It is hard to believe that June has already come and gone, but then again, it has been quite the busy month for us – and I’m sure you! We’ve spent a good part of the month preparing to meet with youth and their leaders in Houston, and frankly, are exhausted from following all of the #FlatJesus adventures you’re sharing on social media (we are completely kidding, we love seeing where you are journeying this summer!).

To celebrate everything about June, we are sharing your favorite Sparkhouse blog posts from the month:

Join our free Frolic Summer Book Club

Summer months bring inconsistent attendance, which can make it hard to minister to your little ones. That’s why we created the free Frolic Summer Book Club! Each month, receive three activities via email that pair with our Frolic Summer Book Club Bundle to help your little ones learn faith and values throughout the summer months. Learn how you can sign up in this blog post.

Q&A with youth workers ahead of Youth Gathering

The ELCA Youth Gathering kicked off this week in Houston, and we are excited to be there to offer youth and their leaders an in-person experience of Think. Believe. Do. To get ready for the biggest youth event of the year, we spoke with several youth workers attending this year’s Youth Gathering to learn what they were most excited about. Read all about it in this blog post!

Use #FlatJesus to remind kids that Jesus is with you

Back in May, we launched a fun summer learning tool for you and your Sunday school (or youth or adults!) students: #FlatJesus. Just as #FlatStanley has joined us on our journeys, we created #FlatJesus to help your students continue learning all summer long – whether they join you on Sunday or not. In this blog post, Sparkhouse’s Deb Hetherington shares some ideas on how #FlatJesus reminds kids that Jesus is always with them, no matter how they may feel or where they may be. (Our #FlatJesus campaign will run through August 15 so keep sharing your photos on our social media!)

How to facilitate difficult discussions in your small group

In today’s world, it is inevitable that difficult discussions will come up in your small group. But when they do, how do you handle them? Do you avoid them – or do you bring it to light for the broader group and aim for a resolution? In this blog post, learn how you can master difficult discussions in your small group to ensure all feel heard, respected, and valued.

5 things you didn’t know about teaching faith to others

Pastor Rebecca Ninke shares her insight about teaching faith to others – and what you can do to truly help guide someone to faith (even when you are still discovering your own!). She offers five time-tested tips that will help you build faith in others around you, whether you are simply talking to a friend or leading a congregation.

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