FINKSearch

Faith Inkubators Seasonals + About

ABOUT FAITH INKUBATORS SEASONALS

Keep these words that I’m 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.”
- Deuteronomy 6:6-7

Faith Inkubators Seasonals help churches do exactly that: provide the generations (parents, grandparents, children, extended family, and every age walking through your door) with the means to “keep these words.”

Jesus called “these words” the most important commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.” Mark 12:30

The Mission
Restoring parents as primary faith teachers, mentors, and role models for their children with the church as reinforcement—not replacement—of the parents' duties.

The Goal
“Every night in every home” through support and nurture at least once  “every week in every congregation.”

Does the word “family” mean Mom, Dad, and their children?
With our goal to support and nurture parents in their role as faith models, the nuclear family is key, but in the context of the church, we’re talking “God’s Family.”

At baptism, everyone in the congregation is welcoming a precious gift. We say, “Welcome to God’s family!” because it’s who we are and it’s what we are.

Faith Inkubators Seasonals are an opportunity for all of us to take care of our precious gifts, whether young or old.

An excerpt from the book Welcome to the Family! by Rev. Rich Melheim highlights a great reason to make great efforts to bring the family together:

“Parents are still by far the most important influence children will ever know. They will learn from you. They will be molded by you. And they will grow up to become more like you than you will ever know. (They may become more like you than you would ever like them to be!) If you’ve been looking for a reason to start your life over in a more purposeful, positive, loving, and trusting direction, this is the best reason you will ever find. And now is the time to begin…”

Now read it again and replace the word parent with Every adult in the congregation and life with Christian Ed. Program.

Sunday School just not what it used to be?
If your congregation truly is looking for a reason to start over again with a more purposeful, positive, loving, and trusting direction for Christian Education, the best reason ever is to support parents in their vital role as faith mentors. Faith Inkubators Seasonal resources surround children and families with surrogate, extended families and invite a variety of ages into a shared, nurtured, and learning environment.

What resources are available?
Stewardship, Advent, and Lent are three theme sets available.Use this great material to involve and include the entire congregation in building relationships while providing opportunities for learning and worship together for three to six weeks at a time.

Care to take things further? Bible Song is our suggested resource to involve all the ages at other times during the year.

FAITH INKUBATORS SEASONALS - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q1: What is considered to be the 2011-2012 membership year?
The membership year for all three theme sets (Stewardship, Advent & Lent) runs from September 1, 2011—August 31, 2012. Each is a separate membership.

Q2: Why Stewardship, Advent, and Lent in the context of Generations In Faith Together?
Trying to shift your congregation’s focus to cross-generational ministry from scratch can seem like an incredibly daunting task. Experience with our members has shown us that exposing cross-generational ministry in “bite-sized chunks”—that is, using programs of limited duration during these key times during the church year—is a very effective way to help congregation members experience for themselves the benefits of cross-generational ministry and “be on the same page.”

Through these short three-to-six-week segments, people of all ages are brought together for learning, worship, and fellowship.

Q3: What if we like cross-generational ministry and want to do it for the entire church year?
At this time, we suggest adding our newest resource, Bible Song, as a curriculum. It was originally designed for elementary-aged children and parents; however, we are finding those congregations successful at doing a cross-generational style for learning programs find Bible Song to be a fun, interactive way to get parents, children, and extended families involved in learning scripture.

Each lesson includes singing and using American Sign Language to learn Scripture. The same large group/small group setting used for Stewardship, Advent & Lent is included for Bible Song. Combining Bible Song with the seasonal theme sets can provide a seamless experience for the congregation with an unparalleled holistic, Scripture-centered, cross-generational experience for the entire year.

Q4: Is there a “home connection” element for Stewardship, Advent, or Lent?
There are reproducible devotions in booklet format for families with small children, elementary-aged children, and teens. There are also devotions for adults.

All three theme sets also include reproducible bookmarks with Bible verses to read each night at home. Both the devotions and bookmarks include Faith Inkubators’ “FAITH 5” steps: SHARE highs and lows of the day, READ the theme Bible verse, TALK about your highs and lows as they relate to the theme verse, PRAY for one another’s highs and lows, and BLESS one another.

Q5: Do I need training to implement this resource?
Not really. If you take the time to become familiar with these materials by printing out and reading everything from the Leader’s Toolbox on the CD-ROM and then invite a team to help, most questions will be answered. Share the ministry! Faith Inkubators does offer a variety of training opportunities to get you started and keep you growing. Check our website at www.faithink.com/training for the latest opportunities.

Q6: If I have questions after getting my materials, is there a real live person with experience available to answer them?
Yes! You can e-mail your questions to info@faithink.com or you can call us at 1-888-55FAITH. We’re here to serve you. How can we help?

Order Faith Inkubators Seasonals Today!

Paintings by He Qi