tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56505375385465955432024-02-15T22:37:56.181-06:00Carpenter's Ministry ToolboxA toolbox full of educational strategies, tools, thoughts, and ideas for ministry. My background is Lutheran but these will work for any congregation. Take, use, and/or adapt these ideas and let the Holy Spirit work through them!The Carpenter's Ministry Toolboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050805688204001598noreply@blogger.comBlogger410125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650537538546595543.post-60033495299329011172024-02-01T12:36:00.000-06:002024-02-01T12:36:30.219-06:00CONFIRMATION: The Memory Work Conundrum<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAPTxu0v-2VTq5jueFoJ32IV6FPNl5c-mpaS4dITRyV7RQ0-CbDXdXde9Oc9pymwYnV47tL1zPzExAOqmYBp4AXSBgAkARsIPfhEk7BhEpvCXhJah_4T4Cn_TgrNKEWn7Da9sKYccbfXZotsRJ2QPrA4TX8JJs82J80dRw0PCSQoXczKn-xqCDt4ge/s2252/Practice%20Knowing.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="1519" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAPTxu0v-2VTq5jueFoJ32IV6FPNl5c-mpaS4dITRyV7RQ0-CbDXdXde9Oc9pymwYnV47tL1zPzExAOqmYBp4AXSBgAkARsIPfhEk7BhEpvCXhJah_4T4Cn_TgrNKEWn7Da9sKYccbfXZotsRJ2QPrA4TX8JJs82J80dRw0PCSQoXczKn-xqCDt4ge/s320/Practice%20Knowing.png" width="216" /></a></div> As the illustration shows, memorizing is simply practicing knowing something. Remembering something for a long period of time, takes time. There's no way around it. <b>True memorization takes repetition over time.</b><p></p><p>I often hear pastors or other confirmation educators complain about students and memory work. The common complaints are:<br /></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Kids aren't doing it. </li><li>Parents aren't making kids do it. </li><li>I (the teacher) am the only one who cares.</li><li>I don't have any leverage, so why expect it? </li></ul><div>I was a professional educator of middle and high school students for many years and wrote two books on confirmation called <i>The Art of Teaching Confirmation</i>, and its companion called <i>The Art of Teaching Confirmation Resources</i> to help confirmation educators understand why <i>how they teach</i> makes a difference. There is important information in those books regarding why we don't want kids to stop memorizing, how we can get parents on board, and what confirmation educators need to change to make it happen, as well as resources to help with that. There are two areas that I want to encourage: <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOchCfLHcFO4RUv-z_rVQzPUQLe_uqHcy_zTVaSmNFIehgK41GxxIDf4iFwEZnfFdODcx0LIUmS4lie_NtxSM3g9HFe47F26JhjeTmhldigEY2Sr8fObBxEYgVbyPsbK38br4M3ws7TbSj289Na4rngYL66kAUiw8WZ5Xjn8hFpCed1_0BNvSxWyiu/s1767/no%20lower%20standards.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1592" data-original-width="1767" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOchCfLHcFO4RUv-z_rVQzPUQLe_uqHcy_zTVaSmNFIehgK41GxxIDf4iFwEZnfFdODcx0LIUmS4lie_NtxSM3g9HFe47F26JhjeTmhldigEY2Sr8fObBxEYgVbyPsbK38br4M3ws7TbSj289Na4rngYL66kAUiw8WZ5Xjn8hFpCed1_0BNvSxWyiu/w200-h180/no%20lower%20standards.png" width="200" /></a></div></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Expectations</li><li>Accountability</li></ul></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h4><h3 style="text-align: left;">EXPECTATIONS</h3><div><b>Make sure they know you expect it.</b> Let's be honest, if kids think they can get away with not doing it, they're not going to do it. If parents don't think it's important (because they don't remember anything they memorized), they won't make their kids do it either... unless you expect it.</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Kick-off Meetings</b> - At the beginning of every year, I have a kick-off meeting to make sure everyone is on the same page with what's required. Never assume they know what you expect. Not only do I provide a calendar or a simple syllabus, but I talk about behavior and academic expectations. </li></ul></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;">First, I ask parents to think about why they want their kids to be confirmed. They should know the reason and it helps the teacher know where they're coming from. Then, I hand out FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) and we talk about them. They include some history and tradition of confirmation, its purpose, how parents can support their kids through confirmation, how parents can also support the pastor, what is taught, why memorization and sermon notes (connections) are important, and why confirmation has a place in our culture today. </div></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;">Then, I talk about expectations. I go over what I expect of their behavior and let them know that I will contact them if their child behaves in a way that consistently disrupts class. Next, I share the requirements for participating in the privilege of confirming their faith. Finally, I ask a very important question: "Why do they think I am here?" This one is unexpected. I explain that I'm not here because it's my job. I think confirmation is important to their kid's faith and why it's important to start talking about it at this age. "If you're not going to expect your child to do the work or don't think the work is important, what do you want them to get out of it? If they haven't learned anything, what is it that they are confirming that they believe and why do they believe it? What is the benefit for them and what does it teach them about their faith or the church? Confirmation is not a requirement for salvation, but teaching about God and His plan for their salvation is. The FAQs are also discussed in The Art of Teaching Confirmation Resources, and there's a post about them on this website <a href="http://www.carpentersministrytoolbox.com/2020/05/confirmation-confirmation-faq.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </div></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><h3 style="text-align: left;">ACCOUNTABILITY </h3><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Checklists</b> - I know people don't think they should officially keep track of grades for confirmation, but we don't keep track to grade the kids. We keep track of their progress for informational purposes. I use a simple minus, check mark, and plus. (Minus: not much effort, Check mark: acceptable effort, Plus: good or great effort)<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>I promise it will help you if parents know you're keeping track of attendance and work. If you don't keep track, when you say a student isn't doing their work, you have no data to fall back on. Also, all it takes is a check mark every week and you have everything you need to let students and parents know that you care about them learning, enough to pay attention to how many classes they've missed and what work they need to make up. On the confirmation page of this website there are <a href="http://www.carpentersministrytoolbox.com/p/confirmation-resources.html" target="_blank">checklists</a>. Use one or create your own. Resources for this are also in my book, <i>The Art of Teaching Confirmation Resources</i>. </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Progress Reports</b> - A progress report is never a bad idea. It periodically lets parents know how things are going. Since class usually only meets weekly, I only give one once a year, unless it's obvious that students aren't doing their work. They can either be printed or via a phone call. If a student is missing work two weeks in a row, a parent should be notified. It's always better to take care of these things right away. It doesn't help to wait until they're months behind to speak up about it. </li></ul></div><div>Unfortunately, a lot of parents don't think confirmation work or memory work is important because most kids/people only remember it until they say it and after that it's gone, because of how we do it. Basically, if you make somebody memorize something and then they never say it again, they will forget it almost immediately. Where the brain and memory is concerned, use it or lose it is absolutely true. </div><div><br />Why don't kids see the value in it? Because they're 13-14 years old. No matter how many cheers or pep talks they hear, they're not going to care. They're kids. They need some real consequences for not doing the work. That's why we need the parents to understand why it's important. </div><div><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">LEVERAGE</h3>Without grades, there are very few options for leverage. It's a volunteer class and we worry that if we push, parents will take their kids out. Nobody wants that. What are the options? Confirm kids who have done nothing all year and know nothing about their faith? What is the point in that? </div><div><br /></div><div>The reality is, there is leverage, but we have to be careful how we use it. No pastor wants to tell a parent that their child hasn't done any work and won't be confirmed, but again, that's your strongest leverage. It's the last chance, but it's there. There are other things to do first. </div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Have a chat with the student and ask them why they seem to not be interested in doing the work or knowing this information. Why not? </li><li>Have a chat with the parents and let them know of the problem. They may share with you some challenges their child has with the work. Adjust it. </li><li>Let them know that confirmation can be done later, if the student is not ready.</li><li>Remind them that confirmation is not required for salvation. </li></ol>The bottom line is that we should never confirm a child who has learned or thought about nothing with regard to their faith, but you don't know what they believe until you have a chat with them and ask. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">OPTIONS</h3><div>We don't have to do it the way it's always been done where kids go home, say it to their parents before class the next week, somebody initials or signs the form, and it's considered memorized. Saying it once and getting a form signed doesn't mean they've memorized anything. Read more about the brain and memory in <i>The Art of Teaching Confirmation</i>. Here are a few options:<br /><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Give them a list of what they need to memorize throughout the year and let them do it at their own pace. You still need to keep track of what they have known and it's good to have random memory checks in class. Let them say anything they know, but they can't say the same one every time. </li><li>Put the memory work on the pre-service worship slides every week and right before the service starts, have everyone say it together. </li><li>This one is my personal opinion, however, I prefer to have students memorize God's word over the <i>What does this mean?</i> information in the catechism. Once they say that in class, nobody every repeats it. When you're 14, it's not long before those synapses are overwritten. </li><li>Put time aside for a quick memory review each week where you ask a question and they need to answer it with one of the memory verses. For example, ask a question about baptism and they can respond with Acts 2:38, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, etc. That also helps them apply it. </li></ol><div>For the record, most of the adults in the pews on Sunday don't remember their memory work. Give them a review too! Change the verse every month.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><p></p>The Carpenter's Ministry Toolboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050805688204001598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650537538546595543.post-53843625581669227392023-09-29T09:34:00.001-05:002023-09-29T09:34:31.850-05:00WOMEN: Prayer Shower<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLCMEz9uL6l-IVocSRdVh87flhuOwI8bkczFq1PXRYS_U7D6nw4uCHzHE99YnWgp6JZaQe4CNbx2EBKNwI23mhKe78fbSVOMckuiV9pXSRp6g1GOoaqLqxL5Q8jaYm7meBAknPndlmrnZvjhWUA1ozfvxKo6tY4-6YUaqhsKYfy__ltXSF0LABV_FR" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="502" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLCMEz9uL6l-IVocSRdVh87flhuOwI8bkczFq1PXRYS_U7D6nw4uCHzHE99YnWgp6JZaQe4CNbx2EBKNwI23mhKe78fbSVOMckuiV9pXSRp6g1GOoaqLqxL5Q8jaYm7meBAknPndlmrnZvjhWUA1ozfvxKo6tY4-6YUaqhsKYfy__ltXSF0LABV_FR" width="254" /></a></div>When a couple in a congregation is having a baby, we want to fill them with encouragement and, perhaps, even some material items we know they'll need. It's a celebration of a new life. We should also do this for single mothers. Yes, they may have made an error in judgment, but we don't hold mistakes or sins against anyone else, why would we do it for them. We want to fill them with encouragement as well, and celebrate the new life they're bringing into the world, who is also a child of God. After all, being a single parent is a lot more challenging than having a partner to share the burden of raising a child. Yes, babies are a gift, a blessing, and a joy, but they're also a lot of work. These days they're also very expensive if you listen to everyone telling you about all the things you need. <p></p><p>Some congregations give baby showers to their new mothers, but that tradition can be a challenge to keep up. If the congregation goes through a season of many new babies, having all those showers can be a lot to expect of the members, and it's usually the women who attend them. It can also be a financial burden if people are expected to buy gifts, often for people they do not know. </p><p>What we can do as a church is have a <b><i>PRAYER SHOWER</i></b>. What's a Prayer Shower? It's an opportunity to give a new mom prayerful encouragement that will last much longer than an evening and bless a child through the mother. </p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b>We want to shower New Mom with prayers and faithful encouragement that lasts longer than a day or an event. What does this look like? All of the gifts are sealed envelopes that have on the front something like,<br /><br /></b></span><b style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: small;">(Below are just examples - feel free to come up with your own.) </b><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b>Read this when… </b></span><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">You need a break.</span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">The baby won't stop crying.</span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">You feel helpless.</span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">You don’t know what to pray.</span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">You haven't eaten (or showered).</span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">You're trying something new (taking the baby on errands or going to church).</span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">You're amazed at the gifts of God.</span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">You're worried about what people will think or say.</span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">The baby is teething.</span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">You’re feeling truly thankful for how God is taking care of you and your baby.</span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> You would give anything for a hot meal.</span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Work demands more than
you've got.</span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">You feel all alone.</span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">You really don’t want to
get up.</span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">You're somebody says something
mean about your parenting skills. </span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">You think you can’t do it.</span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">You feel isolated and
lonely.</span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Parenthood is harder than
you thought it would be.</span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">You’re sick, but the baby
is not.</span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">The baby is sick.</span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">You have to go back to work. </span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">You are lonely.</span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">You look at your sleeping
gift from God and your heart is full. </span></li></ul><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-small;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p></span><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b>THERE ARE A MILLION OPTIONS! </b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">In your card you can include Bible verses, prayers, an encouraging poem, a
personal note, or a story to help Mom get through the moment or the day. Never discount your own experience as not being encouraging. Sometimes all we need is to know that what we're going through is common! We are not alone. </span></p><p>
</p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">THIS IS NOT A REGULAR BABY SHOWER WHERE EVERYONE IS
EXPECTED TO BRING MATERIAL SHOWER GIFTS. If you want to give a material gift,
please do that at another time. This event is a PRAYER
