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ELMC Learning Moment Archives ELMC Learning Moment November 2011
Honoring the Example of
Beginning today, let's honor Dr.
King by our committed action to end child poverty and close the
morally obscene gulf between rich and poor in our nation where the 400
highest income earners made as much as the combined tax revenues of 22
states. They don't need any more tax breaks and need to give
back some of their unfair share of our nation's tax subsidies and
bailouts to feed and house and educate our children and employ
their parents. Let's follow Dr. King by naming
and changing the pervasive racial disparities, undergirded by
poverty, that place one in three Black and one in six Hispanic boys
born in 2001 at risk of prison in their lifetimes. Incarceration is
becoming the new American apartheid and poor children of color are its
fodder. Let's reroute our children into a pipeline to
college and productive work to compete with children from economically in a globalizing
economy. Let's honor Dr. King by speaking
truth to power and demanding justice for the poor and
vulnerable children with our voices and votes and powerful persistent nonviolent
direct actions. Citizens of every race and income level must band
together to bring our nation back from the brink of self destruction
fueled by unbridled greed of the few and a military budget that dwarfs our
early childhood development budget where the real security of our
nation lies. Let's honor Dr. King by stopping
the resurgence of racial segregation in our schools, unfair
treatment of children of color through zero tolerance school
discipline and special education practices that push them out of
school and towards prison. And we must stand together and resist efforts
to undermine the hard earned right to vote which is the life blood of
democracy. Let's not return to Jim Crow shenanigans that
denied the right to vote to Blacks and other citizens and strangled our
democratic processes far too long. Let's honor Dr. King by building a
beloved community in where all have enough to eat, a
place to sleep, and enough work at decent wages to support a family,
buy a home, and raise children in safe neighborhoods. Let's truly honor Dr. King by
transforming our education system that sentences millions of children to
social and economic death by failing to prepare them and our country
for the future. That more than a majority of children in all income
and racial groups and nearly 80 percent of Black and Hispanic
children cannot read or compute at grade level in 4th, 8th, and 12th grades
is a national catastrophe which will bring our nation down. Let's honor Dr. King by ending the
violent wars within and without that destroy lives, families,
communities, and drain life giving resources on weapons of death
rather than weapons of life. The guns that snuffed out Dr. King's life
have snuffed out the lives of over 110,645 children since 1979.
Every three hours a child or teen is killed by
a firearm in the Let's honor Dr. King with our
unrelenting efforts to ensure that "the bank of justice" is not bankrupted
further and like him refuse to accept "there are insufficient
funds in the great vaults of opportunity of the nation." Let's
send the bounced checks of jobs, quality education, food and early
childhood development back to Congress and state capitols and
tell them to refill our nation's insufficient bank accounts with
transfers from the overflowing coffers of powerful corporations and
individuals from unjust tax breaks and subsidies and to pay the long
overdue promissory notes of justice and hope millions of children are
waiting to receive from the crumbs of Dives' table. Let us join together as people of faith to honor
the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through our actions today,
tomorrow and forever!
Copyright © 2011,
Children's Defense Fund. All Rights Reserved. ELMC Learning Moment October 2011
Comprehensive Children’s Ministry
For close to twenty-five years I have been immersed
in children’s ministry. Over these years I have grown weary of many
well meaning adults who speak of children as “the future of the
Church.” They seem to believe that children are empty vessels that
need only to be
ELMC Learning Moment August 2011 Focusing on What Matters Most
By Rev. David Burroughs
In my work with students, I am always most interested in what we are teaching them, and what they take from our efforts. For a good number of years I have also been following the Emergent movement  in
the church, first through Brian McLaren in his books like A New Kind
of Christian, and then more recently in Phyllis Tickle’s book, The
Great Emergence. There is little doubt that the mainline church in America is in a time of fairly intense transition. Tickle says that we are fortunate to find ourselves in a “hinge point of history” where the church as we know it will be transformed by the emergent movement. This is, at first, very unsettling, just as losing valued colleagues to shifting or shrinking denominational dollars. And history shows that institutions are cyclical, and eventually the structure is too heavy to bear and the institution breaks or splits or falls, and then like the Phoenix, out of the ashes new life and structure is born. I make no claim to be an expert on the Emergent movement, but after some personal reflection and study, a couple of things have begun to crystallize for me. Let me share them for us to consider: 1. Tickle asserts that there has been a pattern of a major upheaval about every 500 years going back to and before the time of Jesus. The last one was the Reformation. The Emergent movement seems to be the beginning of this next upheaval. Of course these times of dramatic change are not just found within the church, but in culture, government, and education. Just as Gutenberg’s printing press helped make the reformation possible, so Zuckerberg’s Facebook and other social media are creating space for the emergence. In this digital age where cell phones are ubiquitous, everyone has a voice and we are seeing a raw democracy that truly empowers the people to have a say in how they are governed, in what they buy, and in how they live. My point? Join in, or be swept aside. 2. At this past December’s Youth Worker Summit, an event sponsored by the NCC through the EYMST, Phyllis Tickle spoke of the need to separate faith from the institution that we have built, to see what parts of the institution will survive this current upheaval, and what will fall away. She concluded her remarks by saying this: “It will be and is your job to train and to form and to spiritually enrich and religiously form and educate the generation and the generation after that who will make those decisions… Emergence Christianity, whatever it’s going to be is in your hands – and may God have mercy on your souls.” We sat silent as she walked off the stage, overwhelmed with the burden now in our hands and on our shoulders. If we as teachers and writers and ministers with youth and children are indeed setting the stage for what the church will be like in 500 years, then what do we want that church to look like? Sometime today, make a list for yourself of what tenants of the faith and of the church you would want to make sure survive the next 500 years. I think of words like grace, justice, mission to and on behalf of others, God’s concern for the poor and oppressed, real spiritual community, the centrality of Jesus, space for the Spirit. Next, consider how your daily work supports the words on your list. Does the work we do in ministry to students make a 500-year difference? Games, community building, traditions all have an important place – but we must teach timeless theology. We must focus on what matters – so that students don’t leave our ministry without having heard and internalized the foundations of our faith. 3. Finally, I would speak to what the National Council of Churches is already doing – ecumenical ministry. Those who call themselves Emergents will tell you that they no longer have strong denominational loyalties. Many are leaving the traditional church to find spiritual community in other ways – in house churches, in Celtic rituals, in social media networks. Instead of closing ranks and entrenching, I hope that we can open our doors and offer untried and maybe even untested ministry and mission. I hope that we can start to work together on projects that reach beyond our tradition and allow us to partner with other denominations to offer ministry in new and creative ways. Perhaps we can no longer be the one stop shop for our churches. Perhaps we can focus on doing a few things well, and partnering with others for the rest. When I was still in High School, the denomination I grew up in had a national office for Experimental Ministry. Of course it is long gone today, but what a title for a young Emergent! Throughout the Bible when things were about to change, the Angel, or the prophet or the leader would proclaim – “Do not fear!” I would challenge us today that change is upon us, but that we should not be afraid. God is in the change, and all we need to do is follow. ELMC Learning Moment May 2011 We are thankful to our colleague, Michael Gibson for this month's learning moment focusing on the use of the spiritual practice of examen in the family context.
