Faith Forming Families Network

About the Faith Forming Families Network

One crucial challenge facing families and communities involved in the spiritual formation (faith) and moral development (character) of children is the disconnect between the parents, elders, and caregivers (families) who engage their children in the home, and pastors, teachers, and leaders who engage children in churches, schools, and social organizations.

Connection, conversation, and collaboration between those who engage children in the home and those who engage them elsewhere allows for effective spiritual formation and moral development. The Faith Forming Families Network reconnects families and communities as partners in the spiritual formation and moral development of young people, and empowers them to define the problems they face for themselves and to discern solutions they will implement together. The F3 Network invites its partners and participants to listen, learn, and lead with one another in order to pilot new programs and prototype new practices of spiritual formation and moral development for young people.

Partners

Our partners in this work include the following:

• Fred Rogers Institute at Saint Vincent College
• Fred Rogers Productions
• The Neighborhood Academy
• The POISE Foundation
• Westminster College (New Wilmington, Pa.)

Listening, Learning, and Leading Experience

The Listening, Learning, and Leading Experience is a year-long program designed to reconnect families and community members as partners in advancing the spiritual formation and moral development of young people. Learn about how you can join our next cohort.

Theology and Ministry Fellowship

One initiative of the F3 Network is a post-doctoral fellowship in theology and ministry in partnership with the Fred Rogers Institute at St. Vincent College. This fellowship integrates, for the first time, the theological and educational areas of Fred Rogers’ legacy providing tools for parents, caregivers, congregations, and non-profit organizations. Learn more about the fellowship. And meet our current fellow Clarence Wright.

Project Funding

The project is being funded through Lilly Endowment’s Christian Parenting and Caregiving Initiative. The aim of the initiative is to help parents and caregivers share their faith and values with their children. With these grant monies Pittsburgh Seminary can collaborate on building upon the legacy of Mister Rogers’ most fundamental commitment: that “every child should be loved exactly as they are.”

Faith Forming Families Network is part of the PTS Neighborhood Collaborative.