   
 Ministry Teams
Youth, Young Adult and Family Ministry Team:
Our mission is to challenge
families to focus on their faith and strengthen
relationships with God and with each other.
2013 Family Faith Challenge!
Families come in all shapes, sizes, and configurations. Family
means different things to different people. Keeping this in mind,
the synod’s Youth, Young Adult and Family Ministry Team has
developed monthly Family Faith Challenges.
 Invite members of your family—children, parents, grandparents,
partners, close friends—to walk with you on your faith journey.
Connect with others by sharing your reflections and photographs from your
faith challenge experiences on the Facebook page,
Family Faith Challenge 2013 - Northeastern PA Synod.
Overall Challenges for 2013
Family faith challenge guidelines for the year
-
Worship God together once a week
- Gather together around a table six times a week
- Have an empty chair at the table to represent God’s presence
- Make sure each person has his/her time to talk without
interruptions
- Read from an age-appropriate Bible for your children
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Family faith challenges for each month
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June:
First Article of the Apostle’s Creed, On Creation
We challenge you to think about God, creation, and our responsibility to
care for creation.
 June
2-8: Read the First Article, On Creation, and the explanation in
Luther’s Small Catechism. God created you; each one of you has your own
fingerprint, your own DNA. There is no one who will pass through the universe
who is exactly like you. You are one of a kind and God has created you! Get a
stamp pad or water color paint and have everyone put his or her thumbprint on a
piece of paper. Notice the similarities and differences in your family’s
fingerprints.
June 9-15: Read the First Article, On Creation,
and the explanation in
 Luther’s
Small Catechism. In this first article we hear that God daily and
abundantly provides for our daily needs. Sometimes God calls on us to
share the blessings that we have so that others’ needs can be met. Look
at what you have in abundance. Find a way that you can share with
others.
June 16-22: Read the First Article, On
Creation, and the explanation in Luther’s Small Catechism.
Read Genesis 3:8-9, where God seeks Adam and Eve. Can you imagine God
playing hide and seek with us? We hide from God every day and God
continues to seek us out! Play hide and seek. Have the oldest member of
your family be the seeker.
 June
23-29: Read the First Article, On Creation, and the
explanation in Luther’s Small Catechism. Spend a day with God
giving thanks for creation. Look at all the wonderful colors, sizes, and
shapes of creatures and creations. What can you find in creation that is
red? Orange? Green? Blue? Violet? Pray for those who help preserve
creation, such as forest rangers, people who garden, and people who
recycle.
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July:
Second Article of the Apostle’s Creed, On
Redemption
We challenge you to think about how God comes to
us through Jesus and continues to come to us.
June 30-July 6: Read the Second Article of the
Apostles’ Creed, On Redemption, and the explanation in Luther’s
Small Catechism. Celebrate Christmas in July this week. Draw or
find a manger scene. Sing a favorite Christmas carol or hymn about
Jesus. Every time you see fireworks this week, remember we are free in
Jesus!
July 7-13: Read the Second Article of the
Apostles’ Creed, On Redemption, and the explanation in Luther’s
Small Catechism. What
 do you think the word “Lord” means? Look it
up in the dictionary. When we say Jesus is Lord, we mean “it is to him
that all allegiance, obedience, and worship is due,” and we are
completely committed to him. Make an acrostic of the word LORD like
“Light, Obedience, Redeemer, Death-Defyer.” Post your acrostics on our
Facebook page.
July 14-20: Read the Second Article of the
Apostles’ Creed, On Redemption, and the explanation in Luther’s
Small Catechism. How many crosses can you find this week? Take
pictures and share on our
Facebook page.
July 21-27: Read the Second Article of the
Apostles’ Creed, On Redemption, and the explanation in Luther’s
Small Catechism. Celebrate Easter again this week. Talk about how
you usually celebrate Easter with your family. Have an egg hunt, write
“He is Risen” or “He is Risen Indeed” on paper napkins to use at a
breakfast meal. Sing an Easter hymn, go to church this Sunday and wish
everyone a Happy Easter! (We can celebrate Christ’s resurrection every
day!)