Examen for Young Children and Their Parents in the Home
by Michael Gibson, of Mullica Hill Monthly Meeting
(Quakers),
Children have deep spiritual lives, but may not have
adequate vocabulary or tools for expressing them.
There are numerous ways parents can help, including the
regular use of examen, a
variation of which will be described here.
Examen is an
Ignatian (Jesuit) daily
Below is a suggested format using wonderings inspired
by those used in Godly Play® stories.
With very young children you might want to use only two or
three of these. Experimentation will let you know whether this model
needs any adaptation for your particular family situation.
I wonder what you like best about today.
[Child and parent(s) respond simply.]
I wonder what is most important to you about today.
[Again, after the child responds, the parent responds briefly
and simply.]
I wonder if there was any part of the day we could
leave out and still have all the day we needed.
[Parent and child might respond back and forth.
It is surprising how many things children sometimes share in
response. Someone was
stung by a bee. The cat
got stuck up a tree. A
parent burned the oatmeal.
Someone was very rude.]
Depending on the age of the child and how the
wondering is going, the parent(s) might add: I wonder if there was
anything about today that you want to keep in your heart and
remember. [The parent
also shares in response.]
Wonder one or more of these: I wonder where God was
in your day.
I wonder if (and when) you felt God today.
I wonder how you listened for God today.
[Naturally, it is extremely helpful for the parent to also respond
to the wondering.]
I wonder if there is anything we might say to God
about today. [The
prayers that follow might be spoken, unspoken, or both.]
Depending on the age of the child, the energy level,
and the mood of the moment, the parent(s) might consider adding a
period of silent prayer. Don’t be afraid of silence!
Children are often able to be more contemplative than we
think. Initially, it is
helpful to give the child something go do in the silence, such as
feel and listen to her breath, listen to all the little sounds in
the silence that we don’t usually notice, or simply enjoy God.
The child might even suggest something for all to do in the
silence. The parent or
the child may decide on the length of the silence.
End with a hug or a good-night kiss.
_______________________
Parents can do a variation on this exercise with
their children when they come home from school instead of before
bed, if this works better.
When a parent asks a child, “what did you do at school
today,” the response is likely to be “oh, nothing.”
However, asking more specific, yet open-ended, questions in a
spirit of wide-eyed wonder and play often yields expressive results
that are rewarding for both parent and child.
Some open-ended wondering questions are offered below.
One is wise not to skip the
first one listed, for doing so can very easily make the wondering
sound like a test, which is not helpful!
Depending on the age of the child, it may also be wise to
limit the sharing session to three or four wondering questions.
I wonder what you liked best about today (or about school today).
I wonder what was most important about your day.
I wonder if there was any part of the day you could leave out and
still have
I wonder if there was anything you discovered about yourself today. ELMC Learning Moment March 2011
We are appreciative of this
month's learning moment which highlights the Lenten resource developed
by the NCC Committee on Public Education and Literacy. Jan Resseger is
the Minister for Public Education and Witness for the United Church of
Christ and the chair of the NCC Committee on Public Education and
Literacy.
Lent
is a season for journeying into deeper reflection, and this year the
members of the National Council of Churches Committee on Public
Education and Literacy created a Lenten study guide, because we have
come to believe that the conversation about public school reform in the
press and in Congress has gone badly astray.
Our Lenten reflections and calendar of actions invite you to
journey with us to think more deeply about these things.
While in the past it was sufficient for us all to
think about public school policies at the state level where control of
public education has historically been lodged, today federal policies
now affect every public school and classroom in a direct way through the
testing policies of the No Child Left Behind Act and the school
“turnaround” policies in Secretary of Education Arne Duncan’s Race to
the Top program. But while federal policy now directly impacts on public
schools with the stated purpose of closing achievement gaps, it has not
only failed to address desperate conditions in the schools of our
poorest communities, but it has also punished rather than helping
children and educators trapped in inadequate schools. Today’s concerns involve
public morality. How is opportunity distributed to children through the
vast system we call public education? Can the civil right to public
education be redefined as the right to school choice?
Does a federal education policy that emphasizes innovation and
“shaking up the status quo” systemically secure the rights and address
the needs of all children?
Are the schools that serve 50 million of our children situated in the
market or are they the centers of our communities?
Have we begun to worship data and business
accountability---measuring and managing---and forgotten that school is a
place for helping to form each unique child, created in the image of
God? Have we forgotten to
insist on public schools that serve families and children with
hospitality and honor teachers with a climate of trust and community?
What is the role of public education in our democracy?
In May of 2010, the NCC
Committee on Public Education and Literacy drafted a Pastoral Letter,
“An Alternative Vision for Public Education,”
http://www.ncccusa.org/elmc/pastoralletter.pdf,
that addresses these important questions. Sharing the concerns of the
Committee, members of the Council’s Governing Board unanimously adopted
the Pastoral Letter and sent it to President Obama, U. S. Secretary of
Education Arne Duncan, and members of Congress. You may not be aware of, nor is it necessary to know,
the details of the Race to the Top program or the contentious debate
that has now dragged the reauthorization of the federal education law
into the fourth year past its scheduled renewal. The reflections and
calendar of activities in our Lenten study guide, while not focusing on
the specific policy details, will help you familiarize yourself with
some of the ethical concerns underneath this debate.
We encourage you to
explore our Lenten guide,
Journey to Lent, Journey to Learn:
A Reflection on Public Education in God’s World Today,
http://www.ncccusa.org/2011lentenguidepubed.pdf
.
We hope you will consider journeying with us through Lent,
following our study guide
for personal
devotion and/or as the basis for group study, in a Lenten reflection
group, an adult education class, a social action committee, a commission
on Christian education, or a women’s group. Each week there is a rhythm
to the study—reflect, perceive-lament-confess, love, attend, call-share,
do, and pray. Our guide suggests some ways that people of faith can
respond to the great need and serve as advocates for public education. ELMC Learning Moment February 2011  In
observance of African American History and Heritage Month, our learning
moment is offered by The Rev. Dr. Carmichael Crutchfield, an excerpt
from a workshop on the Ministry of Music in the Black Church.
Carmichael is the General Secretary, Department of Christian Education,
Christian Methodist Episcopal Church and serves on the ELMC
Administrative Board, is past chair of the Committee on the Uniform
Series, a member of the NCC Governing Board, the ELMC Committee on Black
Congregational Ministries and the Committee on Public Education and
Literacy.
The Ministry of Music In The Black Church
Based on the Book written by J. Wendell Mapson (1984) This is a workshop designed to get the local church to think about singing in the local church. After the session(s) members of the local church are expected to be more in tune with why they sing in the church.  I.
