Catching up with Commons Kids & Youth
By Ashley (Kids) & Alexandra (Youth)
Creating a three-year cycle for the Commons Kids curriculum is a huge accomplishment. Can you talk about how the kids engage with the curriculum?
Ashley: As our guiding principle, we make sure thatCommonsKids is a safe place to ask questions, to get curious about their faith, and to wrestle with big ideas. Seeing this come to life every week with the curriculum has been incredible. I can think of many instances where kids ask questions like, “What is God like?” or “Is Jesus funny?” or “Did Jesus have a brother?” There are always questions that tug at our hearts, like “Does Jesus hear all my prayers?” or “If Jesus loves me, why did my dad get cancer?”
In these moments, I am thankful for our curriculum and the consistency of learning about who Jesus is and leaving space for kids to ask questions and continue building on what they are learning with their families.
What happens next with the Commons Kids curriculum?
Ashley: In this next phase of the curriculum, our focus is on fine-tuning our lessons and creating separate videos and lessons for our younger children and more engaging video content for our older students.
How have Commons Youth engaged with the Christian story this year?
Alexandra: In the weeks leading up to Easter, we explored different prayer styles, aligning with the series “How to Pray.” We tried imaginative prayer, Lectio & Imago Divina, walking prayer, a prayer labyrinth, stations of the cross, and sharing prayer requests.
For some students, these forms of prayer were familiar, and for others, they were new ways to commune with God. A bit of weirdness always comes with trying a new type of prayer as we push past our self-consciousness and find a place where we may or may not experience God.
I loved seeing how the youth were willing to participate in that weirdness with me. While not every practice connects with every youth, I hope students can see the creativity and expansiveness of experiencing the Divine for themselves.
Can you say a little more about one of the prayer practices?
Alexandra: Yes, I'd love to talk more about imaginative prayer. Here’s how it works. In the same way that you dream about what you will do on a future vacation or mentally map out your game plan for a race, God also meets you in your imagination and tangibly interacts with you.
When practicing this with the youth, I read a script and asked them to go to a safe place in their minds (like a cozy room or a walk outside) and imagine what it feels like to be there. Then, I asked them to invite God into that space with them. What might God look like? Was God walking beside them or sitting across from them? Finally, I encouraged them to ask God what God might say to them.
Seeing the students settle into this practice and come away refreshed was so beautiful.
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