Reading: Psalm 78:1-4 (Click to read text)
Reflection: The cover story in the September 2014 issue of The Lutheran magazine is entitled “Reinventing Sunday School.” But, it isn’t really about reviving that one hour on Sunday morning set aside for formal teaching sessions. It is more about sharing faith together in all of life. “Parents… (share their faith) each night at home with their children, sharing highs and lows, reading Scripture, talking, praying and blessing each other.” (p. 17). And there are other creative ways described which link faith and life. Some of the subheadings of the article: “Nurture Faith at Home,” “Forming Faith by Serving Neighbors,” “Faith Formation in Worship,” Congregation Conversations.” We have been practicing a similar kind of practice at Camp Mount Luther for several years now in which staff and campers Gather and Reflect On the Word (GROW-the “the” is silent we like to joke) at least five times a day. Faith formation is something that is just a part of camp life. A way for us to think about it is that all of life is time set aside for faith formation. And it isn’t really new. The psalmist reflects that we pass on to our children those things that we have heard and know from our ancestors. YES! YES! YES! Connect the stories of the scriptures to our lives. Relate God to our experiences of the day. Hear others tell their faith stories. Rejoice with them. Tell others our faith stories. I’m thinking that maybe this could be Camp Mount Luther’s motto for a while: We will not hide the glorious deeds of God from our children, We will tell them to the coming generation. Come to think of it—that could be our motto, too. Tell those faith stories! --Jim Bricker, Chaplain to Camp Mount Luther’s Summer Staff Closing: Reflect on the words of the camp song, "Pass it On!" It only takes a spark to get a fire going, And soon all those around can warm up in its glowing. That’s how it is with God’s love, Once you’ve experienced it, You spread His love to everyone. You want to pass it on. What a wondrous time is spring, when all the trees are budding; The birds begin to sing, The flowers start their blooming. That’s how it is with God’s love, Once you’ve experienced it, you want to sing “It’s fresh like spring.” You want to pass it on. I wish for you my friend, this happiness that I’ve found. You can depend on Him. It matters not where you’re bound. I’ll shout it from the mountain top. I want the world to know; The Lord of love has come to me, I want to pass it on.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Authors
Anyone is welcome to contribute! If you'd like to write for us, please e-mail [email protected] Email
Get our daily devotions delivered to your e-mail box each day by signing up below:
Archives
May 2022
Subscribe |