A Guide to Using Re:form Traditions Lutheran Remotely

If you are in a Lutheran congregation and looking for resources that help your youth explore Lutheran history and theology, Re:form Traditions: Lutheran can help you plan four weeks of lessons.

What you’ll need to lead Re:form Traditions: Lutheran:

Four-session Leader Guide (available in print or with your Sparkhouse Digital Youth subscription)
Lesson videos (available on DVD or on Sparkhouse Digital Youth)

Anti-Workbook for each youth

Here’s a quick look at planning each week of content:

Review the Leader Guide sections, including the prep page.
Watch the video so you know what youth will be viewing.
Choose one or more of the Anti-Workbook activities. Decide whether you’ll ask youth to find these supplies at home or whether you’ll create a supply kit to include with the Anti-Workbook that you mail or deliver to each youth.

Not every Anti-Workbook activity is a good fit with remote learning, so here’s a guide to what adapt and what to skip.

Session 1: History

Did Martin Luther really call the Pope the Anti-Christ?

Here I Sit: Youth can totally do this toilet paper activity. (Toilet paper has been having a moment during quarantine, so this will fit right in.)
Here I Stand: Invite youth to shoot video of them holding the sign and answering the question. (They could also film willing family members.)
Throw Your Theses: Ask kids to write their theses on sticky notes and attach to the door on page 6.
Mr. Tetzel’s Super Fantastic Carnival of Indulgences: Instead of using the team approach, youth can make their own impossible carnival games at home and photograph or film them.

Session 2: Beliefs

How can Lutherans believe in “Grace alone” if they also believe in “Faith alone” and “Scripture alone”?

If I Got What I Deserved I’d Be in Trouble: This grace-based activity invites them into confession and is very doable at home.
Sinner/Saint Thaumatrope: What better way to illustrate the both/and of sinner and saint than an old-fashioned thaumatrope? Kids can construct these at home. (Warning: for those with younger siblings, their thaumatropes may be quickly co-opted.)
The 3 Alones Publicity Kit: This activity may be a good fit for any aspiring instrumentalists, songwriters, graphic designers, and publicists in your group.
Tastes Like Chicken: This one needs physical proximity to do, so it’s okay to skip it.

Session 3: Practices

Do I have to memorize the Small Catechism to be Lutheran?

What Is Necessary? This scene is a great way for kids to remember and share about your worship space.
You Are What You Eat (and Drink): This adds some anticipation to your time together if you drop off a packet of powdered drink mix to each youth beforehand without telling them how you’ll use it.
Do It Thyself Catechism: This one totally works remotely, and youth may surprise you with what they know.

Session 4: The Tradition Today

What’s a synod and why are there so many different ones?

Little Christs: This activity is a good fit for kids with time and mobile devices on their hands. Make sure you take your own photo holding the Little Christ.
Go on and Collar Already: Youth making their own clergy collars and taking pictures. What’s not to love?
Uno, Dos, Taste! Making art with food can be a good boredom buster, so see what they create with disparate menu items.
The Game of Lutheran Life: Playing this game remotely would be tricky, but maybe this is an at-home activity you can recommend that youth try with their families.