SHOWER.</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p>Example: </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8AELw89ml9WK-ajYiKmiUjykk4ZHDFI2ZBx_74_UPMFB0jfEgmgMoQErT5CxxlJlc2X5TX8dy56OUqYSmMDnyJTDFGmS3Sq0MiPMoHbP4PSbV-6lDZGCjEDYCdZUnvQigwlBM79fzQGpH_yH1Eg8IZRUe88__73s4pUCH2-zWgTl4uD2GJZCwkU1/s2083/Prayer%20Shower%20Example.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1454" data-original-width="2083" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8AELw89ml9WK-ajYiKmiUjykk4ZHDFI2ZBx_74_UPMFB0jfEgmgMoQErT5CxxlJlc2X5TX8dy56OUqYSmMDnyJTDFGmS3Sq0MiPMoHbP4PSbV-6lDZGCjEDYCdZUnvQigwlBM79fzQGpH_yH1Eg8IZRUe88__73s4pUCH2-zWgTl4uD2GJZCwkU1/w400-h279/Prayer%20Shower%20Example.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>A Prayer Shower can be done as a gathering, with yummy treats, or without. I never say no to yummy treats, but since the goal is focused on giving the mom-to-be spiritual encouragement and support, a prayer shower can be done by having people send their support cards or letters directly to the new mom, or they can be put in her church mailbox. </p><p>My gift to new moms at our church is the following blessing, framed to hang on a wall near the baby's bed, and intended to be said to that child every morning and/or every night. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEeNh1falvdvMj_fmN7LgayvWvid0B5bqDRU1DOlAHFSrHuKaCFkrQUu1Ftz_H5Puj0SQQQZkDLlNfQYWopvw8G-s-tFA6eeuJQinKPYbi1YnlBnxX04r4olRzzJDMZCxh-VgM20iHWOTYsxK0LbUXusRAczcygNztBHw0aZPGYDGrtyNLzIf_WH1k/s1056/Child%20Blessing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="816" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEeNh1falvdvMj_fmN7LgayvWvid0B5bqDRU1DOlAHFSrHuKaCFkrQUu1Ftz_H5Puj0SQQQZkDLlNfQYWopvw8G-s-tFA6eeuJQinKPYbi1YnlBnxX04r4olRzzJDMZCxh-VgM20iHWOTYsxK0LbUXusRAczcygNztBHw0aZPGYDGrtyNLzIf_WH1k/w494-h640/Child%20Blessing.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><br /><p><br /><br /></p>The Carpenter's Ministry Toolboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050805688204001598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650537538546595543.post-37932566896361514722023-06-20T15:37:00.000-05:002023-06-20T15:37:21.751-05:00YOUTH: High School Faith Builder Program<p> <b><span style="font-size: large;">The High School Faith Builder Program</span></b></p>The Faith Builder Program is, in many ways, an extension of confirmation. It continues through high school and hopefully instills in youth a desire to always keep learning and seeking God's truth in the Word. It needs to be planned ahead so everyone knows what they're going to do as a group. <br /><br />Below is a chart of a program I would create that includes the 7th and 8th grade confirmation years. This can be done on Wednesdays or during Sunday School hour. It's very interactive and may not take the whole year, which means you can still have time to study other topics. Students should be able to work together and choose project themes. Timelines, and work groups should be discussed, but approved by the leader. These classes are intended to be fun, engaging, and educational.<br /><div><br /></div><div><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-insideh: .75pt solid navy; mso-border-insidev: .75pt solid navy; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr style="height: 1pt; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"><td style="background: navy; border: 1pt solid navy; height: 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-pattern: solid navy; mso-shading: white; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 66.93px;" width="12%"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: white; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Year/<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: white; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Grade<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td><td style="background: navy; border-left: none; border: 1pt solid navy; height: 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-pattern: solid navy; mso-shading: white; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 178.86px;" width="29%"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: .55in; text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: white; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Study<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td><td style="background: navy; border-left: none; border: 1pt solid navy; height: 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-pattern: solid navy; mso-shading: white; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 178.86px;" width="29%"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: white; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Service/Leadership<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td><td style="background: navy; border-left: none; border: 1pt solid navy; height: 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-pattern: solid navy; mso-shading: white; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 178.87px;" width="29%"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: white; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Project<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td></tr><tr style="height: 1in; mso-yfti-irow: 1;"><td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid navy; height: 1in; mso-border-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid navy .75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 66.93px;" width="12%"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">7<sup>t<span style="background-color: white;">h</span></sup><span style="background-color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid navy; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid navy; border-top: none; height: 1in; mso-border-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid navy .75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 178.86px;" width="29%"><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Catechism<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">MS Bible Reading Plan Year 1 (Old Testament)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid navy; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid navy; border-top: none; height: 1in; mso-border-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid navy .75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 178.86px;" width="29%"><div class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">In-church Service<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Out-of-Church Service<o:p></o:p></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid navy; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid navy; border-top: none; height: 1in; mso-border-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid navy .75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 178.87px;" width="29%"><div class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Faith Journey Poster<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">(Talk to family members about faith.)<o:p></o:p></span></div></td></tr><tr style="height: 1in; mso-yfti-irow: 2;"><td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid navy; height: 1in; mso-border-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid navy .75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 66.93px;" width="12%"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">8<sup>th</sup><o:p></o:p></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid navy; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid navy; border-top: none; height: 1in; mso-border-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid navy .75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 178.86px;" width="29%"><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Catechism<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">MS Bible Reading Plan Year 2 (New Testament)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid navy; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid navy; border-top: none; height: 1in; mso-border-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid navy .75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 178.86px;" width="29%"><div class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">In-church Service<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Out-of-Church Service<o:p></o:p></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid navy; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid navy; border-top: none; height: 1in; mso-border-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid navy .75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 178.87px;" width="29%"><div class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Reflection Paper<o:p></o:p></span></div></td></tr><tr style="height: 1in; mso-yfti-irow: 3;"><td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid navy; height: 1in; mso-border-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid navy .75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 66.93px;" width="12%"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">9<sup>th</sup><o:p></o:p></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid navy; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid navy; border-top: none; height: 1in; mso-border-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid navy .75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 178.86px;" width="29%"><div class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Worship Education<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Worship Music Study<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;"> - Hymn Studies<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;"> - Contemporary Music Studies<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;"> - Camp Music<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">LCMS & Social Issues: Where do we stand?</span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid navy; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid navy; border-top: none; height: 1in; mso-border-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid navy .75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 178.86px;" width="29%"><div class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">In-Church Service<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Out-of-Church Service<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Work with junior students to develop a worship service.<o:p></o:p></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid navy; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid navy; border-top: none; height: 1in; mso-border-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid navy .75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 178.87px;" width="29%"><div class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Worship Music Project<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;"> (Music reflecting beliefs)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Evaluate Adult Bible Studies<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">(using an evaluation tool)<o:p></o:p></span></div></td></tr><tr style="height: 1in; mso-yfti-irow: 4;"><td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid navy; height: 1in; mso-border-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid navy .75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 66.93px;" width="12%"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">10<sup>th</sup><o:p></o:p></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid navy; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid navy; border-top: none; height: 1in; mso-border-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid navy .75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 178.86px;" width="29%"><div class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">HS Bible Reading Plan Year 1 (Old Testament)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Discipleship 101<o:p></o:p></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid navy; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid navy; border-top: none; height: 1in; mso-border-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid navy .75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 178.86px;" width="29%"><div class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Sit in on various boards or committees. See what interests them. <o:p></o:p></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid navy; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid navy; border-top: none; height: 1in; mso-border-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid navy .75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 178.87px;" width="29%"><div class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Work with Sunday School children on an Old Testament Story presentation.<o:p></o:p></span></div></td></tr><tr style="height: 1in; mso-yfti-irow: 5;"><td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid navy; height: 1in; mso-border-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid navy .75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 66.93px;" width="12%"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">11<sup>th</sup><o:p></o:p></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid navy; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid navy; border-top: none; height: 1in; mso-border-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid navy .75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 178.86px;" width="29%"><div class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">HS Bible Reading Plan Year 2 (New Testament)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Discipleship 201<o:p></o:p></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid navy; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid navy; border-top: none; height: 1in; mso-border-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid navy .75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 178.86px;" width="29%"><div class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Leadership – participate on a board or committee</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid navy; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid navy; border-top: none; height: 1in; mso-border-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid navy .75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 178.87px;" width="29%"><div class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Plan & Organize a Worship Service (work with peers).<o:p></o:p></span></div></td></tr><tr style="height: 1in; mso-yfti-irow: 6; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"><td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid navy; height: 1in; mso-border-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid navy .75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 66.93px;" width="12%"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">12<sup>th</sup><o:p></o:p></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid navy; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid navy; border-top: none; height: 1in; mso-border-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid navy .75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 178.86px;" width="29%"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white;"><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Surprised by Joy</span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> by C.S. Lewis<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white;"><i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mere Christianity</span></i><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> by C.S. Lewis<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>The Screwtape Letters</i> by C.S. Lewis</span></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid navy; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid navy; border-top: none; height: 1in; mso-border-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid navy .75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 178.86px;" width="29%"><div class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Leadership – Plan and organize an event at church.<o:p></o:p></span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid navy; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid navy; border-top: none; height: 1in; mso-border-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid navy .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid navy .75pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 178.87px;" width="29%"><div class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="background-color: white;">Use a creative way to share their beliefs: create a <a href="https://youtu.be/eQjxsBiRpyA" target="_blank">video</a>, write a <a href="https://www.mixbook.com/photo-books/family/my-life-a-journey-of-faith-8205626?vk=ql74jww5jS" target="_blank">book</a>, use creative drama, write a song, etc. These should be shared with the congregation on or around graduate recognition Sunday. (<a href="http://www.carpentersministrytoolbox.com/2017/02/hs-youth-great-faith-sharing-projects.html" target="_blank">Previous post</a>)</span><o:p></o:p></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>REMEMBER - everything kids do together is fun because </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>they're doing it together! Let friends work with friends!</b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Service within the congregation</b> - Students need to transition into adult roles by starting to take an active part in the congregation though ushering, reading Scripture, being Sunday School teacher aids, doing yard work or working on the facility, working or participating on a board and/or being a part of a "ladies" group or larger church ministry of some kind. This should include multi-generational activities. If they have an idea of their own about how they can serve, perhaps starting a homework club, have them propose it at a board meeting.</li><li><b>Service outside of the congregation</b> - This could begin at any time and should not be something they do with a large youth group but could be done with one or two friends. We want them to live lives of service and understand that it doesn't have to happen within and "event" or "mission trip." They can volunteer to visit nursing homes, clean their grandma's home or garage, help an older person in their neighborhood, volunteer to take care of a younger person for somebody, stay after school to help a teacher, read to younger kids, etc. </li><li><b>Organize an event.</b> Students should organize (with a few friends) a church event. The older kids should take the key leadership roles while the younger kids learn from them. The key to this working is not to let adults take over and do it for them. </li><li><b>Visit adult Bible studies.</b> Students can do an evaluation of some kind that includes questions about the content and asks their opinion of what was discussed. They need to feel absolutely welcome and encouraged to attend and ask any questions they might have. Some older adults may have difficulty with this, but it's an important step in the transition into adult participation in the congregation. </li><li><b>I believe...</b> - Students can work together to create a document of their beliefs. It can be a video, book, creative drama, song, etc., but should be in their own words. <a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ncgWqh75u5hlNCsHh78p93CtPllPZGlW" target="_blank">(This document may help.)</a> The goal of every Christian is not just to be concerned about their own relationship with God, but to be able to share the gospel with others.</li><li><b>Develop Worship Service</b> - After learning about worship, students organize and lead a worship service. It should contain all appropriate elements, a theme, appropriate music, a message about what they believe with specific teachable moments for the congregation, etc. They'll need guidance from the pastor and be given structure. These documents might help: <a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=18n3aEYLolhz7m36n6Fae9jRpU292Ccmh" target="_blank">worship table of parts</a>, <a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1FBHZeJxDt-8wKuh5KiD5NoH02jGm-6ae" target="_blank">blank worship table of parts</a>, <a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1IrohdwIr3WUcnzp66jcf1Nym3_uQewoY" target="_blank">biblical history of worship</a>, and <a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1TFwKu_TvkKKZRau4D6ffmnFP-x6NPZJ6" target="_blank">worship service planning outline</a>. </li></ul><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Faith Builder Program is intended to be both fun and challenging! </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>It is not intended to be a huge chore!</b></span></div><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">The Send Off</span></b><br />Send-Off Sunday is also graduate recognition Sunday. Imagine what they will have learned and how much fun they will have being creative while developing their belief system. Imagine how much they will feel a part of the congregation after serving in the congregation, participating on boards, and being welcome in adult Bible study. On this day, the seniors will share their projects (video, book, skit, song, etc.) with the congregation. Depending on the size of the group it can be done during worship or afterward with a potluck. Please be sure to have families come up and put their hands on their kids as you pray for them. Have the other students in the group write and say the prayer.