This week the church remembers St. Timothy who, as a child, learned the Christian faith from his Grandmother and became a companion of St. Paul on his missionary journeys. St. Titus is remembered this week as well. The first bishop of Crete, companion of St. Paul and Gerhardt’s middle namesake!
Reading about Timothy reminds me of the great task parents have been given in bringing up our children in the care and instruction of the faith.
Luther had some strong and beautiful words on raising children:
“Thus it is true that parents, even if they had nothing else to do, might attain eternal blessedness through their children. And if they bring them up in the true service of God, they will have both hands full of good works to do.
What else are the hungry, thirsty, naked, the prisoners, the sick and the strangers here but the souls of your own children? It is for their sake that God makes your house a hospital and appoints you the master of it, that you may tend them, feed them, and quench their thirst with good words and works, so that they learn to trust in God, believe in him, fear him and place their hope in him.
This is in order that they will honor his name, neither swear nor curse, be diligent, worship God and hear his Word, learn to despise the kings of this world, bear misfortune meekly, not to fear death or to love this life! Oh, what a blessed home where such parents live. It is indeed like a true church, a select monastery, yes like paradise.
And again, there is no easier way for parents to merit hell than through their own children, in their own home, when they neglect to teach them these things. What does it help them if they bring themselves to the verge of death through fasting, praying, going on pilgrimage, and doing good works? On the day of judgment God will not ask about such things but will demand of them the children he has given and committed to them.”
I’ve begun using the Church calendar of Feast days, Commemorations and Seasons to order what I focus on teaching the girls each week (and Gerhardt soon). It’s gives better direction to our daily crafts, story times and evening family devotions than just making it up as I go, as I was doing.
We use Treasury of Daily Prayer, The Story Bible, the Follow and Do series and our Lutheran Service Book. Eventually we will begin to incorporate Luther’s Small Catechism.
What teaching tools do you use with your children?
These are all excellent resources to use with your family. We also used My First Catechism from CPH.
Where did you get your Church calendar of Feast Days information?
I love what you are doing! I’m glad you finally settled on a way to teach and craft at the same time!
I saw that I never found a St. Titus coloring page last year, so I googled it, and this blog post was #2, first page 🙂 Nice work, Mama.
A curriculum-based-around-the-Church-Year is something I have been dreaming about for years–I love that other moms are sharing this work 🙂
Thanks ladies!
Kristi, I’ve seen those My First Catechisms, I’ll have to remember that. I use our LSB pew edition for the Church year, on pages x-xiii there is a list of Festivals, Commemorations etc. Very helpful.
Grandmere, Thank you for raising me in the faith!
Katy, That’s funny, I looked for coloring pages on Titus too, I didn’t find any, did you?. Your site has been a great resource and encouragement for me, keep it up!
No, I didn’t. I think I’m going to make one. (No promises, though.) I hope everything is going well for you with the new one!
Hello Friend!
Thanks for sharing this info. We are wondering if you teach the girls Sunday school? What curriculum do you use if so? We are trying to decide when and how to switch from bringing Anabelle with us to Sunday school, to teaching her a curriculum of her own.
Sweet Eugie! I don’t officially teach Sunday School at our church, but I guess the idea is the same. I do a “lesson”, craft and snack to go with it here at home. (Actually I’m not even sure what Lily is learning in Sunday School, probably not good for a pastor’s wife huh? And Clara hasn’t started SS yet. :/ ) What I’m doing is just something I want to be a natural part of our life. I want the girls to know, understand and love what God’s word teaches and our Church year is one of the tools we have to learn this by. So I use it as a guide to build a “curriculum”. It’s something I’ve been thinking a lot about, our lives revolving around the Church calendar, not the secular calendar. This of course doesn’t mean we won’t enjoy secular commemorations, but it won’t be our focus. I should make a post on this sometime with more links of where I collect some of my ideas.
What age do the babies start SS at Trinity? Is there a class for Anabelle? If not, I think you should definitely go ahead with teaching her at home. Starting simple of course and letting it be “natural” something that flows out of yours and Jud’s life in the home. Let me know if you want to discuss this more!