1. Faith Formation In Congregations
Hello, I’m Laura Ramlow! after working a few years as a music teacher, I found myself answering a call to ministry – For the last 15 years, I’ve served in congregations working with music ministry, teaching youth and adults, writing curriculum, leading worship, etc. etc….I have certainly worn many hats, as I am sure many of you are too! Today we’re gonna dig a little bit into Faith Formation and Cross Gen ministry, and why it’s such a big deal in our congregations.
Practicing Lifelong Faith

2. Faith Formation
Growing and deepening your faith in God through development of intentional, lifelong faith practices.
What is faith formation?

3. Faith Formation ALL ages (we never stop learning!)
Varied degrees of involvement
Lifelong or new Christians
Inside AND outside the church building
So, who falls under the "faith formation" category?
All ages
All backgrounds/experiences with the church
All places and spaces

4. More than just church programming…
As effective as church programming can be, it cannot replace home lives filled with faith conversations, rituals, and service to others.
...Touch your nose if you remember praying before meals or bedtime as a child?
...tap the shoulder of the person next to you if you remember listening to parents, grandparents or siblings reading the Bible, or referencing Scripture from time to time?
...let's see those jazz hands if you remember the first person who taught you about Jesus.
The ways that we choose to incorporate conversations and faith rituals into our homes, has a deep impact for those who participate in our households

5. More than just church programming…
Whether we are “young” or not, daily connections to faith with the support of others exponentially strengthens us in our faith journeys.
From: ELCA Recommended Practices for Lifelong Faith Formation
We are also influenced and affirmed in our faith when we are surrounded by other caring people who support these practices and conversations.

6. What’s a Faith Practice?
Faith Practices
What’s a Faith Practice?
So, what is a faith practice?

7. Faith Practices
Any activity that connects you intentionally and regularly to God
You don’t have to be PERFECT at it! (That’s why they’re called “practices!”)

8. What are examples of faith practices?
What do you believe are some important faith practices?

9. Faith Practices Prayer Reading the Bible Dwelling in the Word
Nature Walk
Worship
Labyrinths
Faith 5: Share, Read, Talk, Pray, Bless
Service Learning
Group Study
Sunday School
Confirmation Class
Mission Trips
Daily Devotions
Mealtime Prayers
Simple Blessings
Music
Mentoring
My dad was a regular worship-goer and prayed daily, but he would often exclaim how important is was to be connected to God ANY time he was in a canoe or hiking.

10. ELCA Recommended Practices
Spiritual Practices
Respectful Relationships
Guided Learning
Faith-filled Service
A few years ago, the ELCA came up with a document that does a beautiful job briefly outlining the recommended faith practices for each age group. And they are divided into these categories....And each and every item that showed up on the previous page fits nicely into one of these!

11. Spiritual Practices
Activities undertaken with intentional awareness of the presence of the Holy.
SO let's take a look at each of those four...
the first is spiritual practices...sometimes I think this is the most difficult one for us to make room for in our lives, yet is also the foundation for so much of faith. Spiritual practices are...

12. Respectful Relationships
These relationships can be formed with family, friends, church staff, lay mentors, spiritual directors and coaches. Healthy relationships always include trust, listening, challenge, compassion, and commitment to one another.
The second practice is establishing Respectful relationships....

13. Guided Learning
Guided learning happens when we visit and revisit Biblical stories, or hear and share each other’s faith stories, with a sense of wonder and discovery.
The third is participating in guided learning - this would be bible studies, children's sunday school or confirmation, small groups, or even just 1-1 conversations with friends or family sharing questions or stories about how God shows up in the world.

14. Faith-filled Service
Faith-filled service recognizes the need to act on behalf of one’s beliefs.
The final recommended practice is Faith-filled service. These situations, big and small where we put someone else's needs ahead of our own. We are called into this work by Jesus, and are entrusted with the care of God's creation, including the environment, our resources, and our neighbors.

15. A Gift of Wisdom and Wonder
Cross-Generational
Ministry
Under the umbrella of Faith Formation, we find Cross-Generational ministry. Sometimes referred to as "intergenerational" or multi-generational ministry, we are called to lift up the unique characteristics of each generation while finding space to share the wisdom and wonder that happens when those generations come together in one space. Growing up, I was the product of two relatively large families. one of those extended families all lived within 20 miles of one another. My grandparents and great-grandparents shared a fence line with us and my aunts and uncles and 21 cousins on my mother's side of the family spend nearly every birthday, or at least every Sunday afternoon sharing a meal and stories. This left me with the impression that every person had this kind of family and support system nearby. Didn't everyone have 4 generations living and working and celebrating together? As I got older, I realized that a large majority of my friends and classmates rarely saw they grandparents, if they were even still living. Multiple family generations are no longer a norm in many communities and congregations, and the gaps between continue to widen.
A Gift of Wisdom and Wonder

16. What Is Cross-Generational Ministry?
Intentional ministry that engages all ages.
Ministry that offers opportunities for all ages to gather around the cross and journey together.
Intentional ministry that engages all ages is a vital part of congregational life. it offers opportunities for all ages to gather around the cross and journey together.

