Below you’ll find a variety of online faith formation resources. These are what many of our children’s and youth ministers around ECMN are currently using for their youth groups and Sunday morning ministries.
LOVED CURRICULUMS
Ages 3 – Grade 5
- Shine
- Lectionary-based: VTS & Whole People of God
- Living the good news
- Episcopal lesson plans that work
- Story Path (for picture books coordinating with the Gospel reading)
- Worshiping with children
- Godly Play
- Worship Woodworks
- Youtube: Godly play Foundation
- Youtube: extra stories (my own)
- Sample Prek-1 Story Rotation: Year 1 & Year 2
- Sample Gr 2-3 Story Rotation: Year 1 & Year 2
Grades 3 – 5
Grades 9 – 12
- Animate (also good for topics in confirmation)
- Nooma (some on youtube for free)
- Confirmation Curriculums
- VTS: Episcopal Curriculum for Youth
- The Bible Project
BROADER EXPLORATIONS OF CURRICULUM
Forma
- Resource Wall for Children: http://episcoforma.org/forma-resource-wall/children/
- Resource Wall for Youth: http://episcoforma.org/forma-resource-wall/youth/
VTS (Free)
Building Fatih
- Homepage: http://www.buildfaith.org/curriculum-center/
- 2021 Best Youth Curriculum Picks: https://buildfaith.org/building-faiths-youth-ministry-curriculum/?fbclid=IwAR1VyDR0Xjzha1ZaxEfZcsCPgHk4dw5PAkg-ojc8qpFZHqc8LLmO4b1AGng
- Youth Curriculum Chart: http://www.buildfaith.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/2016CurriculumChartforYouth28129.pdf
- Children Curriculum Chart: http://www.buildfaith.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/2016CurriculumChartforChildren.pdf
Evaluating & Choosing Curriculum
MN Resource Center for Churches
- This organization runs an in-person library in Minneapolis where you can check out materials for an annual per church fee.
- Website: http://rcc-mn.org/
Church Next
- Online Video Classes & Small Group Studies: https://www.churchnext.tv/
ONLINE COMMUNITIES
Facebook Groups
- Forma: Join this FB group.
- Progressive Youth Ministry: Join this FB group.
Websites
- St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Duluth: Lots of links!
- Children’s Activities: This website has activity sheets for lectionary themes
Blogs
- “Pray-ground” Pictures: Examples of children’s spaces in worship (St. Lukes Mpls)
- Intergenerational Activities: Jerusalem Greer’s Blog & Books
GREAT BOOKS
Children’s Ministry
- Sustainable Children’s Ministry: From Last-Minute Scrambling to Long-Term Solutions by Mark DeVriew & Annette Safstrom.
Youth Ministry
- Contemplative Youth Ministry by Mark Yaconelli.
- The Godbearing Life: The Art of Soul Tending for Youth Ministry by Kendra Creasy Dean.
- Sustainable Youth Ministry: Why Most Youth Ministry Doesn’t Last and What Your Church Can Do About It by Mark DeVries.
Other
- Call on Me: A Prayer Book for Young People by Jenifer Gamber and Sharon Ely Pearson. The prayers in this book will come in very handy throughout your ministry for special circumstances.
- Circle Forward by Carolyn Boys-Watson. How build caring circles beyond just “highs and lows.”
