This fall, the Church in the 21st Century Center (C21) at Boston College is releasing two new resources to facilitate faith conversation. At a time when speaking about one鈥檚 personal relationship with God can be challenging, the C21 Center seeks to provide accessible and effortless tools for both children and adults to make those conversations easier and more frequent. These resources can be utilized in parishes, schools, homes, or wherever 鈥渢wo or three are gathered.鈥�
Faith Feeds
Faith Feeds is a parishioner-led program designed for small groups of 8 to 10 persons who gather over a potluck meal in a parish hall or over a cup of coffee in a local coffeehouse. The program can also be implemented in schools, universities, and Catholic organizations. The C21 Center has developed guides that explore the topics of the Eucharist, family, friendship, prayer, and personal faith stories. Future topics will include intimacy, the Catholic intellectual tradition, and handing on the faith, among others.
The C21 Center provides step-by-step guides for hosts to plan a gathering and facilitate conversation, including short readings from the Center鈥檚 C21 Resources magazine as well as questions that serve as 鈥渃onversation starters.鈥� The Center will provide napkins and a tote for the host free of charge. The guides can be downloaded on the Center鈥檚 website at bc.edu/c21faithfeeds.
Drawing God
The C21 Center also announces the release of a new children鈥檚 book, Drawing God, written by Karen Kiefer, director of the C21 Center, and published by . The book was created to help young children talk about God and discover their very own faith imagination. As a mother and catechist, Kiefer wanted to provide a resource that would unleash the contagious faith that lives within each child.
The book follows the story of Emma, a young girl who has a creative urge to draw God after a trip to an art museum. Picasso鈥檚 artistic inspiration takes hold of Emma鈥檚 faith imagination, however, none of her classmates can see God in her drawings. In spite of the challenges she faces, Emma shares her contagious faith with others and eventually inspires others to do the same. In this beautifully illustrated picture book, children will learn how we all see God differently.
Drawing God will be released on October 8, 2019. A few weeks later on November 7th, people from around the world will participate in , in which they will create their own work of art and share their imagination and inspiration with others using the hashtag .
鈥淎 charming and inspiring book that will help children and their parents begin to understand the beauty and mystery of God, through artful words and expressive art.鈥�-Father James Martin, SJ, Editor at Large of America Media and author
For more information about hosting a Faith Feeds, , or participating in , visit: bc.edu/c21 or contact the C21 Center at church21@bc.edu.