Why sing in the church? A. African Tradition a. Religion and music is embedded in African life. b. Music told the unwritten history of the community. c. Alternation of improvised lines and fixed refrains is part of the tradition. d. During American enslavement of Africans musical forms of e. A major part of the tradition was the call and response. f. Music had an improvisational quality. How does the music in your local church embody the African Tradition? Give examples and discuss in the group. B. Black Theology and Black Music a. It is how black people see God, the world and themselves b. Music gives shape to theology. c. d. Music is to be a legitimate response to God, telling the story of hardship, disapointment and hope. It ushers people into the very presence of God and sends people to serve. e. Music and Worship in the Black Idiom expresses the communal nature of the black experience, edifying the family of God. It ministers to the whole person. f. It balances the freedom of the Holy Spirit with liturgies. g. It is a place of celebration and healing. You may need the leadership of your pastor to help with discussing the music you currently use in worship. A good exercise will be to look back over the last month and look at all the music you use. What does it say about how your church sees God, the world and themselves? What does your music on Sundays communicate about the spiritual tone of your church? What is the difference in being “drawn into the community of faith” and “drawn to worship on Sundays?” Name the kind of music your church uses, e.g. hymns, gospel, rap, etc. What theology does your church have based on its music? C. Biblical Understanding a. Worship is a human response to divine initiative. b. Music is a way of expressing our faith. c. There is spontaneity and freedom. It was true in the New Testament churches. d. Music expresses the present day situation. e. Music is guided by the Holy Spirit, but there are restrictions. f. Music was an act of celebration in the New Testament churches. Because worship is a human response to divine initiative what should our first song(s) express? (Praise and adoration to God). What is the first hymn you sing? What does it express? If music expresses the present day situation, does that make hymns out of date? Look at some hymns and answer for yourselves. Is there room for new hymns to be written? Why not write some? Restrictions refer to decency and order (for example you would not break windows and say it was the Spirit) II. Why A Choir? A. To speak for the congregation because of the possession of certain skills. Rehearses to sharpen and polish the choir’s skills. The tools of the choir are refined through practice, discipline, commitment and training. The choir is a collective voice. A good reason to look the part of unity. The choir provides the ministry of spiritual growth through singing. B. To speak with the congregation as participants in the act of worship. This is done primarily with hymns so everyone in the church can sing. Of course now that can be done with other genre of music through the use of projecting songs on a screen. C. To speak to the congregation with special music, rehearsed and prepared. During worship all people should be given opportunity to sing. How does your choir provide spiritual growth to the congregation? ELMC Learning Moment January 2011
We are so appreciative
of the January 2011 Learning Moment offered by
the Rev.
Laura Mariko Cheifetz (PCUSA), formerly a member of the ELMC’s Pacific
Asian American Canadian
Christian Education Committee,
serving as the Director of the Leading Generations Initiative at the
Fund for Theological Education.
Last March I transitioned into a new role at the Fund for Theological Education to build an alumni network, fundraise, and work with the Transition into Ministry program of the Lilly Endowment.
In this current economy, with few openings at churches and institutions of higher education, some church leaders have questioned the wisdom of encouraging young people to pursue ministry and teaching in theological education. Is it responsible to look to develop leaders for a church whose outlines are rapidly shifting? Should we encourage young people to consider ministry if we are not sure they will find jobs in churches when they graduate? Should we support those who are ineligible for ordination in their traditions due to their gender or sexual orientation?
FTE understands that leaders will emerge with or without the intentional efforts of the church. But churches have a unique opportunity to have a hand in supporting leaders otherwise ignored because of age, gender, race or ability.
Churches also have the opportunity to play a role in the formation of leaders for the church and the academy, exposed to and invested in diversity, able to navigate the complex worlds of the academy and the ministry, and who have the spiritual and professional resources to flourish.
Clergy surpluses and shortages go in waves, but identifying and forming quality pastoral leadership is always necessary for the church. Continuing to cultivate excellent, diverse leadership is not a hopeless endeavor in a tight market, but a hope-filled investment in creating the best, most creative and compassionate leaders for the church.
E.B. White once said, “I wake up each morning torn between a desire to save the world and a desire to savor the world. This makes it very hard to plan the day.”
The leaders FTE has the privilege to work with and mobilize for the good of the church and the world are gifted with this same struggle. They are bright and savvy. They are engaged and invested in their communities and in developing other leaders. They are, above all, faithful and passionate about that to which they have been called.
Churches are in a unique position to nurture questions of vocation in those who are emerging as leaders among us.
Dr. Dori Grinenko Baker, FTE’s Scholar in Residence, says of the church she attended in seminary: “they cared for my evolving vocation not because I was special as one called to ministry; it was just part of who they were as a church” (from Greenhouses of Hope). It is in the church’s DNA to engage in this task, because regardless of the swings in the market, we are all in need of capable leaders for the 21st century church. ELMC Learning Moment December 2010 This learning moment comes to us from The Rev. Dr. Billye P. Bridges, Director of Christian Education, Disciples Home Missions, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and member of the ELMC Administrative Board, the Committee on Black Congregational Ministries and the Committee on Public Education and Literacy. "Perspectives on Church Leadership”
In the twenty-first century, studies have
shown that there is a dire need for church leadership development within
congregations, both laity as well as clergy. For example, the
Christian Church (Disciples of
In Church Leadership: Vision, Team, Culture and Integrity, by Lovett H. Weems, Jr., the author states that “the task of leadership is change. Leaders must be change masters. Leadership depends on the responsible use of the gifts and talents God has given to us. It depends upon the work of the Holy Spirit within our lives, the grace of God. Today’s leaders need a renewal of passion in ministry.” Robert Greenleaf in his Servant Leadership: A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness, states “leadership is about caring for people and being useful, about being present for people and building a community at work, about letting go of ego, about bringing your spirit to work, about being concerned with creating a place in which people can do good work, about paying attention, and it requires love. He describes true leaders as ‘those who lead by serving others--empowering them to reach their full potential.’” Henri Nouwen in his book, In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership, describes what leadership is all about. He reflects “that much Christian leadership is exercised by people who do not know how to develop healthy, intimate relationships and have opted for power and control instead. The Christian leader of the future is the one who truly knows the heart of God. The Christian leader of the future needs to be focused on the discipline of dwelling in the presence of the One who keeps asking us: Do you love me? Servant leadership of which Jesus speaks is when the leader is a vulnerable servant who needs the people as much as the people need him.” In Reflections on Leadership, edited by Larry C. Spears, his Introduction: Servant-Leadership and the Greenleaf Legacy,” points out that an emerging approach to leadership and service is called servant-leadership. At its core, servant-leadership is a long-term transformational approach to life and work, a way of being that has the potential to create positive change. He identifies ten characteristics of the servant-leader, namely: listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment to the growth of people, and building community. ” In The Servant Leader: Transforming Your Heart, Head, Hands and Habits, authors Blanchard and Hodges address questions on leadership. “What is leadership? Effective leadership starts on the inside. Leadership is a matter of the heart. Servant leadership starts with a vision. All great leaders have a specific point of view.” Lyle Schaller’s 21 Bridges to the 21st Century: The Future of Pastoral Ministry deals with change and how church leaders respond. According to the author, “the numerically growing congregations and denominations of the twenty-first century will not be those that excel in reaching people born before 1940. It will be those that are organized around excellence, high expectations, facilitating a high level of Christian commitment, and helping congregational leaders develop meaningful responses to the religious needs of new generations of people.” C. Jeff Woods in Congregational MEGATREND, strongly points out “that the church is changing shape. The church is transforming. The church is changing the way it worships, grows, ministers and educates. Megatrends in our congregations are changing the way we do evangelism, discipleship, and ministry; in addition, they are changing the way we view spirituality, leadership, programming and planning. Today, churches are beginning to use new models of leadership based upon the giftedness of their members. The laity is no longer just a part of the audience it is becoming increasingly involved in the life of the church. Lay people are attending continuing education events, leading ministries, forming ecumenical partnerships, and preaching sermons.” Spiritual Leadership in a Secular World: Building Bridges Instead of Barriers by Edward H. Hammett, “notes that today’s church faces a clear and fairly pervasive void of leadership due to many reasons. For example, the leader’s training is now obsolete for their context. Leaders have little or no training. The critical challenge of leadership in a changing world is to understand the times…so one knows what to do. How do we help emerging leaders who want to bring about transforming change to their congregations and their communities? How do we help congregational leaders in the twenty-first century who want to move beyond maintenance to engage in the mission of God…to build bridges to the community rather than barriers?” What is leadership? Who are the leaders of today? What difference can a leader make? What support does your congregation provide leaders? How are leaders developed? Who are you mentoring for leadership? What is the role of leaders in the 21st century? “Whatever leadership may be, for the Christian church it always remains a gift from God.” –L. H. Weems “The gifts Christ gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and some teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” - -Ephesians 4:11-12 “Jesus’ kind of leadership is the kind of servant leadership needed in our time…Much is at stake. God is calling you, and God is calling me to something quite beyond what we have ever been or ever done before.” - N. Gordon Cosby LMC Learning Moment November 2010 We
are grateful for this month's learning moment which is a synopsis of a
forthcoming book which is a memoir that chronicles the lifelong call of Dr.