</div>The Carpenter's Ministry Toolboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050805688204001598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650537538546595543.post-74534572586997293842023-05-13T18:25:00.000-05:002023-05-13T18:25:32.079-05:00EDUCATION: Bible News Information SheetsMy congregation had the wonderful opportunity to read the Bible in chronological order this past year and many succeeded. In order to make things less confusing for them I created the BIBLE NEWS for all 66 books. <div><br /></div><div>There is so much information that we don't have when we start reading the Bible, especially in the Old Testament. There are unfamiliar terms or phrases, history, and political and cultural information, not to mention reading ancient Hebrew poetry and figurative language used by the prophets. Included in the News are also themes that span the whole Bible that we should be looking for, common misconceptions, and situations with the prophets that we don't know. It's so much easier to understand the epistles when we know why the apostle responded to the person or congregation the way they did. </div><div><br /></div><div>All of this information deepens our comprehension as we read these amazing books. Researching and writing them was a great blessing to me and I hope they are a blessing to all who use them as well. Interested? You can find them here or soon on Sola Publishing. <div><br /></div><div><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1D1oQDjO5DXjfECpYcqO4x3v88wEc1XBG/view?usp=share_link" target="_blank">Download a Sample</a> or <a href="http://www.carpentersministrytoolbox.com/p/booksresources.html" target="_blank">Get them for your congregation!</a></div><div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgdMVJdcg951tqQS4PHlHkGFGseCNoErenyVHlbO_jQkSB_7AwJA5QyNOw3WSFWs-p3FUorCZE0a5dFP8Ap2TvjiTo5ArdoIWgJbp6InI9SriARhT-D9QNcu_ZgPcL-771iSstAH3VkLyL-yMvh5omEEr4131preuKtUJIWioTCKD76AvFp-5bJlA=s1434" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="940" data-original-width="1434" height="421" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgdMVJdcg951tqQS4PHlHkGFGseCNoErenyVHlbO_jQkSB_7AwJA5QyNOw3WSFWs-p3FUorCZE0a5dFP8Ap2TvjiTo5ArdoIWgJbp6InI9SriARhT-D9QNcu_ZgPcL-771iSstAH3VkLyL-yMvh5omEEr4131preuKtUJIWioTCKD76AvFp-5bJlA=w640-h421" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div></div></div></div>The Carpenter's Ministry Toolboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050805688204001598noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650537538546595543.post-46278926272809540122023-04-24T07:53:00.003-05:002023-04-24T14:33:23.939-05:00YOUTH: The Truth About STDs<div class="separator"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI2pdt0zujFkHdMKbYnQYbB3dLkfGAtF4Ya3aw50dLoTQbyz2-r4c9CsxFnOwL98zlg0FJhYwyd5bT_EGa4B_dg5hGs5O_g0QhvBqQsil-AbN7OVXC5dsyJZEUx69czdrXJy2qsUmqjUpAa8V86jXLSwCTkeKmdGyLZaIZGGO_eUkahszPt0vPaA/s1280/woman-1006100_1280.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="722" data-original-width="1280" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI2pdt0zujFkHdMKbYnQYbB3dLkfGAtF4Ya3aw50dLoTQbyz2-r4c9CsxFnOwL98zlg0FJhYwyd5bT_EGa4B_dg5hGs5O_g0QhvBqQsil-AbN7OVXC5dsyJZEUx69czdrXJy2qsUmqjUpAa8V86jXLSwCTkeKmdGyLZaIZGGO_eUkahszPt0vPaA/w200-h113/woman-1006100_1280.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>We all know that God does not recommend treating sex like a recreational activity, but it should be saved for a special relationship with one other person. Some people think it's the 21st century and that "rule" is outdated, but the truth is that not only does multiple sex partners erode your future marriage before you even get there, but every time you're intimate with someone, you're sharing a part of yourself that you cannot get back and your ability to be truly intimate with that one special person gets more difficult. With the 6th commandment, God is actually protecting our marriages and our ability to be intimate with one person and indeed, our souls.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgILV-SSnITntJHAFtX1qeWuk8MsiPREpoT5mBEbgx-XAelUWLaa9C11eVOm1HEy0Anr8EBNPrHhD0TcJpKjgwlnltI1wwqmR0CUkMCqOjtQrEjzyAYLyLhJpz_YKYbKbiQ7ytvN0Cs7otUuFthb-rRNi-rFIy3Fq1Uc204a_ICg7kqJZdFPIl_RQ/s1280/guy-2617866_1280.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgILV-SSnITntJHAFtX1qeWuk8MsiPREpoT5mBEbgx-XAelUWLaa9C11eVOm1HEy0Anr8EBNPrHhD0TcJpKjgwlnltI1wwqmR0CUkMCqOjtQrEjzyAYLyLhJpz_YKYbKbiQ7ytvN0Cs7otUuFthb-rRNi-rFIy3Fq1Uc204a_ICg7kqJZdFPIl_RQ/w200-h133/guy-2617866_1280.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />Looking for a more practical reason to give your youth? Here's a good one. <br /><br />According to the World Health Organization (2022) there are more than 30 different bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can be transmitted through sexual contact. Think you can just go to the doctor on campus and get a pill? Well, friends, think again. All are treatable, but only four are currently curable. FOUR! <br /><br />Women can take the pill to try and prevent pregnancy, but it doesn’t protect them from many sexually transmitted diseases (STD) or infections (STI), though it may help for a few of them. Do you want to take that risk? <br /><br />For the record, sexual contact means any time skin touches skin, whether it’s a hand, a mouth, or any other part of the body. People were told to wash their hands and be careful what they touch to prevent the spread of Covid-19, a coronavirus. Touching someone’s infected genitals or genital area transmits a virus too. Not only that, but many of them can be transmitted from mother-to-child during pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding, and worse, some of them can cause cancer and infertility, and even worse, you may not know you have one or are passing it around. The next time you think God’s rule about not having casual sex or sex outside of marriage is ridiculous, think about that. <br /><br />There are millions of new infections every year and again, you don’t always know you have one. The ONLY way to know for sure that you’re not getting a sexually transmitted disease is to not have casual sex before marriage, and that means vaginal penetration, oral sex (putting mouth, tongue, or lips on another person's genitals -- front or back). Syphilis, HPV, and herpes are known to cause symptoms in the mouth and throat. Others that can be spread orally include gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and HIV. Please remind youth that many of these have NO SYMPTOMS. If you are treating sex like a recreational activity, you will not know you have one of these unless you are tested, and tested often. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">No man wants to have to tell the woman he wants to marry that he carries a sexually transmitted disease that cannot be cured because he had no self-control. No woman wants to tell the man she wants to marry that she cannot have a baby because she had no self-control. You might want to show this to your youth and their parents (Pam Stenzel).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1OMtPfRI_u0" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>The Carpenter's Ministry Toolboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050805688204001598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650537538546595543.post-2613560081664367572023-04-21T15:04:00.000-05:002023-04-21T15:04:36.916-05:00CONFIRMATION: What's a good confirmation teacher?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilluuKOeeYhm0yII9MUYGDVCTCy9vczjn5f15byLErv5JKZRBcsTpylBkSF6FW7d_zsKlJvfc84QnkpCTiEZjueZGoZ_l7QoakCogLRL1L-Js8vMX_7y8i3bRGtGmLVz7VHRKfD3QX-17m_IqOkaLQ3gK8VNTyPZVECjOXNmMPpL8wPfM-k8q2Zw/s594/fish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="581" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilluuKOeeYhm0yII9MUYGDVCTCy9vczjn5f15byLErv5JKZRBcsTpylBkSF6FW7d_zsKlJvfc84QnkpCTiEZjueZGoZ_l7QoakCogLRL1L-Js8vMX_7y8i3bRGtGmLVz7VHRKfD3QX-17m_IqOkaLQ3gK8VNTyPZVECjOXNmMPpL8wPfM-k8q2Zw/w196-h200/fish.jpg" width="196" /></a></div> Sometimes parents complain about their church's confirmation teacher, which is often the pastor. Sometimes kids complain too. Let's be honest. Middle school kids complain about anything they don't want to do and think they can get out of by complaining. Sometimes parents buy into it and sometimes they see through the complaints and know that the purpose of confirmation is greater than kids realize. So, when we start deciding what a good confirmation teacher is, we should start at the beginning. <br /><p></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">What's a good teacher? </h4><p>Can kids recognize a good teacher? What is their criteria? Most kids, especially teens, consider a teacher good if: </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>They're getting a good grade.</b> What if everyone in that class is getting a good grade? Is getting a good grade more or less important than earning that grade and learning? </li><li><b>The teacher is fun or funny or cool.</b> What if the most popular teacher is also the one who has the lowest academic and behavioral standards? Is caring about what a student learns more or less important than being cool? </li><li><b>The teacher is too lenient and students can easily change his/her mind or get away with things they shouldn't.</b> Is holding a student accountable for their choices more or less important than them getting their way? </li><li><b>The teacher has low academic expectations or homework as long as they get a good evaluation.</b> </li></ul><p>If a student's only criteria for good or bad teaching is how they feel, can they truly know the difference between a good or bad teacher? Kids are kids. That's why they need parents and teachers who care enough to do what's best for them even when they don't like it. It is common for a child to tell their parents that a teacher is bad if:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>They don't like the class and don't want to be there. </li><li>They are getting a bad grade. </li><li>The teacher consistently expects them to do their best. </li><li>The teacher isn't fun because his/her first priority is that they learn.</li><li>They hear their parents speaking badly about the teacher at home.</li><li>They think their parent will automatically agree with them. </li></ul><p></p><p>It's important that teachers be approachable and friendly, but they are often portrayed by students as bad teachers because they know they are about to get in trouble for something they know they should have done, or shouldn't have done. It's the same with parents of teens. You're the greatest parent in the world when you let your child do what s/he wants, but the minute you say no, you're the worst. Sometimes a child's favorite teacher is a favorite because of their personality and not their teaching expertise. Let's not discount some important things about that though. Good teachers: </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Care about their students as people and show that in how they interact with them. They're friendly even though they have standards. </li><li>Care about whether or not their students are learning what they're being taught. They're approachable and ready to help. </li><li>Teach students more than their subject, but also about life, accountability, the value of hard work, and the benefit of good habits and character. </li><li>Want to partner with parents so they communicate with them when their children are not doing the work they should be doing. </li><li>Have requirements that benefit their students even if they don't see that benefit yet. </li><li>See the bigger picture of their student's life and try to prepare them for challenges and what comes next. </li></ul><p></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">What's a good confirmation teacher?</h4><p>If you're a parent or a student, before you complain about a pastor or other teacher of confirmation, check this list. Does your pastor/confirmation educator: </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Care about getting to know your child?</li><li>Care about whether or not your child participates in class learning activities?</li><li>Care about whether or not your child is doing their memory work? </li><li>Attempt to give your child the information necessary in a way they can understand it? </li><li>Attempt to help your child understand difficult doctrinal concepts through stories and examples? </li><li>Attempt to get your child (and their parents) to read the Bible? </li><li>Make himself available to have difficult conversations about the Bible and life? </li><li>Let students and parents ask questions about anything they may be struggling with? </li><li>Talk to parents about the importance of putting their child's faith above sports? School sports usually last until kids graduate from high school, and sometimes college. Faith is both lifelong and eternal. </li><li>Expect your child to do the work necessary to increase their faith? Or has it been watered down to the point where it's fun, but they aren't really learning much? </li><li>Care about whether or not your child will meet you in heaven one day? </li></ul><p></p><p>These are the qualities of a good confirmation teacher. If your pastor does these things, you should not be complaining, but appreciating and thanking. </p>The Carpenter's Ministry Toolboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050805688204001598noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650537538546595543.post-4508453464204756772022-11-02T15:18:00.001-05:002022-11-02T15:18:24.400-05:00CONFIRMATION: Faith Journeys<p> My husband started doing something in confirmation this year that I think is a great idea. He was having trouble feeling like the kids were connecting with their faith. After all, they're 13 and 14 years old. Hearing about God or faith from a pastor is expected. Hearing about God or faith from the pastor's wife is expected. Hearing about God and faith and life from people in the congregation that you know, however, is something else. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsGpH-mshcunLM1kpdeImkqzls4rPp5NJooitly5zNuIvNcDGKhb_3EpeNx1Dkz4ecctXAmRaUfd8XWzlzRopWM_TwH09D0h-U1CT_p3sm3m2RRrS_zXsgwKlCRWwqes_XdT2ZpwtWVt0qbKE86IX-gPcLmZwTGxvBOHVHgZGn-PTowfG1axN_nw/s1920/signpost-466935_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1920" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsGpH-mshcunLM1kpdeImkqzls4rPp5NJooitly5zNuIvNcDGKhb_3EpeNx1Dkz4ecctXAmRaUfd8XWzlzRopWM_TwH09D0h-U1CT_p3sm3m2RRrS_zXsgwKlCRWwqes_XdT2ZpwtWVt0qbKE86IX-gPcLmZwTGxvBOHVHgZGn-PTowfG1axN_nw/s320/signpost-466935_1920.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Kids these day see everyone's best life online and most people don't talk about the challenges they face in life, either online or face-to-face. Many parents have a tendency to want their kids to be happy, not understanding that they should teach them how to cope with life's physical and emotional challenges by how they cope in word and deed. Nobody wants to admit that life can be disappointing, painful, and full of unexpected sorrow. Some dreams come true, and some don't. Happiness is elusive, it comes and goes, and is not a good life goal. How do we get through the hard times? Faith. If you don't see how your parents' faith uplifts and encourages them in hard times, you won't know how valuable it will be for you too. There are also people the kids see every week in church that they may not realize have had or are having challenging lives. Kids just don't see it. <p></p><p>To help kids understand the benefit faith is in navigating life, my husband (who has a 2 hour confirmation class with a 10-15 minute break), personally invites a member of the congregation to come and tell their faith story. He gives them 10-15 minutes of class time. </p><p>Of course, you want to give them a bit of guidance regarding what to share. My suggestion is to give them a few questions to think about: </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Since faith is not a feeling, how and when did you realize that you had it? </li><li>Do you pray? How do you find it helpful? </li><li>We often forget about our faith during good times. How did your faith help you during a hard time?</li><li>How does faith affect your daily life?</li><li>How does attending worship help you in your everyday life? </li></ul><p></p><p>This could be a great idea for high school Sunday school as well. Help kids connect faith and life!<br /></p>The Carpenter's Ministry Toolboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050805688204001598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650537538546595543.post-28708040309660397642022-10-10T18:00:00.000-05:002022-10-10T18:00:23.906-05:00LEADERSHIP: Thoughts on a Discipleship Conference<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJmIgz-enZo7J5kME5Ui1OsG_qQ5FviTDQmvx0WBFHrYU_hpPwQTCdXlCw05Mezo_MWRP6ZWRtfmg0AEdsXqrnDiaNmO7TPawnkCA6Xp_6uAlu6_cQYwvFNX7jOb-WFlyMIzBti3akAtd04uj4CpyuGkGWyN5OJkIPrUswTCLYJGWW3oeD48hFuQ/s640/love-699480_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJmIgz-enZo7J5kME5Ui1OsG_qQ5FviTDQmvx0WBFHrYU_hpPwQTCdXlCw05Mezo_MWRP6ZWRtfmg0AEdsXqrnDiaNmO7TPawnkCA6Xp_6uAlu6_cQYwvFNX7jOb-WFlyMIzBti3akAtd04uj4CpyuGkGWyN5OJkIPrUswTCLYJGWW3oeD48hFuQ/w320-h214/love-699480_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I
went to a conference last week and the topic was DISCIPLESHIP. It was a great
and uplifting conference, not because every speaker was excellent, but because
it really got me thinking about making disciples. <br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b>Here’s
what I heard. <o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Discipleship
at this particular church is neither a program nor evangelism, but about
growing relationships. They then shared their list of steps that are what they
will do for discipleship which sounds a lot like a program and evangelism. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Choose someone in
your life you think is ready to become a disciple. <o:p></o:p></li><li>Pray for/about
that person. <o:p></o:p></li><li>Learn about Jesus
through the Gospels.<o:p></o:p></li><li>Invite that
person to your community group. Talk to them about the gospel. <o:p></o:p></li><li>Walk with that
person and talk to them about life.</li></ol>
<h4 style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><b>Here’s
what I think. </b></h4>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">We’re
told to make disciples, baptize them, and teach them (Matthew 28).</p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Evangelism or
discipleship is for everyone.</b> It
doesn’t have to look like the specific steps above or anywhere else. I like to
tell people to <b>LIVE YOUR FAITH OUT LOUD</b>. That just means that we
shouldn’t shy away from opportunities to let people know we’re
Christ-followers. Simple phrases like: </li><ul><li>I’ll pray for
you. (Do it.) </li><li>In church
yesterday… </li><li>I was reading the
Bible this morning and it talked about this.</li><li>When I’m having a
hard time in life I keep this Bible verse in mind. </li><li>Have you ever
thought about Jesus? He has changed my life. </li></ul><li><b>Pray.</b> Pray that you recognize those God brings to you and that the Spirit
give you wisdom in sharing your faith in any way that is comfortable for you.