 July 28-August 3: Read the Second Article of the
Creed, On Redemption, and the explanation in Luther’s Small
Catechism. Tell your favorite Jesus story. (Example: What is your
favorite miracle story?) Read 1 Corinthians 13 and read "Jesus"
everywhere it says "love." What else could you say about what Jesus is
like?
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August:
Third Article of the Apostles’ Creed, On Being Made Holy
We challenge you to think about God, the Holy
Spirit, and how
 God’s
Spirit works through us and through the church community. (God’s Work,
Our Hands.)
August 4-10: Read the Third Article of the
Apostles’ Creed, On Being Made Holy, and the explanation in
Luther’s Small Catechism. Who helps you know and believe in
Jesus? Pick a wild flower from your yard. Hand it to someone who has
helped you believe in Jesus. Say “Thank you” as you give them the wild
flower.
 >August
11-17: Read the Third Article of the Apostles’ Creed, On Being
Made Holy, and the explanation in Luther’s Small Catechism.
Read Galatians 5:22-26. List the 9 fruits and circle the one you “do”
best. Underline the one that is hard for you. Make a fruit salad to
remember there are many gifts of the Spirit.
August 18-24: Read the Third Article of the
Apostles’ Creed, On Being Made Holy, and the explanation in
Luther’s Small Catechism. Have you been to another church besides
your own? What was it like? Wherever you may be going this week, visit a
church.
 August
25-31: Read the Third Article of the Apostles’ Creed, On Being
Made Holy, and the explanation in Luther’s Small Catechism.
Look up our synod’s companion synods on our website:
www.godslove.org. Pray for them, and, if you can, look for them on a
map.
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September:
The Ten Commandments
We challenge you to think about your relationship
with God. How do these commandments help us?
 September
1-7: Read Exodus 10:1-17. Notice that there aren’t any numbers for
the commandments. (Also notice that this starts with a promise of God.)
Watch your favorite movie about the Ten Commandments, such as The
Prince of Egypt.
September 8-14: Read the First Commandment and
the explanation in Luther’s Small Catechism. What are some things
that you fear, love, and trust more than God? (Fear means awe and
respect.) Make a sign that says “God is #1 in this household.” Post it
on the refrigerator.
 September
15-21: Read the Second Commandment and the explanation in Luther’s
Small Catechism. Did you know that God’s name is so precious that
many feel it should not be pronounced or spoken at all? Luther says we
should use God’s name to pray and praise. Spend some time recalling
names for God which are used in the Scriptures. Use those names of God
in your daily prayers.
September 22-28: Read the Third Commandment and
the explanation in Luther’s Small Catechism. As a family think
about a way you would like to honor God’s word, like attending church
four weeks in a row, or say Luther’s morning prayer every day for at
least one week, or take a Non-Active Period (NAP) for at least 5 minutes
for at least one week.
September 29-October 5: Read the Fourth
Commandment and the explanation in Luther’s Small Catechism.
Discuss who the people are who are helping to care for
 you
and guide you. Who does Luther include in his explanation that should be
honored? Do something nice for the person you would like to honor.
(Examples: Make their bed, make them breakfast in bed, get the mail, say
please and thank you without being told.)
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October:
The Ten Commandments
We challenge you to think about your relationship
with others. How do these commandments help us?
 October
6-12: Read the Fifth Commandment and the explanation in Luther’s
Small Catechism. Look for articles in the newspaper about people
hurting one another. Pray for their safety. Think of ways you can help
people who are hurting and need your care. Contribute to a food bank or
food pantry, donate clothes, and/or create a “clean” bucket for
Church World
Service or Lutheran
World Relief.
October 13-19: Read the Sixth Commandment and the
explanation in Luther’s Small Catechism. We can extend this to
mean being faithful to friends too. Make a date with a friend and keep
it. Don’t break the date for any reason.
 October
20-26: Read the Seventh Commandment and the explanation in Luther’s
Small Catechism. Talk about ways you can help neighbors improve
and protect their property. Help pick up litter around your church or
around your neighborhood. Help a neighbor by raking leaves for free.
And, of course, don’t take anything that doesn’t belong to you!
October 27-November 2: Read the Eighth
Commandment and the explanation in Luther’s Small Catechism.
