PART 2. REIMAGING FAITH FORMATION IN THE FIRST THIRD OF LIFE John Roberto

Big Adaptive Challenges Deeply Systemic Challenges  Formational: Intergenerational Religious Transmission  Missional: Diversity of Religious Practice & Engagement 

Key Concepts

21 st Century Faith Formation  Becoming intentionally intergenerational in church life and ministries  Developing a network- approach to age- group ministry using diverse methods targeted to specific groups and needs

Focusing  Nurture the 8 faith forming processes  Become intentionally intergenerational through church life and ministries  Connect church – home – community – online  Utilize a diversity of methods that blend online-digital and gathered-physical  Develop targeted strategies to address the four religious-spiritual profiles with specific audiences

Processes for Faith Formation

Missional Faith Formation Receptive to Organized Religion Resistant to Organized Religion Low Hunger & Commitment to Spiritual Life High Hunger & Commitment to Spiritual Life

Discipleship Pattern Approach #1 Catholic and Protestant since Reformation Believe – Behave – Belong Approach #2 (Re)Emerging in 21 st Century Belong – Behave – Believe

Intergenerational & Generational FF

At the Center: Intergenerational

Connected Faith Formation

Blended Faith Formation

Missional Faith Formation Receptive to Organized Religion Resistant to Organized Religion Low Hunger & Commitment to Spiritual Life High Hunger & Commitment to Spiritual Life

1. Who we are addressing or involving or reaching? 2. Ways we are currently responding/involving/reaching? 3. Ways we could respond/involve/reach more effectively? Missional Faith Formation

Processes for Faith Formation

ProcessAt ChurchAt HomeIn CommunityOnline Caring Relationships Church Year Feasts & Seasons Learning the Tradition Prayer & Spiritual Formation Reading the Bible Rituals & Milestones Service & Working for Justice Worship Planning Faith Formation

Intergenerational Heart & Soul

At the Center: Intergenerational

Intergenerational Faith Formation 1. Caring: Community building activities, storytelling, mentoring, social events 2. Celebrating: Intergenerational Sunday Worship, whole community sacramental celebrations, milestones celebrations, church year feasts and seasons 3. Learning: Structured IG learning programs (weekly, monthly, small group); incorporating IG learning into age group programming 4. Praying: IG prayer experiences, prayer partner, IG prayer groups, spiritual guides 5. Serving: IG service projects and mission trips (local, global), church-wide service day, monthly IG service, IG service nights at church

Caring Community Cultivating caring relationships across generations in the congregation and community, becoming a life- giving spiritual community of faith, hope, and love.  Intergenerational Caring Conversations  Intergenerational Community Building  Intergenerational Relationships in Existing Programs  Intergenerational Storytelling  Intergenerational Relationships through Mentoring

Celebrating Worshiping God together through Sunday worship, rituals, sacraments, and the liturgical seasons that involves all of the ages and generations.  Intergenerational Sunday Worship  Whole Community Sacramental Celebrations  Milestones throughout Life  Church Year Feasts & Seasons

Learning Engaging all ages and generations together in learning experiences that teach scripture and the Christian tradition, informing and forming disciples of all ages in Christian identity.  Intergenerational Learning (James White) 1. In-Common All Ages Experiences 2. Parallel Learning 3. Contributive Occasions 4. Interactive Sharing  Incorporating the Five Elements  Weekly, Bi-Weekly, and Monthly Models  Small Group & Large Group Models

Learning Incorporating Intergenerational Learning in Church Life  Age Group Programming  Sacramental and Milestone Celebrations  Church Year Feasts & Seasons  Vacation Bible School  Mission Trips & Service Projects  Retreat and Camp Experiences

Praying Nurturing the spiritual life of the whole community through the congregation’s prayer services, rituals, and blessings throughout the year.  Intergenerational Formation in Spiritual Practices  Intergenerational Prayer Stations  Intergenerational Prayer Partners & Spiritual Guides  Intergenerational Prayer Groups

Serving Involving all ages and generations in service and mission to the world, especially to the poor and vulnerable, and in the works of justice and advocacy.  Intergenerational Mission Trips  Churchwide Service Day  Intergenerational Monthly Project  Intergenerational Service Nights  Intergenerational Service Projects

Faith Formation Networks

Faith Formation Network

Network Programming  A wide variety of diverse faith formation experiences, programs, activities, and resources to match with people’s diverse needs and tailored to their busy lives.  Multiple ways to learn and grow  Online/virtual & Gathered/physical  Mobile - available anytime & anywhere 24x7x365

Families in the First Decade of Life

Families with Children Faith Formation Network

Family Faith Formation Network

Youth Faith Formation Network

Youth Network

Young Adult Faith Formation Network

Adult Faith Formation Network

Adult Faith Formation Network

Adult Faith Formation Network

Developing Network Programming Current Activities & Programs New Activities & Programs

Three Seasons of Programming Fall Season: September 1 – January 1 Winter/Spring Season: January 1 – May 1 Summer Season: May 1 – September 1

Digital Platform Other Platforms

Blended Faith Formation

Gathered + Online Components You can extend....  Sunday worship  Church year feasts and seasons  Sacrament and ritual celebrations  Children, teen, or family programming  VBS and summer camp  Mission trips and service projects  Retreat experiences.... and more

Extending Worship & Rituals Church Life  Daily & Home Life  Online Life Experience of Worship in the Congregation Sunday worship and lectionary Church year feasts and seasons Church rituals: baptism, communion, funerals, etc. Experience of Sunday worship, rituals, and church year seasons in daily life Reflecting on the sermon and readings at home Practices: Lectio, etc. Application to daily living Online worship, church year, and lectionary resources on the church’s faith formation website Lectionary commentaries online Video reflections and commentary Online activities and projects

Example: Sunday Worship

Extending a Church Season Church Life  Daily & Home Life  Online Life Ash Wednesday Lenten Sunday liturgies Stations of the Cross Lenten prayer Lenten retreat Lenten service Lenten soup suppers Fasting Praying Service/Almsgiving Lectionary reflection Family activities Lenten learning resources Lenten calendar Daily Lenten prayer Weekly table prayer Video resources Online retreat experience

Online & Gathered Programming Flipped Classroom

Blended Faith Formation

Personalized Faith Formation

Personalized pathways for discipleship & faith growth....  Guide people in discerning their religious and spiritual needs  Equip people with the resources and tools to learn and grow at their own pace  Provide mentoring and support for the journey Personalized Faith Formation

Create expectations for participation in faith formation and church life by providing a seasonal/yearly growth plan with a variety of options for experiencing the Christian faith through community life. For example:  Sunday worship  Church year feasts and seasons  Service/mission projects  Retreat experience  Faith home, e.g. reading the Bible, praying, rituals, and more Faith Growth Plan

Current Roles  Developing religious content  Designing programming  Managing programming  Teaching/Facilitating programming Emerging Roles  Designing learning environments— architecture  Curating religious content and experiences Emerging Roles

Curating Faith Formation Curating Content & Experiences 1. Church Programs & Activities 2. Denominational Resources 3. Community Programs & Activities 4. People Resources 5. Print, Audio, Video Resources 6. Art, Drama, Music 7. Websites, Courses, Blogs 8. Apps & Digital Resources