T.M. Thomas to the teaching ministry.
Dr. T. M. Thomas is Professor Emeritus of
Plans for a book and free copy: Plans are to publish a book by Summer 2011.
There will be a set number of complimentary copies of this memoir.
If you are interested in receiving one of these complimentary copies,
please send your name and mailing address to
tmthomas@optonline.net on or
before December 25, 2010. These will
be given on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Joyful Vocation of a Teacher: By
Dr. T. M. Thomas
Each person has a story to share with others. It is unique and conveys the
identity of a person. In my case, I wrote the story of my life after much
reflection of life achievements and failures, along with priorities placed
on choices of life. I see myself as a teacher in schools and colleges, both
in
Human Identity: It can be explained under three headings: 1. Human
Self (It refers to what is common to all human beings as a species. Ex. Men
and women are moral and spiritual brings. Another example is the ability to
use language). 2. Cultural Self (Humans are influenced or produced by
specific cultural institutions. An example is the language we learn,
different from many others). 3. Unique Self (There are special
characteristics for each person. Ex. Finger-print or DNA structure). After
integrating these "selves" I have come up with my own answer and called it
"Teaching Self". I was answering the question, "Who are you?", following the
dictum of Socrates, "Know Thyself".
Early Education: The story of a person begins with his or her early
education. The first and best teachers of most of us are parents and other
adults in the family. The basic attitudes and values in life are formed in
the first three and four years of life. The community itself takes charge of
formal and informal education. There is truth in the African proverb, "It
takes a village", quoted by Hillary Rodham Clinton. I attended the
neighborhood primary and middle schools at Kuriannoor belonging to the
University Education: I studied at two Colleges, one a
High School Teacher: I
started teaching at a famous school in the state,
Teacher in Colleges: Though I enjoyed my high school teaching, I had the
inner conviction that there was a different or higher calling for my life.
Hence I continued my reading habit to become a scholar and to teach at
College level. I took leave for one year to receive a Masters degree in
Education from 1.
teaching courses, 2.
research and publication, 3.
services to university including committee work, 4.
community services.
All
these duties are explained in the chapters of Part V. In the last part (VI),
a few central questions are brought together under two spheres of life, one
related to my professional life as a teacher in schools and colleges and the
second my church life as a Sunday school teacher and leadership positions in
the church. My
commitment to the profession of teaching and to church activities enabled me
to formulate my personal values. Among several, I select three and they are: 1.
knowledge and wisdom 2.
service to others 3.
eternal life. ELMC Learning Moment October 2010 Youth Ministry in a Changing Context By Bronwyn Clark Skov
I’m
trying to help the Spirit birth what may or may not be a new thing
in congregations these days. I’m trying to help the church
understand that just because there isn’t an appointed or paid Youth
Minister doesn’t mean that the congregation is absolved of engaging
in ministry with young people. As this economy continues to stress
the budgets at all levels of governance in our churches, and many of
our denominations are implementing budget and staff cuts, there is a
general lament. “But what about
Several years ago my youngest son was a little perturbed with what
he labeled as a “lame” opportunity to take up Confirmation Class at
our local church where I had been the youth pastor for almost 14
years. Funding dried up and I had left the employ of the
congregation to work at the judicatory level. Predictably, shifting
from a paid Youth Minister to a 100% volunteer ministry model was a
drastic change at our little church. My own son felt short-changed
and was pushing back a bit. He finally took me on in a way that I
couldn’t ignore. “Why don’t you home school me for Confirmation
discernment, Mom? Please?”
“Hmmmmm,”
I pondered aloud, “Let me think and pray about that, Sweetie. Okay?”
I
talked to my bishop about it. I prayed about it. I laughed about it
a little bit. There was no reason for me not to teach my own child.
I am a licensed catechist in the Episcopal Church and have planned
and coordinated and taught many Confirmation programs with youth
over the years. I do struggle with the concept of Confirmation. At
its worst it seems to be this required ritual on parental check
lists that is expected of the church with no responsibility for the
community or the family to actually do anything. And once these
young people have jumped through the hoops and made their public
affirmation of their Baptism we let them off the hook of continuing
the journey in Christ by dismissing and disbanding their class.
Their energy and inquisitiveness was neatly contained, their desire
to change some things about our music or liturgy was explained away
as inconvenient or non-traditional, and since we indulged them in
this program that had a clear ending, we can now ignore them again.
But that’s my dark side at work and I would rather step into the
light.
Where there is hope and joy in the possibilities of Confirmation
discernment, and especially home schooling my boy, is that I was
called into examining my own relationship with God through Christ.
To be a good teacher I had to open my own heart and mind to see how
I was doing in honoring my covenant with God through my own Baptism.
It was revealed to me through my heartfelt prayers about this that
it was my job as a parent to help nurture my own son in his
thirst for conversation and revelation and discernment in his
family’s religious tradition. And we both needed to make this
journey in community with our clergy and our faithful friends.
Youth ministry at its simplest is taking the risk and responsibility
of teaching and nurturing new and questioning believers. Value them,
help them wrestle with their questions, and let them see you
wrestle, too. Invite them into the full communion of the faithful
and stand with them when they take the risk of asking a provocative
question or suggest change in the local practices. Admit to them
that God is still at work in all of us; we simply need to be open to
transformation. Can I get a witness?