Notice that this is about  more
than not telling lies. Get a bunch of self-adhesive notes. Write the
name of each member of the family on a separate note and write what you
like most about each person on the note. Then stick the note directly
onto each person.
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November:
The Ten Commandments; Giving Thanks for Luther’s Small Catechism
We challenge you to think about your relationship
with others. How do these commandments help us?
 November
3-9: Read the Ninth Commandment and the explanation in Luther’s
Small Catechism. Discuss the difference between a “want” and a
“need.” Get a piece of poster board and magazines or newspaper ads. Make
two columns, one for wants and one for needs. Cut out pictures and/or
words to glue in each column. Pray that the Spirit will help us to
understand the difference between a want and a need.
November 10-16: Read the Tenth Commandment and
the explanation in Luther’s Small Catechism. It’s so easy to be
jealous of others – their abilities, their relationships, their status.
We need to be confident in our own self, knowing God has made each one
of us lovable and capable. Think of ways we can give something to our
neighbor. Bake some bread, brownies, or cookies or make a snack mix and
share them with your neighbor.
 November
17-23: Think about the Ten Commandments. Notice that some
commandments focus on our relationship with God and some focus on our
relationship with other people. Where is the “switching point” in the
commandments? Draw two tablets. Write down the commandments that relate
to God on one tablet and the ones that concern other people on the
other.
November 24-30: Luther wrote the Small
Catechism for households to help them instruct their children to
help them grow up in the faith. Luther considered the basics of the
Christian faith to be the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer, the
Apostles’ Creed, and the Sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion.
Give thanks to God for the people who have taught you about Jesus. Write
a note or make a phone call to say thank you.
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December:
Martin Luther as a Gift
We challenge you to learn more about Martin
Luther.
December 1-7: Luther was born on November 10,
1483, in Eisleben, Germany, to Hans and Margaretha Luther. He was
baptized on November 11, St. Martin’s Day. He started going to school at
age 4½ and was a very bright student. Later Luther went to school to
study law. Create a birth certificate for Martin Luther including his
birth date, place of birth and parents’ names. Then create a birth
certificate for Jesus including birth date, place of birth and parents’
names.
December 8-14: Luther studied to be a lawyer but
God had a different idea for him. (He became a monk, and then a priest,
preacher and teacher.) Jesus started to be a carpenter but God had a
different idea for him. What are you thinking of doing for a career (or
what is your career)? Talk about how God is working through you now.
 December
15-21: One German legend claims that Martin Luther was responsible
for introducing the use of Christmas trees in the home in Germany.
According to the legend, on his way home one evening, Martin Luther was
so overcome by the beauty of a fir tree and stars in the sky that he
wanted to tell his family about it. However, upon returning home, words
failed him, so he went out and chopped the tree down and brought it home
to share with his family. To mimic the stars that hung over the manger
where Christ was born, Martin Luther decorated the tree with candle
tapers. This was thought to be the first traditional Christmas tree in
Germany.
Make a candle ornament for your Christmas tree. (You can
glue a felt candle shape and flame to a clip clothespin, or cut a candle
shape out of foam to hang, or make a candle in many other ways.)
 December
22-28: Martin Luther wrote many hymns. What hymns did you sing this
week at church? Circle the hymn that you liked the best on your church
bulletin. (Deeper challenge: look in the hymnal for “From Heaven Above
to Earth I Come,” which is a Christmas hymn written by Martin Luther.
LBW #51; ELW #268.)
December 29-January 4: Luther’s Small
Catechism is a gift. Sometimes we receive gifts and don’t even
realize it. Luther considered his greatest gift the fact that God
forgives us as a free gift. What is one of your favorite gifts that you
gave this year? The greatest gift God gave to us is Jesus! Read aloud 2
Corinthians 9:15.
 For
fun, look up Luther’s Seal or Luther’s Coat of Arms on the Internet.
Read about what the different colors and symbols mean. On a paper plate,
make a coat of arms or family seal for your family.
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January:
Baptism
 We challenge you to
think about your baptism and what it means to be marked with the cross
of Christ. Select a special bowl and keep it filled with water
throughout this month. Each time you pass by the water-filled bowl,
touch the water and remember your baptism.
