SPC Youth Program

Spirituality for Kids at Home

Gathering all children for the youth portion of our service.

Religion and Spirituality:

SHARING SPIRITUALITY AT HOME

Resources for Children and Parents

Rev. Jim Burklo, pastor

Dolores Nice-Siegenthaler, teacher

Sausalito Presbyterian Church

RESOURCES:

Resources for interfaith families: Dovetail Institute: dovetailinstitute.org

Bookstore in San Francisco with an excellent selection of interfaith children’s books and materials: Vedanta Society – www.sfvedanta.org - 2323 Vallejo at Fillmore

Godly Play (Montessori-based, very flexible Christian education program, which can be used at home): www.godlyplay.org for background, www.godlyplay.com for materials

Interfaith chants: CD’s by Robert Gass and On Wings of Sound

Ideas for progressive, non-dogmatic, pluralistic Christian education for kids: The Center for Progressive Christianity – www.tcpc.org

BOOKS:

For the very young:

Bless Us All – A Child’s Yearbook of Blessings

by Cynthia Rylant, Little Simon Books, 2004. A little hard-paged book A blessing for all sorts of things and places – each month gets a different poem of blessing.

The “ECS” series produced by Skylight Paths Press – these are little hard-paged books with an interfaith, pluralistic perspective on spirituality, responding to the common religious questions of pre-school kids:

Where Is God? by Lawrence and Karen Kushner – 2002

What Does God Look Like? by Lawrence and Karen Kushner – 2001

What Is God’s Name? by Sandy E. Sasso – 1999

To Everything – by Bob Barner, Chronicle Kids Books, 1998 – the beloved chapter from Ecclesiastes, illustrated simply for children

The Little Soul and the Sun by Neale Donald Walsch

A Small Miracle by Peter Collington (Christmas book in illustration only)

Places of Power by Michael DeMunn

All I see is part of Me by Chara Curtis

Grandad's Prayers of the Earth by Douglass Wood

For elementary school aged kids:

Books by Sandy E. Sasso – all interfaith and pluralistic in their approach to religion (not claiming one religion to be superior to another) –

In God’s Name - Jewish Lights Press, 1994 - How people of different faiths talk about God.

Noah's Wife - Jewish Lights Press, 2002 - Lifts up a female character in the Bible in a creative way

God's Paintbrush - Jewish Lights Press, 1992 - Explores the ways we directly experience God in everyday life – an introduction to practical mysticism for kids!

What Is God? by Etan Boritzer – Firefly Press, 1990. An interfaith meditation on the nature of God

Books by Tomie de Paola – wonderful artist, with a broadly Catholic perspective:

Parables of Jesus – Holiday House Press, 1987

Patrick, Patron Saint of Ireland – Holiday House Press, 1992

Francis, the Poor Man of Assisi

The 11th Commandment – Wisdom for our Children by the Children of America – Jewish Lights Press, 1996 – kids from many religions and cultures add to the Ten Commandments (which are listed in the book as well) – illustrated by kids... very cool!

The Lord's Prayer – artist: Tim Ladwig – Eerdman’s Press, 2000. A very moving illustration of the Lord’s Prayer.

The Donkey and the Golden Light – by John and Gill Speirs – Abramsbooks.com, 2004. The Christmas story, gorgeously illustrated

Books on world religions by Demi (simonsayskids.com):

Buddha - Buddha Stories - Muhammad - Gandhi - The Dalai Lama

These are gorgeously illustrated and make great introductions to world religions and world religious leaders. They are sensitive to the perspective within each of the religions. For instance, Muhammad’s face is never shown in Islamic art, to avoid idolatry, so the artist portrays him as a golden silhouette.

The Pilgrim Book of Bible Stories – Pilgrim Press, 2003 - well-done and relatively open-minded, non-dogmatic rendition of the most important Bible stories for kids, with illustrations. A great introduction to the Bible as a whole.

For pre-teens:

A Wrinkle In Time – by Madeleine l’Engle – 1962. A classic of children’s literature.

Franny and Zooey – by J. D. Salinger, 1955. Another classic! Among many other themes, the book includes the experience of a young woman who begins to practice the repetition of the Jesus Prayer (“Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy upon me”) – a famous Christian mantra. The book is a great way for teens to engage with spirituality – it’s full of conversations and arguments about God.

For excellent suggestions of other books from all faiths: www.tanenbaum.org/elementary_school_reading.html

INTERFAITH CALENDAR OF HOLY DAYS from the BBC: www.bbc.co.uk/religion/tools/calendar/index.shtml

MEMORIZATION OF SCRIPTURE PASSAGES by Jim Burklo

Certain passages from sacred texts can live in your heart and nourish you from within for a lifetime, giving your soul a voice in times of joy and of crisis. You can make it a family affair! Pick out passages to memorize together, reciting them at mealtime or bedtime. This is a list of special biblical treasures that are well worth committing to memory. I strongly recommend using the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, as it is the most faithful in directly translating from the biblical languages of Hebrew and Greek into English, with minimal theological filtering. (I suggest avoiding “youth Bibles” with inserted boxes on the pages containing commentary on the passages – they tend to be very conservative in their interpretations.) You can read and look up passages at this site: http://www.hti.umich.edu/r/rsv/simple.html .

For scriptures and writings from other faiths for memorization, have a look at the United Religions Initiative website: http://www.uri.org/Religions_and_Traditions.html .

Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament):

Ten Commandments: Exodus 20:1-4,7-8,12-17

The Aaronic Benediction: Numbers 6:24-26

Ruth's Promise: Ruth 1:16-17

Elihu's Speech: Job 37:14-24

Psalms: 8, 23, 46:1-2a, 10, 92:1, 95:1-2, 100 or 100:1-2, 118:24, 121 or 121:2

Proverbs: Proverbs ch. 8

Prophecy: Isaiah 2:2-4, 11:1-3a, 11:6-9, 40:1-11,27-31, 61:1-2, Amos 5:21-24, Micah 6:8

New Testament:

Beatitudes of Jesus: Matthw 5:3-10

Jesus - Light: Matthew 5:16

Jesus - Love Enemies: Matthew 5:43-48

Lord's Prayer: Matthew 6:9-13

Jesus- Do Not Be Anxious: Matthew 7:25-34

Jesus - Asking: Matthew 7:7-12

Jesus - With You Always: Matthew 28:20

Jesus - Children: Mark 10:13-16

Jesus - Communion: Mark 14:22-25

Magnificat: Luke 1:46-55

Simeon's Blessing: Luke 2:29-32

Jesus - Golden Rule: Luke 6:27-31

Jesus - Law of Love: Luke 10:27

Jesus - Parables of Mustard and Leaven: Luke13:18-21

The Word: John 1:1-5

For God So Loved the World: John 3:16

Jesus - Love One Another: John 13:34-35

Jesus - Lay Down His Life: John 15:12-13

Hope: Romans 8:18-28

Hold Fast to the Good: Romans 12:9-12

God of Hope: Romans 15:13

The Body of Christ: 1 Corinthians 12

The Love Chapter: 1 Corinthians 13

Be Kind: Ephesians 4:25-32

Armor of God: Ephesians 6:10-17

Put on Compassion: Colossians 3:12-17

Doers of the Word: James 1:19-25

God Is Love: 1 John 4:7-12

He First Loved Us: 1 John 4:19-21

River of Life: Revelation 22:1-5