Family Faith Formation
Family Faith Formation is an active process where families strive to live, grow, and work together in response to God’s presence, grace, and love. It is our hope that this topic will help you, your family, and the families you are in ministry with develop daily practices that help families connect to God and each other.
* denotes a United Methodist resource or resource with United Methodist origins.
General Resources
- Best Practices in Family Faith Formation by John Roberto – PDF document (pgs. 21-38)
- Books
- Family Faith Formation
- Facebook page
- Resource Page at Discipleship Ministries
- LEC (Life Enrichment Center) Family, part of the Florida UMC Annual Conference, has a variety of resources for family faith formation.
- Family Faith Formation – Cultivation – Part of a Family Faith Formation sermon series at First UMC Springdale, AR – Rev. Dr. Andrew Thompson preaching.
Advent
The season of Advent, which comes from the Latin word adventus meaning “coming” or “visit,” begins four Sundays before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve. Advent is the beginning of the liturgical year for Christians.
General Resources
- *Advent Preparation in Ministry With Children
- Advent Wreath Prayers for the Home
- An Easy Advent Song for Children
- The Living Advent Wreath; An Activity for Children
- Storypath Lectionary Links for Advent
- Use Your Creche Nativity: 5 Family-Friendly Ideas
Media
Christmas
Although we are accustomed to celebrating Christmas on a single day, in both Christian tradition and on the Church calendar, the Christmas season lasts sundown on December 24 (Christmas Eve) through Epiphany (January 6).
General Resources
- Blessing Your Christmas Tree
- *Celebrate the Season! 12 Ideas for the 12 Days of Christmas
- Storypath Lectionary Links for Christmas
Media
Epiphany
The Epiphany (Manifestation) of the Lord (January 6) is when we celebrate the coming of the three wise men (magi), who brought gifts to the Christ child.
General Resources
Lent
Lent, the period of 40 days before Easter (excluding Sundays), begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at sundown on Holy Saturday, the evening before Easter.
General Resources
- *2018 Family Study for Lent
- Ash Wednesday at Home: Fire and Ashes
- Celebrating Jesus Week
- *Coins for Lent
- Creating a Lenten Prayer Space at Home
- Destination Easter!: Lenten Programs & Practices for Youth (Amazon)
- Holy Week, The Cross and Children – How To Prepare
- *How Can Your Family Prepare for Easter?
- Intentionally Celebrating Lent and Easter As A Family
- *It’s Time for Fish Banks!
- *Lent 101
- *Lent for Kids – Focusing on God’s Time
- Lent in a Bag
- *Lenten Offering (from Pockets Magazine)
- *Lenten Prayer Calendar (from Pockets Magazine)
- *Lenten Prayer Exercises (from Pockets Magazine)
- *Live Lent
- *Making Ash Wednesday Accessible for Children
- *Observing Holy Week In the Home
- *Picture Lent
- *Serving Christ Through Sharing With Others
- Storypath Lectionary Links for Lent
- What’s In the Bible – How To Talk To Kids About Lent
40 Days of…
- 40 Acts – Do Lent Generously
- 40 Days of Lent Ideas for Kids (and Parents)
- 40+ Easter Books for Kids – Read A Book A Day
- 40 Notes – 40 Days
- Create An Easter Box – Observe the 40 Days of Lent with Children
Media
Easter
The Easter Season, also known as Eastertide or the Great Fifty Days, begins on Easter Day and ends on Pentecost.
General Resources
- *15 Outreach Ideas for Easter
- 40+ Easter Books for Kids – Read A Book A Day
- A Simple Easter Play (from Worshiping with Children)
- Beyond the Egg Hunt – Celebrating Easter Sunday
- Build a Better Easter Basket
- *Easter Activities for You and Your Child
- *Easter B (Children’s Sermon)
- *Easter C (Children’s Sermon)
- *Easter is Coming!
- How Can Your Family Prepare for Easter?
- *How Do I Explain Easter To My Child?
- Storypath Lectionary Links for Easter
- Worshiping with Children – Easter
Media
Pentecost
Pentecost is the day on which the Christian church commemorates the coming of the Holy Spirit upon people assembled in Jerusalem. It is celebrated 50 days after Easter and is often referred to as the “Birthday of the Church”.
General Resources
- Day of Pentecost and God’s Gift of the Spirit
- *Family Devotions and Observance of Pentecost
- It’s Pentecost – Let’s Party!
- Pentecost Ideas (from Flame Creative Children’s Ministry)
- *Pentecost – Spirit, Wind and Flame (Rotation Sunday School lesson set)
- Storypath Lectionary Links for Pentecost
- Sunday Software – Lesson Ideas for Pentecost (computer lab lessons)
- *Worship for Kids (children’s sermon ideas from Ministry Matters)
- *Windy Day Worship (good for tweens)
Media
- Acts of the Apostles: What is Pentecost? | What’s in the Bible?
- *Children’s Moment – Water and Spirit
- Mystery of Pentecost (Godly Play)
- Pentecost (dramatic reading of Scripture)
- *Pentecost – Chuck Knows Church
- Visual Bible – Book of Acts (from 7:06-10:57)
Commercial Resources
Other Special Days
Father’s Day
World Communion Sunday
Children’s Sabbath
- Children’s Sabbath Celebration (Children’s Defense Fund)