December 30-January 5: Read the first question in Luther’s
Small Catechism under Baptism. (Encourage a child to read the
question and have an adult read the answer.) Talk about what happened at
your baptism. Place stickers on your family’s calendar to mark your
family’s baptismal anniversaries.
January 6-12: Read the second question in Luther’s Small
Catechism under Baptism. Find your baptismal candle or create a new
candle. Light your candles during a family meal. Trace the sign of the
cross on each other’s forehead.
January 13-19: Celebrate Jesus’ baptism and your baptism by having a
party! Eat cake and light your baptismal candles!
January 20-26: Read the third question in Luther’s Small
Catechism under Baptism. Talk about the three elements of a
sacrament : Earthly element, promise, and command. The earthly element
is water; the
 words of the promise and command come from the Bible
(promise: Mark 16:16; command: Matthew 28:19). Draw a giant shell with 3
water drops. Write “Father” on one drop, “Son” on one drop and “Holy
Spirit” on the third drop. Attach the drops to the shell and hang on
your refrigerator.
January 27-February 2: Read the fourth question in Luther’s Small
Catechism under Baptism. Place a reminder on your bathroom mirrors to
remember every time you wash your face or hands that you are a baptized
child of God.
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February: Holy Communion
 We challenge you to think about Holy Communion,
another means of grace, and what it means to be forgiven, pardoned, and
invited. Place a special plate and glass/goblet in a visible place as a
reminder of God’s love for you in the sacrament of Holy Baptism.
February 3-9: Read the first question in Luther’s Small Catechism
under Holy Communion. Get a paper plate and marker. What does Luther
call Holy Communion? Write that name on the paper plate. Surround the
word Luther uses for Holy Communion (Sacrament of the Altar) with other
words you know are used to name Holy Communion (Holy Communion, Lord’s
Supper, The Last Supper, Eucharist, Mass). Read Matthew 26:26-28.
February 10-16: Read the second question in
Luther’s Small Catechism under Holy Communion. Share stories with your
family of when you received your first communion. For what age does your
church offer first communion? What is offered to those who are too
young? Get another paper plate and pencil (one per family member). This
time rip the paper plate into pieces, one piece per member of your
family. On the broken piece of paper plate, write down some things that
separate you from God. Remember that God still loves you in spite of
these things by placing heart stickers or adhesive bandages over the
broken words.
 February 17-23: Read the third question in
Luther’s Small Catechism under Holy Communion. Bake bread at home this
week. Share the bread and something to drink with your family. Talk with
family members about ways this is the same and/or different from
communion at church. Discover how your congregation provides bread for
Holy Communion. Offer to bake bread for Holy Communion for your
congregation.
February 24-March 2: Read the fourth question in
Luther’s Small Catechism under Holy Communion. This question and answer
are difficult to explain and understand because we get something without
having to earn it! This is God’s gift of grace, God’s way of telling us
that each of us is loved. Keeping that in mind, what are some things
your family does to prepare for this gift of Holy Communion? What prayer
would you say to thank God for this gift?
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March:
Lord's Prayer
 We
challenge you to think about our relationship with God as we say the
Lord’s Prayer. Select a special place in your house to pray every day.
Select a special time to pray every day.
March 3-9: Read the introduction to the Lord’s Prayer in Luther’s
Small Catechism, “Our Father in heaven.” Draw a picture of God in
heaven. Write around the picture things you would ask God for.
March 10-16: Read the first petition of the Lord’s Prayer in
Luther’s Small Catechism, “Hallowed by thy name.” Find a baby name book
or do an Internet search for your name. What does your name mean? How
many different names do you have?  Trace your hand on a piece of paper.
Write your given name in the center of your hand. Write all the names
you are called (nicknames and relational names – mom, sister, son, etc.)
around your name. Turn the paper over and write down the meaning of your
name. What are God’s names? Pray that we may keep the name of God holy
among us.
March 17-23: Read the second petition of the Lord’s Prayer in
Luther’s Small Catechism, “Your Kingdom come.” What is God’s kingdom and
what does it look like to you? Build a wall and have fun knocking the
wall down! In God’s kingdom there are no walls of division. God’s
kingdom is God’s rule in our heart.
