3 April 2017 | Riga, Latvia [Karen Holford] The basement of the Central Riga Adventist church was transformed into a colourful hub of activity for a series of workshops on ‘Creative Family Spirituality’, the during weekend of 18-19 March 2017.
This was a follow-up programme led by Karen Holford, Trans-European Division Family Ministries director. The previous year, she had left a set of her ‘100 Ideas’ books at a Union advisory for Women’s, Children’s, and Family Ministries directors. The books are packed with creative activities for Sabbath, family worships, learning memory verses, and praying together. Marite Lipska, the Children’s Ministry director for Latvia, was inspired. She asked for permission to translate the books into Latvian, and planned a special weekend to introduce the materials to families and church members from all over Latvia.
Marite’s dream was finally realised. All five books were translated into documents that could be freely shared with every family by email. The creative activity instruction cards, which Karen uses to introduce people to some of the ideas in her books, were also translated for churches to use. Marite prepared and organised all the materials for dozens of activities so that they were ready for the participants to use and explore.
About 50 people attended the workshops over the weekend. They learnt how to integrate creativity into their everyday family spirituality and church communities. A handful of children came with their parents. They became totally absorbed in the different activities, wonderfully demonstrating the difference and delight that creativity can bring to a child’s relationship with God.
One participant stated in her feedback that she has been searching online for ways to make family worships more interesting and special for her 3-year-old daughter, and trying to find ways to introduce her to God and His big love through their worships. “These seminars were God’s answer to my prayers. They gave me wonderful ideas, answers to questions, practical examples, and an opportunity to explore some of the activities for myself.”
Another lady expressed how the activities had “significantly developed my creative thinking so that I could look at spirituality through the eyes of a child.” This has helped her discover fresh ways to tell children about God “through our everyday lives together, so that they can get to know Him even better.”
Other thanks came for what was called a “wonderfully organised seminar” with “so many practical ideas.” Another concluded, “Now I can suggest new ideas in church, for teaching children and teenagers. Thank you for everything, this seminar inspired me.”
If you would like to offer a similar project in your area, please contact Karen Holford for more information: [email protected] [tedNEWS]
tedNEWS Staff: Victor Hulbert, editor; Esti Pujic, associate editor
119 St Peter’s Street, St Albans, Herts, AL1 3EY, England
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.ted.adventist.org
tedNEWS is an information bulletin issued by the communication department of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Trans-European Division.
