Cohort FAQs

How do we join a cohort?

First gather a group of people in your congregation who are interested in the topic (Sharing Stories on Faith) and gain the support of your church council and pastor. (Pastors may choose whether or not they wish to be part of the cohort team.) Cohort churches are selected by the Faith Formation team through an application process.

Contact your Regional Connector for information on how to apply, and watch for announcements in Thrive's monthly e-newsletter. (subscribe!)

What is the time commitment for our church?

Each cohort congregation signs a covenant that outlines the commitments. Each congregation’s team commits to the following:

• meeting at least once a month
• participating in two or more Faith Formation team-led roundtable discussions
• connecting with their regional coach at least once a month

What are the expected outcomes of our participation?

Cohort churches will

• gain an increased awareness of what shapes their congregation’s existing faith formation culture
• come to better understand what a healthy grace-shaped culture looks like.
• implement two or three significant, ongoing steps forward in cultivating practices that promise to form a stronger faith formation culture.
• develop a vision and strategy for continuing this trajectory over the next five years.

Is there a financial commitment?

The financial commitment for your church is minimal. Each congregation is requested to contribute approximately $500 to Faith Formation, through an offering or whatever means the congregation chooses.

Past Cohorts

Family Faith Formation Cohort

Led by regional connectors, this cohort explored creative ways to

• equip families to grow in faith at home
• build on existing family patterns and strengths
• meaningfully connect home and church.

Participant Churches

Exeter CRC in Exeter, ON
Kortright Presbyterian in Guelph, ON
Olympia CRC in Olympia, WA
Parklane CRC in Portland, OR
Smithers CRC in Smithers, BC
Third CRC in Kalamazoo, MI
Vogel Center CRC in McBain, MI
Water Street Church in Guelph, ON

Emerging Leaders and Seasoned Saints Cohort

In this cohort, ten congregations focused on faith formation for seasoned saints: People in the “third third” of life (60+ years old). An additional ten congregations focused on faith formation for emerging leaders (16 - 30 years old). Goals were to:

• identify the health of their congregational culture and their faith formation framework. Explore how emerging leaders and people in the “third third” of life can be faithful to God’s call as they progress through life transitions.
• discover concrete ways that these two demographics can become a significant support to each other’s faith walk.
• discern what practices and programs are already working well to support these two groups.
• experiment with two or three ways to further strengthen faith for these two groups.

Participant Churches

14th Street CRC, Holland MI
Emmanuel CRC, Calgary AB
Fellowship CRC, Grandville MI
First CRC, Taber AB
Fleetwood CRC, Surrey BC
Hope Fellowship CRC, Denver CO
Ladner CRC, Delta BC
Maranatha CRC, Lethbridge AB
Mount Hope CRC, Mount Hope ON
Oak Hills Church, Beaverton OR
Second CRC, Grand Haven MI
The Village Church, Thorold ON
Virtual South Ontario Young Adults Group

Links

• Building Blocks of Faith Toolkit
• Faith Storytelling Toolkit
• Aging Matters: Finding Your Calling for the Rest of Your Life
• Why Millennials Are the Hope of the Church, a January Series presentation by Calvin University chaplain Mary Hulst

Strengthening Your Faith Formation Culture Cohort

Participants identified and assessed the health of their congregation’s culture and the practices that shape it. They discerned which practices were best suited for strengthening their culture and experimented with two or three self-identified initiatives to strengthen their trajectory.

Participant Churches

All Nations CRC, Halifax NS
Anaheim CRC, Anaheim CA
Ancaster CRC, Ancaster ON
Bellevue CRC, Bellevue WA
Bethel CRC, Sioux Center IA
Community CRC, Kitchener ON
Corsica CRC, Corsica SD
Covenant CRC, Sioux Center IA
First CRC, Grand Rapids MI
Granite Springs Church, Lincoln CA
Immanuel CRC, Hamilton ON
Jubilee Fellowship Church, St. Catharines ON
Meadowlands Fellowship CRC, Ancaster ON
Nelson Avenue Community Church, Burnaby BC
New Life CRC, Guelph ON
Olympia CRC, WA
South Grandville CRC, Grandville, MI
Valley CRC, Binghamton, NY

Building Blocks of Faith Cohort

The Building Blocks of Faith serve as a framework for strengthening cradle to grave discipleship for congregations. This cohort helped refine the Building Blocks concept and generated ideas and resources for inclusion in the Building Blocks of Faith toolkit.