It doesn’t always have to be in words. </li><li><b>Listen.</b> Listening is an underdeveloped skill in the world
today. Listen and respond in love. </li><li><b>Know the
Bible.</b> Go to Bible class and learn
the whole Bible. Be able to answer two questions: What do you believe? Why do
you believe it? You can’t talk about something you don’t know and chances are
pretty good that people will have questions. A major concern regarding lack of
Bible literacy is the problem of false teaching. It’s great to develop
relationships and talk about faith and life with people until we don’t know
we’re sharing false information because we haven’t studied Scripture. </li><li><b>People are not
called to disciple the same way.</b>
Everyone’s life is different. The Spirit brings us to people and we are to be
prepared to share the reason for our hope. Mothers and fathers will disciple their
kids differently and as those kids grow their discipling will change. Family members
disciple each other. Whether it’s in word or deed, we all disciple friends,
colleagues, roommates, and even strangers. Anyone can be nice, so keep in mind
that at some point, however, speak your faith.</li><li><b>The role of
the congregation may not be what you think.</b> Ministry is multi-faceted and people have different spiritual gifts. Some
have the gift of talking about faith with strangers in a coffee shop, but
discipleship is also teaching Sunday School, encouraging other members, praying
for others, etc.</li></ul><!--[if !supportLists]--><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">All
believers are servants of God. When the Spirit grows our faith a desire to learn more about the Lord and share what He has done
for us with those around us will grow. The more we learn about God’s word, the more we
won’t be able to help sharing it. Our life will become discipleship. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>The Carpenter's Ministry Toolboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050805688204001598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650537538546595543.post-28970794235682130932022-08-28T16:23:00.002-05:002022-08-28T16:23:51.477-05:00YOUTH: Another interesting Bible Inquiry idea!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgccVwQRGMUGY0ZevQuE7IyCmwM3_Mk6PBpxDguWpJZgqmedDH2QSPnNQgkPm6AZ5L_M6c-Yjw7t-XVO3aQwADMfHo9lPFOlAGWWKKxDvcRQsrXZZzCYtbre4addkWfepHo3Q6ub3P0zufK2It2ZOSI1Efj4_9yBBhCy0bmdp8Jl7HhumO2yMQuFA/s3451/Christian%20Mags.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2427" data-original-width="3451" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgccVwQRGMUGY0ZevQuE7IyCmwM3_Mk6PBpxDguWpJZgqmedDH2QSPnNQgkPm6AZ5L_M6c-Yjw7t-XVO3aQwADMfHo9lPFOlAGWWKKxDvcRQsrXZZzCYtbre4addkWfepHo3Q6ub3P0zufK2It2ZOSI1Efj4_9yBBhCy0bmdp8Jl7HhumO2yMQuFA/w400-h281/Christian%20Mags.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I recently read an article about <i><a href="https://www.edutopia.org/article/benefits-incorporating-print-magazines-english-class?fbclid=IwAR0hEwVDT_7Reh6AdNXc7fSedJV4lJpIy5RX7wFOE1066gDVk_N6Mjs-cNY" target="_blank">The Benefits of Incorporating Print Magazines Into English Class</a></i> and it got me wondering how we can use that idea for teaching the faith to teenagers. After all, with all the misinformation out there, there are some skills we would really like them to have, such as: <div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The ability to read and understand faith related or theology articles.</li><li>The chance to practice thinking about what they believe. </li><li>We want them to develop curiosity and find reading about faith issues interesting.</li></ul><div>Before you say no, and write this idea off as something they'll find boring, give it a chance, and that's more than one week. Here's how it works. </div></div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Take some time to collect some good faith magazines. You can have people donate them or check out your local library or see if there are any other sources that might have back issues. They do not have to come from your denomination. Keep in mind that some Lutheran magazines will not be your denomination, which is a good thing and should provide some interesting discussion. </li><li>Let kids take 10-15 minutes to flip through the magazines and choose an article they think is interesting. Give them 15 minutes to read the article, then ask them what they read. </li><ol><li>Do they think it matches your doctrine? Why or why not?</li><li>Can they see what may or may not be unbiblical?</li></ol><li>If one person has an article they find really interesting, see if someone else has one and ask what the similarities or differences are. </li><li>You may find some unexpected connections. Of all things, make sure there are Bibles and catechisms in the room. It doesn't matter what other people think, it matters what the Bible says. </li></ol><div>As you do this, you may find they start looking forward to it and recommending articles to others. The greatest thing that can come of it is for kids to become curious and feel confident in reading faith issues critically. If it's high school, they may find the most interesting articles are about social issues. It'll be great to have time to talk about them. Make the time. </div><div><br /></div><div>Give it a try and let me know how it goes!</div><div><br /></div></div>The Carpenter's Ministry Toolboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050805688204001598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650537538546595543.post-18328392925257305812022-07-02T09:57:00.000-05:002022-07-02T09:57:16.562-05:00PODCAST: Children's Messages<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhA7goekV25OjgPkVCEvEupUyYj_vKpkOoig7ieC114sM0r5ZhS5fkcoImJGhiq6dNIPlnGwb9wLh3JPOYDVTI_Pm-B5vvCBT5ZCbD3C_zI9j8ASEHpRhTeu77UC4RhGUIx1Zn-dwa93udcl__o3jArXEDoXlLQLKcrJ35dn2_6x3w3adlnE5ftRg=s894" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="893" data-original-width="894" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhA7goekV25OjgPkVCEvEupUyYj_vKpkOoig7ieC114sM0r5ZhS5fkcoImJGhiq6dNIPlnGwb9wLh3JPOYDVTI_Pm-B5vvCBT5ZCbD3C_zI9j8ASEHpRhTeu77UC4RhGUIx1Zn-dwa93udcl__o3jArXEDoXlLQLKcrJ35dn2_6x3w3adlnE5ftRg=w199-h199" width="199" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>To Cause to Learn - Episode 8 </b></h3><p></p><p>If you want to know the truth about effective children's messages check this out! </p><iframe frameborder="0" height="102px" scrolling="no" src="https://anchor.fm/to-cause-to-learn/embed/episodes/Narrative-Stage-Childrens-Messages-e1b7c75" width="400px"></iframe><div><br /></div><div><b>If you don't have time to listen and just want me to get to the point, keep reading to get the basic script. </b></div><p style="text-align: left;">As promised, today we will be talking about children’s messages for the Narrative Stage of faith education. First, a quick reminder of the 5 stages of faith education: Narrative (PS – 2nd), Knowledge (3rd – 5th), Understanding (6th – 8th), Reason (9th – 12th), and Wisdom (adults).</p>So, welcome! and let’s get started! <br /><br /><b>The Tip of the Day is:</b> <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">There are a lot of options besides object lessons.</span></b><br /><br /><b>Question 1: What are children’s messages? What is their purpose?</b><br /><p style="text-align: left;">The children’s message is… basically an attempt to make church more relevant to young kids who have a hard time participating in the service and understanding the sermon. It can be a long time for them to be quiet and a challenge to keep them as still, but busy, as possible. We DO want them to be in worship, to hear the word of God (even if they don’t seem to get it the Spirit can still use it to create and grow faith), and to learn the process and traditions of worship. We also want them to feel a part of the church family and a part of their family and not separate them. Worship is a family event. So, children’s messages help them be a part of worship.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Before crafting a children’s message, a few questions should be considered. First, what is their purpose? I know what I just said, but what is the purpose of YOUR children’s messages? Hopefully, it’s to leave the little ones with a nugget of God’s truth and a reminder that they are greatly loved by Him unconditionally. The next question, to whom is the message addressed, depends on the answer to the first one. Here’s why. Some people haven’t really thought about it, but their children’s message is more for the adults than the kids; and sometimes they don’t even know it. I’ll talk about that in a bit. The last question to be considered is; what are the ages of the kids who come up for the children’s message? If you’ve listened to some of the other podcasts you know how important it is to understand what young children understand. That brings us to question 2.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Question 2: Think about the age group of those who listen to your messages. What do you know about them?</b></p><p style="text-align: left;">Usually children’s messages are for kids in preschool through 2nd grade (ironically, that’s the Narrative Stage), but sometimes parents will bring up their younger children and sometimes a few older kids will come up too. It’s okay to include 3rd graders and even 4th graders, but then the question becomes, on which age do you focus the message? A lot happens in the body and world of a child between preschool and 4th grade. So, what do you do? Do you focus on the older kids or the youngers? If you focus on the older kids the youngers will get little from it, but if you focus on the youngers the older kids will still get something from it. Obviously I recommend focusing on the youngers. </p>What difference does that make (I hear people quietly asking themselves as they listen)? Well, actually, quite a big difference when you think about the kids and what those in the Narrative Stage understand. The biggest one is concrete thinking and the ability to transfer one idea to another. Here’s an example. At one church there was one lady who always gave the children’s message on Christmas day. People raved about it. Every year she pulled an elaborate Rube Goldberg type of toy into the sanctuary and the children oohed and aahed over it. She would put a marble in it and it would go through all these tubes and drops and spins as it made its way to the bottom. She would then talk to the children about life’s challenges and how Jesus was born to save us from our sins and help us through life’s challenges. My question: What does a kindergartener understand about life’s challenges? They don’t think of life as easy or hard, they just live it. How does a preschooler connect that cool toy to their life? They can’t. For the younger kids, that children’s message was all about watching the cool toy and had nothing to do with Jesus. That’s transference. There are points they just can’t connect even when an adult tries to explain it. <br /><br />Here’s another one. I’ve seen people try to explain the Trinity with an apple, a hardened sinful heart with a Tootsie Pop, and the Holy Spirit with a balloon, to children who cannot transfer the object (no matter how clever or obvious it seems to an adult) to a concept (that they cannot understand). <br /><br />A final example: One Sunday the sermon was called Rejected! It was based on Luke 4, specifically verse 24 where it says, “No prophet is accepted in his hometown.” The person giving the children’s message started telling the kids a story about how somebody got a letter of rejection from Harvard University. First of all, children 3-7 years old have no understanding of rejection and it would be a challenge to explain it to them as they have no experience with it. Second, they have no idea what Harvard University or a letter of rejection is. He might as well have been speaking to them in Chinese. He asked questions they couldn’t possibly answer and finally let them go. This was a non-object object lesson. <br /><br />The truth is that the majority of children's object lessons aren't for the kids if the kids are under eight or even under 10 or 12 years old. The young kids who come up to the front of the church for your object lesson don't have the ability to connect the object to your intended concept. Again, that’s transference, the ability to transfer a quality from the object to a religious concept. It's a higher order thinking skill and their young brains simply can't get it. <br /><br />So, the first step in a good children’s message is to know the children. I call the early years of faith education the Narrative Stage because of how influential they are in a child’s learning experience. We all learn through experience that connects to previous experiences, but a child’s experience is limited. These little lambs:<br /><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Have little ability to think in terms of general principles (kindness, goodness, sin, forgiveness, etc.).</li><li>Have little ability to think about non-physical entities (God, heaven, etc.) that they haven’t seen or experienced. God the Father is a really big dad. Heaven is an actual place like the library or a big park, but apparently it’s in the sky sitting on the clouds.</li><li>Have little ability to understand symbolic meaning. Visual symbols do not initially have symbolic meaning -- children must be taught what the cross means as a symbol.</li><li>Cannot relate one fact to another, for example, the heart being like the inside of a tootsie pop that was hardened on the outside by sin? No way.</li><li>Cannot make generalizations like what happens to a Sunday school class when the word of God is shared. If they can’t see it happen; super no way.</li><li>Classify Bible stories as any other stories. There are none more or less important. Jonah and Pinocchio are on the same level of truth or make-believe. They start coming out of this in second grade.</li><li>Primarily perceive miracles in the same way as magic in fairy tales. They cannot understand them as real or fantasy. Again, they start coming out of this in second grade.</li><li>Determine the difference between real and make believe better as they age, but that's different than taking something that sounds like it can't be real (coming back from the dead) and assuming it's real. Of course, they don’t really understand death because it looks like sleep. When my son-in-law died his young son kept asking when daddy was coming home. He couldn’t understand death.</li><li>Do not understand metaphors. Their literal thinking would have them believe the Holy Spirit IS a dove (or at least a bird), a hardened heart actually gets hard like a rock, Jesus lives in a tiny room in their heart, or a stiff-necked people actually have stiff necks and should go see the doctor. </li></ol><p style="text-align: left;">So then, question 3…<br /></p><p><b>Question 3: If object lessons don’t work. Where do you start?</b><br /></p><p>First of all, remember the Brain Rules for memory. They are the same at every age and will come in handy.</p><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Remember that children’s lives are much simpler than ours (thank God!). They have, but don’t understand complex emotions. They primarily recognize happy, sad, and angry or mad.</li><li>The vocabulary you use is important. Be careful about using theological language they don’t understand. Be aware of the good/bad behavior language. Jesus doesn’t love them because they’re good and when we attach God’s love to behavior kids really hear that.</li><li>If you ask a question and kids answer correctly, it doesn’t mean that they understand a concept. It’s okay to get them familiar with terms before they understand their meaning. Concepts can come later.</li><li>Young children love stories and they indirectly learn from them. Use them!</li></ul><p style="text-align: left;">Question 4 then must be...</p></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Question 4: So, what actually works?</b><br /><p style="text-align: left;">Our greatest desire is for children to know that God loves them more than they can imagine and after that, to become familiar with Him and His people, of which they are one. We want them to know that they are part of a family of believers who are people that care about them. We do not need to try and explain life to them. They will experience it as they grow. We do not need to find clever ways to try and explain things they cannot understand. We can tell them that God is so amazing and cool that there are mysteries that only He knows. The Trinity is three people, but one person. What? How can that be? There is no possible way to explain it, especially to young concrete thinkers. Don’t tell them it’s an apple (seeds, fruit, skin) or water (solid, liquid, ice). They can’t imagine that anyway and it’s not actually a true description. The Trinity is not three different parts that make up a whole. It/they are three and one at the same time; always. It’s a mystery. Let it be. </p><p style="text-align: left;">When you are creating a children’s message, before you look for cute or clever ideas, decide on your goal. What do you want the children to leave believing? (I use the form on this website under the Confirmation Resources Tab.) If the pastor’s message is about Jesus going back to Nazareth and being unwelcome, you could briefly tell the story and show pictures. Young kids like pictures to go with their stories. It's why there are picture books for that age. If you don’t have a screen they can easily see, you should print pictures and hold them up for them. You can easily find pictures online or use a good children’s Bible. Little kids don’t know what it means to be rejected or to go somewhere and be unwelcome. They certainly don’t understand the concept of a prophet being rejected in his hometown and what that’s all about. So, think about your goal. What, out of that story, can they understand? </p><p style="text-align: left;">Also, what the pastor talks about won’t necessarily be what the children’s message can be about, and everything can’t be about how somebody was treated and how that makes them feel, which seems to be a regular go-to or children's messages. Everything is not an emotional moral lesson or about how they should be good. Sometimes we have to flip it over. Here’s an idea:</p></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Tell a story. Message: Jesus loves us even when we aren't nice, don't get it, or don't believe.