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You are here: Home / Archives for Art & Faith

Art & Faith

3 Dynamic Ways to Engage Kids on Ash Wednesday

Alissa Ellett Leave a Comment

Ash Wednesday is fast approaching, peep, and the beginning of Lent is right around the corner!

ash wednesday 101

So, you wanna celebrate with your kids but need some ideas. We’re here to help! Use these ideas to foster discussions and more fully engage your kids.

How do you invite your kids into the celebration of Ash Wednesday? We want to know and so does your ICM community. So, share in the comments below!

How’d We Get to Forehead Crosses?

The ashes we receive today are a relic of what was long ago called the order of penitents. Before the Middle Ages, it was only possible to receive forgiveness for one’s sins after Baptism once or twice, and sins had to be confessed publicly to the bishop.

The bishop would then place the person seeking forgiveness in the order of penitents for one to three years. The penitents would sit outside the church begging for alms, wearing itchy sackcloth and covering their heads with ashes.

Over time, churches began the ritual of placing ashes upon the foreheads of the whole congregation instead. Together, the community together recognizes the sinfulness all carry. And it takes notice of the fleeting nature of our earthen footsteps, for from dust we came and to dust we will return.

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Talking About Sin with Kids

Talking about sin with kids can be a daunting task. Since it’s a relevant concept to Ash Wednesday, try approaching it this way.

Explain to your kids that we all miss the mark sometimes by doing things that don’t lead to good things for us, the Earth, other people or creatures. Discuss some examples.

Missing the mark, which we call sin, is part of being human and God lovingly invites us to live each day in alignment with God’s hopes for the world.

When we celebrate Ash Wednesday, we recognize how we all miss the mark, no matter who we are. And in receiving the ashes on our foreheads we remind ourselves that we will continue in our quest to follow God’s ways each day.

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3 Ways to Engage Kids on Ash Wednesday

Create Ashes

If possible, it can be a fantastic experience for children to be a part of the burning of last year’s palm branches. Some churches gather in the courtyard or even at a location off-campus for Ash Wednesday worship, so they can participate together in setting the palms ablaze.

Color

Create a coloring station or hand out coloring sheets and utensils to children as they enter. This is a wonderful way to keep them engaged. And it helps them listen and reflect during the service. Pssst. This is great for kids and adults!

Lenten Practice

Give each congregant the opportunity to write what practice they will give up or take on during Lent. This can be done on paper cut in symbolic shapes. For example, try crosses or butterflies. Then, at a special time during the service congregants can take their intention to the altar or baptismal font.

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Benefits of Engaging Kids on Ash Wednesday

Sense of Belonging

Ash Wednesday is an opportunity for children to see themselves as part of the whole congregation. We all have a fundamental need to be part of something greater than ourselves. Children develop their identity in relationship to others, which means their church can be vital. Rituals like these are powerful reminders that they are not alone.

Learning by Example

The celebration of Ash Wednesday is a beautiful example for children of humility. Together, adults and children alike admit to messing up and commit to strive for God’s ways in their lives. Children learn the curriculum of honesty, vulnerability and grace represented in the practices of their faith family on Ash Wednesday. Additionally, and more importantly, children learn that in spite of missing the mark, we are in God’s presence loved and lovable.

Sensory Experience

Receiving ashes is a sensory experience, which brings to life the intangible elements of faith in the unseen. These experiences engage the body in a way that is not done at any other time during the church year. As a result, children connect more easily to the practice and theology.

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The Power of Ritual

Dr. Barbara Feise, psychologist and professor at Syracuse University, researches the power of ritual in community. She and her team find that it improves overall well being and strengthens relationships and identity. She tells us also that “rituals…provide continuity in meaning across generations.”

As you begin the preparation for the mystery of Easter, we hope you find these ideas helpful and that this Ash Wednesday creates and carries on meaning for your faith family.

And don’t forget to share with all of us in the comments what ways you’re inviting kids to engage in Ash Wednesday this year!

Discover the Power of Photography with Teens in Your Youth Group

Alissa Ellett Leave a Comment

Like any form of art, photography with teens helps them make sense of their life, relationships and encourages growth.

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As youth walk through the world they face several difficult things to navigate, including heartbreak, sexual development, friendship, drug and alcohol use, family dynamics and decisions about the future.

Being a mentor for youth, God has placed you in a unique position to help them make sense of it all. And art, with its many applications, is a great way to do so.

Do you incorporate photography with teens in your ministry? We’d love to know how in the comments below!