Participant Churches

Bethel CRC, Princeton, MN
Cornerstone CRC, Chilliwack, BC
Covenant CRC, Edmonton, AB
Covenant CRC, Winnipeg, MB
Friendship CRC, Toronto, ON
Hillcrest CRC, Denver, CO
Immanuel CRC, Brampton, ON
Mosaic House, Edmonton AB
Sonlight CRC, Lynden, WA
Spring Lake CRC, Spring Lake, MI
Trinity CRC, Abbotsford, BC
Woody Nook CRC, Lacombe, AB

This popular series of one-page resources shares ten easy, practical ideas that provide a springboard for conversation, training, and planning around various faith formation challenges. 

General Faith Formation

• Ten Ways to Talk with Someone About Their Faith - Order a printed copy from Faith Alive.
• Ten Ways to Use Building Blocks of Faith - Order a printed copy from Faith Alive.
• Ten Ways My Reformed Identity Shapes My Life - Order a printed copy from Faith Alive.

Family Faith Formation

• Ten Ways to Help Your Family Grow in Faith - Order a printed copy from Faith Alive.

Children and Teens

• Ten Ways to Cultivate Youth Leadership - Order a printed copy from Faith Alive.
• Ten-Question Tool for Choosing Curriculum - Watch the accompanying video for detailed information on each of the ten topics along with ideas for who to include on your curriculum team and how to get started.
• Ten Ways to Connect with Children and Teens in Your Church - Order a printed copy from Faith Alive.
• Ten Ways for Families to Engage Kids in Worship - Order a printed copy from Faith Alive.
• Ten Ways to Build a Stronger Youth Ministry - Order a printed copy from Faith Alive.
• Ten Ways to Reduce the Profession of Faith "Fear Factor" - Order a printed copy from Faith Alive.

Intergenerational Ministry

• Ten Ways to Practice Safe Mentoring
• Ten Ways to Bless and Be Blessed by Older Members - Order a printed copy from Faith Alive.
• Ten Ways to Encourage Faith Formation in the "Third Third" of Life - Order a printed copy from Faith Alive.
• Ten Ways to Be a More Intergenerational Church - Order a printed copy from Faith Alive.
• Ten Ways to Strengthen Intergenerational Worship - Order a printed copy from Faith Alive.

Ministry Leadership

• Ten Ways to Be a Caring Elder - Order a printed copy from Faith Alive.
• Ten Ways to Be a Caring Deacon - Order a printed copy from Faith Alive.
• Ten Ways to Discern a Call to Ordained Pastoral Ministry - Order a printed copy from Faith Alive.

Justice and Inclusion

• Ten Ways to Make Your Church a Safer Place - Order a printed copy from Faith Alive.
• Ten Ways to Care for Creation - Order a printed copy from Faith Alive.
• Ten Ways to Be a More Inclusive and Welcoming Adult Small Group
• Ten Ways to Grow in Faith with People of All Abilities - Order a printed copy from Faith Alive.
• Ten Ways to Do Justice - Order a printed copy from Faith Alive.
• Ten Ways U.S. Churches Can Welcome Immigrants - Order a printed copy from Faith Alive.

Korean Translations Available

다음 Ten Ways 자료들은 한국어로 번역되어 있습니다:(다른 자료들도 번역되고 있습니다)

• 사려 깊은 집사가 되기 위한 10 가지 방법
• 사려 깊은 장로가 되기 위한 10 가지 방법
• 더 나은 세대 복합 예배를 위한 10 가지 방법
• 청소년 사역을 든든히 세우기 위한 10 가지 방법

Spanish Translations Available

• Diez Maneras de Hablar con Alguien acerca de su Fe
• Diez Maneras de Involucrar a los Niños y Niñas en los Cultos
• Diez Maneras para Ayudar a Su Familia a Crecer en la Fe
• Diez Maneras de Ser Una Iglesia Más Intergeneracional
• Diez Maneras para Cultivar el Liderazgo Juvenil
• Diez Maneras para Hacer de Su Iglesia un Lugar Más Seguro
• Diez Maneras Que Mi Identidad Reformada Moldea Mi Vida

What is a toolkit, and how do I use it?

Our toolkits are online resource collections that provide dozens of easy, practical ministry ideas. We compile them with an eye for what might work well in a CRC church, then organize them so you can easily find resources and ideas that fit your needs.

