Resources for Ministry with Youth

One of the richest resources for ministry with youth in the Episcopal Church is the Forma Facebook group with over 4,000 members. Post a question and practioners are guaranteed to respond with their experiences and resources. You can join here.

The Diocese of Washington is in Province 3. Check out youth ministry initiatives in Province 3, including occasional Youth Ministry Deep Dives.

YOUTH MINISTRY QUICK LINKS

Ministry with Youth during the Pandemic

The following are resources curated specifically with the pandemic in mind.

Doing youth ministry during a pandemic from Fuller Youth Institute
Prayers and Coloring for When you Feel Anxious by Illustrated Ministry.
Vibrant Faith Catalyst: Moving Faith Formation Online offers strategies for online faith formation.
Keeping your public Zoom room safe from internet trolls
Play a game of Scattergories with your youth group online.
Play more games on Zoom.

Curriculum Overview

This chart provides an overview of the many curricula available for ministry with children (last updated May 2020).
The field of available curriculum is wide. This guide provides a four-step process for a congregation to find the curriculum that aligns with its mission and vision.
This resource offers tips for evaluating potential curriculum choices.

Curriculum Options

Youth Curriculum

The Bible Project at Home offers 36 free lessons delivered to your email. Sessions include video, scripture readings, and discussion questions.

Collaborate Bible Study published by Sparkhouse helps youth take an honest look at the holy mystery and the complexity of Scripture to move them onto a path of growth and discovery.

Echo the Story (Ages 12-14) by Sparkhouse explores the biblical narrative through storytelling, creative reflection, and dialogue from creation to the formation of the church. Draws on multiple intelligences.

Faith in an Anxious World, a 4-week module by Fuller Institute for Youth, empowers leaders with language and tools to respond to young people in their care, making anxiety a part of conversations about discipleship and holistic, faithful living.

Feasting on the Word for Youth presents a 12 month downloadable lectionary curriculum. Resources include downloadable leader guides, biblical background for teachers, reproducible resource sheets, and media connections that tie each week's Scripture with a film, video, or Web site.

Journey to Adulthood (Ages 12-18) offers a six-year formation program (three two-year segments) for youth that helps teens explore self, society, spirituality and spirituality. Based on the belief that womanhood and manhood are a gift from God. Adulthood is earned. (A new edition coming summer 2021.)

Living in Christ (LinC) is a fresh, timely, and Biblically based resource to help you help your teens examine relevant faith and life issues, using the latest music, movies, news and current events. Issues are available for download weekly or by email subscription. Talks about current events and offers engaging handouts. Very easy to lead with minimal prep.

Re-Form for middle schoolers by Sparkhouse helps teens explore faith and ask questions about the Bible, the Apostles’ Creed, disciples, Jesus, and hot topics. Strong video component.

Teen Compass help teens learn about what they can do to create more health and wellness in their lives, decide what changes they would like to make, answer reflective questions, and have a place to examine their own choices. Help your teens find balance in daily life.

Teen Text High Schoolby the Education Centeris lectionary-based and easy for leaders to follow without much prep. Includes pictures and videos. Gives "homework" to connect the classroom work with every day. Doesn't provide crafts. Middle school version can be scaled up to high school.

Think.believe.do (Grades 9-12) Help students explore what they believe, understand what their beliefs mean, and how to act on them. Downloadable purchases in 4-week modules.

Weaving God's Promises for Youth (Ages 12-14) A three-year curriculum for youth. Year 1 focuses on the story of salvation and God’s love. Year 2 focuses on the saints of the Church. Year 3 focuses on our call to care for others and the gospel values of welcome, inclusion, compassion, mercy, forgiveness, justice, and liberation. Watch this video introduction.

Yale Youth Ministry Institute offers lesson plans in their Quest for Life Initiative for youth. An excellent resource for people with the time to design their own curriculum or are looking for resources for retreats.

Bibles For youth

Read, Wonder, Listen: Stories from the Bible for Young Readers Laura Alary (Wood Lake Books, 2018) With gorgeous poetic language and full-page images, this story Bible will appeal to a wide range of ages and is an especially great pick for inquisitive children starting to ask more challenging questions about the Bible.
Kids Spark NRSV Bible (Augsburg Fortress Publishers, 2009) With plenty of features and margins for note-taking, this full Bible is an especially great choice for older Elementary students who may well use it into the middle school years. It’s one of the few children’s Bibles that helps kids begin to interact physically with a Bible by underlining, adding stickers, and noting their own thoughts on the passages.

Source: Choosing a Children's Bible, BuildFaith