A member of the Ecumenical Youth Ministries Staff Team, Bronwyn
Clark Skov is the Officer for Youth Ministries in The Episcopal
Church. She is also the Team Leader for TEC’s Formation and Vocation
Ministries Team in the Department of Mission. Prior to her current
call she served on the judicatory staff in the Episcopal Diocese of ELMC Learning Moment September 2010 Our ELMC Learning Moment this month comes from our former ELMC colleague, Richard Sparrow, former Minister and Team Leader and Endorser for Professional Ministries for the United Church of Christ and former Vice Chair of Professional Church Leadership. He speaks briefly about a learning that has grown out of his years of ministry at the denominational and judicatory levels and now again in the local church. So what do you need to get off your chest?
Some learnings are embarrassing in their simplicity, always leaving me grateful for insight while shaking my head saying, “Why does that surprise me?” Or, “Why didn’t I see that sooner?”
Having quite a bit of life and
church experience . . . I’ve long understood the importance of
listening . . . listening deeply as someone speaks of illness, loss,
joy, conflict, hopes, and fears around living and dying.
Often the response to listening has been, “Thanks for hearing
me, it helped just talking about it.” We sometimes refer to this as
“getting it off one’s chest”.
As with all of you, I’ve been present with
After serving in judicatory positions for the past 25 years, I’m now serving a local church in the Heartland – a congregation that has had more than its share of conflict and transition over the past decade. In this setting, most people have a story to tell about self, family or church - deeply meaningful stories, primarily about loss and conflict. Here’s the learning – in a new way, I’ve become aware of the distinction between “getting it off one’s chest for good” and “getting it off one’s chest for the moment”. I’ve been a part of and conducted countless listening sessions over the years – having and providing opportunity to speak honestly about struggles within the soul, family, congregation or neighborhood. But in most of those sessions, I’ve assumed that I – as well as others – “got it off our chest for good.” Now that I ‘see through a mirror less dimly’, it’s clear that I and those with whom I’ve listened have often been getting it off our chest for the moment and there’s nothing wrong with that. So in many instances, listening isn’t the end . . . but the beginning or continuation of a growing, learning process. Most of us need the opportunity to talk “get it off our chest” and then to act – to do something – to join with others. So, I’ve been praying with church leadership around new ways this church can provide more opportunities to gather people who are dealing with similar issues of grief, loss of significant others, employment and health. The church also needs a bold enough vision, witness or challenging project that many will be drawn together in the investment of mind and soul and strength toward a common goal. We’re beginning to see the results of this – being clear that we all need to be heard, then many of us need the opportunity to join with others in common sharing and challenge. Some learnings are embarrassing in their simplicity. Once again, I’ve been left grateful for the insight. Richard Sparrow Interim Senior Pastor
ELMC Learning Moment August 2010
This
month's ELMC learning moment tackles a thorny subject in faith formation
ministries, Discipline and the Church's Ministry with Children.
We are thankful to The Rev. Kaye S. Edwards,
Director of Family and Children's Ministries for
the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and Chair of the NCC
Committee on Families and Children.
Discipline and the Church’s Ministry with Children
Disciplining children in church settings is not easy.
Some would say it is impossible.
Children cannot be sent to the principal or
stood in the corner when they misbehave at church.
In addition, we are often afraid that correcting
the child will offend the parent. What is a church school teacher or youth
group leader to do?
Being with children takes a tremendous amount of mental
and physical energy.
Therefore, it is doubly important that we who do ministry with children be
committed to our own spiritual journeys.
We need the power and direction that only prayer
can provide.
Praying for each child, by name, every day and
making lesson preparations a part of daily bible study and meditation open
the way to God’s help and guidance.
In prayer, we find understanding about
individual children.
In prayer, we find strength and patience.
If we view our ministry with children as an opportunity
to help them build their own community, rather than something we provide for
them, discipline will be a lot easier.
Even young children can help establish classroom
rules, behavior expectations and consequences.
Whenever possible, rules should be stated in the
positive. They should be simple, reasonable and concrete.
The fewer rules the better.
Once rules are established, let the children
decide how they will share “their” rules with their parents and others in
the church.
Also, once rules are established, make sure that
they are regularly verbalized, modeled, and practiced.
Children
are more likely to behave in positive ways if they feel safe and know what
to expect. Consistency
will help the children know what we expect of them.
Follow-through will help the children know what
they can expect of us.
In the church, when problems occur, it is especially
important to stay away from punishment models.
Every child has the right to trust that he or
she will never be physically hurt, shamed, or made to feel guilty in this
place that professes to be about love and acceptance. The best antidote to
negative disciplining is thinking ahead.
We must consider how we will handle disruptions
and misbehaviors before they occur. The better we know each child the more
creative we can be in our disciplining.
Parents are our best source for this knowledge
about a child and all parents love to talk about their children.
If we take the time to ask a parent about his or
her child’s interests, fears, and special abilities, he or she will know we
truly care about his/her child.
Having an already established relationship with
parents makes it a whole lot easier to talk with them if a problem does
arise.
There is no magic formula for handling conflict with
children, whatever the situation.
No matter how much support we receive and how well prepared we are, problems
are bound to occur. However, if we do feel surrounded by a loving community
which has made children’s ministry a priority, and if we are prayerfully
prepared, conflicts can be opportunities of deepening our ministry with
children.
It is also helpful if we give adequate attention to
community building and establishing relationships with parents.
All of these things can serve us well in our
efforts to respond in positive, loving ways to the children in our care.
