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How To Begin Family Crossfires, Inc.
"United" Intergenerational Ministry
The first question usually asked about United Intergenerational Ministry is, "How is it different from traditional Intergenerational Ministry?"
The second question is, "Why is it so important for our congregation?".
HOW IS IT DIFFERENT?
Congregations are often proficient in traditional intergenerational ministry, which ministers to generations, separately. For example: congregations have separate programs for seniors, parents, singles, teens, children, toddlers,infants, etc. United Intergenerational Ministry is different. It reunites generations, or every age, young and old. It brings every generation together, to be ministered to at the same time. It spiritually connects and binds generations together, through faith and the power of God's Word. In so doing, United Intergenerational Ministry strengthens and equips generations to minister to each other, specifically to help them prevent and heal problems and tragedies in this generation and the next.
WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT?
The isolation and separation of generations is being blamed for problems from loneliness to depression, physical, emotional and spiritual illness - to tragedies from elderly abuse, to teen and adult suicide, to school violence and infant neglect and death. The support generations require from each other to prevent and heal these problems and tragedies is becoming increasingly unavailable to generations today. As generations have separated from each other, they have lost contact with, and understanding of and for each other. This separation prevents older from giving younger, as well as younger from giving older, the love, guidance, correction, support and strength they need to prevent and heal problems and tragedies.
Certainly congregations need to continue to minister to every generation separately. By doing this congregations help to meet the individual needs of each generation. However, the need for United Interegenerational Ministry is equally important and even critical in view of a serious and growing lack of generational support in our world today. By helping to prevent and heal problems and tragedies through United Intergenerational Ministry, congregations can become actively involved in not only meeting needs, but in helping to save lives, earthly and eternal!. Now, that's important!
UNITED INTERGENERATIONAL MINISTRY IS BOTH
A new Concept and....
A Difficult Task
Many people understand the need to reunite generations, given the problems and tragedies being blamed on a serious and growing lack of generational support. However, generations have become extremely comfortable with the way things are. They do not want to reunite. Some are even afraid to reunite because they fear each other. On top of this, many do not understand how to reunite generations. This makes the task of reunting generations through united intergenerational ministry far more difficult than many people imagine. That is why Family Crossfires, Inc. is providing free training and resources to help congregations first, understand the importance of, and then, perform United Intergenerational Ministry to Reunite Generations.
HOW TO BEGIN UNITED INTERGENERATIONAL MINISTRY
Get Excited! United Integenerational Ministry is exciting!
Those who lead united intergenerational ministry need to get,
" totally excited", about their faith and God's ministry!
Have Fun!
United Intergenerational Ministry is Totally Enjoyable!
When Holy Scriptures tell us to, "change and become like little children"(Matthew 18:3), they beautifully describe what needs to take place to enjoy and reap rich rewards from United Intergenerational Ministry. Lively songs and interaction, combine with traditional liturgy and sermons to create a unity and strength of faith for life, that can only come to God's people, for, through and in His Word. Yet, every generation of God's people, need to remain open to receiving this joy, by unselfishly allowing United Intergenerational Ministry to meet the spiritual needs of every generation.
WHAT CONGREGATIONS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT
UNITED INTERGENERATIONAL MINISTRY
TRAINING FOR UNITED INTERGENERATIONAL MINISTRY
UNITED INTERGENERATIONAL MINISTRY IS BIBLICAL
We are to be one body in Christ. We are to come together in love to pray,praise, forgive and give thanks. Every age, single, married and blended families make up the whole family of God. We are to pass on faith to the present and future generations. When generations are strong, churches and schools become strong. United Intergenerational Ministry is not only critically needed, but clearly in the best interest of every church, school, community and individual member of society. BEGIN TODAY!
UNITED INTEREGENERATIONAL MINISTRY IS SELFLESS
Because of it's selfless ability to reach out, United Intergenerational Ministry reaps rich rewards for individuals and congregations. The needs of every generation or individuals in congregations are met, which helps to prevent and heal problems and tragedies. At the same time, individuals become inspired and involved in congregational ministry which unifies and strengthen congregations through faith in Christ.
By meeting together during United Intergenerational Worship, Sunday School and Fun Education Programs (for the whole family of God) congregations grow in faith. They seek to do God's will. They begin to understand and set common goals. Growth, spiritually
and in numbers, is a natural result of United Intergenerational Ministry. It is a difficult task to strengthen faith and increase attendance in any congregation. United Intergenerational Ministry, through the wisdom and power of God's Word, helps to make that task easier - a natural outpouring of faith -which receives it's strengthen from reuniting and meeting the needs of every generation!
