By:
Personal sites of authors/presenters
Cláudio Carvalhaes. To view Carvalhaes’ website, featuring articles and essays, a blog, books, sermons, and more, go to www.claudiocarvalhaes.com.
Shari LeMonnier. To view LeMonnier’s art, go to www.ShariLemonnier.com.
Forrest Palmer. To view Palmer’s blog, go to deepandwide.ning.com/profile/ForrestPalmer.
Sacraments
At Your Baptism, by Carrie Steenwyk and John D. Witvliet (illustrated by Linda Saport). Eerdmans, 2011. This board book may be engaged several ways. First, read the text at the top of each page which is adapted from the French Reformed Church liturgy. Second, read the explanations at the bottom of each page. Or, do both! However you read this book, young children hear and see how baptism is a sign of God’s love and promises.
The Baptism of Your Child: A Book for Presbyterian Families, by Carol A. Wehrheim. Geneva Press, 2006. This book provides parents with ideas to prepare for baptism as well as information and help as they fulfill their role as faith nurturers.
Communing God’s Children, by Paul A. Graf and Matthew R. Knapp. The Moravian Church in North America, 2010. This program guide is designed for children preparing to receive Holy Communion as well as those just being welcomed to the Lord’s Table. It is broken into workshops with handouts for proper coaching and guidance for the instructor.
Fed and Forgiven Series. Augsburg Fortress, 2009. This set of communion preparation materials includes a leader’s guide (with CD-ROM), DVD, and age-specific learner resources (pre-reader, grades 1-3, grades 4-6, and adult).
Gifts of God: The Sacraments. Presbyterian and Reformed Educational Partners, 2010. The two videos on this DVD—“Baptism: A Sign of Promise” and “Communion: A Feast of Grace”—introduce the rich meaning and deep mystery of the sacraments. A companion study guide presents the Reformed theology of the sacraments along with questions for reflection and discussion.
God’s Abundant Table, by Cynthia M. Campbell. Witherspoon Press, 2011. Campbell begins with the premise that the Eucharist (the “thanksgiving meal” of the church) is more than a re-enactment of the meal in the Upper Room. Whether used for personal reflection or congregational study, this reflection on key biblical texts and a six-session study guide, invites you to discover the many connections in the Bible between what we do in the Lord’s Supper, what it means to be in relationship with God, and how God would have us live every day. Useful as a Lenten study, too.
The Promise of Baptism: An Introduction to Baptism in Scripture and the Reformed Tradition, by James V. Brownson. Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2007. Organized into thirty brief chapters and enhanced by discussion questions, this book explains the scriptural basis, theological underpinnings, and practical implications of Christian baptism.
Re-membering Baptism, by Ronald P. Byars. Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). From the Being Reformed series, this six-session adult study explores the theological meanings of baptism. The sessions include “Re-membering Our Baptism,” “Through the Waters,” “The Holy Spirit,” “Death and Resurrection,” “Baptism of Infants and Children,” and “Initiation into the Church.” Leader’s guide and participant’s book are available.
The Thoughtful Christian. Several online resources can be purchased from this site. They include: “Baptism 101” (adult study by Cláudio Carvalhaes in English and Spanish); “Communion 101” (adult study by Cláudio Carvalhaes in English and Spanish); “Teaching Your Child about Baptism” (by Delia Halverson for parents); “What’s Baptism All About?” (by Brent Parker for youth); and “Teaching Your Child about Communion” (by Delia Halverson for parents).
Washed and Welcome Series. Augsburg Fortress, 2010-11. This group of resources supports leaders as they prepare for baptism. The resources include a sourcebook with a CD_ROM (for those leading a baptismal preparation class); a parent book; and a board book for children.
Take time to wonder and see where it leads you… Perhaps one of these will have you wondering in surprising ways…
Christian Living in God’s Splendor, by Kendra G. Hotz and Matthew T. Matthews. Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). From the adult Being Reformed series, this six-session study explores how Christian life can be shaped by our religious affections—participating in a worshiping community, accepting our physicalness, dying and rising with Christ, and engaging in vocations that embrace the total web of our relationships. Leader’s guide and participant’s book are available. See other studies in this series including Seeking Social Justice, by Elizabeth Hinson-Hasty (for a complete list, see gamc.pcusa.org/ministries/curriculum/being-reformed).
