Equipping faith partnerships

A big part of the work of Grow Ministries is to develop resources that support families and congregations in their ministry to children and young people.

As the end of the year approaches and we look forward to a new one, we would like to highlight an updated resource that equips congregations as they develop partnerships with parents and carers to nurture faith.

Designed to encourage conversation with parents and children about starting school, the Faith Trail Beginning School Marker provides an opportunity to share the excitement and fears around beginning school, as well as empowering families to integrate sharing highs and lows and prayer into their daily routine. This trail marker is intended for children who are starting school or in their first year of primary school.

Pastor Andrew Brook from St John’s Lutheran Church Unley in suburban Adelaide explains the impact that a trail marker event has had on a family in their community.

‘Each year St John’s holds the “Blessing of the Backpacks” at the beginning of the school year. We invite school families from the nearby Concordia-St John’s Campus to join us’, he says.

‘Last year a new school family came. Their five-year-old son proudly came forward to be blessed with his parents. This was not just the beginning of his school journey, but also their faith journey. They started coming to worship regularly and got to know us and the God we worship. COVID-19 hit, and we didn’t hold public worship for four months. But when we returned to face-to-face gathering, so did they, and then they attended an Alpha course.

‘This September the family was baptised – mum, dad and two boys. It all started with an invitation to a blessing, asking God to be a part of their son’s life as he started school. From a little thing God was able to grow the big thing of faith.’

• Visit www.staging.lca.org.au/spread-the-word to find promotional materials (A5 flyers, PowerPoint slides and social media posts) to help you spread the word about our Story of the Week.
• Read the full Story of the Week and others like it in The Lutheran. 11 editions/year. Only $30 (digital) or $45 (print or print & digital – Aust), $47 (NZ). Gift subscriptions available. To subscribe: online www.thelutheran.com.au email lutheran.subs@staging.lca.org.au phone 08 8360 7270.