the home the main place the church met (Acts 2:42-47) and grew.

PARENTS…. FAITH IS CAUGHT NOT TAUGHT! One of the most important things for Christian parents to do is to be continually growing their own relationship with God. How do you grow your relationship with God? Ultimately, it’s not what you do, but what you let God do in you. Below are some ideas that may help you...

Reading the Bible regularlyWorshiping and being part of a faith communityParticipating in a small group / bible studyPrayingServing or volunteering at church or in the wider communityListing to or singing worship musicBeing involved in a mentoring / mentee relationshipTalking about Jesus and your faith with your children

Parents who participate in these practices regularly will find them helpful in building their own faith and will also be modelling their faith to their children. Children can also be invited to participate in these practices and learn to incorporate them into their own faith formation and growth. Below are some simple ways you can add them into your daily family life….

G U I D I N G P R I N C I P L E

#2 Faith is

integrated into

family identity and

practice

LC A C H I L D Y O U T H & FA M I LY M I N I S T R Y

Guiding Principles for Effective Child, Youth &

Family Ministry

faith at home

Fact Sheet

1

2

3

4

Church + Home is the essential blueprint for church leaders who want to make the change count eternally.

Pastors and children and youth ministry leaders will learn how to re-establish the home as faith’s primary incubator, to build bridges between church and home, and to envision and implement family ministry in their church, no matter its size. Most of all, they will find practical tools for weaving family ministry into the DNA of their church community. This revised and updated title from a primary leader in the Faith at Home movement includes everything a church needs to put faith back where it belongs: at home.

B O O k R E V I E W

the faith at home movement is

As more and more leaders real ise that lasting, l ife long faith is rarely taught in Sunday schoo l but is rather “caught” from parents . They are shifting their focus and resources to equip fami l ies for spir itual formation .

changing churches across the world

Review adapted from the Faith at Home website: www.faithathome.com/help-for-churches/church-leader-resources-2/

Grow Ministries team with Board and US visitors

Beautiful Barossa Food - Tim Wiebusch, Wendy Rochow, Vicki Rochow

Steve Wilksch, Principal of Redeemer Lutheran School, Nuriootpa, and

Dave Anderson

All of the group at Langmeil Lutheran Church, Tanunda

Here is a smal l snapshot of our time together. . .

“Successful time with BCYFM, our National Reference Group members, Grow Ministries staff and our US friends. Now it’s time to start shaping coaching of congregations to become learning communities. Grow Ministries now has much to consider, explore, strategise and contextualise. Thanks Terri Elton, David Anderson and Debbie Streicher and those that have shaped our thinking this week.”

T im Wiebusch , BCYFM Chairperson US Visitors – Terri, Debbie and Dave

recently had visitors from the Us who sat with us to help shape the

next phase of our strategic plan.LC A C H I L D Y O U T H & FA M I LY M I N I S T R Y

Check out this great resource to share with your church families….

THe IMPORTAnCeOF FAMILY DeVOT IOn T IMe

Having family devotion time is crucial to developing relationships both within your family and also with God.

Family devotion provides a Christ-centred focus giving the wisdom and comfort to get families through many difficult times.

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” MATTHEW 6:2

Tracts are available from Lutheran Tract Mission

tracts.lll.org.au175 Archer Street, North Adelaide

A great resource is the Fa i th a t H ome PRAYeR APP This app provides you with prayers for meal times, morning, night time, car time and blessings. Download it from The App store or Google Play. You can also visit the Faith at Home website for some more tips and ideas about encouraging

faith at home.

www.faithathome.com

We are here to serve you . . . The team at Grow Ministries is here to serve you! We provide congregational support, training and resources to help you with Child, Youth and Family Ministry in your congregation! If you have an area of need or you would like to share your successes, we would love to hear from you. Email us at bcyfm@lca.org.au.

Remember to sign up for our monthly eNews to keep you updated with training opportunities and the latest resources available:

http://www.lca.org.au/lca-enews-archive.htmlLC A C H I L D Y O U T H & FA M I LY M I N I S T R Y

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LC A C H I L D Y O U T H & FA M I LY M I N I S T R Y

www.growmin is t r i es .o rg .au

LUTHERAN CHURCH

OF AUSTRALIA

key ring card sets