UNITED INTEREGENERATIONAL MINISTRY PROMOTES CHURCH GROWTH
In practical terms "United Intergenerational Ministry" brings the whole family of God
- congregations - together. Some congregations have older people who struggle to get younger people involved. Others have younger people who want to get involved, but don't know how. Increasingly, generations are misunderstanding, afraid and even angry with each other. Their separation and isolation are causing mistrust and arguments which threaten congregational ministry.
United Intergenerational Ministry introduces and connects younger and older people. More importantly, it inspires all ages to draw closer to the Lord, so generations grow in love for God and each other. This increases both understanding of each other, and the desire to meet each others needs. United Intergenerational Ministry is a selfless, giving ministry, which reaches out to others, and in so doing meets the needs of all.
UNITED INTERGENERATIONAL MINISTRY CAN:
- touch and bless people of all ages
- strengthen faith
- increase positive communication
- build loving relationships
- inspire success
- prevent constant failure
- provide direction
- place people in Gods family
- be easy
- be fun
- become a wonderful blessing for individuals and congregations!
CONGREGATIONS NEED TO BE PREPARED - TRAINED
For United Intergenerational Ministry
United Intergenerational Ministry must work hard to unselfishly meet the needs of all generations. This requires training. Congregations need to be helped to understand both the critical need for United Intergenerational Ministry and how working to meet the needs of all generations, meets their own needs. They need to be helped to open up their minds and hearts to the kind of unselfish giving United Intergenerational Ministry requires. Hence Family Crossfires, Inc. provides FREE training and resources which assist congregations in preparing members for United Intergenerational Ministry. A Free Will Offering or Donation is all we ask.
When Congregations are adequately and correctly prepared and trained
United Intergenerational Ministry is a blessing for every generation!
- Older generations become better understood, more deeply loved and better
cared for.
- People searching to belong or those who have suffered a loss find a place and discover purpose in fulfilling their role as a member of God's family.
- Grandparents and parents find purpose and direction for their faith and
family lives - to nurture and guide children in their faith and lives.
- New parents find support and guidance for their marriage and very often over-stressed family lives.
- Engaged and newly married couples find role models who share how their faith has guided and sustained them through their successes and their failures in married life.
- Teenagers involved in united intergenerational ministry find a place where they belong. They have no need for gangs, drugs or worse, the pain and tragedies which rejection and lack of love are causing in our world today.
- Young people will feel the support and guidance they need to make good and right choices in their faith and lives.
- People of all ages will be influenced by the faith and witness presented by all ages, to each other, which comes to them from God, through His Word.
CLICK HERE For United Intergenerational Ministry Resources, FOR CONGREGATIONS
INDIVIDUALS NEED TO BE PREPARED - TRAINED
BEGIN WITH PRAYER
Ask God to touch you personally and inspire you to excite others. Gather resources with God's help, asking His blessing.
Click Here to Review Family Crossfires, Inc. Resources.
Then step out in faith, filled with a sincere desire to serve the Lord with gladness!
DON'T BE AFRAID!
There is action! There is fun! But all of these are firmly planted in traditional liturgy, songs and learning.
United Intergenerational Ministry simply and beautifully breaths life into existing church and school ministry programs.
WHAT THOSE WHO LEAD
UNITED INTERGENERATIONAL MINISTRY
NEED TO UNDERSTAND
United Intergenerational Ministry meets the needs of every generation. Resources are broken up into sections. Each section speaks to a separate generation. During the course of a Worship Service, Sunday School Lesson, or Fun Education Program, the needs of every generation are addressed, in the same resource. For example: A resource will provide traditional hymns, melodies, liturgies and sermons for those who are inspired by these, and at the same time include lively liturgies, songs, dramas and even interaction for those who are inspired by these. Some individuals will be inspired by one section and others by another section. The key, of course, is for all participants to be united and willing to allow the needs of all participants, or generations to be met. The wonderful reality of this type of selfless ministry is that when individuals make sure the needs of all generations are met, their own needs will be met.
United Intergenerational Ministry touches the next generation. Resources are specifically designed to strengthen and equip this generation to minister to present and future generations. This fact makes this ministry not only valuable for present generations, but also for future generations. It is a gift congregations can give generations which can be passed on and used from generation to generation.
Understand Your Mission: Always remember that you are doing far more than leading a Lesson or Worship Service. You are establishing a foundation of faith and learning that helps equip generations to prevent and heal problems and tragedies. What you accomplish with God s help will benefit and bless this generation and the next.
Understand the Chaos: There is a certain amount of chaos which accompanies Intergenerational Ministry, because of its interactive nature and need to have everyone participating. Use family groups to help you keep order by asking them to help everyone in their group quiet down when you raise your hand. This is another important reason to mix adults and children. Adults can help children quiet down so they can hear the instructions. Do not worry about the noise once family groups understand what to do. Allow them to interact. It's good to visit every family group during each activity to make sure they understand instructions.
