By Ann Leaman
Ohio Conference
Resource Advocate

How is your congregation handling faith formation for children during the COVID-19 pandemic? Are you seeking ideas for working with children?

Mennonite Church USA is  hosting a webinar titled “It can be done! Children’s Sunday school during COVID-19.” This webinar will take place Wednesday, Sept. 23, at 2:30 p.m. EDT.

If you haven’t offered faith formation for children or are looking for more ideas on how to do it, you are invited to join this conversation. Joan Daggett, project director for the Shine Sunday school curriculum, will show how to use the new digital adaptations of Shine curriculum and offer ideas on how to do children’s Sunday school during this time. Participants will also hear from leaders who have been experimenting with new ways to offer faith formation for children.

Shana Peachey Boshart, Mennonite Church USA denominational minister for faith formation, will be hosting the conversation. Bring your questions and come ready to share what’s working for you. This webinar will be recorded and posted at www.mennoniteusa.org/webinars. To register, go to http://bit.ly/Sundayschoolwebinar.

Speaking of dealing with children, the staff of Dove’s Nest would like to remind all churches that its Circle of Grace curriculum deals with many issues that children and youth are facing during this time of pandemic.

In a recent blog post, the Dove’s Nest staff noted, “During this pandemic, children are at risk for online abuse, for suicidal ideation, and for mental health concerns…. While we fully acknowledge that this curriculum cannot replace professional interventions, it is a wonderful reminder to children that God loves their entire selves and wants them to be safe — and that their Sunday school teachers and adults at their church care about their whole lives too!”

The mission of Dove’s Nest is to empower and equip faith communities to keep children and youth safe in their homes, churches, and communities. See the Dove’s Nest website for more information: https://dovesnest.net/Children-Need-Circle-of-Grace-Now-More-Than-Ever.