In full color, with photos and illustrations throughout, Let the Children Come to Me is a resource for families nurturing faith development of elementary-aged children structured around 12 Anabaptist faith practices: Scripture reading, prayer, community, bearing witness, service to one another, worship, non-violence, steadfast faith, the centrality of Christ, communion, believer's baptism, and stewardship.
Each faith practice is developed as a short unit (the equivalent of two page-spreads) and explored through stories from Anabaptist-Mennonite history--one from the sixteenth century and one contemporary, global story. These stories are accompanied by scripture passages, conversation-starters, prayers, and multiple options for family activities.
The book is supported by the Institute for the Study of Global Anabaptism (ISGA) of Goshen College, through the Bearing Witness Stories Project.
Let the Children Come to Me fills an important gap in Anabaptist faith formation resources by holistically blending scripture, historical and current stories, spiritual practices, and hands-on activities in a visually appealing, child-friendly format. It could easily be used by grandparents with visiting grandchildren or by younger leaders club, camp, or Sunday school settings. I will certainly recommend it for use in my congregation." --Elsie Rempel, Faith Formation Consultant; Winnipeg, Canada; Author, Please Pass the Faith: the Art of Spiritual Grandparenting
The Authors: Lisa Weaver has over twenty-five years teaching experience in public elementary schools, adult ESL classes, and various Christian Education settings. Elizabeth Miller is co-director of Mennonite Central Committee Colombia-Ecuador. Tapping into Lisa's expertise as a teacher and Elizabeth's experience with global Anabaptist history, they teamed up to create a family-based faith development resource.
The Designer: Judith Rempel Smucker brings each unit to life with engaging images and designs that invite participation.