</b></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;">In the Gospel lesson today we heard the story of when Jesus went home to Nazareth to visit. He was a little boy there and grew up in the same way you’re growing up here. He lived there and played with friends there. He was Jesus, the carpenter’s son. Carpenters build things. Nobody knew He was God’s son except Mary, Joseph, and him. So, when He came back as a prophet (a guy who delivers messages from God) the people didn’t believe him. They said, “You’re not a prophet. You're Mary and Joseph’s son! You’re a carpenter! When did you get so smart? Who do you think you are?" </div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;">Do you think Jesus stopped loving them when they were mean like that and didn’t believe him? No! He didn’t! If you were there what would you want to tell those people? I would tell them that Jesus loves them even if they're mean. Let's do that now. Say this after me (use hand motions too), “Jesus loves you! (point to them) Jesus loves me! (point to yourself) Even when we’re mean (mean/angry face) or don’t believe (you're safe baseball action)!” Say it in rhythm a couple of times. Then, have them teach it to the congregation. "That’s the thing with Jesus. He loves us no matter what! Always!"</div></blockquote><p>There are a lot of options for children’s messages besides object lessons. Most of the good ones involve the congregation. Here are a few examples:</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>To illustrate that the message is more important than who gives it, one presenter had a few children read something simple written for them. Then those little ones who couldn’t read were taught by the readers to repeat it so they learned it. After they knew it, the little ones taught the congregation to repeat it.</li><li>A Director of Christian Education at my church used the congregation to tell the story of Jesus calming the storm in a very clever way. He had the congregation make storm noises and wave their arms like waves and the children were to be Jesus. The children walked down the aisle and the storm grew as the waves got bigger and bigger until the kids shouted, “Stop!” The storm died down as the people stopped. They did it a couple of times and the lesson was that Jesus has power over nature. </li><li>Tell stories that are close to the emotions of the children. Stories that use human characteristics such as loving, sharing, and caring are excellent at this age.</li><li>Use poems, riddles, and songs. Putting scripture to rhythm and song helps them remember it. They need to be short, so break a verse down into a memorable phrase and have them repeat it multiple times throughout your message.</li><li>Use illustrations when telling stories. Children read picture books and we know from Brain Rules that pictures help us understand and remember.</li><li>You can also use props, pictures, voices, puppets, and/or volunteer actors to tell stories.</li><li>If you have an abstract moral they won't get it, but they can answer simple questions like, "What happened when I...?" "What happened when (the puppet) hit the other one?" "What would happen if you...?" The information needs to be relevant to their experience.</li><li>Make the message about a picture of a story by showing it on the big screen and having kids answer questions about the picture. "What's happening in this picture?" It’s okay for kids to have their backs to the congregation so they can see the picture.</li><li>Add movement to a story you’re telling. What if you taught them the stories of the Old Testament with hand motions. The first one would be creation and might be using your arms to make a large circle above the head. The second would be the fall and that motion could be two hands making a breaking motion. There’s not a motion for every story in the Bible, but if chosen wisely and one taught a week, by the end of the year they’ll be able to tell the whole Old Testament! Imagine if the young kids and everyone in the congregation could tell the story of the Bible because of hand motions, which help with memory.</li></ul><p></p><div style="text-align: left;">I bet you’ve got all kinds of ideas now! <br /><br />Next time we’re moving on to move into the Knowledge Stage, 3rd – 5th grade! Things are getting interesting! Don’t forget, if you’ve got a question or a curiosity you’d like to have answered you can contact me and we’ll talk about it here. Whatever it is, if you’ve got a question, I’ve most likely have an answer. You can submit questions using the form right here <a href="http://www.carpentersministrytoolbox.com/p/podcast.html" target="_blank">carpentersministrytoolbox.com under the podcast tab</a>.<div><br /></div></div>The Carpenter's Ministry Toolboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050805688204001598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650537538546595543.post-31031023731896421392022-05-12T10:48:00.003-05:002022-05-12T10:48:30.553-05:00CONFIRMATION: What do you believe and why do you believe it?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8zZ11xusedeHkX_6ypOmnl6vVSkDRF_5YYjdctkva4aND5zKpxO1mqYvd1pU14cbO3XaTsZM9HhplltoWdGTjG3K0ZVuulc_Kob5FSYSQ_-dEIiNrOkILmgmqhVKKsKd1n5vfWOHQZAhXwlXwPPZ4H3l5uw_erQreyqTbiv6s0068iufrsk7Zug/s1484/What%20believe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="1484" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8zZ11xusedeHkX_6ypOmnl6vVSkDRF_5YYjdctkva4aND5zKpxO1mqYvd1pU14cbO3XaTsZM9HhplltoWdGTjG3K0ZVuulc_Kob5FSYSQ_-dEIiNrOkILmgmqhVKKsKd1n5vfWOHQZAhXwlXwPPZ4H3l5uw_erQreyqTbiv6s0068iufrsk7Zug/s320/What%20believe.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Every year in the Lutheran church we confirm the faith of 14 year-olds and then nothing. We, essentially, tell them to repeat the answers we've given them and then tell us in public that they're willing to die for their faith in Christ because He died for them. It's been going on for centuries (beginning in the early Catholic church). <p></p><p>The average life expectancy is 80 years today and the brain is fully developed at about age 25. Dr. Frances Jensen (2015, <i>The Teenage Brain</i>) tells us that the teenage brain is "like a brand new Ferrari. It's primed and pumped, but hasn't been road tested yet." In middle school their bodies release hormones and the brain has to learn how to deal with them. Their frontal lobe, the part that deals with executive functions and self-regulation, is the last part to develop. This area is the CEO of the brain. It's the manager of the other cognitive operations, deciding what to do when, dealing with planning, focusing attention, remembering instructions, and the ability to do multiple tasks. While the emotions are ready to run, the part of the brain that says, "Slow down, buddy, this may not be a good idea," is still under construction. </p><p>Think about it this way. Children <b><i>begin </i></b>being able to think abstractly and logically in the middle school years, so it's a good time to start them thinking about faith (an abstract concept) issues. That's about (because brains don't all develop at the same rate) age 12. For the first 12 of their possible 80 years they're not ready to understand the complex issues talked about in the Bible, but can learn about it. We teach them stories and introduce them to God, Jesus, other people in the Bible, cultural issues, etc. (2021, <i>The Art of Teaching the Faith: Preschool through Adult</i>). Then, at 14 years-old (just 2 years later), we teach them the doctrine of the Christian faith (the 6 Chief Parts), have a big party about it, and then... nothing... for the next 66 years. </p><p><b>I am not saying that we should do away with Confirmation. I'm saying that it's time we put it in perspective.</b> It's time we realize what's going on in a 14 year-old's brain and life and not expect this to be their moment of great commitment. Fourteen years is the first 20% of an average life, of which 85% of that is too young. It's similar to expecting an 18 year old to decide what they want to do for the next 52 years of their life. Fortunately, changing your job doesn't affect your eternal life. </p><p>My bigger question is this: <b>How do you teach confirmation and what is your expectation of the outcome? How long do you expect them to remember what they've learned in 7th and 8th grade?</b> In 2 years time, if a friend asks them whether or not the 10 Commandments are valid today, why we baptize babies, or how on earth we would believe the Lord's Supper contains Jesus' body and blood, how will they respond? If that friend then presses with, why do you believe that? Can they answer with anything other than, "I'm not really sure," or do we prefer "that's what my pastor told me." </p><p><b>So, what do I mean when I say we should put it in perspective? </b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Do not assume that memorizing the catechism or all the right answers will stick with them the rest of their lives... or even until they graduate high school. </li><li>Do not assume that kids who do well in confirmation class at 14 will have a faith that lasts 66 years. </li><li>Do not assume that because the box is checked in the database that they've been confirmed, that they have any idea of what the Bible says or teaches. </li><li>Without regular revisitation, most, if not all, will be forgotten sooner than you realize whether you have them write an essay, participate in a questioning night, or create a video, or not. </li></ul><p style="text-align: left;"><b>What's the answer?</b> It's not about starting earlier. It's about continuing through the 80% of their life that occurs after the age of 14. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Some people will never want to learn more than they did in confirmation. Some will study and learn for the rest of their lives. You can't depend on people showing up for a class to review the 6 Chief Parts, especially the way we currently educate. A simple, easy to participate form of Confirmation review needs to be built into the regular life of your congregation, and no, friends, I do not mean that you should copy and paste sections of the catechism into the weekly bulletin. </p><p style="text-align: left;">I'll post more about what that would look like next time. </p><p></p>The Carpenter's Ministry Toolboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050805688204001598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650537538546595543.post-10880235779645994902022-04-26T13:59:00.001-05:002022-07-02T09:58:04.612-05:00CONFIRMATION: Is it time to change how you teach confirmation? Probably.<p> In a new podcast I answer the question: Why should you change how you teach confirmation? There are some pretty compelling reasons to consider how you teach and how middle schoolers learn. Take a listen here. </p>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="102px" scrolling="no" src="https://anchor.fm/to-cause-to-learn/embed/episodes/Why-Should-You-Change-How-You-Teach-Confirmation-e1hl711" width="600px"></iframe>The Carpenter's Ministry Toolboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050805688204001598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650537538546595543.post-29867077094731858352022-03-16T16:47:00.001-05:002022-05-13T15:04:10.201-05:00EDUCATION: Early Communion - 5th Grade<div class="separator"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBHpyI-y4c4qXBLuQ9E5NW6uhrJRlr1UTC5INx0YpNx0_yWswswI1-GH0bS_oBdLR7i10X5X18KmSxr6d22h-A6IOETqH6nmemeUsv89QpaNNpeCdDUVCZytD9V-pwJ_NQZrBaCbo2BsHU9vtCI8cffoNxTLbw27WXEkNUGt2dawXUP7ZEiYcLcg=s1688" style="clear: right; display: inline; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1688" data-original-width="1298" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBHpyI-y4c4qXBLuQ9E5NW6uhrJRlr1UTC5INx0YpNx0_yWswswI1-GH0bS_oBdLR7i10X5X18KmSxr6d22h-A6IOETqH6nmemeUsv89QpaNNpeCdDUVCZytD9V-pwJ_NQZrBaCbo2BsHU9vtCI8cffoNxTLbw27WXEkNUGt2dawXUP7ZEiYcLcg=s320" width="246" /></a></div><div class="separator"><br /></div>I wrote this workbook <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/s?k=langhoff+arndt+the+feast+of+victory&crid=G0IHBY07QG17&sprefix=langhoff+arndt+the+feast+of+victory%2Caps%2C79&ref=nb_sb_noss" target="_blank"><b>The Feast of Victory: Preparing for First Communion</b></a></i>. for my husband who was asked by his church council to have a 5th grade first communion option for those parents who want to explore that possibility.<br /><br /><b><i>The Feast of Victory</i></b> is a basic course on the Lord’s Supper for those who are interested in participating in the Sacrament earlier than eighth grade confirmation. It is designed for students in 5th grade and includes text, Bible readings, thoughtful questions, family discussion questions, and a quick quiz at the end of each lesson. It also has a certificate at the end that the pastor can fill out for each student. The information is told in a narrative fashion with Scripture and thoughtful questions, leading students to an understanding of the mysterious Sacrament. Lessons can be read and understood easily and can be taught by the pastor or by the parent.<br /><br />The workbook begins at the beginning, explaining to students why we need a Savior in the first place and moves forward to the purpose and gifts of the Lord’s Supper. There 6 lessons which are:<br /><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Lesson 1 – The Fall: Why We need a Savior<br />Lesson 2 – The Law: Why We Cannot Save Ourselves<br />Lesson 3 – The Gospel: God’s Plan to Save Us<br />Lesson 4 – The Meal: How God Nourishes Us<br />Lesson 5 – The Exam: How We Prepare<br />Lesson 6 – The Gifts: How We Are Blessed<div class="separator"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4HiyDhUIk03Pqmz3ZSkRE9_QPdkUWRHw4OQycL12W6a-Xdtn18e0v93TMnWXb4MMsgtLFI2yaIaay1NXWoIm8DOiA4wGdAonKqsh0B_TA0Zch_kUktaEkLgiG2gpUSrnCKaAqZ3Gu_qHjuWEO0rwDxKi-BToy7PswhHv2Zamnl2FDTzYBoLxoGQ=s1688" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1688" data-original-width="1298" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4HiyDhUIk03Pqmz3ZSkRE9_QPdkUWRHw4OQycL12W6a-Xdtn18e0v93TMnWXb4MMsgtLFI2yaIaay1NXWoIm8DOiA4wGdAonKqsh0B_TA0Zch_kUktaEkLgiG2gpUSrnCKaAqZ3Gu_qHjuWEO0rwDxKi-BToy7PswhHv2Zamnl2FDTzYBoLxoGQ=s320" width="246" /></a></div></blockquote><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Taught by the Pastor</b></span></div>The pastor can walk and talk students through the workbooks, asking questions and completing both the discussion questions and brief quizzes at the end of each lesson, which can be done orally or written. The workbook can be completed in as many sessions as the pastor deems necessary. Each child needs their own workbook. The final quiz is best given orally by the pastor to show confidence in understanding. After the final quiz the certificate at the end of the book can be signed with confidence that the student is ready for participation in the Lord’s Supper.<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Taught by the Parent</span></b><br />The pastor can have a parent walk and talk their child through the workbook, discussing the questions and checking the quizzes at the end of each lesson. Quizzes may be written or oral. They should also meet with the pastor either one family at a time, or all together once or twice to have questions answered or problems discussed, and understanding assessed; the number of meetings to be determined by the pastor. In this case either the child or both the parent and child could have a workbook or the parent can be given the leader’s book with answers. It can be very valuable for parents to have to work through the questions with their child as a refresher as well. In this case the pastor would give the final quiz (oral or written) and the certificate at the end of the book can be signed with confidence that the student is ready for participation in the Lord’s Supper (and the parents have had a great review as well).<div><a href="https://www.amazon.com/s?k=langhoff+arndt+the+feast+of+victory&crid=G0IHBY07QG17&sprefix=langhoff+arndt+the+feast+of+victory%2Caps%2C79&ref=nb_sb_noss" target="_blank">Both books are available on Amazon.