Faith Formation

I found a couple of interesting sites to help me in training up my children in the way they should go. Two things I'm going to begin working with them on lately are the church year and the creeds. Church Year Many evangelical groups ignore the church year, and do so to their detriment I believe. The church year is a way of orienting one's life around the life of Christ. It helps us focus our hearts and minds on Jesus and celebrates his life, death and resurrection. I guess it's not for everybody but it works for me. If you are in a more liturgically oriented church, you'll notice the change in the colors of the priest/minister's garments and the paraments or clothes that adorn the communion table or altar as the church season changes. Here is a good visual chart to show the changes. Notice in the right hand column there are also pages that gives the meaning behind the colors, an explanation of the church year, etc. Liturgy Here's a page dedicated to Teaching Liturgy to Children with some helpful information. Creeds I found this site with information about the creeds of Christendom and even shows them in their original language. Nicene Creed We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.