Third Third of Life Toolkit

Given the rapidly increasing number of people in the third third of life—ages 55 and older—the time is ripe for churches to think creatively about ministry with, for, and by older people.
 
 
 
 

The Building Blocks of Faith toolkit

An online resource collection that introduces the four Building Blocks of Faith (I Belong, I Know, I Have Hope, I Am Called and Equipped) and provides resources for using them to strengthen faith formation in worship, in congregational programs, and at home.
 
 
 

Children's Ministry toolkit

In this toolkit you'll find hundreds of ideas for building a strong, vibrant children's ministry in your church and addressing the challenges that arise.
 
 
 
 
 

Faith Storytelling toolkit

An online resource collection designed to help your church develop a storytelling culture in which sharing faith stories becomes a deep, rich, natural pathway to growing together in Christ.
 
 
 
 

The Family Faith Formation toolkit

If you're a ministry leader looking to strengthen family faith formation in your congregation or a parent or caregiver wondering how to build your family's faith at home, check out our Family Faith Formation toolkit.
 
 
 
 

The Intergenerational Church toolkit

An online resource collection that encourages and equips churches to live as God’s family by building relationships between all ages.
 
 
 
 
 

Professing Our Faith toolkit

An online resource collection that helps your church craft profession of faith practices that encourage members of your congregation to publicly share their love of and commitment to Jesus with the community of believers in Christ.
 
 
 

Welcoming Children to the Lord's Supper toolkit

Whether you’re a congregation that has been welcoming children to the table for a long time or a congregation that’s just beginning to explore what including children might mean for your church, this toolkit is for you.
 
 
 
 

Pastor's Spiritual Vitality Toolkit

The Pastors' Spiritual Vitality toolkit is a new way to help nurture life with God. It’s designed for and by pastors to strengthen you on this journey, but many of the resources are easily adapted to support your ministry leaders and congregations as well. Inside you'll find assessment tools, suggestions for developing life-giving rhythms and practices, and much more.

Spiritual Characteristics of Teens Part One

Anyone who parents teens or works with them knows that they are a diverse group whose spiritual growth varies widely. Listen and learn from this webinar that took place on October 10, 2017 and looks at the spiritual characteristics of teens.

Spiritual Characteristics of Teens Part Two

In part two of this webinar series, we look deeply into what makes teens "tick" spiritually and how that impacts them, their families, and the church's ministries. Webinar lead by Ron deVries and Arek O'Connell.

Third Third Toolkit Overview

Laura Keeley with Faith Formation, and Mark Stephenson with Disability Concerns, led a virtual town hall for Calvin Seminary students to introduce this toolkit. The webinar includes a helpful overview of how the toolkit is laid out and what is covered.

Check out the list below to see the workshops offered by the Faith Formation team. Contact your Regional Connector or email us at [email protected] for more information.

The Building Blocks of Faith: Four Needs Your Church Must Meet

What do people of all ages need in order for their faith to grow? This workshop identifies four simple spiritual needs that children, teens, and adults share. Understanding these four needs can have a life-changing impact on ALL your church’s ministries.

Faith at Home: Supporting Families on Their Spiritual Journey

Research points to parents as the most significant religious influence in the faith lives of kids. But are we equipping and encouraging families well? In this session we’ll focus on key ways to support families and look at top resources for doing so.

Growing Young: Six Essential Strategies to Help Young People Discover and Love Your Church

The Fuller Youth Institute’s 2016 book Growing Young profiles innovative churches that are engaging 15- to 29-year-olds and as a result are growing—spiritually, emotionally, missionally, and numerically—in a way that breathes life into the whole church. This workshop introduces six strategies to help your church begin “growing young.”

Telling Our Faith Stories

Sharing stories of God at work in our lives deepens the faith of those who tell the stories and those who hear them. This workshop will explore ways to help your church become a community where storytelling is a deep, rich, natural pathway to a growing faith.

Understanding Congregational Culture

Churches whose leaders want to enact deep, lasting change are often met by resistance, fear, and a sense of loss. Before making changes in your church, it’s important to understand how your congregation’s culture develops and grows. In this workshop participants learn to use a variety of lenses and tools to describe their congregational culture and navigate change within that context.

Faith Formation Fundamentals That Can Transform a Congregation

“Faith formation” sounds like a great thing, but it’s hard to pin down. What are the fundamentals of faith formation, and what congregational practices honor those fundamentals well?