The Diocese of New Jersey April 18, 2015 Presenter: David W. Anderson Hello there.

The Diocese of New Jersey

April 18, 2015

Presenter: David W. Anderson Hello there.Hello there.

Rev. Dr. David W. AndersonPresenter, Coach and Author

[email protected]

Back to Basics for Discipleship Making

and Outreach

Hello there.Hello there.

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.milestonesministry.org/

Back to Basics for Discipleship Making and Outreach

• Five Principles of faith formation• Four Key Faith Practices: cross+generational,

sacramental, experiential, and rooted in a foundational partnership between home and parish

• Resources will be explored that connect the Five Principles and Four Keys with daily faith formation and significant milestones events in our lives.


Back to Basics for Discipleship Making and Outreach

Q. What is the ministry of the laity?

A. The ministry of lay persons is to represent Christ and his Church; to bear witness to him wherever they may be; and, according to the gifts given them, to carry on Christ’s work of reconciliation in the world . . .


What assumptions do you hold?

The Milestones Ministry FrameFive Principles to serve as a compass heading for ministry:

1. Faith is formed by the power of the Holy Spirit through personal, trusted relationships-often in our own homes. (John 1:29-49; 4:28-42)

2. The church is a living partnership between home and congregation.

(Acts 2:46, 5:42, 20:20)Hello there.Hello there.

Milestones Ministry Frame

3. Where Christ is present in faith, home is church, too.

(Acts 16:13ff)

4. Faith is caught more than taught.

(Deut. 6:4-9)

5. If we want Christian children and youth, we need Christian adults.

(Malachi 4:6; 2 Timothy 1:5) Hello there.Hello there.


There are FOUR KEY faith practices . . .

“to do the work you have given us to do, to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord.”

(Post- Communion Prayer: BCP, p. 366)



There are FOUR KEY faith practices . . .

Part of the Episcopal, Benedictine spirituality of

Obedience Stability

Conversion of Life



There are FOUR KEY faith practices that make up the lifestyle of lifelong faith formation:

1. Caring Conversation2. Devotions3. Service4. Rituals and Traditions




There are 30+ Child & Adult Milestone Modules:


What Is Milestones Ministry?

A Meaningful Memorable Moment . . . Marked with the Cross of Christ

13Hello there.Hello there.

What milestones do you currently celebrate in your parish?

Baptism Mission

Trips?

Bible?

New Member?Blessing of

Backpacks?

Confirmation

First Communion

Others?


PARISH MILESTONES

What milestones do you recognize and celebrate in your home and daily life?

Birthdays? Baptismal

Birthdays?

Graduation?

Retirement?Driver’ s

License?

First Day of School?

Aniversaries?

Others?


HOME MILESTONES

What milestones do you recognize in the public world around you?

Fourth of

July?

Memorial

Day?

Graduation?

Thanksgiving?Summertime

at the Park?

Souper Bowl?

Trunk or Treat?

Others?


COMMUNITY MILESTONES


• The Design: Consistency of Look

• Four Keys (Caring Conversations, Devotions,

Service, and Rituals/Traditions) are prominent

• The Home Component

• There is a Follow-Up

• Cross+generational

• Focus on Outreach• Mentoring/Soul Friends

What’s New about Milestones?

There are 18 Child-Youth Milestone Modules:


There are 18 Milestones Modules:

FaithChest® Milestone: Passing on FaithBaptism Milestone: The Beginning Point of Nurturing a Faith Life

Anniversary of Baptism Milestone: Remembering Our Way of LifePrayer Milestone: Relationships with God and Family

Welcoming Young Children to Worship Milestone: An Intentional InvitationEntering Sunday School Milestone: First Steps for a Young Child

Kids and Money Milestone: Good Stewards of God’s GiftsBlessing of the Backpacks Milestone: A Fall Milestone for All Ages

Communion Milestone: Learning More about the Lord’s Supper


Bible Milestone: Placing Scripture in Hands and HomesBible Camp Milestone: Feeling God’s Comfort in Outdoor Ministry

My Body, God’s Gift Milestone: Sexuality as God’s Good GiftMiddle School Milestone: Created in God’s Image

Beginning Confirmation Milestone: Walking with Youth on Their Faith Journeys

Confirmation Milestone: An Evening of HonorDriver’s License Milestone: Driver’s License as a Rite of PassageMission Trip Milestone: Community Blessings at Home and Away

High School Graduation Milestone: Equipping Graduates for the Journey

18 Milestones Modules continued:


There are 8 Adult Milestone Modules:


