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There is a fantastic website that you may not be aware of -- The Hausvater Project.
Hausvater is German for housefather and Spiritually responsible head of household, including the housefather as assisted by the housemother. For example: "As the Hausvater should teach it [Christian doctrine] to the entire family ..." (Martin Luther, Small Catechism, 1529) This is their Mission Statement: The Hausvater Project seeks to equip Christian men and women for distinctive and complementary vocations in family, church, and society, by fostering research and education in light of Holy Scripture as proclaimed by the Lutheran Confessions. To give you an idea about how beneficial this site is, please check out these two new articles: Parenting: Putting the Brakes on Fighting a review by Jonathan Conner A Soft Answer Breaks the Crazy Cycle by Dr. Ryan MacPherson There is a lot on that site that will be a great blessing to you and your family. Enjoy!
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This article has some great information and it should sound familiar since it is what we do here: How to Make Worship Kid-Friendly
From the article: Them: I like traditional worship, but I’ve got kids, so, you know… Me: No, I don’t. What do you mean? Them: Well…I’ve got to have them in contemporary worship. Me: Oh. Why? Them: (With increasing annoyance) Well…you know…they’re kids! I must have had this conversation a thousand times. These are parents, who usually for the most honorable of reasons believe that they need to put their kids in contemporary worship. After all, it’s easy, it seems relevant, and it doesn’t ask for much in return. The motivation may be pure, but the method is short-sighted, and the results can be disastrous. I think in the haste to see their kids “connected” or “plugged in” to the church, it’s easy for parents to forget a few things about the purpose of corporate worship. Also check out our What about My Children? section of this website.  When we have more of an Epiphany season the second Sunday's Gospel reading is the wedding at Cana (John 2:1-11). It's a beautiful text and has a lot to teach us about who Christ is and what He thinks about marriage. In Walther's sermon on this text he says that Jesus' miracle reveals the glory of marriage in four ways:
1) First it reveals that marriage is a Holy Institution, instituted by God Himself before the Fall. This means that it is not an invention of man and so it is not something that man can change. Marriage is what God makes it, not how culture defines it. 2) Next it reveals that God preserves our marriages by His might and power. What a comforting thought! We all know how difficult marriage is and yet God shows us here that He is the one who preserves our marriages. 3) Related to that it reveals that God Himself provides for the needs of the institution. Not only does God preserve our marriages, but He provides everything we need for them. It starts in the Divine Service where the forgiveness we receive there flows into our homes and the rest of our week. He provides the spiritual and physical needs of our marriages (see the First Article of the Creed and Fourth Petition of the Lord's Prayer in the Small Catechism). 4) Finally, Walther says that God wants to reveal Himself to man in marriage – that marriage and and the family a school of faith and love. In the home we speak God's Word to one another (both Law and Gospel) and learn to love and serve our neighbor. Obviously much more could be said. I hope this meditation encourages you in your own marriage. I came across two fantastic resources that could greatly help your family with catechizing your children and family devotions.
The first helps you create a family altar board. What's that? Check out the link to find out: http://www.intoyourhandsllc.com/blog/60-start-a-tradition-the-family-altar-board.html And the second shows you how to easily break down teaching and reviewing the Small Catechism throughout the Church Year: http://lutherancatechism.com/2016/01/one-church-year-catechism-reading-plan/ I hope you are able to utilize both! |
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Our Savior Lutheran Church, Pagosa Springs, is a member congregation of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) and is committed to the doctrine of the Lutheran Church as presented in The Book of Concord. We are a congregation uniquely devoted to liturgical worship, to catechesis (Christian education), and to the centrality of the Holy Communion and other Sacraments in the life of the Christian. |
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