Looking back as a parent ...What worked:- Daily prayer at meals & bedtime- Connecting God to experiences of life- Connecting God to acts of service- Sharing our struggles- Asking for their prayers- Inviting their interpretations- Never judging- Surrounding them with friends & community- Church as introduction to new experiences- Hospitality to multi-religious, nonreligious friends- Continuing to learn- Apologizing

What didn’t work:- Unexplained exposure to fundamentalism

- Not preparing for Christian diversity, especially fundamentalism

- Not being more overt about Bible as literature, exposure to meaning over fact

- Not being more bold about “new kind of Christian” identity

What I hope Faith Forward Can Do:1. Develop a curriculum of love ...

- for neighbor

- for self

- for stranger, outsider, outcast, enemy

- for the earth

- for God

What I hope Faith Forward Can Do:

2. Develop a curriculum of God ...

Beyond-nessAwe

Vocation to grow and serveTrinity as loving relationality

Christ-likeness

What I hope Faith Forward Can Do:3. Develop a curriculum of contemplation (inner life) ...

Cultivating love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control

Teaching non-duality earlier ...

What I hope Faith Forward Can Do:4. Develop a curriculum of justice, generosity, and action ...

Seeing the world

with compassion

and responding

with individual and collective

action.

What I hope Faith Forward Can Do:

5. Promote earlier involvement as participating

members of the Christian community

- Liturgical participation- Joining in mission- Being consulted in

decision-making- Celebrated for good work

What I hope Faith Forward Can Do:

6. Sundays, yes - but Sundays-Plus:

- for parents: 7-day prayers, blessings, affirmations,

thanksgivings

- daily kids’ apps

- camps, retreats, field trips, mentorships

- songs! music!

What I hope Faith Forward Can Do:

7. Boldness in affirming the best of what is ... and

leading the way to what can be.

- People are ready (hungry!) for a big change.

- It’s not the 1950’s (or 90’s) any more...

- Emergence and convergence are unleashed!

What I hope Faith Forward Can Do:

8. Have fun - and be good

to each other!