Adult Milestones

• For Caregivers of Aging Parents

• Return from Military Deployment

• Retirement

• New Home

• New Job

• First Time Grandparents

• Wedding Anniversary

• Empty Nest

• Four More in the Fall


8 Adult Milestones Modules:Caring for Aging Parents: affirming primary care givers

Return from Military Deployment: reuniting with family and friendsNew Home: Affirming the physical, spiritual, and emotional transition

to a new living space

Retirement: a major life transitionEmpty Nest

Wedding Anniversary New Job

First Time Grandparents


First Time ParentsJoining a Faith Community

Loss of a Loved OneConnecting with Spiritual Gifts

4 Adult Milestones Modules (in the Fall)


Introducing the design…

Desired Outcomes

Desired Outcomes

Talk about changes and challenges of new living situation Share memories of previous homes and hopes and dreams for the future in a new home Understand how faith and worship can be practiced in the home Equip those in transition with a ritual/tradition for moving into a new home Provide resources for rituals/traditions that can be consistently practiced in the home Connect ministry of the congregation with the new owners


What is Milestones

Ministry?


5 Part Structure

1.Name it2.Equip it3.Bless it4.Gift it5.Reinforce it


1. Naming

Identifies a moment as significant to one’s life and faith

2. Equipping


Provides support, modeling, and resources to help people experience a milestone in life as an opportunity to again embrace the grace of God in Christ

3. Blessing

Offers a prayer in a worship service, cross+generational event, and/or the home to embrace people’s lives with the grace, mercy, and peace of God in Christ.

4. Gifting

Provides a gift to help the participants recall a particular milestone in their lives with faith, hope, and love


5. Reinforcing

Offer a follow up event to help deepen the faith formation impact of the Milestone Ministry event. Encourage and support faith practices recommended at the initial Milestone event and, when helpful, explore new ones.

5 Part Structure


These five component parts work together to link individuals and cross + generational groups with a faith community and a way to promote lifelong faith formation.

Notes for

Leadership

Planning Helps


Four Keys

FOUR KEYS For Practicing Faith

1. Caring Conversations

2. Devotions3. Service4. Rituals and

TraditionsHello there.Hello there.

Worship Service

For the Home

Four Keys

Blessings in home and congregation with

intention to do outreach


Reinforcing

Four Keys



Appendix


Resources

Gifting



Blessing Bowl

Candle

Four Keys Mat

Milestone Stones

Options

Customizable Invitations

BriefcasesToolboxes



• We tend to limit milestones to parent and child

• Importance of Follow Up and Re-Connect

Opportunity to invite whole community

(not just the faith community)

Sometimes Overlooked…


Outreach

Outreach into the community is a major gift of

Milestones Ministry. It is a lifelong faith

formation ministry that can serve and bless

other people besides congregational members.

Sometimes Overlooked…


Blessing of the Backpacks

Driver’s License

Middle School

High School Graduation

Aging Parents

Deployment

Friends and neighbors are invited!

Resources for the Ministry

Milestones Ministry

for Home,Parish,

and Digital World


Three Stages of Milestones Ministry

Stage 1 - Program

Milestones Manual



Stage 2 – Life Cycle

For Everything a Season



Stage 3 – Way of Life

Milestone Blessings Bowl and

Mat



The Challenge:

• More than parent and child

• Importance of Follow Up• Invite whole community

Remember …

The Key Elements:

• Naming

• Equipping

• Blessing

• Gifting

• Reinforcing




Equipping leaders and all the laity.

Discipleship Making and Community Outreach

Back to Basics

For a PDF of this presentation:Go to www.miletonesminstry.org

Click on “Our Team” TabFind PDF under David’s Bio


http://www.miletonesminstry.org/

New Home DevotionsRead Scripture: Proverbs 24:3-4 (CEV)

“Use wisdom and understanding to establish your home; let good sense fill

the rooms with priceless treasures.”


New Home DevotionsAfter reading the Scripture, finish these sentences:

1.A piece of wisdom I learned in my own home (or grandparents’ home or other significant adult’s home) as a child is . . .

2.A treasure I carry with me from my old home to my new home is . . .

3. When I think about using wisdom and understanding to establish my home, I wonder . . .


The Diocese of New Jersey April 18, 2015 Presenter: David W. Anderson Hello there.

Documents

anderson hello

outreach hello

milestones ministry

traditions hello

key faith practices

principles of faith

daily faith formation

significant milestones