ELMC Learning Moment July 2010 We are thankful for this month's learning moment from the Committee on Disabilities, offering excerpts from inspirational words that were created by the World Council of Churches' Ecumenical Disabilities Advocates Network (EDAN) with participation from the Faith and Order Commission. This document, while not meant to be comprehensive, "offers pointers and insights on major theological themes" having to do with the inclusion of persons with disabilities as full participants in the life of the Church. Rev. Dr. Devorah Greenstein works at the intersections of theology, disability studies, and developmental psychology. She is an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister recently retired from eight years of service as Director of her denomination’s Office of Accessibility Concerns, and she continues her institutional calling as the Chair of the National Council of Churches Committee on Disabilities. She is currently a visiting research fellow at Yale Divinity School, and serves as adjunct faculty at one of the Unitarian Universalist seminaries, Starr King School for the Ministry, a member of the Graduate Theological Union. Publications: Helping Children who are Deaf 2003
Berkeley, Calif., Hesperian Foundation Simple Gifts 2000 Ithaca,
N.Y.: Cornell Cooperative A Church of All and for All – As the author of the letter to the Ephesians stressed:
Christ came to tear down the walls (Eph 2:14). Whenever we consider the ways
in which to respond to issues of disability, we do well to remember the
walls that we have set up. All of
All life is a gift from God, and there is an integrity to this creation. We read in Genesis (1:31) that after creating all of heaven and earth and every form of life, God saw that "… indeed, it was very good." God did not say it was "perfect". With the breath of life, God has imbued each person with dignity and worth. We believe that humanity is "created in the image and likeness of God," (Gen 1:26) with each human bearing aspects of that divine nature yet no one of us reflecting God fully or completely. Being in God’s image does not just mean bearing this likeness, but the possibility of becoming as God intends. This includes all people, whatever their abilities or impairments. It means that every human being is innately gifted and has something to offer that others need. This may be simply one’s presence, one’s capacity to respond to attention, to exhibit some sign of appreciation, and love for other people. Each has something unique to contribute (1 Cor 12:12-27) and should thus be considered as a gift. We cannot speak about this "giftedness" without also speaking about each person's limitations. They are the basis of our need of each other and of God, irrespective of the labeling of our abilities. Living in this interdependence opens us to one another and to a deeper, more honest, self-knowledge, and so makes us each more fully human, more fully people of communion, more fully realizing the Imago Dei we bear... (p.11) The church is by definition a place and a process of communion, open to and inviting all people without discrimination. It is a place of hospitality and a place of welcome, in the manner that Abraham and Sarah received God’s messengers in the Old Testament (Gen. 18). It is an earthly reflection of a divine unity that is at the same time worshipped as Trinity. It is a community of people with different yet complementary gifts. It is a vision of wholeness as well as of healing, of caring and of sharing at once. Just as the body is one and has many members so it is with Christ. (1 Cor 12:12) We all accept and proclaim that this is what the church is and stands for. It is the basis of our unity as Christians. Then why is it that, all too often, certain people among us and around us (usually those whom we consider as being unfamiliar or as strangers, as different or perhaps disabled) are marginalized and even excluded? Wherever this happens, even by passive omission, the church is not being what it is called to become. The church is denying its own reality. In the church, we are called to act differently… Disability does not affect only certain individuals, but involves all of us together as the people of God in a broken world. It is our world that is shattered, and each of us comprise one small, fragile, and precious piece. We all hold the treasure of God’s life in earthen vessels (cf. 2 Cor 4:7). Yet we hold it; and, what is more, we hold it together. In our attitudes and actions toward one another, at all times, the guiding principle must be the conviction that we are incomplete, we are less than whole, without the gifts and talents of all people. We are not a full community without one another. Responding to and fully including people with disabilities is not an option for the churches of Christ. It is the church’s defining characteristic. Every child and every adult, those with disabilities and those without disabilities alike, will bring specific and special gifts and talents to the church. This is the challenge addressed to us all. Thus we can truly be A Church of All and for All - a church which reflects God's intention for humankind. May we who are made in your image, O God, mirror your compassion, creativity and imagination as we work to reshape our society, our buildings, our programs, and our worship so that all may participate. In you we are no longer alone, but united in one body. Trusting in your wisdom and grace, we pray gratefully in Jesus' name. AMEN --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This ELMC Learning Moment is excerpted from the World Council of Churches Central Committee’s 2003 statement of inclusion. You may read the statement in its entirety at: http://www2.wcc-coe.org/ccdocuments2003.nsf/index/plen-1.1-en.htmlELMC Learning Moment June 2010 We are thankful for this instructive piece on using the practice of "wondering" in adult religious education. This month's learning moment comes from our commissioner, Michael Gibson, who serves as the Religious Education Coordinator for Friends General Conference.
On Wondering with Adults
Both are valuable tools, but sometimes one is
more appropriate than the other for a particular topic or setting.
Combining the two can add interest and depth to
a session.
Experience will help the facilitator know when
to use which tool.
Below is a set of guidelines to help explain
“wonderings” as a facilitation tool.
Some positive examples of wonderings will be
offered along with negative ones (which are not really wonderings at all).
1.
“Wonderings” (statements that begin with “I
wonder”)
are not as much about
questioning of as about
mutual wondering with.
An invitation to wonder must have integrity.
When a facilitator says "I wonder . . .," that
person must actually be wondering, not “fishing” for a particular answer,
and not using a question to vent, to express an opinion or to veil further
instruction.
Negative example: I wonder how you live into the reality that difference can
be a blessing and not just a challenge.
Positive example (true wondering): I wonder how genuine differences within
our congregation
2.
A wondering is open-ended, and relevant to the purpose of the session and
the participants’ experience.
It is not a test of knowledge or comprehension
but something that moves all in the direction of entering the content and
the participants' lived experience more deeply.
The facilitator cannot anticipate the responses
to wonderings.
There is room for surprise and reflection.
Negative example: I wonder if you are aware of how many
one-time visitors we have had in the
Positive examples: I wonder what conditions help you to feel safe and
welcome when in a new
3.
When using wonderings, each response is welcomed
and affirmed as the fruit of reflection, imagination and/or personal
experience. The
facilitator assumes goodwill and sincerity unless given obvious indications
otherwise.
There are no right or wrong responses, only
sincere or insincere ones. Although some responses may seem peculiar or
off-task, each response is received with respect.
Facilitators allow themselves the possibility of
growing into greater understanding or appreciation of each response.
Contemplative
pacing tends to foster deeper wondering; silence need not be feared.
4.
The facilitator avoids guiding participants to
his or her own pre-conceived conclusions through the use of pseudo-wondering
because any manipulation can create resistance and destroy the trust needed
for open, honest sharing.
5.
The order of wonderings is important.
When a summarizing or particularly pointed
wondering comes first, it can sound like the facilitator is testing to see
whether participants got the point of a presentation.
This can stifle wondering and shut down open
sharing.
This kind of wondering can, however, work quite well
when it comes second or third in order.
Negative example:
We have heard three people this morning share
their stories about journeying
Positive examples: Today we have heard three people
share about their journeys toward full
[first wondering:] I wonder what you most appreciate
about the
[second wondering:]
I wonder what you have heard that feels
[third wondering:]
I wonder what speaks to you with particular
power or grace as a member of
[fourth wondering:]
I wonder what we might do as a faith community
to be
6.
Participants often have important questions and
wonderings of their own, and it is important to make space for them.
Sometimes what participants raise might threaten
to derail even the most careful preparations of the facilitator, but because
we want to always be open to how the Spirit is working in the group and
because we genuinely care about everyone’s experience, it is important to
not be too rigid in one’s group facilitation or time management.
An unexpected wondering arising from the group
could well become the most important part of a session.
Acknowledgement: These guidelines took inspiration from the children’s religious education work of Sonya Stewart and Jerome Berryman. See Young Children and Worship and The Complete Guide to Godly Play, Volume 1. ELMC Learning Moment May 2010 We are thankful to The Rev. David A. Williams for the May ELMC Learning Moment which is a reflection on calling and purpose based on his book. The Rev. Williams is the senior pastor of the Pleasant Ridge AMEZ Church, Gastonia, N.C. and serves as the National Director of Youth Ministries for the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. He is a member of the Ecumenical Youth Ministries Staff Team and a member of the Education and Leadership Ministries Commission.
Have you
ever pondered what God created you do?
Have you ever asked yourself why was I even created? Why was I given
my name, live in my current city, or attend a particular sandwich shop all
the time? Could all these things have something in common?
In my book, Birth it for the
Kingdom, I write personal experiences, testimonies, and nuggets of God’s
word to encourage visionaries to launch their giftedness that the world
might be blessed and that our purpose for the kingdom might be fulfilled.