March 24-30: Read the third petition of the Lord’s Prayer in
Luther’s Small Catechism,
 “Your will be done.” This is Holy Week, the
week when we remember how Jesus suffered and died for us. He prayed in
the Garden of Gethsemane, “your will be done.” Attend Maundy Thursday
worship service and Good Friday service. Pay attention to all the
happenings of the evenings.
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April:
Lord's Prayer
We challenge you to think about our relationship with God as we
say the Lord’s Prayer. Select a special place in your house to pray
every day. Select a special time to pray every day.
 March 31-April 6: Read the fourth petition of the Lord’s
Prayer in Luther’s Small Catechism, “Give us today our daily
bread.” Gather magazines, newspapers, a poster board or a large piece of
paper, scissors, and glue. Find pictures from Luther’s list or things
that you might add to the list. Make a collage. Thank God for each item
you attach to the collage.
April 7-13: Read the fifth petition of the Lord’s Prayer in
Luther’s Small Catechism, “Forgive us our sins as we forgive
those who sin against us.” Write the words “sin,” “trespasses,” “debts”
on your sidewalk, driveway, or other outdoor surface. Discover a
creative way to wash the words away (like with a garden hose or water
balloons or rain!).
 April 14-20: Read the sixth petition of the Lord’s Prayer in
Luther’s Small Catechism, “Save us from the time of trial.” Talk
about the game of hot potato (do an Internet search for the directions
if needed). Pass around the “potato” (this could be a ball, sock, or
potato) If you end up holding the “potato,” then you must share
something that tempts you or draws you away from God. Then pass the
object around again until everyone has had a turn.
April 21-27: Read the seventh petition of the Lords Prayer in
Luther’s Small Catechism, “and deliver us from evil.” Go into a
darkened room with candles or flashlights for everyone. As you sit in
the dark room have each person say part of John 8:12, “Jesus said, ‘I am
the light of the world. Whoever follows me will have the light of life
and the darkness will not overcome it.’ ” As you say your part, light
your candle or flashlight until the darkness has been chased away.
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May:
Lord's Prayer/Luther’s Morning and
Evening Prayers
We challenge you to
think about our relationship with God as we say the Lord’s Prayer.
Select a special place in your house to pray every day. Select a special
time to pray every day.
April 28–May 4: Read the
conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer in Luther’s Small Catechism, “For
the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.”
This is commonly known as the doxology, which is an “ending of praise.”
Say the words of the doxology together, starting softly and getting
louder. What motions could you add to make the words meaningful to you?
Could you wave ribbons? Show your pastor, associate in ministry, Sunday
school teacher, or other church leader how you creatively interpret the
doxology with praise. (Read 1Chronicles 29:10-13 for a biblical
reference.)
May 5-11: Say together the words “for the kingdom,
the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.” The word
“Amen” is more than an ending for our prayers. It is a way to affirm
what has been said by others.
 Challenge
each one in your family to say something positive to which everyone can
agree and say AMEN! (Example: I love the warmer weather. Amen! We need
to help feed the hungry. Amen! God is good! Amen!)
May 12-18:
Read the morning blessing in Luther’s Small Catechism. Notice
that you are asked to start the prayer by making the sign of the cross.
Decide if you will kneel or stand to say the Apostle’s Creed, the Lord’s
Prayer, and Luther’s morning prayer. Finish by singing a favorite hymn
or Sunday school song. Your challenge is to follow this practice for 5
days this week. If you do this for 7 days, celebrate by giving each
other a round of high fives!
 May
19-25: Read the evening blessing in Luther’s Small Catechism.
Notice that you are asked to start the prayer by making the sign of the
cross. Decide if you will kneel or stand to say the Apostle’s Creed, the
Lord’s Prayer, and Luther’s evening prayer. Finish by quickly going to
sleep. Your challenge is to follow this practice for 5 days this week.
If you do this for 7 days, celebrate by giving each other a round of
fist bumps!
May 26–June 1: Read together the table blessings.
Was it a surprise to see that Luther prayed after meals too? Make
placemats and write one of Luther’s prayers on each placemat.
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