Faith Formation 2020: Designing the Future of Faith Formation, by John Roberto. Lifelong Faith Associates and Vibrant Faith Publishing, 2010. This book is designed to present the knowledge and tools for envisioning the future in your church, for utilizing practices and strategies for bringing the future to life in your church, and for developing your capacities for leading faith formation into the future. For more, see www.faithformationlearningexchange.net.
God’s Big Story Cards. Faith Alive Christian Resources. This set of 165 cards encourages families to have fun together as they explore God’s ongoing story. On the front of each card is a story symbol along with the scripture reference. On the back are six activities that families can do in response to the story (retell, wonder, pray, praise, share, and respond). Start by reading the day’s story in the Bible, then roll the included color-coded die to choose one of six ways to explore the story together. There are many creative ways to use these cards!
God’s Echo: Exploring Scripture with Midrash, by Sandy Eisenberg Sasso (Afterword by Joan Chittister). Paraclete Press, 2007. What would it mean to read the Bible and have it help us tell the stories of our lives? This book invites you to listen to some selections of midrash to hear how Scripture spoke to others before us and influenced generations to this day. Then it invites you to hear how Scripture is speaking to you.
Images of God for Young Children, by Marie-Hélène Delval (illustrated by Barbara Nascimbeni). Eerdmans, 2010. God is light. God is joy. God is wisdom. This book offers a collection of images to explore how we can discover God in the world.
Listen to the Children: Conversations with Immigrant Families (Escuchemos a los Niños: Conversaciones con Familias Inmigrantes), by Elizabeth Conde-Frazier (Foreword by Luís Cortes). Judson Press, 2011. This book explores questions involving children: 3 million children who are born U.S. citizens but whose parents are undocumented; 2 million undocumented children; and the millions of children whose immigrant families attained legal status. Academic troubles, culture shock, language barriers, role reversals, conflicting values, and the need for secrecy—each crisis is a challenge and adds to the trauma and stress of the transition. These questions are explored from the perspectives of parent and child. The book is back-to-back English and Spanish. Similarly, see Neighbor: Christian Encounters with “Illegal” Immigration, by Ben Daniel (Foreword by Frank Schaeffer; Westminster John Knox, 2010).
Listening to Children on the Spiritual Journey: Guidance for Those Who Teach and Nurture, by Catherine Stonehouse and Scottie May. Baker Academic, 2010. Listening to children often leads to amazement. Weaving their research in “reflective engagement” (approaches to ministry with children that flow from the work of Sofia Cavalletti), Stonehouse and May provide a picture of children and adults on the faith journey together.
Living in Community, by Carol M. Bechtel. Faith Alive Christian Resources, 2008. The focus of this five-session adult study is on the crucial place of community in the life of Christian disciples.
Ministry with Prisoners and Families: The Way Forward, by W. Wilson Goode, Sr., Charles E. Lewis, Jr., and Harold Dean Trulear (Foreword by Addie Richburg; Afterword by Deedee M. Coleman). Judson Press, 2011. Experts address the issues of incarceration and prisoner reentry (“returning citizens”) and their impact, especially on the African American community. If interested, see also the Kairos Prison Ministry at www.kairosprisonministry.org.
Our Day to End Poverty: 24 Ways You Can Make a Difference, by Shannon Daley-Harris and Jeffrey Keenan with Karen Speerstra. Berrett-Koehler, 2007. Organized into 24 hour/chapter segments, each hour/chapter of this book proposes a variety of actions one can take to help overcome domestic and global poverty. Each chapter connects with one’s day, from breakfast to bedtime, relating these steps to ending poverty. In each chapter, you also find “Imagine This…” sections inviting you to think creatively, expansively, and deeply about poverty and how we can end it. You can read this book straight through or start with a topic that captures your heart. Daley-Harris and Carol Wehrheim have written a leader’s guide for groups studying this book (download it at www.pcusa.org/child).
Jane Schuyler responds to resource inquiries through the Reformed Church in America Helpline and coordinates the children and worship program. jschuyler@rca.org; (800) 968-6065.