17. Why is Cross-Gen Ministry Important?

18. Why is Cross-Gen Ministry Important?
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

19. Why is Cross-Gen Ministry Important?
“Ministry with this identity allows communities of faith, people of all ages, to share in the planning, life, and witness of the congregation and in the community.”
(~2013 ELCA GLOCAL Mission Gathering + Cross-Gen Engagement, pg. 2)

20. Why is Cross-Gen Ministry Important?
“The goal of intentional cross-gen ministry is to establish an authentic community representing the gifts, experiences, faith stories, and cultures of diverse ages and multiple generations for the purpose of reconciliation in our households, congregations, community and world.”
(~2013 ELCA GLOCAL Mission Gathering + Cross-Gen Engagement, pg. 2)

21. Why is Cross-Gen Ministry Important?
The Christian church needs ALL people at the table.
Jesus CALLS ALL generations into ministry together, sharing gifts and stories, and using their unique gifts to share the gospel!

22. Cross-Gen Stories
In short, we need each other - the faith stories and experience of the saints of the past, and the faith stories of us in the present - we belong to one another and together we share an identity and relationship with God that helps us understand God's call for us, and reminds us of our identity in Christ.

23. Total Program Changes What can you experiment with?
Parent/Grandparent led Sunday School/Ed.
Parent-Student led Confirmation program
Cross-gen model with any small group faith formation ministry
For those who might not have much experience, here are a few ways you might be able to experiment wth Cross-gen....
TOTAL PROGRAM CHANGES

24. Minor Changes What can you experiment with?
1/month Cross-Gen Activity (call us!!)
Advent/Lent Cross-Gen worship/ed. Midweek?
Twice/year service project/event
Cross-Gen VBS
Cross-Gen Mission or Service Learning Trip
MINOR PROGRAM CHANGES

25. did anyone do this. (there's still time
did anyone do this? (there's still time! this project is not going anywhere, so feel free to sign up and give this fun LEGO cross gen learning time a whirl!

26. Cross-Gen Worship What can you experiment with?
Invite/equip youth to help lead worship
Congregational movement/gestures
Sermon conversations
Multi-gen worship planning committee
“Pray Ground” in the sanctuary
Cross-Gen WORSHIP
Does not involve curriculum or big changes to an existing program. ...
What do you think might be some some other advantages of including some simple changes like this into worship?

27. Ministry Sharing
What ministry is happening in your churches already that is cross-generational?
So, hand on your head if your congregation currently does any ministry with an intentional cross-gen focus? Give an example of what some of you are doing?

28. What ideas are brewing right now that you’d like to experiment with?
Ministry Sharing
What ideas are brewing right now that you’d like to experiment with?
So, what ideas do you have brewing right now?
What questions might you have for me?

29. Online Resources Vibrant Faith Faith Inkubators Homegrown Faith
Milestones Ministry
ministrylinks.online
Lifelong Faith
Spirit & Truth Publishing
ELCA (Global Mission/Education/Glocal)
A quick list of online resouces

30. NWSWI Resources Laura Ramlow & Erin Nelson
Cross-Gen Workshops: Generosity, Care of Creation, Faith Statements, Faith Practices, Hunger & Homelessness
Website
A quick list of synod resources

31. Developing Young Leaders
Finally, I want to lift up a few thoughts about developing and encouraging young leaders in your congregations....here are a few ideas.
Ideas…

32. WHY?
Youth and young adults are actively seeking opportunities to serve, often in leadership roles. It’s important for congregations to encourage and support these young leaders as they continue to deepen their faith and discover their gifts as a part of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12).
WE are the body of Christ, and we each have something unique to contribute -
How many of you were encouraged in faith by someone in your congregation?
Touch your nose if you became a leader or volunteer in your congregation because someone personally invited you and then encouraged your gifts?
Those Conversations are tremendously powerful and have lasting impact on the young people in your congregations! Side note....children as young as 8 are already imaging themselves in specific adult vocations....what might happen if we talked to all the 3rd graders in our congregations, perhaps when they get their 3rd grade Bibles, about the leaders we read about in Scripture, about gifts for ministry that we might see in them, or about how they might be able to use their faith to help them make important decisions?

33. How can we help develop young leaders?
Invite them into council, committees, or other decision-making groups
Offer space and opportunities to make decisions and share opinions
Give them permission to lead
Train them for specific roles
Give them meaningful responsibilities
Provide them with a mentor or “coach”
If you invite youth to participate in decision-making groups, it's important to remember that their schedules rarely stay the same throughout the school year, and they may need some options for how to participate (digital connections, occasionally vary the meeting time to help them attend more regularly, etc.) Also, while youth helping with kitchen duties or cleaning are not a bad idea, it's good to be aware of whether or not those tasks are balanced with ministry leadership (worship, committees, service work, etc.)

34. How can we help develop young leaders?
Delegate tasks
Provide clear explanations for these tasks
Trust their capabilities
Lead by example (faith practices, etc.)
Offer consistent and genuine accompaniment
Be inspiring!
we can help young leaders develops skills to lead in ministry by...

35. What are some ideas for leadership?
Plan service opportunities for other youth
Youth representative on council or youth board.
Serve as a bridge - connect with other youth
Assist with worship
Write a blog or journal article for the newsletter
Encourage them to become a part of the NW Synod Youth Organization
Other ideas?
raise a hand if you'd like to share other ways you intentionally encourage and support the youth leaders in your congregations...

36. Laura Ramlow Erin Nelson
Contact Information
Laura Ramlow
Erin Nelson
Erin and I are available to come and introduce cross-gen through a variety of themed workshops. And if the existing themes are not helpful, we are happy to work with you to create something totally unique for your setting! Let us know how we can help!
Any questions?