There is a purpose which God has selected for you and only you to perform
and the kingdom will be enriched when you have accomplished it.
There are a few things I want you to consider when you think about why God created you.
Secondly,
you were created to be creative.
In six days God created the heavens and the earth.
God did this in six days, what can we do in a lifetime? Fourteen
years ago, a vision was nestled in my spirit to birth an additional offering
unto God called NHP Ministries. NHP stands for No Harm to Praise, and I
truly believe there is no harm to praise the Lord. Dr. George McCalep,
Ph.D., in his book, Praise the Hell
Out of Yourself (Orman, Press 2000), suggests that there is a certain
amount of praise which is necessary for every believer to remain stable and
productive. I believe people live better lives when true praise is rendered
unto God.
Praise might
get you into trouble with humans; but done right, it will never be an
offense to God. Through NHP, I
have released the creativity in me and produced an interdenominational
ministry with a strong outreach for youth and young adults. NHP has three
major divisions. There is a studio production division that produces radio
and TV broadcasts as well as commercial CDs. There is the graphic production
division, which produces websites, brochures, etc. and
Finally, you
were created to confirm the next generation.
Have you thought about what this world is going to look like in 2020? It
will be here sooner than you think and just thinking about it nerves my
heart. Who will be our leaders and what will they do to change the world? We
were created to be hands-on disciples that are willing to share our
resources to make our world better. Every believer is stuffed with
possibilities to enlarge the kingdom. Possibilities are created through
networking, private devotion, worship, and prayer. As leaders, we will often
see the potential in people when they have labeled themselves as
underachievers. Several misfortunate experiences can cause a person to think
that nothing favorable will happen to or through them. It absolutely blows
my mind when I think about the things that can be accomplished in such a
short time even for the person who has put their purpose on hold.
I hope your desires are stirred and made fresh in your heart. There
is a vision nestled within your spirit that must be released. Your release
date is past due, and you cannot wait a day longer to begin. Our task is to
exhort the coming trailblazers and confirm their purpose. The more we
confirm them the greater blessing they will be for the world.
Bruce Wilkinson in his new book, You Were Born for This: 7 Keys to a Life of Predictable Miracles, suggests that there is an urgency to deliver our purpose and to make known why we were created. The appointed time for your vision is passing, and people need what God has deposited in your vessel. The vision that is in you, God has not given to anyone else. This is your vision; you must make it happen at once. When the spies, Joshua and Caleb, returned from the Promised Land, they released the minority report that the city was ready to be invaded and they believed that the most significant time was at once. I commend you, “Go up at once” and fulfill what you were created to do!
ELMC Learning Moment April 2010
We are thankful to The Rev. Dr. Carmichael
Crutchfield, General Secretary of the Department of Christian Education
of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, and ELMC Administrative
Board Member as well as member of the Committee on the Uniform Series
and the Committee on Black Congregational Ministries, for the April 2010
Learning Moment entitled: Christian Education Foundation And
Theory: Social Transformation of Loving Neighbor.
Congratulations to Carmichael on successfully defending his dissertation
for his Ph.D. on Monday, March 29th, at Garrett-Evangelical Theological
Seminary.
Christian education in the African American church context is often limited
in the mindsets of people to teaching, learning, and schooling.
Without a doubt it includes these things, but those three aspects too
narrowly define the true essence of
Eugene C. Roehlkepartain speaking on the subject Christian education says
that there must be an emphasis on nurture.[1]
The problem with education is that it often only entails imparting
information and usually in a class room environment. What is attempted
through the process of nurturing is to move people toward loving God and
loving neighbor. It is what I
believe Daniel Schipani means by “human emergence.”
It is my contention that all we do as Christian educators embodies a
ministry of helping people engender the witness of love commanded by Jesus.
The church’s purpose to love God is expressed through nurture.
It is helping people get to know God.
Nurture is a process and not a program of learning.
It is intentional in nature.
Nurture involves helping people know and love God more.
It is the priority of the church.
Jesus is the model we follow (Matthew 9:35; John 17:6-8, 14, 17, 20).
The Apostles also are models (Acts 2:42; 5:42).
Lastly, it is commanded by Jesus (Matthew 28:19-20).
It seems that God places a high priority on the training ministry of
the Church.
We find in the New Testament a number of distinct Greek words which suggest
different strategies, or programs, for the nurture of believers.
A few are mentioned below:
The first is mathetheuo which
means discipleship. This word is
referred to in Matthew 28:19-20 when Jesus commissions his followers to go
and make disciples. This is
often referred to as the great commission.
This Greek word is defined to mean follower of Jesus, and that is
part of the answer. However, the
definition must begin with student or learner.
A second New Testament Greek word found in Ephesians 4:11-16 is
katartismos which refers to
equipping. The author of
Ephesians speaks of the gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor
and teachers. According to the
New Interpreters Bible commentary, these gifts are not limited to the local
church and they are for service.[3]
The purpose of the service is to equip and build up the body of Christ.
Ephesians assumes all members are part of this building process.
Everyone in the church is to be equipped for service.
A sign that equipping is complete is when there is unity in faith,
knowledge of the Son of God, maturity, measure of the full stature of
Christ. Ephesians closes by
emphasizing speaking the truth in love (agape).
We must grow in every way in him who is the head, Christ.
The essence of the equipping activity is moving the entire body of Christ to
love. This continues to be my
argument concerning Christian education.
It is the ministry that helps people to love God and love neighbor.
All members of the church are involved in this ministry; therefore,
those who have the gifts outlined in Ephesians are leaders in equipping
saints for service or ministry. The third word is didasko which is referred to in Matthew 28:19-20 as teaching. Verse 20 in part reads, “and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you…” Now the disciples are given authority not only to baptize, but also to teach. Although they have previously shared in Jesus’ authority (cf. 10:1), prior to Easter the disciples had not been authorized to teach. After baptizing disciples, the continuing Christian community is to instruct them in all that Jesus has taught. ‘All’ here reflects the ‘all’ of 26:1, and it refers not only to the Sermon on the Mount but to all of Jesus’ teaching contained in the Gospel as well, especially the five discourses. Nothing is said of Torah, Jesus’ teaching that fulfills the Torah (cf. 5:17-20) is the sole content of the disciples’ teaching, as it will be the sole criterion on the last day (7:24-27).[4]
[1] Roehlkepartain,
Eugene. The
[2] Wimberly, Anne
E. Streaty. “Soul
Stories. Abingdon.
[3] The New
Interpreters Bible.
Volume IX. Abingdon. [4] Ibid, 855 ELMC Learning Moment February 2010 We are so thankful for this month’s learning moment. It provides opportunities for faith formation in the family context. Our thanks go to Elise Antreassian, Education and Leadership Ministries Commission Vice Chair and Director of Christian Education for the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern) Family Faith: Ten Ideas and a Bible Study for February “Let love be genuine…hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Romans 12:9-10 NRSV
Devotional: Tabitha sharing her wealth to serve the poor
|
filled
with adult notions of faith and prepared to lead in some future
time. It is true that adults have much to teach children. But it is
also true that children have much to teach adults. They have unique
gifts to share, as children. A comprehensive approach to children’s
ministry is needed, one that involves ministering to children,
finding ways of helping adults open themselves to the ministry gifts
of children, and creating opportunities for intergenerational
ministry with children.
examination
of conscience and reflection on the movements of the Spirit. Parents
can nourish themselves and their families by practicing this
discipline with their young children at bedtime, perhaps holding
them in bed while doing so. Asking “wonderings” instead of pointed
questions can help greatly to build trust (all answers are
respected), to provide safety in sharing (there are no “wrong”
answers), and to nurture children’s natural capacity for wonder.