UNITED INTERGENERATIONAL METHODS AND TECHNIQUES
To keep Every Generation Involved and Excited!
- Make Sure Everyone Can Hear and Understand Instructions. Large Intergenerational Groups may require a microphone. Microphones are usually available for Worship, but may need to be available for other intergenerational programs, as well. Being able to hear and understand instructions is essential to Intergenerational programs. Extremely large SS groups may need to break up into different rooms or areas, actually forming one or more Intergenerational Sunday Schools. Congregations with large Sunday School classes are doing Intergenerational ministry for one or more classes at a time. Whether large or small, intergenerational leaders must give directions clearly and repeat them several times to make sure everyone hears and understands. Speak slowly and give the same directions in different ways. Try to make them even more clear each time you give them. Never expect to give instructions once and have them understood by everyone. Ask those who do not understand to raise their hands and go to speak to their family group individually, to help them understand.
- Use repetition and LOUD responses intentionally, to teach. Don't be afraid to repeat responses in liturgy or readings over and over again, louder and louder, to keep everyone involved and excited for the Lord! Don t just have everyone say, Amen . Have them SHOUT IT! over and over again to create enthusiasm.
- Keep every generation involved and busy. Whenever possible get volunteers to read to keep them involved. Constantly ask for help from older to help younger with SS crafts or Worship responses. In other programs ask for volunteers to hand out and pick up materials, and with cleaning up! All of these help keep people constantly involved and active. They also feel like they are needed and part of a family which in itself helps to prevent problems and tragedies.
- Keep little hands busy. Instructions for children to draw answers to questions are given in each SS Lesson and Fun Education Program. Worship Services keep children involved with actions, responses and children's sermons. While activities are plentiful and designed to keep all ages active and busy, you may want to keep Christian coloring book pages handy for those who need lots of coloring and drawing to keep them extra busy. In cases of extreme hyperactivity Legos or plastic blocks that do not make noise falling, can be fit together. Call them faith blocks and invite children to build their faith. When possible, invite children to show what they have built to keep them part of the intergenerational program.
- Keep adults involved: Ask for their help to guide and lead children, read parts and keep their family group quiet when they need to hear instructions. Traditional sermons, lesson stories, readings and hymns are included in United Intergenerational Ministry Resources to help meet the spiritual needs of those who enjoy traditional Worship and Lessons.
- Keep teens involved: Ask for their help to guide and lead children,read parts and keep their family group quiet when they need to hear instructions. United Intergenerational Resources instruct leaders to play Christian Tapes their teens enjoy before, after and any time these will fit during the lesson or worship service to intentionally include teens. This will take some investigation to find out what Christian songs your teens are listening to, or songs you might introduce your teens to from popular Christian music other teens enjoy in your area.
Keep Control Over the Chaos. If chaos appears to be developing begin to sing a song everyone knows such as: "Jesus Loves Me" or a song your church loves to sing. Play a favorite Christian song from a cassette or CD. Once you have everyone's attention, stop the song, even in mid verse, and begin to speak. The more you do Intergenerational Ministry, the more participants will begin to become quiet when they see your hand in the air or hear their song. Be creative and think of more fun ways to cue family groups to listen to instructions. Enlist others to help you. Ask them to ring a bell, turn down lights, raise their hands with you, etc.
Be Willing to Learn More!. There are a variety web sites leaders of United Intergenerational Ministry can use both to lead and hopefully use to create their own United Intergenerational Resources. While Family Crossfires, Inc. is dedicated to training congregations and individuals, this ministry cannot provide all the resources necessary for a long term intergenerational program.
WEB SITES YOU CAN USE TO LEAD
OR CREATE YOUR OWN
UNITED INTERGENERATIONAL MINISTRY RESOURCES
FOR BIBLE HELP
Sunday School Lesson
Worship Services
Power Point
Graphics
Discussion Board
Hot Links
FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL HELP
Activities
Bulletin Board
Craft Ideas
Games
Lessons
Object Talks
Resources
Skits
Songs
Stories
FOR HELP WITH CRAFT IDEAS
Click Below For More Information about
Family Crossfires, Inc. Intergenerational Resources:
Available Intergenerational Resources
Sample Intergenerational Resources Available for Preview
Onsite Intergenerational Programs, Speakers and Concerts
Recommendations for Family Crossfires, Inc. Resources and Onsite Programs
A CRITICAL ONSITE CAMPAIGN: Reuniting Generations!
Request a Complete Catalog Filled with Intergenerational Resources
(suggested donation $3.00)
Write : Family Crossfires, Inc.
W9318 Oak Avenue
Shawano, WI 54166
E-Mail a message to Family Crossfires, Inc.
QUESTIONS? CALL: (715) 526-2349
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