Family Faith Practice

​​Family Faith Practice
Experiences, Activities & Resources for the
Strength Family Life and Faith Practice

A family is the first community and the most basic way in which God gathers us, forms us, and acts in the world. In the family a Christian identity becomes rooted in the lives of the young through day-to-day religious practices and the ways that parents model their faith and share it with their children and teens. Through daily religious practices and the support of the parents young people come to think, feel, believe, and act as serious religious believers. And that that training sticks with them even when they leave home and enter their young adult years. 

We have designed this website to support parents (and grandparents) in nurturing Christian faith and practices in the life of the family. Our church is committed to helping all families grow and mature in faith wherever they may be in their faith journey. We are committed to helping you live the Christian way of life every day. 
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To support you we have created this website with a variety of programs, activities, and resources to nurture faith at home and to participate  more meaningfully in the life of the church community. 

Pathways to Growing as a Family of Faith

We believe God dwells in every family and that family life is sacred. The profound and the ordinary moments of daily life—mealtimes, workdays, vacations, expressions of love and intimacy, household chores, caring for a sick child or elderly parent, and even conflicts over things like how to celebrate holidays, discipline children, or spend money—all are the threads from which families can discover God and weave a pattern of family faith. 
 
To help you discover areas for growth and to help us serve you better, please take a few minutes to review the Family Pathways Guide. It will help you identify strengths and areas of growth. Use these statements to assess where you are honestly and prayerfully using this rating: 
1 = We are a beginner in this aspect of our family life and faith practice; 2 = We’re growing in this aspect of our family life and faith practice; 3 = We’re maturing and going deeper in this aspect of our family life and fait practice; 4 = We’re ready to share our faith and gifts with others. (You can download the Pathways Guide below.)

Once you have completed your reflection, identify areas where you want to Get Started, Grow, Go Deeper, and Share Your Faith and Gifts. 
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Reflection
  1. We eat together as a family.
  2. We engage in positive communication as a family. 
  3. We have family conversations about things that are important to us. 
  4. We make decisions and solve problems as a family. 
  5. We treat each other with respect and dignity. 
  6. We support each other: encouraging, expressing care, standing up for each other.
  7. We talk about faith as a family.
  8. We pray as a family (mealtime, bedtime).
  9. We pray as a family during times of struggle or crisis. 
  10. We celebrate meaningful traditions and rituals as a family (holidays, birthdays, accomplishments).
  11. We read the Bible as a family.
  12. We use the Bible as guidance for how we should think and act as a family. 
  13. We serve people in need as a family.
  14. We work to overcome injustice in our world as a family.
  15. We engage in projects to care for the environment as a family.
  16. We encourage children/teens to talk about their doubts and questions about faith.
  17. We talk about faith and our religious tradition with our children and teens.
  18. We ask about our children/teens perspectives on faith, religion, moral issues, social issues. 
  19. We participate in Sunday worship as a family
  20. We participate in church activities as a family
  21. We celebrate the church year seasons at church (Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter)
  22. We celebrate the seasons of the church year at home (Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter)
  23. We encourage and support our children/teens to participate in church activities. 
Pathways to Family Growth.docx
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Developing Faith Practices as a Family
Check out all the ways we can help you learn and grow as a family using the programs, activities, videos, and resources on the Family Faith Practice website.