Here
at FTE we live and breathe leadership development, from equipping
congregations to engage in vocational discernment, to financial and
resource support for young scholars and seminarians, to mobilizing
alumni to continue to identify promising young people interested in
ministry. 
Christ)
in its 2020 Vision of the Christian Church (DOC) called for the
formation of 1,000 new congregations, the transformation of 1,000 current
congregations, and the calling and forming of new leaders and the continuing
re-forming of current leaders. Former General Minister and President of the
Christian Church (DOC) Dick Hamm stated, “If congregations are going to be
established for European American, African American, and Asian American
Disciples, then we are going to have to become committed to serious
leadership development.
our
children and youth? Aren’t they the future of the church?” Our
culture has become so specialized and compartmentalized that even at
church we too often hear the pastor fret over having to let go of
Christian Education staff and then confess that he or she doesn’t
have a gift for working with young people. But Jesus didn’t call us
to build and perpetuate an institution with the help of paid
professionals. He called us to make disciples and spread the love of
God in relationship with God and our neighbor.
people
in hospital, school and board rooms – as well as pastors’ studies,
grocery aisles, sidewalks, kitchen tables and coffee shops . . .
listening, just listening.
In
spite of obstacles, the discipline of children is one of the most important
elements of children’s ministry.
these
walls are so human, yet they contradict Christ’s ministry of reconciliation;
walls that shut people in or shut people out; walls that prevent people from
meeting and talking to others... walls of shame; walls of prejudice; walls
of hatred; walls of competition; walls of fear; walls of ignorance; walls of
theological prejudice and cultural misunderstanding. The Church is called to
be an inclusive community, to tear down the walls. (p.1)
Most
religious educators are familiar with the use of discussion questions in
adult religious education settings but might not be accustomed to 
I
am sure you serve in many capacities in your local community and even within
your denomination; but do you really know the
Christian
education.
To
Parents: 
Prayer
Just
like we cannot separate faith and works, we cannot separate learning from
action. “All that we do witnesses to the beliefs that we hold.” When I show
you my works, I show you my faith. Similarly, when I engage in mission, I
show you what I understand about the gospel. Jesus did not teach his
disciples simply so that they would know, He taught them so that they would
go and make more disciples, they were told to find other people to teach the
gospel to and then send those people out to do the same thing. That was His
purpose and mission for teaching and it must be ours as well. 
The Light a Candle
for Children 40 Day Prayer Vigil
If your community is not
yet involved in children’s advocacy work, the National Council of Churches’
Policy Statement Guide, “
The
ADA helps tear down the myths and stereotypes that society
has formed about people with disabilities – negative
attitudes of inadequacy, weakness, and uselessness. The
stigmatization towards people with disabilities was so harsh
that when Franklin D. Roosevelt (paralyzed from waist down
because of polio) became the 32nd president in
1933, he hid his disability from the public (fitting his
hips and legs with iron braces, teaching himself to walk
short distances using a cane, and leaning on confidant staff
workers when speaking to the public). 
None
of this, of course, was unique to 2008. From the early days
of our nation, Americans have thought of ourselves as the
“new Adam,” as a people who are starting history fresh,
unencumbered by the old ways of Europe. The magazine
Democratic Review captured this spirit succinctly in the
early 1800s: “Our national birth was the beginning of a new
history … which separates us from the past and
connects us with the future only.” 
The
Patriarch’s presentation, as you would expect, made constant
reference to the doctrine of the Trinity as defined by the
early theologians and councils of the church – an indication
of the dominance of tradition in his theology. Professor
Chung, by contrast, danced her way to the stage, showing
from the beginning her indebtedness to the rituals of Korean
Shamanism – a clear departure from the way Christian
theology has been done in the past! The address itself
began with an invocation of the spirits of an eclectic
collection of martyrs, from Hagar to the students in
Tiananmen Square; and her appeal throughout was to
experience. “After many years of …infantile prayers, I know
there is no magic solution to human sinfulness and for
healing our wounds. I also know that I no longer believe in
an omnipotent, macho, warrior God who rescues all good guys
and punishes all bad guys.”1 
Christian
discipleship began around 27 CE in ministry of Jesus as he
called people to follow him. The term, “Christian education”
is an ancient term, noted as early as 95 C.E. in the 1st
Epistle of Clement of Rome to the Corinthians. The concept
itself is as old as the faith. Most of my colleagues’
responses refer to recent phenomena, historically speaking,
and suggest a narrow arena for Christian Education.
Prominent
educators have also agreed that the goal of education should
be to form the whole child. School superintendent, Dr. Rudy
Crew writes that public schools
should
develop four qualities of a mature and conscious contributor
to society—personal integrity, workplace literacy, civic
awareness, and academic proficiency (Only Connect, p.
33) .
ELMC
also seeks to always be an intentional learning community.
Many of our program ministry committee meetings and
commission meeting include shared learning experiences. In
that same vein, we are inaugurating a new practice--the ELMC
Learning Moment--which will serve as one more way that we
can learn together from our fellow ELMC colleagues and
others. These learning moments may give a glimpse of
research or learnings from our colleagues. They may be a
book or film review, an announcement about a new resource
that has implications for faith formation, leader
development or education and advocacy or musings of other
kinds. We thank The Rev. Mary Jane Pierce Norton, Associate
General Secretary, Leadership Ministries, GBOD, The United
Methodist Church and ELMC Treasurer, for consenting to model
this new online practice for ELMC, sharing a bit from her
recent research related to brain development.
One
of my areas of interest in Brain Research. I find it
exciting because, with new techniques of imaging, we are
constantly discovering new things about the human brain. I
also find it fascinating as an educator. I recently attended
a conference - actually for school teachers and
administrators - and learned much more about the executive
function of the brain. The executive functions of the brain
happen in the frontal lobe. This is the part of the brain
that directs and controls perceptions, thoughts, actions,
and to some degree emotions. Think of this as a team of
conductors or co-conductors of a mental ability orchestra.
Through our executive functions we self regulate, we have
self awareness and self determination. This gives us our
capacity to set goals for today as well as for four years
from today. At it's highest function, this is where a deep
meditator's brain lights up. In general, the frontal lobe is
not fully hooked up until about age 24. There is rapid
growth in adolescence so there are huge differences between
a 14 year old brain and an 18 year old brain. So, many
parents and teachers must do a lot of self-regulating for
children and youth until they develop all the abilities
needed to self-direct. We develop executive capacity over
time but we don't develop everything at the same rate. We
have to model, teach, and demonstrate executive function
until people get it.