Parents of Promise Rally

Promises were made that day. By the church, by parents, and by sponsors or godparents. Important promises.

On the day of our children’s baptism, we promised to bring them to God’s house, to teach them the Lord’s Prayer, the Creed and the Ten Commandments. We promised to place the Holy Scriptures in their hands and to provide for their instruction in the Christian faith. We welcomed them into the Lord’s family.

It was an important, joyous day.

It’s time to renew those promises. Our children, the same children to whom we made those promises, face a changing world. A world that is sometimes scary, sometimes intimidating. Our children need to know that those promises are still important, and that somehow, some way, we’ll find the time and energy to keep them.

Parents of Promise is an opportunity for spiritual renewal designed for Christian parents, godparents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, mentors…any caregiver in the life of a child. Through music, a keynote speaker and workshops, Parents of Promise will affirm, encourage, strengthen and challenge you. It can make all the difference in the life of a congregation, its parents and its children.

Based on the Youth & Family Institute’s Child In Our Hands model of faith formation, Parents of Promise Rally is an event you can’t afford to miss. Because especially now, all of us – congregation, parents, godparents and caregivers – have to keep our promises.

We just have to.

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Parents of Promise is a one-day spiritual renewal rally for Christian parents, Godparents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, mentors and other caregivers of children. It is designed to uplift, affirm, encourage, and strengthen adults in their roles of nurturing children in faith and passing on the faith to the children God brings into their lives.

Research has shown that how well parents, godparents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and other caregivers keep their promises made at the baptism of the child is a key to whether or not that child will continue to be active in the Christian faith. The role of the congregation is to support the adults in the home to nurture faith in the children and to grow in Christ with them.

There are many promises made at the baptism of a child. The primary one is by God. God promises to be with the baptized child or adult to the end of the ages. God promises to daily forgive sin and renew life through the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ.

To assist the child to live in the promises and grace of God, God has given a responsibility to key adults in this child"s life. Parents, Godparents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and other caregivers promise to grow in Christ with the child. They promise to teach the meaning of the Ten Commandments, the Apostle"s Creed, the Lord"s Prayer; to place the Holy Scriptures in the child"s hands and heart; to worship in home and congregation together, and to share their faith and gifts.

The congregation makes a promise to support and strengthen each household of adults to be able to teach and nurture faith, to tend the baptismal journey. A Parents of Promise Rally is one of many ways a congregation can support and strengthen adult caregivers.

INFORMATION ON HOSTING A PARENTS OF PROMISE RALLY

• A normal time for a rally is 4-5 hours usually on a Saturday morning, afternoon, or evening. Rallies have also been held on Sunday afternoons and evenings.
• The rally features a musical group such as RIVER and a keynote speaker associated with the Youth & Family Institute.
• There are also workshop times led by people from the Youth and Family Institute and/or local people to help adults learn faith-sharing skills at specific age levels of children and youth.
• There are also resources created by the Institute to assist adults nurture faith in their households for sale at the rally.
• Host congregations will receive a corporate Worship Service Kit to be used the weekend of the rally and a Parents of Promise Follow Up Kit to be used at a later date.
• The cost for Parents of Promise rally is $5,000 plus expenses for the music group and keynote speaker. These costs go directly to the Institute.
• The host congregation may seek a small grant from a foundation or a fraternal financial organization to reduce the costs. The host congregation will set the cost per participant for the rally.
• For more information or to schedule a Parents of Promise rally, contact Dr. Dick Hardel at 952-698-3986 or email: rhardel@youthandfamilyinstitute.org

The great reformer, Martin Luther called parents Apostles, Bishops, and Priests because they make their children acquainted with the Gospel. There is no higher nor noble calling than that of parents.