</a></div><div><br /></div><div>I also created a parent packet which includes a letter introducing the option and questions parents can ask their children to assess whether or not their child is ready for early communion, as well as a description of the process. If you're interested in those document, feel free to contact me and I can email them to you. </div><div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Watch the video below to learn a little bit more about the workbook.</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/j0-uYJwDSEk" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div></div><br /></div>The Carpenter's Ministry Toolboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050805688204001598noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650537538546595543.post-28110822220709520422022-01-31T12:17:00.001-06:002022-01-31T12:17:29.058-06:00YOUTH: What's the purpose of a youth group?<p>Someone recently asked me, <b>"What's the purpose of a youth group?"</b> </p><p>People have been asking this for years, and the answer may seem obvious. A CHURCH youth group must include worship, prayer, Bible study or faith education, discipleship, and fellowship. After all, it's not a club. It's not just a place for kids to get together and "hang." Our main goal is that they grow in knowledge of God's word and that their faith grow and strengthen so that when they get out in the world they can confidently answer two questions: </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><ul><ul><li><b>What do you believe? </b></li><li><b>Why do you believe it?</b></li></ul></ul></ul><p></p><p>The challenge is to make it a place that teens want to be so that we can educate and challenge their faith in a way that encourages spiritual growth. This is why I spend so much time writing about knowing what's going on in the hearts and minds of kids. It helps us know how to equip and encourage them in the faith. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhX6RYZELdtdsRhqsimc5uYg43creYRKWy9dPdyxdID_Gvj5pijTw2pEEHAfBJfK8UMCYNKSRdV3E3zzMGM35cYC5Mx1i5jRN6F8Rdg6U2gG8DcQk8Zp7KLBfWpTvZLG9GXHh8bDSzW6p2IEg8vPTo5FUTJbiSYzL635jw2NIe-Z9GAzDYV3_zKuw=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhX6RYZELdtdsRhqsimc5uYg43creYRKWy9dPdyxdID_Gvj5pijTw2pEEHAfBJfK8UMCYNKSRdV3E3zzMGM35cYC5Mx1i5jRN6F8Rdg6U2gG8DcQk8Zp7KLBfWpTvZLG9GXHh8bDSzW6p2IEg8vPTo5FUTJbiSYzL635jw2NIe-Z9GAzDYV3_zKuw=s320" width="320" /></a></div><b>So, what's most important to teens?</b> The answer is much simpler than it is to make it happen. At that time of life everything is about belonging. Beginning in about 5th-6th grade kids develop a strong inner drive to belong to a group. They've got hormones raging around inside them pushing them, they're brain is heavier on emotion than reason, and how they see themselves is highly dependent on how their peers see them. Girls are looking for a best friend or a few best friends, and guys are looking for their "squad." A teenager's life is all about social connections, being with friends, and "hanging out." Given the chance they would not go to school. Not one of them gets up every morning excited to go to school and learn Algebra 2 or Biology, even though they may enjoy those classes. They get up excited to see their friends and hear the latest social information. They are social creatures. It's their basic need and it's a challenge to have an effect on someone whose basic needs aren't met. <div><p></p><p><b>A teenagers basic need is belonging. </b>They will choose the group that accepts them no matter what the values of that group are, so, one of my primary purposes is to provide that group where they can feel safe, valued, wanted, and connected; with Jesus at the center. What does this mean? It means that <b>your goals and their goals are different, and that's okay. </b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjISvLY_6V1PfQJpgddbMoVB-xqqkmctio_oLfPnd3z3FrNBth1JR3OP8DUi75RQsFnoqDWGXajlbF-V93B4D33TIR8nWppQgMSUTQbBDIBjpB6HNda2JAnhT6wZMQywnhfro2skRYVLiSEGqgVbPDJ5bMvjb7JilziBvW_EYBihjhddxPeVECYzA=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjISvLY_6V1PfQJpgddbMoVB-xqqkmctio_oLfPnd3z3FrNBth1JR3OP8DUi75RQsFnoqDWGXajlbF-V93B4D33TIR8nWppQgMSUTQbBDIBjpB6HNda2JAnhT6wZMQywnhfro2skRYVLiSEGqgVbPDJ5bMvjb7JilziBvW_EYBihjhddxPeVECYzA=s320" width="320" /></a></div>Knowing that teenagers' goals are social and focus on belonging (and knowing that an adult is not the best answer to that), we understand and work with it. Some people think that youth group should be fun over everything in order to keep them coming, but coming for what? This is not a social club. It's an intentional social club with the intent of Bible education and faith growth. In spite of what they want, we have a much broader and more important goal; looking toward their eternal life and not just this one. When they leave your church to go out into the big mean world, as Christians we want them to be confident in their faith because the world will eat away at any faith they have. <p></p><p>Honestly, ALL people want to feel they belong somewhere to a degree, but in the teen years it's very strong. So, what happens after high school? They continue to look for that group, but they're out in the world now. EVERY church near a college or university should keep that in mind. Create a ministry to connect your high school graduates to a Christian group if they leave town. That's why we need a men's ministry, a women's group, and opportunities for children and families to be encouraged and stay connected in the faith. Everyone wants to feel like they belong somewhere. Everyone needs to have someone they feel safe talking to about life issues. Everyone needs friends and it's hard to hug a computer. </p><p>For more about teaching the faith to teens in a way that touches on their social needs, see <i><a href="http://www.carpentersministrytoolbox.com/p/donate.html">The Art of Teaching the Faith</a></i>. </p><p><br /></p></div>The Carpenter's Ministry Toolboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050805688204001598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650537538546595543.post-27772928253620812922022-01-07T17:20:00.000-06:002022-01-07T17:20:01.002-06:00PODCAST: 3rd Graders - Ready? Set? Teach the Faith!<p> Introducing BIBLE INQUIRY!! If you know a parent or teacher who wants to know how to effectively teach the faith to 3rd graders? Here you go! Episode 9 of <i>To Cause to Learn: Effective Teaching in the Church. </i></p>
<iframe src="https://anchor.fm/to-cause-to-learn/embed" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>The Carpenter's Ministry Toolboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050805688204001598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650537538546595543.post-68293916791293855722021-12-02T09:38:00.002-06:002021-12-02T09:38:33.764-06:00CHRISTMAS: According to Kids<p> I just have to share this video!! If you don't love it... have some hot chocolate.</p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/suowe2czxcA" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>The Carpenter's Ministry Toolboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050805688204001598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650537538546595543.post-84346623168218443912021-11-11T20:27:00.000-06:002021-11-11T20:27:04.800-06:00PODCAST: The new Teaching the Faith Podcast<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg813CVuMUb728KaZrPwhf8KyIy5G4l7BitDpwREv_iIVAV1Plllru0B1z1LE86fH8D7jP0fjvGGgzb5w-vGYZGKRUZ0f88rBGteetDFR9IWgIJpHrLNNAsWAg7sgs6kg0pgAsTrnabg/s894/Cover+Art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="893" data-original-width="894" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg813CVuMUb728KaZrPwhf8KyIy5G4l7BitDpwREv_iIVAV1Plllru0B1z1LE86fH8D7jP0fjvGGgzb5w-vGYZGKRUZ0f88rBGteetDFR9IWgIJpHrLNNAsWAg7sgs6kg0pgAsTrnabg/s320/Cover+Art.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Hey all, I decided to start a podcast. It's called <i>To Cause to Learn: Effective Teaching in the Church</i> and it follows my book, <i>The Art of Teaching the Faith: Preschool through Adults.</i> I'm disappointed in the editing of the first edition so the second edition will be out in a couple of weeks. The podcast, however, is a lot of fun and full of information. You can find it on Spotify and on <a href="https://anchor.fm/to-cause-to-learn" target="_blank">Anchor using this link</a>, and on Google Podcasts. <p></p>So far, there are 7 episodes and number 8 will be out this weekend. The episodes are: <div><br /><div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Episode 1: Why be a great teacher of the faith?</h3>A lot of people think they're already good teachers and some think they're good enough. It's a lot of work to be a great teacher. Why be better? Friends, the faith or the Bible is the most important information we learn or teach.</div><div> <br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Episode 2: The Brain and Learning</h3>We know SO much about how the brain learns and changes as we grow. It's truly amazing and the more we know, the more it can help us be better teachers of the faith. What was it the Maya Angelou said? When we know better we should do better.</div><div> <br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Episode 3: Boys and Girls and Brain Development</h3>By the high school years this doesn't make much difference, but did you know that male and female brains mature at different rates and the areas mature in a different order? They catch up in or by high school, but it can sure make a difference with the young ones for us to know more about how each gender's brain develops.</div><div> <br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Episode 4: Narrative Stage: Preschool and Kindergarten</h3>The Narrative Stage in faith education is the years from preschool to second grade. They're the years when kids learn a lot from stories and this podcast talks about kids in preschool and kindergarten and shares information that would help both Sunday school teachers and parents teach the faith well to these adorable tots.<br /></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Episode 5: Narrative Stage: Fabulous First Graders!</h3><div>Oh, the first grade years. They're learning to read! How do we teach the faith to kids who love stories and are learning to read? How can we teach so that it's meaningful at this age? </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Episode 6: Narrative Stage: Let's Get Serious About Second-Graders</h3><div>There's a reason I separated first and second grade. There's a lot going on with young kids and they change a lot every year. Second-graders are different from first-graders. Yes, their skills are growing and they can read more fluently, but they also have a tendency to be more serious and thoughtful. How can we teach them the faith effectively?</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Episode 7: Narrative Stage: Storytelling! </h3><div>Yes, it's important to know the kids we're teaching, but it's also important to make Bible stories as interesting and meaningful as they are! How can we make Bible stories come alive for young kids when the Bible isn't written with detail and some of the concepts are challenging? Listen to this and find out. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Episode 8: Narrative Stage: Children's Messages </h3><div>Coming soon!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>The Carpenter's Ministry Toolboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050805688204001598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650537538546595543.post-40612634711414681892021-10-05T16:10:00.002-05:002021-10-05T16:24:16.158-05:00ADVENT: The Old Time Radio Show<p>Last year, thanks to Covid-19, we had to get creative about our Advent services. We didn't want to do a typical online service and wanted to include some drama. What did we come up with? I wrote an Old Time Radio Show called Journey to Christmas. <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JtrvhP7ZaiuX9DfpwL8r_bEglIMvH9Sp/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">(Get a sample of the script here.)</a> The plan was that the youth would come in to the sanctuary and record it live while the congregation tuned in at home and listened. There were a few times when kids ended up in quarantine so we had them "phone it in." When doing the live feed we used the slide below. We did not show the kids presenting the show because we didn't want to lose the illusion of radio. Also, nearly every parent who came to sit in the sanctuary said it was more fun listening at home. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibZu-7YM6d0lRGvGjw7Y8R3woEgKscU90wNYdG_mUwcrwt6wW4vMEaOrg_lU8EfDH7ocbLBUahvyqiU4mgyela0WlWHHc8vx5Fy7ZPiFAP8OURg0Enu7P_-gSi0D9GfeaXvsbLL630_g/s1500/Show+Presentation+Slide.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1162" data-original-width="1500" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibZu-7YM6d0lRGvGjw7Y8R3woEgKscU90wNYdG_mUwcrwt6wW4vMEaOrg_lU8EfDH7ocbLBUahvyqiU4mgyela0WlWHHc8vx5Fy7ZPiFAP8OURg0Enu7P_-gSi0D9GfeaXvsbLL630_g/s320/Show+Presentation+Slide.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />Christmas is not just about Jesus’ birth. It’s about the journey of salvation from the beginning of time to us today. Similar to the Sabbath, Advent is the time before we celebrate Christ’s birth for us to remember what the Lord did for His people throughout the Old Testament. We think about the question, why do we need a Savior?<br /><br />With both truth and humor,<br /><b>Episode 1</b> briefly tells the stories of Adam, Noah, Abraham, and Isaac;<br /><b>Episode 2</b> briefly tells the stories of Jacob, Joseph, and Moses;<br /><b>Episode 3</b> briefly tells the stories of Joshua, Saul, David, and Solomon; and<br /><b>Episode 4</b> is the story of Christ’s birth until the departure to Egypt. The last section contains the story of the Magi, which takes place some time after Jesus’ birth and in a house in Jerusalem.<br /><br />The script is written for an Old Time Radio Show because as a radio show it’s not necessary for players to wear costumes, props are not needed, and memorization is unnecessary, though familiarity with the script helps. The radio drama can be done in front of a congregation, but it’s much more authentic having them listen online or even in the sanctuary without watching the action. With a little tweaking the script can also be used as a regular in-person drama. <br /><br />Each Advent episode has three advertisements similar to those heard in old time radio shows. There is a list of characters and possible sound effects at the beginning of each episode as well as a list of electronic sounds and what we did for in-person sounds, which are much more fun than electronics. I found great sounds online for free at <a href="http://ZapSplat.com">ZapSplat.com</a>. <div><br /></div><div>In order to stream the show with good sound a microphone is needed at the sound table for all sounds made in person and should be used with the speaker on the PC. Keep in mind that it's not necessary for good sound in the sanctuary, but for all sound to come through balanced online or on the recording. It is wise to rehearse with only sounds before you add them to the dialogue and to have someone on the soundboard to adjust volume as needed. Both the pastor/narrator and God had their own microphones, we had two standing a distance apart for the kids to share, and one at the sound effects table. The sound effects table was in front of the sanctuary because watching the kids do the sounds is part of the fun for those in the sanctuary. It also helps if they have to jump up and read a part. The microphones were not facing the congregation as it made the kids more comfortable not to face them. The narrator for the ads was not the same person as the narrator for the show. </div><div><br /></div><div>You can purchase the script below and I'll email it to you. Wow, those Paypal buttons are huge. I hope they work...</div><div><br /><br /><br /></div>
