Dear Abbey Friends,

When we welcome children to church I have one goal that they feel loved. I want them to feel safe, welcomed and beloved. I do not want them to feel forced to memorize, quizzed for right answers or pressured into learning strange vocabulary. At the Abbey our faith is centered around practice and practice takes time and we learn by doing. Our young people learn by singing in worship with others, learn by helping in worship and service, they learn by taking communion that God’s love is nourishing in every way.

Most importantly, I don’t want them to pick up baggage they will have to let go of later, when they have or need a more grown up faith. The greatest gift grown ups can offer kids is a safe place for questions and honest and age appropriate responses. This requires personal reflection and spiritual formation, the more comfortable you are the more comfortable they feel in the conversation.

The gift is we don’t have to do this work alone and we don’t have to do it without any tools. We have tools and great authors that can support us. Also, the landscape of Christian Publishing is not great, to put it nicely the stories we inherit are full of violence and harm. Below you will find a list of great resources for children that I trust to share with my own daughter.

Blessings from your friendly, local Abbot,

Rev. Debra

Children’s Bible

*Growing In God’s Love: A Story Bible*
Edited by Elizabeth R. Caldwell and Carole A. Wehrheim
This Bible is a wonderful collection of short readings, reflective questions and beautiful art. A diversity of skilled leaders created these readings and illustrations. With different styles of art and the inclusion of different skin tones it is a real gem in the Christian Publishing landscape.

One suggestion: consider reading the story you learned in worship that week. Think about the story having listened to the music and the sermon. I would not open to a random page or read from start to finish, particularly in any other children’s Bible. The Bible is filled with stories of love and power and transformation but it is also full of violence, sexism and harm. There is no need to read from start to finish.

Children’s Spirituality Books

We have looked for resources that present loving images and practical age appropriate ways to explore faith, spirituality, God’s image and name, Jesus’ life and how we might embody our faith. We look for books that talk about God as Mother and not just father. We look for books with people represented in the fullness of God’s beautiful diverse world. We look for something simple and profound in one book.

*In God’s Name* by Sandy Eisenberg Sasso

Everyone and everything in the world must have a name. What is God's Name? Multicultural, nondenominational and nonsectarian,
*In God's Name* is a spiritual celebration of all people of the world and their belief in God. This simple, beautiful book will help you and your
child explore spirituality together for the first time.

*Mother God* by Teresa Kim Pecinovsky

Teach your kids that God's love transcends single-gender expression--God is creative, fierce, protective, and her love as a Mother knows no bounds.
With lyrical, rhyming text and exquisite illustrations, Mother God introduces readers to a dozen images of God inspired by feminine descriptions from Scripture. Children and adults alike will be in awe of the God who made them as they come to know her as a creative seamstress, generous baker, fierce mother bear, protective mother hen, strong woman in labor, nurturing nursing mother, wise grandmother, and comforting singer of lullabies.

*Old Turtle* By Douglas Wood

Old Turtle is a classic fable about ecology, peace, and the interconnectedness of all beings. Simple yet profound, it has brought hope and inspiration to children and adults around the world.

*God’s Paintbrush* by Sandy Eisenberg Sasso

Children speak about God in ways that are different from adults. They ask many questions about God, questions that can be startlingly direct. Oftentimes adults-parents, grandparents, and teachers-feel uncomfortable answering them. Through fantasy, involvement, and the imagination, Sandy Sasso and Annette Compton invite children of all faiths and backgrounds to encounter God openly through moments in their own lives-and help the adults who love them to be a part of that encounter. This book provides a gift of images that nurtures and encourages children in making meaning of their world..

*Who Is My Neighbor?* by Amy-Jill Levine & Sandy Eisenberg Sasso

Blues and Yellows just don't mix, and that's how it's always been. No one remembers why. But then comes the day Midnight Blue takes a tumble along the road. His friends Navy and Powder Blue don't even stop to help! It's only when a Yellow comes along that everything changes-forever.
This creative story is sure to prompt rich conversations, encouraging new ways of seeing our neighbors and ourselves. A note for parents and educators is included.

*Who Counts?* By Amy-Jill Levine & Sandy Eisenberg Sasso

Who Counts? is a creative retelling of three popular parables: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son. As young readers count to help the characters find what's missing, Who Counts? teaches that every one of us counts in God's eyes and that everyone should feel counted.
The stories are beautifully illustrated with modern-day characters and a diversity of ethnicities so that all children will be able to see themselves in the stories.

*My Jesus: Story Collection* by Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Showcasing diverse and multicultural artwork from the finest artists around the globe, Archbishop Desmond Tutu retells eighteen of his most treasured New Testament stories, artfully highlighting both the biblical message and the rich cultural heritage of each illustrator in this delightful picture book.

*But God Remembered* By Sandy Eisenberg Sasso

A lively collection of stories that gives voices and names to women from biblical and ancient times whom we seldom remember. This lively collection of four stories is a modern reclaiming of the Bible, a celebration of courageous and wise women from ancient tradition. These stories invite children of all ages and all faiths to remember, and to bring their own faith to life. With vivid prose and lush, full-color illustrations, this storybook introduces:

*Cain & Abel: Finding the Fruits of Peace* by Sandy Eisenberg Sasso

Multicultural, Nondenominational, Nonsectarian. Endorsed by Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish Religious Leaders. A spiritual conversation-starter for adults and children to read together. In a world often hurt by violence, this retold biblical story gives children and adults a starting point for discussing anger and its effects on those around us. By harnessing the power we have to deal with our emotions in positive ways, we can once again cultivate the fruits of peace--and change the world for the better.

Books for Teaching Meditation, Centering and Prayer

Teaching children to pray is an important practice and sometimes can give the impression that God is a really big vending machine, deciding if you get what you want or don’t want. So what happens if God doesn’t intervene when a child asks for help? What happens if a child feels unworthy or takes in a sense that must earn love from God? What happens if God seems more like a big Santa Claus in the Sky?

Teaching kids how to breathe deep, practice gratitude, and center in prayer and meditation matters. There might be simple and beautiful ways that an adult and child can pray together. Consider some of these spiritual practices with your child.