Milestones Ministry

Milestones ministry is one of the initial steps that The Youth & Family Institute suggests that congregational leadership take in moving into a new paradigm of home and congregation as partners in nurturing faith, living well in Christ, and passing on the faith.

The research in the U.S.A. indicates that the average person connects the ministry of the Christian congregation to four milestones: birth/baptism, confirmation, marriage, and burial. The research from Canada shows that Canadians connect the Church with three milestones: birth/baptism, marriage, and burial.

Thus when teenagers say, “What does First United Methodist Church, (or St. James Lutheran Church or St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, etc.) have to do with life?” or “What does Jesus have to do with life?”, they are not against God nor the Church. They are only responding to what they have seen and/or experienced. If the only time a relationship with a gracious God is talked about happens in the buildings of the congregation and then, only around four milestones of birth, confirmation, marriage, and burial, then our God and our faith are in a box.

The very point that Jesus makes in the Gospel of John, “I have come that they may have life, an abundant life.” (John 10:10), is not communicated if we do not connect God with all the milestones of life. Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, the life.” (John 6:14); “I bread of life.” (John 6:48); “I am the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:25). Through the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, the Christ, God reconnects with people in all the milestones of life.

The Youth & Family Institute suggests that to be effective in discipleship and evangelism, the ministries of Christian congregations must connect God with more milestones in the lives of individuals and families.

In the last verse of the last chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus promises, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28: 20) This is the God who is Emmanuel, “God With Us.” So how do the ministries of the congregation intentionally connect a God who is with us now with all the milestones of individuals and families lives?

Both families and congregations remember significant steps in our journey of faith and life by marking the event and celebrating it. The Youth & Family Institute provides Milestones Ministry Training as well as creates and gathers wonderful resources to mark and celebrate FaithLife Milestones.

What is the process of Marking a Milestone?

The Institute suggests:

• We gather together (at a special family place like the table or in a

congregational event.

• We name the milestone

• We offer a blessing

• We give a gift to help us remember and celebrate

• We give tools that support and uplift the milestone as a step in the

journey of faith

Some of the milestones that connect directly with the ministries of the congregation are: baptism, baptismal anniversary, starting church school, receiving a Bible, first communion, confirmation, going on a mission trip, installation of a leadership position, commissioning of a specific ministry, dedication of a family gift, marriage, and burial.

Some other milestones that connect God with the individual and family with everyday life are: learning to pray, starting school, developing friendships, moving to a new home, getting a pet, the death of a pet, riding a bus for the first time, entering middle school, graduation from grammar school or junior high, having braces, entering high school, recognition for service in the community, receiving a driver’s license, graduation from high school, first date, leaving home for college or work, beginning a new job, birth/adoption of a child, end of a relationship, losing a job, chronic or acute illness or injury, reconciliation of a relationship, leaving home again, entering assisted living or long term care, death of a loved one, grieving loss of love, and many more.

To help families and congregations tend the baptismal journey, mark and celebrate God’s presence in all the milestones of our journey of faith, The Youth & Family Institute has created the FaithLife in the Home Gift and Resource Guide. You can find it on this web site by scrolling to the bottom of the home page and clicking on the copy of FaithLife in the Home. You can order copies of this resource and gift guide by calling the toll-free number 1-877-239-2492. Pastors are encouraged to give this resource guide to family members and sponsors during baptismal counseling.

Another wonderful resource to help people tell the stories of God’s presence at specific milestones is the use of the Milestones Blessing Bowls. The Institute has two types of Milestone Blessing Bowls - Daily Milestone Blessings Bowls and Sacred Milestone Blessing Bowls. We are grateful for the work of Pat Eidsness in developing the milestones for the church related milestones. We invite you to learn more about the specific milestones that are included with the Blessing Bowls.

The following provides a brief theology and practical use for each of the new milestones created to engage in conversations about God’s presence throughout life: