Stephanie Pasch, Mount Olive, Rochester, MN:

“We did a Milestones Ministry event revolving around the Small Catechism. We had some time together (parents, third and fourth graders) where we talked about Martin Luther and then we led into his intentions for the Small Catechism (used by families in the home). We handed out copies of the Small Catechism to all students. Then, the third graders went into a separate room to talk about the Ten Commandments, and the fourth graders went into another room to talk about the Apostles Creed.

After the third graders played some games revolving around the Ten Commandments, I told the students that we needed to lead the closing for the event. I asked if we could put together a prayer for the closing. One boy, Thomas, thought for just a moment and then pointed out that we could use the Evening Prayer in the back of the Small Catechism.

So, the kids each took a line of the prayer and we practiced our closing. Thomas showed us that kids are very willing to use the resources that they have in hand! At each Milestones Ministry event, we hand out a stone to remember the day. This time, it was a piece of river rock. When I handed them out, the kids grew to know the answers to my questions and were eager to get their stone. I would ask, ‘What kind of rock is this?’ ‘River rock!’ ‘What makes the edges of the rock smooth?’ ‘The river and the water!’ ‘Where do we use water in the church?’ After several answers…the kitchen, the bathroom, etc… finally somebody said, ‘The baptismal font!’ I told the children, ‘God smoothes out our rough edges with the waters of our baptism. We are forever changed, claimed and chosen. So, we remember this milestone with this stone.’ We then put the date on the stone and sometimes add a picture to remind us of the day. 

For one event, I forgot to set the stones out. A child came and asked before the event was over, ‘Where are the milestones?’  He was very happy to help get the stones out and wash them off. His mother later told me that he had all of his milestones lined up on his dresser and he looked at them each day. What a visual way to remember his baptism!”