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</script>The Carpenter's Ministry Toolboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050805688204001598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650537538546595543.post-1892233017620086442021-09-26T13:18:00.010-05:002021-09-26T14:03:05.005-05:00CONFIRMATION: Respond to a Meme or a Picture<div class="separator"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHOkgtg14r9oy5NY3VIgmi_7-cqReMLHevaZ7AuU-GcqBF8o70YSmkJYDP8Odm8pxWJw8oi8eRcZIfYQ_zv4TX-JcwC0sPfqDHSRiR5goqbK1xMhlgMS4ZUmKdbQWX2AzQZUHvBLwwyA/s251/10C+4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHOkgtg14r9oy5NY3VIgmi_7-cqReMLHevaZ7AuU-GcqBF8o70YSmkJYDP8Odm8pxWJw8oi8eRcZIfYQ_zv4TX-JcwC0sPfqDHSRiR5goqbK1xMhlgMS4ZUmKdbQWX2AzQZUHvBLwwyA/s251/10C+4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div></div></div><p>Below you'll find the memes included in THE ART OF TEACHING CONFIRMATION RESOURCES Leader's Guide for use for warm-ups. You can also search for images or memes in your browser. </p><p><b>Intro & Bible</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC-aGUllhBKUOadRpetTyU9-sUXAQtCVSKElu_A7iCwkHkdCX5HsGd6PxlfKk3j5z7apGxnUvgV1MmZT-T9_ejT0Yo0WaN_n5qY1VLgOAwSl0B0Gqw-giA7qpdh4kstqA_hWkp53oRcQ/s600/IB+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC-aGUllhBKUOadRpetTyU9-sUXAQtCVSKElu_A7iCwkHkdCX5HsGd6PxlfKk3j5z7apGxnUvgV1MmZT-T9_ejT0Yo0WaN_n5qY1VLgOAwSl0B0Gqw-giA7qpdh4kstqA_hWkp53oRcQ/w223-h223/IB+1.jpg" width="223" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt6xPhzPMESCiLuere0UilWT_Sea9WU74Q4Qfxf84qUeiSYkyUsjWJdD7t8sX4wryFwe1q3qu6Q5XFCzyI7ncbU-CSkikgRwQpMus4lUhAhXSciN0wJ3-i6KlGXbV5tX05j2Cw-To_xg/s582/IB+4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="582" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt6xPhzPMESCiLuere0UilWT_Sea9WU74Q4Qfxf84qUeiSYkyUsjWJdD7t8sX4wryFwe1q3qu6Q5XFCzyI7ncbU-CSkikgRwQpMus4lUhAhXSciN0wJ3-i6KlGXbV5tX05j2Cw-To_xg/w237-h224/IB+4.jpg" width="237" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIJvy8qawm9WnNuArEXAvVgOEvdDbJCVhfDajmXWq95c_3bwQfOhC9_uDJRskII1bwV_HaCFjTSJ63UQJKhbvrIUdJqU9oqViQjSrxZkOQu1sxgIEePTH2L2X8f_gvtxvvwVWE6RGqYg/s600/IB+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="600" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIJvy8qawm9WnNuArEXAvVgOEvdDbJCVhfDajmXWq95c_3bwQfOhC9_uDJRskII1bwV_HaCFjTSJ63UQJKhbvrIUdJqU9oqViQjSrxZkOQu1sxgIEePTH2L2X8f_gvtxvvwVWE6RGqYg/w221-h210/IB+2.jpg" width="221" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXMr_KU8aoJWd13tWd9y7FuyKdDWvxCxW-tC6vkz0E96wZfZ-PMwNBDWjgk5Up2yI3GS-GPdAYHj_Ugi6WwxOA4nlNwYNoTxI0bOOiUI84nzJCO3b-1A2cGp6aFKI1KpgTKfkBijujaQ/s600/IB+3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXMr_KU8aoJWd13tWd9y7FuyKdDWvxCxW-tC6vkz0E96wZfZ-PMwNBDWjgk5Up2yI3GS-GPdAYHj_Ugi6WwxOA4nlNwYNoTxI0bOOiUI84nzJCO3b-1A2cGp6aFKI1KpgTKfkBijujaQ/w227-h227/IB+3.jpg" width="227" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Ten Commandments</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="251" data-original-width="201" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHOkgtg14r9oy5NY3VIgmi_7-cqReMLHevaZ7AuU-GcqBF8o70YSmkJYDP8Odm8pxWJw8oi8eRcZIfYQ_zv4TX-JcwC0sPfqDHSRiR5goqbK1xMhlgMS4ZUmKdbQWX2AzQZUHvBLwwyA/w160-h200/10C+4.jpg" width="160" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy0FYUy9eHj9fsvkfNMKPB_xotB6xC13HllBr_p43m4cLX_qSwfqIdXClHuZI71fUeCefYYj4BuNwJHllDJUCLNTA8M8otuXw0pvT6u44WJFlUr0su9bNE-tsZ-4DLkBQx2eAH49qpNA/s560/10C+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="560" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy0FYUy9eHj9fsvkfNMKPB_xotB6xC13HllBr_p43m4cLX_qSwfqIdXClHuZI71fUeCefYYj4BuNwJHllDJUCLNTA8M8otuXw0pvT6u44WJFlUr0su9bNE-tsZ-4DLkBQx2eAH49qpNA/w307-h205/10C+2.jpg" width="307" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG4srJPumYAhKEhyNLvcKo10KJHRozLPqbE9X1Ld8FnWckgbeh_c6EiaslDyJyMwhotNUGX3J6ybI5Rdw5xYhNt-46NApgyeJim9o05YHAHXcqniSdleoWzejkkNQxqQNC9XqdNL25_g/s610/10C+3.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="508" data-original-width="610" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG4srJPumYAhKEhyNLvcKo10KJHRozLPqbE9X1Ld8FnWckgbeh_c6EiaslDyJyMwhotNUGX3J6ybI5Rdw5xYhNt-46NApgyeJim9o05YHAHXcqniSdleoWzejkkNQxqQNC9XqdNL25_g/w232-h193/10C+3.jpg" width="232" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCK97kk4Mj-r9reeakEiQWpg093Vv_0-2cPeTCh63i9kwLL0N3E5J0BzzDwjqJhlNeX2RyYsERWWwSUQK2eEWYnVww9KyVvaYkJ-9R2Wc3tsIhCFhYmEBWtM8v85aAotlTkxjagmj5sg/s480/10C+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="480" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCK97kk4Mj-r9reeakEiQWpg093Vv_0-2cPeTCh63i9kwLL0N3E5J0BzzDwjqJhlNeX2RyYsERWWwSUQK2eEWYnVww9KyVvaYkJ-9R2Wc3tsIhCFhYmEBWtM8v85aAotlTkxjagmj5sg/w290-h206/10C+1.jpg" width="290" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEsc3_Jo7PBsFT5mSRGTbLosm3rHtvEBlJ9DCYA2-e0PKAyg1lKGDSO0AsIZ_7CjYgPaGDILEIKExa57xjraAO2-Qmj0fDHML8OcQplAOXu6p7-JJWrkgWdvhRB5uhuu2L_NLod8RCFA/s512/10C+5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="512" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEsc3_Jo7PBsFT5mSRGTbLosm3rHtvEBlJ9DCYA2-e0PKAyg1lKGDSO0AsIZ_7CjYgPaGDILEIKExa57xjraAO2-Qmj0fDHML8OcQplAOXu6p7-JJWrkgWdvhRB5uhuu2L_NLod8RCFA/w338-h190/10C+5.jpg" width="338" /></a></div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Lord's Prayer</b></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3u8w3B2KMU_DQK6N5SJPRfnT7MgytmKouLtD74qSSk90dtAT0446zJVJNUAEv_gMvNQsKMDvCGIRtAdMDYl2vksZ0TED32hcCEOgKUJmHpoNqUtcpd3gk31KcB3lp-Y57kuDcireVqw/s737/LP+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="476" data-original-width="737" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3u8w3B2KMU_DQK6N5SJPRfnT7MgytmKouLtD74qSSk90dtAT0446zJVJNUAEv_gMvNQsKMDvCGIRtAdMDYl2vksZ0TED32hcCEOgKUJmHpoNqUtcpd3gk31KcB3lp-Y57kuDcireVqw/w318-h206/LP+1.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI1zt-Z8eZuElwEVjnEjMcIgclM3PjSBHM5DOoe6FNZxUk5NTU8SvJuOa-afZocHOBhtgSOd4QNGeL4SIr1RPYrKo9hGy8l2ZcHDfn22kDFk7NdgaU27DDqsqnFFZjGPUYp11h8STxcg/s740/LP+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="494" data-original-width="740" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI1zt-Z8eZuElwEVjnEjMcIgclM3PjSBHM5DOoe6FNZxUk5NTU8SvJuOa-afZocHOBhtgSOd4QNGeL4SIr1RPYrKo9hGy8l2ZcHDfn22kDFk7NdgaU27DDqsqnFFZjGPUYp11h8STxcg/w321-h214/LP+2.jpg" width="321" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL7qufmYQUlfnFN7RnMGzO0Rr9BCy2GBxphfSfPsl0AzyEYLz-xAEC12NWIKKLbmELz6__aJDoOTbViJRE_RK21bXeYaFugZ9S_SrEoonjQdQkdqTnCloSSNXwnFk3Dtz55gSm82KLXQ/s960/LP+3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="575" data-original-width="960" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL7qufmYQUlfnFN7RnMGzO0Rr9BCy2GBxphfSfPsl0AzyEYLz-xAEC12NWIKKLbmELz6__aJDoOTbViJRE_RK21bXeYaFugZ9S_SrEoonjQdQkdqTnCloSSNXwnFk3Dtz55gSm82KLXQ/w319-h191/LP+3.jpg" width="319" /></a><br /></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfjSLyh209-yP8Bnx_aSQFgC1NtdoGvjC-gzT_6OkwpAqcWJFJYKiHLqqaIAn9gUhyphenhyphenFVIWPuKQZ6ZeUBTyNjwGHllBvheRUvKN1g7pow_4JiVpR4Vf5NuqsE1TCLOTD4uwiqiXUOs7Cg/s960/LP+4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="637" data-original-width="960" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfjSLyh209-yP8Bnx_aSQFgC1NtdoGvjC-gzT_6OkwpAqcWJFJYKiHLqqaIAn9gUhyphenhyphenFVIWPuKQZ6ZeUBTyNjwGHllBvheRUvKN1g7pow_4JiVpR4Vf5NuqsE1TCLOTD4uwiqiXUOs7Cg/w331-h219/LP+4.jpg" width="331" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3JEeq9A4dUQkG_824tCN6y9AGBk267yCRLh-ayOE0a_kkrh1tAfeyPe-yaILbWeLhm-h2z-PIPh3s62SOi8XjXtEDkeinldmEme5BrWM9eTLDuuM_h3uxfk8Hr-pb5oi3V71_q3VLHQ/s960/LP+5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="692" data-original-width="960" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3JEeq9A4dUQkG_824tCN6y9AGBk267yCRLh-ayOE0a_kkrh1tAfeyPe-yaILbWeLhm-h2z-PIPh3s62SOi8XjXtEDkeinldmEme5BrWM9eTLDuuM_h3uxfk8Hr-pb5oi3V71_q3VLHQ/w330-h238/LP+5.jpg" width="330" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Confession and Forgiveness</b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirBAlAhyphenhypheniRPCyU8KllVD-xcoCQWvSKzQmkZ7p7GMrvBlYXzJGy2UhbzVI0GeNQeH3ab6JMZeCozg6m6ZY8I7DHsAdS1CPk62gwZf3Dcn49oNQrIsY67fWH6kKJEu2LnxpeQDs4M-UOJw/s631/CONF+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="631" data-original-width="617" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirBAlAhyphenhypheniRPCyU8KllVD-xcoCQWvSKzQmkZ7p7GMrvBlYXzJGy2UhbzVI0GeNQeH3ab6JMZeCozg6m6ZY8I7DHsAdS1CPk62gwZf3Dcn49oNQrIsY67fWH6kKJEu2LnxpeQDs4M-UOJw/w241-h247/CONF+1.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik9231PEr5hFZCm3i-wPi_Yc-Rt_MaG_bZm0gKNHKpWYcSlbTu_qK85TN1mASs07NDYrXJE82gjFTA_BXVA92lnyGwey-r1QA0GoqX8zoz58PME1vQHM5_jFbqPK4BZgGmneTRKfkAyA/s268/CONF+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="188" data-original-width="268" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik9231PEr5hFZCm3i-wPi_Yc-Rt_MaG_bZm0gKNHKpWYcSlbTu_qK85TN1mASs07NDYrXJE82gjFTA_BXVA92lnyGwey-r1QA0GoqX8zoz58PME1vQHM5_jFbqPK4BZgGmneTRKfkAyA/w311-h218/CONF+2.jpg" width="311" /><o:p></o:p></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5N2S4txX64YUGYIIOSRwpa6iVYIYBNSxBiMix23QwEirQfg8OGvM2d1EnbcapTiyASt9x3-Q241zfrETg6R8Pvnm4dXVhdM-SIMPOPSpeXt80zNSNlxNw5H671vvGhqqTh9LmPzbkaQ/s567/CONF+3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="567" data-original-width="567" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5N2S4txX64YUGYIIOSRwpa6iVYIYBNSxBiMix23QwEirQfg8OGvM2d1EnbcapTiyASt9x3-Q241zfrETg6R8Pvnm4dXVhdM-SIMPOPSpeXt80zNSNlxNw5H671vvGhqqTh9LmPzbkaQ/w263-h263/CONF+3.png" width="263" /></a> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-nLRrJlcDWTyVG-2CQam1jZFARxePs-ZY-xYQ4Kv4WvKwmzkRbdq3YnUWqsAKz8Gg1jj7Mu9jbwD3YgGokOitDafIg_cCXMc3SUWWBL26HsH7FDaSPS-JOilAXuwMLsUCJaSn1rnpYg/s789/CONF+4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="789" data-original-width="600" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-nLRrJlcDWTyVG-2CQam1jZFARxePs-ZY-xYQ4Kv4WvKwmzkRbdq3YnUWqsAKz8Gg1jj7Mu9jbwD3YgGokOitDafIg_cCXMc3SUWWBL26HsH7FDaSPS-JOilAXuwMLsUCJaSn1rnpYg/w190-h250/CONF+4.jpg" width="190" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggzeHxCv89WWV6quv4tBD3HKVWXgjS2NQNmB1D4NoQTd16opn2a9tCJ1Ch1Od6CRLtAYybbgSzyDJeqPk1FTE4HkPKniv4O3MRFuPThE3ylOxN5o4l1sY0bfyg6ANL9fUDihMN_Winmg/s960/CONF+7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="922" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggzeHxCv89WWV6quv4tBD3HKVWXgjS2NQNmB1D4NoQTd16opn2a9tCJ1Ch1Od6CRLtAYybbgSzyDJeqPk1FTE4HkPKniv4O3MRFuPThE3ylOxN5o4l1sY0bfyg6ANL9fUDihMN_Winmg/w250-h261/CONF+7.jpg" width="250" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXzKsSxMURx5OkQVBMhNiHqSXhk1AQWezG2saSbIB0g144bU1pa1HqS25BzIf_nAQdbt1ctfyu0zFsA0qLF8HZHYQUapI8IlCHXcpipaPrgoefZkhhLVfFBhQPo3xZQLlzmpSiwMQg0w/s474/CONF+6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="474" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXzKsSxMURx5OkQVBMhNiHqSXhk1AQWezG2saSbIB0g144bU1pa1HqS25BzIf_nAQdbt1ctfyu0zFsA0qLF8HZHYQUapI8IlCHXcpipaPrgoefZkhhLVfFBhQPo3xZQLlzmpSiwMQg0w/w239-h236/CONF+6.jpg" width="239" /></a> </div><p></p></div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif4MvUbT8Wq2pPIf30v354hMsnxqf_0QJ_XTzfDOgDRMQROS0QgXO8_ECWgyL18XvxjIfSbgCBN7JeY9NBFWXRj1HGVtR5R6QOQWSuy64SDtnL-TASwxZcnvKHdmqbIWk8tKQLvyeOyw/s960/CONF+8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif4MvUbT8Wq2pPIf30v354hMsnxqf_0QJ_XTzfDOgDRMQROS0QgXO8_ECWgyL18XvxjIfSbgCBN7JeY9NBFWXRj1HGVtR5R6QOQWSuy64SDtnL-TASwxZcnvKHdmqbIWk8tKQLvyeOyw/w358-h238/CONF+8.jpg" width="358" /></a></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcA5ELfPwU4efAdTvEKHCL0vLGfCA_CLu3oumcllOfNIasZ_-Qiuvo6TQc6XuhIR3FMgOqLQsw6zXv50sH-l6FwubvCk6DyDzriSnOgh5u1EgKSZyJ6wrUiKgu1VpAtQJJaKIYvRSaNQ/s720/CONF+5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="402" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcA5ELfPwU4efAdTvEKHCL0vLGfCA_CLu3oumcllOfNIasZ_-Qiuvo6TQc6XuhIR3FMgOqLQsw6zXv50sH-l6FwubvCk6DyDzriSnOgh5u1EgKSZyJ6wrUiKgu1VpAtQJJaKIYvRSaNQ/s320/CONF+5.jpg" width="179" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><p></p>The Carpenter's Ministry Toolboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050805688204001598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650537538546595543.post-14175259285026397762021-08-02T19:15:00.012-05:002021-08-04T20:42:41.231-05:00CONFIRMATION: The Art of Teaching Confirmation RESOURCES<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"><b>THE ART OF TEACHING CONFIRMATION RESOURCES</b></span></p><p>It's available now! I just released the leader's guide for pastors and other confirmation educators on Amazon. The REPRODUCIBLE student workbook is available under the <a href="http://www.carpentersministrytoolbox.com/p/donate.html" target="_blank">BOOKS</a> tab on is website. In this leader's guide you will find warm-ups, notes pages, learning activities, and cool-downs for Luther's Small Catechism. This is NOT a curriculum, but a variety of resources that can be used to supplement any curriculum you use. Find a sample of the 10 Commandments unit <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/197B9k8_0j5v30CFtAVCzrWEADb6HPXhN/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09BGF93RQ/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=langhoff+confirmation&qid=1627948792&sr=8-5" target="_blank">Find the leader's guide on Amazon this month only (Aug. 2021) for $24.99! </a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSfGVIbugxBQpsdPhnuXByhB2qgqUtQ80gTFpZIg4rmYzbZvG2U7f1bSdXrcg65jYYhP1IIDPMp8wd9q0xi_grZARdSPVNLLZk8ITFNQWnTsZJTEZCHQXbK4nJnJVoKnqKVWeDTloYbw/s1688/Cover+Art+Leader.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1688" data-original-width="1339" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSfGVIbugxBQpsdPhnuXByhB2qgqUtQ80gTFpZIg4rmYzbZvG2U7f1bSdXrcg65jYYhP1IIDPMp8wd9q0xi_grZARdSPVNLLZk8ITFNQWnTsZJTEZCHQXbK4nJnJVoKnqKVWeDTloYbw/s320/Cover+Art+Leader.jpg" width="254" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>The Carpenter's Ministry Toolboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050805688204001598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650537538546595543.post-7317975866582472472021-03-19T12:58:00.003-05:002021-03-19T12:58:56.348-05:00EDUCATION: The Art of Teaching the Faith<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbLJbe979HRMuP6HiwYpGEXqQuL5j2MoIEiSPaGsEDCmjMBbn6r9yNp_EAi9gQNzSLDvFUtXIe8UX-1cPle8K62bBfXwhxGZ-b1J-KOe4-Ir04wpt6JKxs5ub98DyFBFmeKtDeb66a8Q/s1407/Teaching+Faith+Cover+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1407" data-original-width="1006" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbLJbe979HRMuP6HiwYpGEXqQuL5j2MoIEiSPaGsEDCmjMBbn6r9yNp_EAi9gQNzSLDvFUtXIe8UX-1cPle8K62bBfXwhxGZ-b1J-KOe4-Ir04wpt6JKxs5ub98DyFBFmeKtDeb66a8Q/s320/Teaching+Faith+Cover+front.jpg" /></a></div><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08Y4LD28K?pf_rd_r=7HCWDJ2YHDF1YWFRSKWK&pf_rd_p=5ae2c7f8-e0c6-4f35-9071-dc3240e894a8&pd_rd_r=f34c07d0-c1a2-4e92-ac64-556dd03689ed&pd_rd_w=l0esl&pd_rd_wg=u7137&ref_=pd_gw_unk" target="_blank">The Art of Teaching the Faith</a> </b>introduces the stages of faith
education and the concept of Bible Inquiry. Knowing how to teach effectively at
every stage of life and development is key to having deeper understanding. How
do we teach the faith to kids who are in the Narrative Stage? What is different
about how they learn in the Knowledge or Understanding Stage? What about
adults? Do they learn best through lecture? If so, how do we lecture in a way
that engages them?</div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">What is Bible Inquiry and how do we
get students of all ages to want to know more about God’s word? How do we
encourage curiosity and questions? Find insight, support, and encouragement for
teaching and training volunteer teachers
to share the Bible with young children, teenagers, and adults; teaching
them to interact with what they read in the Bible in a more meaningful way in
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08Y4LD28K?pf_rd_r=7HCWDJ2YHDF1YWFRSKWK&pf_rd_p=5ae2c7f8-e0c6-4f35-9071-dc3240e894a8&pd_rd_r=f34c07d0-c1a2-4e92-ac64-556dd03689ed&pd_rd_w=l0esl&pd_rd_wg=u7137&ref_=pd_gw_unk" target="_blank">The Art of Teaching the Faith</a>. Available for a short time for $13.99 on Amazon.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">- - - - - - - - - - </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">I am so proud of this book! My passion in life is to help people teach the faith better. Why? Do we really need to teach better? My youth think I'm a good teacher. My pastor thinks he's a good teacher. What does good teaching look like? Good teaching is a class that asks questions and participates in their learning experience. It's not about fun activities or how funny the teacher is; it's about active minds. How do we do that? With BIBLE INQUIRY -- It's about the questions asked by leaders and participants and, believe it or not, how they're answered. Find out about that in this book! Then ask for my workshop where we'll practice dynamic, effective teaching of the faith. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">Don't forget <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Art-Teaching-Confirmation-Laura-Langhoff/dp/0692247661/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=art+of+teaching+confirmation&qid=1616176415&s=books&sr=1-1" target="_blank">The Art of Teaching Confirmation</a>! It's geared to educating students in middle school. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfh6jlQkVPCkvvlqn5ysbhz9EwbfLDM_fng4JqEcjPhNo7qv0jBna5K6_vRkqqfhzDHac7TQjWqzCNsTsPMkyD80W62YGvSxxW0rt_cgEdUFD3s7Usf3gxpKgMYmDHyB8J_lKgbyg74w/s1410/Art+of+Conf+COVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1410" data-original-width="953" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfh6jlQkVPCkvvlqn5ysbhz9EwbfLDM_fng4JqEcjPhNo7qv0jBna5K6_vRkqqfhzDHac7TQjWqzCNsTsPMkyD80W62YGvSxxW0rt_cgEdUFD3s7Usf3gxpKgMYmDHyB8J_lKgbyg74w/s320/Art+of+Conf+COVER.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>The Carpenter's Ministry Toolboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050805688204001598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650537538546595543.post-81926144983613059152021-01-25T12:03:00.002-06:002021-01-25T12:10:09.863-06:00ADULTS & YOUTH: Mindful Prayer<p>It seems that life is getting more and more stressful and people are dealing with a lot of anxiety. I've found that my anxiety has risen over the past 5 years with the changes (or lack of needed changes) in politics, the pandemic, and the world's seeming addiction to social media that seems to easily trigger emotions. My blood pressure was rising. </p><p>It also seems that people have time for Yoga or meditation, but not for thoughtful prayer or reading of Scripture. If you ask your pastor, he will most likely tell you that Yoga and/or meditation are not a good idea and suggest you pray more, but many people will tell you that they do pray. They ask God to relieve their stress and fix their problems and the world. "God's not listening!" Yes, He is, but God likes to work on each of us from the inside out. He's not going to change the world to suit each one of us, but He does say, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 ESV) </p><p>To help myself, I developed this practice, have been doing it for the past few weeks and my blood pressure is going down so I'm passing it on. I call it <b>Mindful Prayer</b> and it's really about taking the time to slow down and speak to the Lord, who is always listening. It can be done in the morning to begin your day or anytime throughout the day if you feel stress.