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Just a Starting Point

There are countless ways to help teens process what’s going on in their lives. Art with teens is a helpful avenue with endless possibilities. We’ve put together a list of just five ideas in this blog series: art journaling, sculpture, painting, poetry, and photography.

No matter our age, we connect to our Creator as we live into our own creativity. God creates us and the world, and we’re a part of that collaborative process. Photography with teens is a cool way to experience this metaphor.

We hope these photography ideas are a starting point that leads to a connection with God, others, and self and that they help your youth make sense of their world.

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Laying the Foundation for the Process

All of us, especially teens, develop through a process of trial and error. Art can be the same way as we create through play. We try a thing and see what happens, becoming familiar with the medium and adjusting along the way.

When making art as a form of spiritual formation, there is no specific goal except to listen internally. Each of your youth has a unique story and perspective. As you teach them to listen to the voice within, you facilitate their process of connection with God. So, assure them that there is no wrong way to engage.

When doing art with teens, help them trust their intuition, because it is the wisdom guiding them in their process of exploration and growth. As youth learn to trust this, they uncover who God has created and is creating them to be.

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A Note on Lowering Anxiety

Many youth feel self-conscious and insecure when doing art. Art-making can build confidence, self-worth, and identity. But, anxiety can hinder this growth. So, help ease it with a few simple tactics.

First, when exploring photography with teens try starting by explaining that they have all they need within and around them. Also, assure them that they won’t be required to share any of their writing. Remind them that photography as a spiritual practice is about the process of connecting with God and themselves. It isn’t about the final product.

As an exercise to warm-up, show them several different types of photographs. Include a variety of genres and ones that show peak skill level and very little skill level. As they view the images, ask them to share as a group what each photo brings up internally for them. Highlight the fact that it doesn’t matter what the quality of a photo is, we connect to it in some way or another.

These tactics help the kids feel that talent isn’t as much a factor in their process and outcome. Now, let’s dive into a few ideas for exploring photography with teens!

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Magazine Photo Exploration

In this exercise your students will learn to look at images critically, asking how they affect their view of self, God and the world.

First, prior to youth group cut out 2-3 times the number of magazine photos as you have students. Lay them out on the floor, so your youth can easily walk around and view them.

Next, invite them to choose an image that speaks to them.

Next, give them a chance to reflect on and write down what this communicates to them about the world, their feelings, the Divine, relationships, men and women, different types and ages of people, sexuality, -isms, justice, love, values, etc. Ask them to share their reflections and whether they agree with what the image portrays and how they might change it if they could.

To close, ask them how they might describe the power of photography in our minds and, therefore, our lives to create reality.

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Photo Walk

This exercise will alert your students to what is happening around and outside or them. They can begin to see God at work in the world as well as how the sacred can be present in the ordinary of life.

First, find a safe route to walk together as a group. Perhaps this is an activity to do while away on retreat together.

Next, invite your students to take time in silence bringing their awareness to the world around them: the quiet, the noise, the sights and smells, the breeze.

Then, for the next 10-15 minutes walk together quietly as a group and encourage the students to take photos (either using their phone or an SLR camera) of where they see God at work or things that bring to them a sense of connection to the Divine. (If not every student has access to a camera, pair students up and ensure that every pair has a phone to use.)

When you gather together for discussion, ask the students to share their photos if they’d like. Encourage them to share where they saw God at work and what they noticed or learned in the process.

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Reflecting on the Past

This exercise will help your students think back on the past and take time to consider where God may be at work in their lives.

First, a couple weeks before, tell your students to look through old photos, either hard or digital copies. Invite them to bring in some that particularly remind them of times when God was at work in their life.

Next, when the students bring their photos to youth group give them a chance to share, either in small groups or in one large group. Give them the chance to describe what was happening at the time the photo was taken and how they felt or saw God present in the situation.

Lastly, thank the students for bringing in those parts of their lives to share. Ask them how this exercise may help them connect to God as they live life in the present.

We hope these ideas have inspired you to think of exploring photography with teens as a spiritual practice. Have you seen the power of photography with your youth? Don’t forget to tell us about it in the comments below!

Discover the Power of Poetry with Teens in Your Youth Group

Alissa Ellett 1 Comment

Like any form of art, poetry with teens helps them make sense of their life, relationships and encourages growth.

painting with teens 106

As youth walk through the world, they face several difficult things to navigate, including heartbreak, sexual development, friendship, drug and alcohol use, family dynamics, and decisions about the future.

Being a mentor for youth, God has placed you in a unique position to help them make sense of it all. And art, with its many applications, is a great way to do so.

