Conventional wisdom and antiquated stage development theories have had a negative effect on children's spirituality. This paper looks at an innovative spiritual practice (embodied prayer) that instead promotes children's agency and embodied engagement in multi-layered meaning making. It traces both the ways in which children respond to higher…

The purpose of this study is to design and test a children worship service that may facilitate active participation and learning with limited resources. This study is focused on finding elements to design a children worship service with and applying them into it in a small church in contrast of large churches with more resources in space, budget,…

This practicum addressed the situation of a group of children in grades 1-6 who felt that church had little relevance. The introductory chapter describes the setting, organization and community in which the practicum was conducted. Chapter 2 identifies and documents the problem of children's frustration and alienation with Sunday School and…

Images of aging that appear in popular child/teen curricular materials used in church-related contexts were examined to determine how older adults are portrayed in words and pictures in these materials and what images of aging emerge. Materials from the following sources, randomly selected from those that had been checked out of the Ecumenical…

In 1996, the Council of Bishops called upon the United Methodist Church to reshape its mission in response to the crisis among children and the impoverished within the primary goal of evangelization. As one response to the Bishops' Initiative on Children and Poverty, congregations may undertake specific actions to make their churches more…

This annotated bibliography cites books, manuals, games, and periodicals useful in family enrichment programs. Some of the cited materials have a Christian focus. (SJL)

This guide is intended to help church congregations develop and/or strengthen plans for children's ministries and child advocacy. Specifically the work aims to affirm children's growth, discoveries, and experiences and to provide strategies to congregations for helping children whose physical, emotional, social, economic, and educational…

THIS ISSUE INCLUDES PROFESSIONAL NEWS, CONVENTION AND WORKSHOP PROGRAMS, AND SIX REVIEWS OF RECENTLY PUBLISHED MATERIAL. ARTICLES DESCRIBING PROGRAMS IN A VARIETY OF SETTINGS IN AND OUT OF THE U.S.A. FOR CHILDREN WITH BEHAVIOR DISORDERS ARE--(1) "AN APPROACH TO THE THERAPEUTIC EDUCATION OF EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED ADOLESCENTS," BY STEPHEN…

Neither public nor private agencies address the extensive religious involvement that children and youth receive in child care facilities and foster home placement situations. In a five-state mid-west study (N=252), this paper examines religious practices in foster homes. The study identifies a strong Christian-based affiliation of foster homes.…

This resource packet includes information relating to the inclusion of people with disabilities in the Christian church. The first article, "Changing Attitudes, Creating Awareness," highlights several critical areas where churches can begin to understand the barriers of exclusion to people with disabilities. The following article, "Victim…

The volume begins with a discussion of the dynamic nature of small group processes and, more specifically, with how the group might develop social concerns, religious awareness, its own discipline, and the stimulation of individual growth. Group methods for work with junior high youth, senior high youth, young adults, and parents are reviewed.…

This resource guide was developed to promote the National Observance of Children's Sabbaths, a program of prayer, education, community service, and advocacy with and on behalf of children. The guide provides materials for planning, promoting, and implementing a Children's Sabbath specific to particular faith traditions and recounts the experiences…

The third volume of a series on child variance discusses delivery systems that service emotionally disturbed children, including educational, legal-correctional, mental health, social welfare, religious, and counter-cultural institutions. Each type of institution is described extensively in terms of the history of its delivery systems in the…

WRITTEN BY A CHAPLAIN IN A PUBLIC RESIDENTIAL INSTITUTION FOR MENTALLY RETARDED PERSONS, THE BOOK DEFINES THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH IN HELPING THE MENTALLY RETARDED AND THEIR FAMILIES. THE CHALLENGE TO THE CHURCH IS PRESENTED. THE DISCUSSION OF THE MINISTRY TO THE FAMILY TREATS MENTAL RETARDATION AS A FAMILY PROBLEM AND THE PASTORAL CARE OF PARENTS…

The word "summer" brings to mind images of a relaxed, unstructured season--a time markedly different from other seasons of the year. In the United States, we have a particularly entrenched notion that summer is different--a notion reflected in popular assumptions about summer as a "break" and reinforced by carefree depictions…