Naomi
Unger recently interviewed
Elsie Rempel, Formation Consultant for Mennonite
Church Canada. Elsie holds a master degree in theology with a focus on
Mennonites, children and communion, an education degree, has taught primary
school in a Christian setting for 40 years, and is a grandparent of four
youngsters. Her new book
PleasePass
the Faith: The Art of Spiritual Grandparenting is a
treasure trove of practical ideas and tips for grandparents wanting to pass on
their faith to their grandchildren.
(from the MennoniteChurch Canada
Resource Centre)
Naomi: Tell us a bit about your work as Formation
Consultant for Mennonite Church Canada. What are some of
the highlights and challenges of your work?
Elsie: First
of all, I should include a word about my current ministry title. I have worked
with Mennonite Church Canada since 2002 under several titles. I began as
Director of Christian Education and Nurture. After some years we sought a
shortening of the title and thought that Christian Nurture captured the essence
of my ministry. When my work was reduced to half time and ministry with and for
seniors was added, we felt that the term Consultant reflected the more limited
role, and Formation reflected the whole life journey of Christians as they are being
formed by Christ. Such a formation
consultant, one who helps Christ take form in others, is what I strive to be
and do as I gather, develop, and share on a wide variety of faith forming
topics for our denomination and beyond.
The greatest highlights of my work are:
~ Hearing that
resources we have produced or promoted have had a positive faith forming impact
in our congregations, or in people’s personal lives. I’ve experienced this numerous times with my book, Please Pass the Faith and it has been
deeply rewarding. Writing the book was a
particularly intensive and extensive project, so it’s good to know it’s been
worth it.
~ Meeting with
dedicated and gifted church leaders in Canadian writing teams to prepare
worship resources for Leader
magazine. We immerse ourselves diligently in the
seasonal scripture texts and our contexts for faithfulness, but it always feels
like we’re on a spiritual mountaintop as we arrive at new themes and worship
outlines.
Naomi: Over the years, you have written and edited numerous
resources for children, such as Lent and Advent family devotions,
Lectionary-based children's stories, and Vacation Bible School curricula.
You've helped shape; you’ve introduced, and worked with Sunday School
curricula. What motivated
you to write resources for children of the church?
Elsie: Whenever I work with children directly, I am inspired by
their child faith and their insights into living God’s way. They are eager for stories and messages that help them name
and claim God’s role in our individual and corporate lives. On the other hand, our current society
exposes children to many competing sources of identity formation, many of which
can dim their sense of being created in God’s image to be joyful and loving
members of God’s bigger family. This combination of opportunity and need, plus my immense enjoyment of children,
motivate my ministry of producing and promoting good resources for the
church’s children.
Naomi: Alongside of writing for children, you’ve also provided christian
nurture workshops, and written, and edited faith forming resources for adults,
such as Prayer Journeys with Children, Many Gifts: Calling and Growing Congregational Leaders, Leader Worship Resources, and
Special Sunday worship resources. How do you navigate writing for children and
adults?
Elsie: The distance is short between writing for children and
writing for adults so that they can work more effectively with children.
Because I think like an adult it is easier to shift from writing for children
to writing for adults, than the other way around, especially on the topic of
children which has been my core focus. However, I also live, work and worship regularly with
adults, so working with other adults to
create worship resources is stimulating and enjoyable. Because my
theological studies focused on children’s faith nurture I sometimes need to do extra background reading. For instance, as I accepted the mandate to
work on ministry with and for seniors, I did a lot of extra reading and
interviewed older seniors to add insight to the experience I was gaining as a
young senior.
Naomi: Your recent book, Please
Pass the Faith: The Art of Spiritual Grandparenting, is a very helpful tool for older adults in encouraging/guiding
children and youth in their faith journey. But in a delightful flip, the book
also tells how children and youth can shape the faith of their elders.
Please say a bit about this intergenerational flow of faith that goes
both directions. How can older people be open to learning from their grandchildren?
Elsie: Wherever we are on the journey of life and faith, God has a
place for us. By spending a good chunk of my professional career working with
children, and now enjoying being a hands-on Omi, I’ve experienced how much we
can learn from and be blessed by children.
That intergenerational flow of faith was natural for many people through
most of church history. About 50 years ago,
we began to specialize and develop age-specific curricula. During that
time, the church lost many of the blessings of intergenerational learning, even as children
and youth received age appropriate content.
Now, we need to relearn how to worship and follow Jesus as an
intergenerational family again. To do so
will involve learning to enjoy and accept children, their child faith, and
their child behaviour as unique
reflections of the image of God.
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