Everyone is loving the Family Practices Calendar for Lent, but many people want to track their own Lenten goals — yoga every day, or a certain study. Pastors need them to record all of the many activities going on during lent. Feel free to download and distribute. PDF HERE
Blank Lenten Calendar Read More »
** NOTE: This is the lenten practices calendar for 2015. The 2016 version is available for $2.00 HERE. So excited to share this family Lenten Practices calendar! (PDF HERE) Each day there is either a prayer [P], service/almsgiving [S] or fasting [F] activity. The activities aren’t terribly time consuming and can be adapted for a
Family Lenten Practices Calendar Read More »
Traci’s Note: One of the things that always seems strange to me in the protestant tradition is that of confirmation. If done right, I think confirmation can be a rich time where young people grow to understand their faith and their role in it. Many times, though, students report confirmation as a time where they are
More and more, advent feels like lent to me: a time of darkness and waiting and preparation. The older I get, the less I am attracted to the hyperactive frenzy that our culture tries to impose on us during advent and Christmas. I’m starting to relish advent as a time to snuggle in, sit in
5 Simple Spiritual Practices for Advent (for individuals or families) Read More »
I recently read an article on Slate called “Let’s Stop Idolizing The Home Cooked Family Dinner.” In the article, two sociologists from North Carolina State University point to evidence that the stress of putting together family meals is not worth the tradeoff. They conclude that the tradeoffs aren’t worth it. I disagree… strongly. Parents are
7 Reasons Family Dinner is Worth Fighting for & Resources to Make it Happen Read More »
One of the things that I’m keenly aware of as a recently published author on spiritual practices for families is how I’m now part of the world of Christian marketing. As I’ve written about before, I believe only people can be described as Christian. I don’t believe there is such a thing as “Christian music”
Do Little Girls and Little Boys Need Different Bibles? Read More »
I can’t believe my little guys are two and three already! It really is true that the days are long and the years are short. In the book, I have a birthday tradition that is fabulous and it allows children to think about others on their birthday. This birthday blessing idea, though, is one of
Birthday Blessing: A Simple Tradition Read More »
I’m delighted to be reviewing Katherine Willis Pershey’s new Christmas Pageant A Mary Carol written for small to medium sized congregations. I’ll get to all of the reasons I love this pageant, but first, a little about the author. Katherine Willis is Associate Minister of First Congregational Church of Western Springs, IL (A few train stops over
A Mary Carol: A Delightful Christmas Pageant by Katherine Willis Pershey Read More »
My parents always succeeded in getting me to fall for age-appropriate April Fool’s Jokes. I still remember the first one, I was very small. Five years old, maybe younger. “You have dirt on your face! Go wash it off!” I went to the mirror and looked “No I don’t!” I said to which I heard the
April Fools’ Day Conversations Read More »
Like just about anybody who works in a church, I get a lot of catalogues. I mean, a lot. I usually flip through them quickly before dumping them in the recycle bin, but this week, a particular catalog caught my eye. It’s not important which one, but it was for children’s spiritual formation-type things: Vacation Bible School, Sunday
Heaven… ticketed guests only? Read More »
