Formation in Marriage and Family

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Formation in Marriage and Family
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Luther on Marriage and Family
Marriage is the source of both the family and
the state, and the nursery of the church.
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Married people can do no better work and do
nothing more valuable either for God, for
Christendom, for all the world, for themselves,
and for their children than to bring up their
children well. For bringing up their children
properly is their shortest road to heaven. In
fact, heaven itself could not be made nearer or
achieved more easily than by doing this work.
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In the Christian doctrine, in which, after the
doctrine of the Gospel and faith, we teach how we
should conduct ourselves in a godly and honorable
manner in this life, marriage is the first and
chief thing for it is the beginning and origin
of the whole life.
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7 Practical Strategies for Family Faith Formation
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1 - Connect Sunday Morning with
Monday-Saturday in the Home

• Make Sunday morning a time for resourcing
  families.
• The 4 Keys faith talk, devotional practices,
  rituals and traditions, service.
• Provide At home pieces.

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Taking Faith Home www.formingfaith.com
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2 - Use the Seasons of the Church Year to Help
Families Live Faith-fully

• Advent, Lent or Pentecost Workshops.
• Seasonal family devotional resources.
• Make it easy for them.

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3 - Use Baptisms and Marriages as Key
Strategic Opportunities

• Use baptismal preparation to give parents
  guidance and resources.
• Use marriage preparation to help couples think
  about the future shape of their family life.

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4 - Build and Parent and Family Dimensions
into First Communion and Confirmation Preparation

• Introduce parent nights into your instruction
  programs.
• Bring together kids and parents help them do
  the faith with one another.

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5 - Make Worship Child and Parent Friendly

• Provide aids for parents who worship with
  children.
• Educate parents about worshipping with children.
• Give attention to the senses in worship.
• Recruit pew parents.

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6 - Be Proactive in Caring for Marriages

• Follow-up on married couples each year.
• Use the Alpha Marriage Preparation Course.
• Offer Parents Nights Out.
• Look at marriage mentoring.

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7 - Tend Your Own Marriage and Family Life