STEPPING STONES: a Renovaré mINISTRY FOR cHILDREN

Introducing Stepping Stones

Download Introductory Brochure (PDF 300KB)
Download Founding Proposal (PDF 900KB)

To make a donation to support Stepping Stones or for more information please email Rachel Quan or call her at 713-668-3300.

MISSION | VISION | RESOURCES | LAUNCH
A ministry of Renovaré USA, the mission of Stepping Stones is to provide parents, grandparents, educators, and other formational people in the lives of children resources for helping young ones grow into an intentional, lifelong discipleship to Jesus.

The core vision for Stepping Stones is an ongoing encounter with God. Guiding adults and children through Scripture and spiritual practices, we desire for children and their educators an ever-increasing awareness of the love of God.

Stepping Stones offers consultation, event, and product (books, CD, etc.) resources that provide practical teaching on and experiences to create space for connection with God, be it in a Sunday School class, summer school program, or home.

Stepping Stones anticipates a 36 month launch period to become a financially self-sustaining part of Renovaré USA. The key to a successful launch of Stepping Stones is partnership. We are seeking people passionate about spiritual formation in the lives of children who will give of themselves as practitioners, prayer intercessors, and financial contributors.

MINISTRY CONTEXT
While every child needs guidance and teaching for naming the God-given life they are already experiencing, many parent and educator adults have grown up without role models for the Christian spiritual life. These caring adults need, first, resources to help them achieve this task with children and, second, examples and mentors to help them encourage children in discipleship to Jesus.

CORE IDEAS

Vision for Life – There is a life of connection to God’s kingdom and God’s eternity that is available now and to which we can offer ourselves
Virtues for Life – Christian spiritual formation leads to character formation and growth in the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Tools for Life – The classical spiritual disciplines (prayer, celebration, study, confession, worship, etc.) are our primary intentional means for Christian spiritual formation.
Models for Life – There is a great cloud of historic Christian witness with whom we journey through life and from whom we gain motivation and passion for living life with God.

TARGET AUDIENCE
Churches, educators, and parents intentionally focused on the formation of the spirit of Jesus Christ in children benefit from Stepping Stones. Every Christian adult is a potential educator of children, and those who seek to encourage them in lifelong discipleship will find Stepping Stones an advocate and ally.

MINISTRY PRODUCTS

Consultations
Stepping Stones Consultations occur via email, by phone, or in person. We assist churches with ministry development and aid local congregations in the practical implementation of spiritual formation programs for children.

Events
Stepping Stones Conferences are a Friday evening/Saturday training for adults who work with children. The Friday sessions present an overview of Life with God for adults and in the life of a child and a review of inner and outer spiritual disciplines. Saturday is given to various workshops designed to explore and apply these Life with God essentials in children’s ministry and concrete experiences with children.

Stepping Stones Retreats for educators communicate the core concepts and methods of the four core ideas—Vision for Life, Virtues for Life, Tools for Life, and Models for Life. Each retreat is a combination of ideas and experiences.

Resources
Stepping Stones includes a variety of formation Resources, some for educators, some for parents, and others for children. Solidly based in Scripture, these resources include spiritual practices for personal reflection and connection with God, helping users better love God and neighbor. Current resources in development include Sunday School/Children’s Church curriculum, a family devotional, picture books based on the lives of historic Christians, contemporary parables of the kingdom of God for children, and books and songs on spiritual disciplines for children.

FINANCIAL NEED
The founding two-year Stepping Stones expense budget and projected revenues for year three are shown here. While some revenues would be garnered in years one and two, it is anticipated that the entire $255,554 should be raised through donation to insure the viability of Stepping Stones.

Expense Budget	Annual	Income Projection	Year Three
Year 1 (personnel, travel, admin)	$ 88,075	Event Income	$ 33,000
Year 2 (Year 1 total +5%)	92,479	Consultation Fees	28,000
Author Project Fund (1)	50,000	Material Sales	162,500
Website Development (2)	25,000	Total Projected Income	$ 223,500
TOTAL FUNDING TARGET	$ 255,554

STEPPING STONES TEAM

Rachel Quan – Interim Director
Rachel is the executive director of Renovaré USA, has an extensive background in ministry and business, and, most applicable of all, parents a pre-teen son.

Lacy Borgo
With a Master’s Degree in Education from SUNY (Geneseo), Lacy has taught in both public and private schools, has written three picture books, and, for Houghton Mifflin and McGraw Hill, has authored hundreds of K-8th Grade curricula lessons and short picture books in the subjects of science, social studies, and reading. Lacy blogs for Renovaré on Stepping Stones themes.

Vernie Schorr
An author, educational consultant, curriculum writer/editor, training facilitator, and President of Character Choice, for 40 years Vernie has worked in public and private education in the United States, Canada, Central America, and Eastern Europe.