In Lifelong Faith: Formation for All Ages and Generations, John Roberto writes, “The family is the primary mechanism by which Christian identity becomes rooted in the lives of young people through the day-to-day religious practices of the family and the ways parents model their faith and share it in conversation, collaboration, and exposure to outside religious opportunities.”
Are your church’s formation offerings aligned with this conviction? What invitation does this offer you?
Answering these questions is urgent.
When the diocese talked to families while preparing a Lilly Endowment grant to help congregations cultivate intergenerational worship and formation, some parents and caregivers told us that their faith lives were on hold while they were raising young children. Others said they felt pressure to support their children’s walk with God – but worried they would do it wrong.
How might you support the families in your context, both nurturing their vocation as caregivers and offering practical tips for faith practices at home?
- Read about the role of families in faith formation. You might begin with Lifelong Faith or Handing Down the Faith: How Parents Pass Their Religion on to the Next Generation.
- Seek feedback from the families in your context. In a survey or hallway conversations or – better yet! — a fellowship gathering, ask parents and caregivers: How do you understand your role in supporting your children’s faith formation? What practices do you engage at home? What support, learning and prayer opportunities might we offer to help you?
- Get clear about your formation goals for children and their families. How do you hope children and their families will grow in their knowledge and love of God and follow Jesus more closely? Answering this will help you prioritize.
- Experiment, evaluate and experiment again. Try out an idea your families suggested. Afterward, seek feedback from participants: Did this offering achieve its purpose? How do you know? And how might we improve this idea next time? Reflect on what you’ve learned and try again.
- Wonder: How does what we’re learning affect our Sunday morning (or Wednesday evening or…) offerings with children?