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTl0bwJlLwrEKAAzpJt7HaeiQ4q0xZkf8cSJbdWj3u0-5w0rBwzaD8isBm1IzxEgnzH47oQkUu1AOVbOzYX8UQesFTAu-DDh5bP5JrJTSTny1PaO34xKUodyG_SpwwaR1nAdIyLA2fdw/s1328/Sleep+Well.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="501" data-original-width="1328" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTl0bwJlLwrEKAAzpJt7HaeiQ4q0xZkf8cSJbdWj3u0-5w0rBwzaD8isBm1IzxEgnzH47oQkUu1AOVbOzYX8UQesFTAu-DDh5bP5JrJTSTny1PaO34xKUodyG_SpwwaR1nAdIyLA2fdw/w400-h151/Sleep+Well.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Here's how <b>Mindful Prayer</b> works:<div> <br /><h4 style="text-align: left;">Before You Begin</h4><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Sit in a comfortable straight backed chair. Don't cross your legs.</li><li>Take a deep breath (in through the nose and out through the mouth) and slowly let it out. Take another. Just doing that you'll feel yourself starting to relax.</li><li>Give yourself permission to take this time to be with the Lord. The kids are fine, your spouse is fine, and you are fine.</li></ul><h4 style="text-align: left;">Release Your Anxiety</h4><ul><li>Sometimes when we're under stress we don't take full breaths. As you breathe, breathe deeply and slowly. Paying attention to your breathing helps your body relax. Inhale, hold, exhale. Relax your body from your feet up. </li><li>Think about where you’re holding stress in your body. I hold stress in my shoulders. Try to loosen that area.</li><li>When we have stress or anxiety it’s often due to a feeling of being out of control. We feel a loss of the ability to control what's going on around us. Our two greatest stressors right now are the leadership of our country and the pandemic which have a great effect on our family or personal life. Remind yourself that God is in control. Say it out loud. "Lord, I know you are with me and will never leave me. Thank you for your constant love. You are in control. </li><li>Think about each thing in your life that gives you stress and give it to God. For each thing say (sometimes it helps to say it out loud): </li></ul><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;">“Lord, I’m feeling anxiety/overwhelmed/stress about __________________. I worry about this because _______________. Forgive me, Lord, for not trusting you. I give it to you now. Send your Spirit to increase my faith and bring me Your peace. Thy will be done.”</blockquote></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: white;">fs</span></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">Focus on the Word</h4></div><div>Spend some time focusing on the Word. Start a program to read the Bible in a year or choose a book and read a chapter a day. Bible Gateway has somebody who will read the section to you whether it’s a few verses or whole chapters. <div style="text-align: left;"><ul><li>While you listen, keep breathing, focus on what’s being said and don’t allow anxiety to enter your body. If your mind wanders, bring it back. </li><li>Pray: “Open my heart to your Word, Lord. Show me what you want me to learn about You and myself.” </li><li>Close your eyes and <b>listen to the reading. </b></li><li>After the reading, pray about what you’ve heard and learned. Pray for yourself and others. </li><li>Thank the Lord for this time with Him. Amen. </li><li>Notice how calm and relaxed you feel! Do this multiple times a week and you'll notice long-term changes in your outlook toward life and the stress of life will lessen. The WORD OF GOD IS POWERFUL to relieve anxiety.</li></ul>Here is a <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/12ROlx-yvAi9qcrSr1IPkymGAphorN4Nf/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">downloadable reminder of the steps</a> above. I keep mine near the chair I sit in every morning to do this. Here is also a <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Z02ZnxwcIykiGrecF2IyuxAI1eCFzDR2/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">prayer card</a> that can help you focus your prayers. </div></div>The Carpenter's Ministry Toolboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050805688204001598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650537538546595543.post-89397936642569679812020-10-20T12:18:00.000-05:002020-10-20T12:18:18.724-05:00CHRISTMAS: In a Covid World<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4hcxkA4fxfeP34G7x4J55XA_aDNcRx7kNt611dHpvNN5L_vkQYl50rf-IsvG6kWjmren4Hx-d5Bg9HIuaC0t7HFKEWpjVI3uboZc6YLyrLBb83MinU7vmKGeAg_Xzvh8WbdyjxwNNBg/s1920/village-nativity-586794_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4hcxkA4fxfeP34G7x4J55XA_aDNcRx7kNt611dHpvNN5L_vkQYl50rf-IsvG6kWjmren4Hx-d5Bg9HIuaC0t7HFKEWpjVI3uboZc6YLyrLBb83MinU7vmKGeAg_Xzvh8WbdyjxwNNBg/s320/village-nativity-586794_1920.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Christmas services are usually our most attended services of the year, especially those that involve the children. In this time of Covid, people keep asking what others are planning this year. We certainly want it to be as special and a celebration of the birth of our Lord. Here are a few options that I've come up with. <p></p><p><b>Christmas by the Children</b></p>With technology today it is super easy to take pictures of the children in costumes at home, and just as easy to do video. Give each child a part and have them say it in costume at home. Depending on how many children there are each can have their own part. You can also do a Zoom choir of them singing Christmas songs. <div><br /></div><div>A really great idea (at least to me) is to have parents take a video of their kids telling the Christmas story. </div><div><br /></div><div><div>Another option: If you'd like to create a special gift for parents, take a few moments to ask kids questions about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and various people or situations in the Bible such as the birth of Christ and compile their answers into a book to give parents for Christmas or as an "end of the year" gift. What a beautiful snapshot of what their kids believe at that moment! Remember not to change any of their answers to make them more entertaining or more humorous. That is not the point. They need to be authentic and you might be surprised at the depth of some of the answers!</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtm7azqoqk3ow8tASluQlgD1j4d0cIUKzUwnEjn4sCk5iwzGtV9pVRdb2Q3Jk9ZaqN2hLEuM30wS2mZWUWHReusJK2kgQbWyoWfxV0or4GvTZyDL94MtgkibohPjJDGIROJNhHKVqwrA/s1504/What+kids+say+about.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1129" data-original-width="1504" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtm7azqoqk3ow8tASluQlgD1j4d0cIUKzUwnEjn4sCk5iwzGtV9pVRdb2Q3Jk9ZaqN2hLEuM30wS2mZWUWHReusJK2kgQbWyoWfxV0or4GvTZyDL94MtgkibohPjJDGIROJNhHKVqwrA/w320-h240/What+kids+say+about.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div>Here's a simple sample of what a page in a book might look like but I am positive there are many creative scrapbook loving women in the congregation who would love to help put something like this together.<br /><br /><b>Christmas on the Road</b></div><div><br /></div><div>One year we created the story of Christmas by lining up different places to take photo/video of the kids in costume around the county. We took pics of kids on donkeys, in the country walking on a donkey, shepherds with sheep, in a stable, in a wild garden (arboretum), as angels against the sky, and anything else we could think of to get the kids involved. We even found a place that wasn't too far away that had camels for the wisemen! If there was a scene we couldn't figure out we had the kids create drawings. </div><div><br /></div><div>A lot of organization is required for this one, especially on photo shoot day. That's the day when everyone goes to take their photos/videos. Places need to be researched and appointments made, maps and/or directions need to be printed, costumes need to be picked up, etc. </div><div><br /></div><div>It was unusual, but so much fun! <br /><p><b>The Old Time Radio Christmas</b></p><p>This year we're doing an Old Time Radio Christmas. I'm writing the script right now and the youth are really excited. The one thing I didn't think about is that they had no idea what an old time radio show was. They hadn't seen anything like it. The reason I'm doing this is so that we don't have to worry about staging, costumes, or memorization and we can get away with fewer rehearsals. Not to mention that many boys have volunteered and are really excited about doing the sound effects. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Have fun and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!</span></b></p></div></div>The Carpenter's Ministry Toolboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050805688204001598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650537538546595543.post-10996156120989641662020-09-25T12:36:00.001-05:002020-09-25T12:36:31.525-05:00YOUTH: Geocaching Prayer Adventure<div class="separator"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDoOAD18hTXZgY6_PijxJVnSdao3mlwYTSym8EFGqD0ukmF2q7KHybaGgBVgKH0fmG2joylIF7k6jFEez5GTT-Zqq0V7Fd0hRSSjXzOdJsmfHsyVqSoJPcD70J6sHjHSnywTWi0KaUA/s830/Bible+Verse+Card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="830" data-original-width="646" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDoOAD18hTXZgY6_PijxJVnSdao3mlwYTSym8EFGqD0ukmF2q7KHybaGgBVgKH0fmG2joylIF7k6jFEez5GTT-Zqq0V7Fd0hRSSjXzOdJsmfHsyVqSoJPcD70J6sHjHSnywTWi0KaUA/s320/Bible+Verse+Card.jpg" /></a></div>A couple of years ago I wrote a Prayer Hike for the Environmental Learning Program at Camp Omega in Waterville, MN. Campers were given a map and were to hike to designated places. At that place they would find a Bible verse, an activity, and a prayer. ELP students were given a journal and part of the experience included questions which required a response. Ever since then I've tried to figure out how to provide the same experience for the youth and families at my small church in my small town. There aren't enough contemplative areas nearby to do a meaningful hike. Then a college friend told me she started geocaching and BINGO! An idea was born. What about a Geocaching Prayer Adventure in the time of Covid?<div><br /></div><div>Geocaching is simply using your phone and coordinates to find a cache that's been hidden. It can be posted on your church website or the information can be picked up at the church. <div><div><br /></div><div>Here's how to do it: </div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn8EFOi79WuPFXjttp3GoZdDanHuoLzlnv6P8lBs_f3M46jCA7BF4yMWWBbElBOiIKQ-M6fGcewpymYZQddxg58VdcCdmjENTLr3YyP0I3VaqFvenEbaLNmfPmRdafoIWbOAVvpoBxXQ/s830/Prayer+Card+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="830" data-original-width="643" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn8EFOi79WuPFXjttp3GoZdDanHuoLzlnv6P8lBs_f3M46jCA7BF4yMWWBbElBOiIKQ-M6fGcewpymYZQddxg58VdcCdmjENTLr3YyP0I3VaqFvenEbaLNmfPmRdafoIWbOAVvpoBxXQ/s320/Prayer+Card+2.jpg" /></a><li><b>Choose your locations</b> carefully. If you're going to use private property make sure you get permission to do so. Do not use transportation hubs as unmarked packages may be considered dangerous and destroyed.</li><li><b>Choose your container</b> carefully. Make sure the lid won't pop off easily if an animal plays with it. Also, make sure it's big enough for everything you need to put in it. Choose a color that helps the container blend in with its surroundings. Don't make them so small that nobody can find them.</li><li><b>Create your cache.</b> Most cache's contain a log book (small notebook), geocaching congratulatory note with directions (<a href="https://www.geocaching.com/play/hide/en-us/small-note" target="_blank">sample note</a>), pen/pencil, and perhaps a small trinket to swap. Place items that can be ruined by moisture in a ziplock bag inside the container. Label the outside of the container so that those not participating know not to pick it up and take it with them or throw it away. </li><li><b>Sample cache. </b>First stop on list (does not have to be done first): </li><ol><li><b>Bible verse card.</b> (read aloud) What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my
mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind
also. 1 Corinthians 14:15 ESV </li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Activity. </b>SHARE with your group one thing you do or will do to praise and thank God
each morning. Together shout, THANK YOU GOD! <br />
JOURNAL (write/answer): How do you think starting your day with a simple prayer thanking and praising God for what He does for you each day will change your day? </span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Prayer card.</b> </span>Dear God, we love you and praise you for everything you have done and
continue to do for us even though we do not deserve it. We ask that you guide
us this night and bring us closer to you for the sake of your son, Jesus
Christ, Amen. </li><li><b>Sticker</b>. Add the sticker to your passport/journal. </li><li><b>Log your name</b>(s) in the log book for the leader to retrieve later. </li></ol><li><b>Camouflage your cache</b> by using camouflage containers or finding a way to color it so that it blends in with the area in which it will hide. Don't make them too easy for people to find. It ruins the fun and challenge. </li><li><b>Write down the coordinates!</b> If this is a short-term bit of fun (give your group a couple of weeks to find all your caches) keep a chart or table with written directions of where it is hidden so you can easily retrieve it. </li><li><b>Participants will need to carry</b> a few things with them in a tote bag or backpack: cell phone with a map app or gps locator, water bottle, writing utensil, prayer journal (pick up at church). </li></ol><div>ENJOY!!</div></div></div></div>The Carpenter's Ministry Toolboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050805688204001598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650537538546595543.post-11938319484885875812020-09-14T11:25:00.002-05:002020-09-14T11:25:31.102-05:00FAMILY: Tea Time with Jesus<div class="separator"><p style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOFk4-l-8699_5csB7mpsWtFoaehoJbAj2lZnlt1uNMTmRnXb8O4H31WF2mKBXqp3_iHIDunpxkMc26Wx30zcwShzkVJ4LBENkU9-Al4mWvqEHWgQ4Cw44AsYExpFAm0bh2XPSCISXLg/s1920/girl-tea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1275" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOFk4-l-8699_5csB7mpsWtFoaehoJbAj2lZnlt1uNMTmRnXb8O4H31WF2mKBXqp3_iHIDunpxkMc26Wx30zcwShzkVJ4LBENkU9-Al4mWvqEHWgQ4Cw44AsYExpFAm0bh2XPSCISXLg/s320/girl-tea.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>My niece decided to homeschool her 3 young girls this year instead of have them do online learning. It's a brave choice and a lot of work. To introduce them to poetry she started having Tea Time with Poetry once a week. What a great idea!! It made me think, what about <i><b>Tea Time with Jesus</b></i>? What if, once a week or even once a month Moms sat down with their girls and had Tea Time with Jesus? They could take time to connect (What's God doing in your life?), read scripture, talk about it, pray, and Mom could share her faith. They could go to a coffee shop, meet with a family friends or extended family members and talk about life and Jesus while drinking tea and eating biscuits or something. If you can't do it weekly, make it a special monthly event that they never want to miss. It'll strengthen their faith and their relationships. Moms will find that their girls are more calm and face life with greater courage and confidence.<br /><br /><b>What about the boys? </b>Boys need time with their dads to learn how to be strong, faith-filled, God-fearing men who have a strong desire to lead their family. They could do tea time too, but they can also go out for burgers or a beverage of their choice. <i><b>Call it Food and Faith</b></i> or something more clever. They too can pray, talk about where God is in their lives, read scripture and talk about it. <br /><br />Your older kids may be resistant at first, but if you're firm and keep going, don't let them make excuses and let them off the hook, it'll be one of the things they'll talk about their whole adult lives. Know that God will work in their hearts if you don't give up. <br /><br /><b>What if you don't have kids?</b> Treat yourself! Choose a quiet place where you can sit down and talk to God with a hot cup of tea, iced tea, or another beverage of your choice and a special treat that you only have during this time with God, reading His word. Reconnecting. Refocusing. Reminding yourself of your purpose. Reinvigorating your life. <p></p><p style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p></div>The Carpenter's Ministry Toolboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050805688204001598noreply@blogger.com0