Do you incorporate poetry with teens in your ministry? We’d love to know how in the comments below!

poetry with teens 107

Just a Starting Point

There are countless ways to help teens process what’s going on in their lives. Art with teens is a helpful avenue with endless possibilities. We’ve put together a list of just five ideas in this blog series: art journaling, sculpture, painting, poetry, and photography.

No matter our age, we connect to our Creator as we live into our creativity. God creates us and the world, and we’re a part of that collaborative process. Poetry with teens is a cool way to experience this metaphor.

We hope these poetry-writing ideas are a starting point that leads to a deeper connection with God and self and that they help your youth make sense of their world. If any of your students are interested in the art of spoken word poetry, check out Youth Speaks.

poetry with teens 103

Laying the Foundation for the Process

All of us, especially teens, develop through a process of trial and error. Art can be the same way as we create through play. We try a thing and see what happens, becoming familiar with the medium and adjusting along the way.

When making art as a form of spiritual formation, there is no specific goal except to listen internally. Each of your youth has a unique story and perspective. As you teach them to listen to the voice within, you facilitate their process of connection with God. So, assure them that there is no wrong way to write poetry.

When doing art with teens, help them trust their intuition, because it is the wisdom guiding them in their process of exploration and growth. As youth learn to trust this, they uncover who God has created and is creating them to be.

For further reading, recommend to your youth who are interested, Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg and Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert.

poetry with teens 105

A Note on Lowering Anxiety

Many youth feel self-conscious and insecure when doing art. Art-making can build confidence, self-worth, and identity. But, anxiety can hinder this growth. So, help ease it with a few simple tactics.

First, when writing poetry with teens try starting by explaining that they have all they need within and around them. Also, assure them that they won’t be required to share any of their writing. Remind them that poetry-writing as a spiritual practice is about the process of connecting with God and themselves. It isn’t about the final product.

Second, as a warm-up exercise, invite your students to write for three minutes their stream of consciousness. They will write down whatever thoughts come to mind without interpreting or critiquing them. No one will see these.

These tactics help the kids feel that talent isn’t as much a factor in their process and outcome. Now, let’s dive into a few ideas!

poetry with teens 104

Everyday Something Poem

We often assume that poetry needs to be about something profound and deep. But, what if that isn’t true? What if the potential for the poetic lies in our routine lives? With this exercise, you’ll invite your youth to bring awareness to their everyday lives. It’s an excellent practice for finding the sacred in the ordinary!

First, hand out paper and pen to each student. Writing rather than typing is a way to level the playing field, and it takes students back to a time when they were younger, which is helpful in encouraging freedom and creativity.

Second, give them a simple prompt like “Using short phrases, describe your lunch today. Consider including sights, sounds, foods, tastes, conversations, gratitude, feelings you experienced.” This prompt can be used for anything that’s an everyday something: their ride/walk to school, brushing their teeth, going to sleep, walking their dog, a family gathering.

Third, invite them to share their writing if they’d like to. Then, ask them to discuss what the process was like, how it felt, the challenges they overcame, and how they imagine this kind of writing may relate to discovering the Divine in their lives.

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Nature Walk Poem

Use this type of writing when away with your students on retreat or take a walk around your church if in a more rural setting.

First, invite your students to walk together silently noticing the nature around them. Encourage them to listen to the sounds and look for things they hadn’t before noticed.

Next, stop after a few minutes and tell them that in the next few minutes they will search silently for a piece of nature they feel drawn to. They will take this back with them to write about.

Next, once all have an item, walk back to a common space where they can begin to write. Invite them to describe in detail what the object looks like, perhaps why they felt drawn to it, how they may see God at work in this item’s life cycle, how it may teach them about their own life.

Lastly, discuss together what the experience of being in nature silently was like. Ask them to share their writing if they’d like and what the process was like for them.

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God Poem

In this exercise, your students will imagine and reflect on what they’ve learned of God through experience and spiritual formation.

First, give your students paper and pen.

Next, invite them to reflect on their experiences of the Divine, what they have learned, and what they imagine God to be like. Give them a few minutes to brainstorm on their paper in list form, reminding them that they won’t have to share these.

After that, invite them to write at the top of a blank page “God is…” After every three lines, they will begin again with “God is…” Once they’ve written 12 lines, they will finish with what they imagine God hopes for the world.

To end, invite them to discuss their writing if they’d like and what the process was like. Ask how this may have impacted their ideas about God and how they may want to help God’s hope for the world become a reality.

We hope these ideas have inspired you to think of writing poetry with teens as a spiritual practice. Have you seen the power of poetry with your youth? Don’t forget to tell us about it in the comments below!

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