The Family Table

Dear LEFC Families,

Fall is almost upon us, and soon the leaves will be changing, the evenings turning crisp, fall sports in full swing, and students settled into their school routines. It’s an exciting time of year! That holds true here at LEFC, too. Take a minute to pencil (or type!) all that we have coming up into your calendar!

LEFC Fall Retreat: Early Bird Discount Ends TODAY!

Our Fall Retreat is coming up in one month! Join us at Seven Mountains Scout Camp for the weekend of September 19th-21st. Last year, parents and families enjoyed quality time together in a beautiful wooded setting at the lodge. We’ll have faith-building teaching, delicious food, lots of fun and fellowship with games, puzzles, activities, and rich conversation, a campfire, and more! Your whole family is invited to attend, as there will be activities and breakouts for everyone. Housing is family-friendly for your convenience. The cost to attend is $50 for couples and families and $25 for an individual. Check out the video of last year’s retreat, and put it on your calendar! For a limited time, you’ll receive an early bird discount of $5 off if you register by TODAY! Register here to bring your family for a great weekend! Only available to come for part of the weekend? That’s fine, too! Just note on your registration when you’ll be arriving and/or departing.

Child Registration Forms

With the new school year upon us, we are updating our Child Registration Forms. These forms help us to care for your child well when under the supervision of our staff and volunteers and provide crucial information in case of an emergency. If you have not already filled this out, we ask that you do so and return it to Jordyn Skacel in a timely manner so that we have necessary information on file. We need one completed for each child who is participating in nursery through grade 6, and we ask that youth group participants submit one as well. If your child attended Family Bible Week, we do not need another one submitted. You can quickly fill it out  online, find it in your church mailbox, or ask Jordyn Skacel or Jenni English to get you a copy. Thank you for your help in this area!

Mom and Baby Room

We have a new room designated for moms and their babies! The Mom and Baby room (second door on the left down the left wing) is a space for moms to use for nursing, pumping, feeding, changing, and caring for the littlest ones here at LEFC. It’s a private, quiet space away from the hustle and bustle to use however it may be needed. We ask others to respect the privacy of our moms and refrain from using this room.

Tell Pastor Matt What Team Your Child Is On

Pastor Matt writes, “It’s hard to believe it’s fall athletics season once again! I love to drop in to see the kids of our church family play their sports, but I need to know when and where the games are. It’s hard to keep track of who is on what team. If you could send me your kids’ sports schedules for this new season, it will help me to make it to more games and spend some quality time with your family.”

LEFC Harvest Party: Save the Date!

Save the date now for an upcoming Harvest Party on October 25th. We’ll gather together to enjoy fall-themed activities together on a cozy autumn evening. You can look forward to some quality time with your own family and with other families here at LEFC!

“The Queen of Sheba Visited Solomon” Kids Bible Class Devotional

You have free access to a family devotional based on the curriculum our kids are studying each week in KBC! It’s called “The Gospel Project at Home.” Today’s Bible Study is “The Queen of Sheba Visited Solomon” (Volume 4: Unit 12: Session 4), and the devotional can be found at this link.

Visit the Family Ministries page on our website for information about how to access The Gospel Project at Home for the first time.

And for Dessert…

This week’s dessert recommendation comes from one of our LEFC moms, Mary Beth Moslak! She shares about “Becoming MomStrong” by Heidi St. John:

The Amazon description of this book says, “Have you ever looked in the faces of the people who call you “mom” and wondered what in the world you’ve gotten yourself into?” I’m pretty sure that was the selling point when I ordered this book and the accompanying Bible Study in 2019. It’s become a book that I reach for over and over again.

Heidi St. John, the author, shares personal stories and struggles and how she overcame her adversities in motherhood through the power of the Lord. As each season of my motherhood journey changes, I find myself pulling more and more strength from her words: be strong in the Lord, know who you are in Christ, and impart that strength on your kids.

This summer, when Jordyn asked me to write for the Family Table, I went back to these pages again. Motherhood feels different this summer. My kids are nearing the end of the tantrum-throwing phase of life and entering the true years of childhood. They are changing, growing up, becoming more independent, and learning new things (not always good) every day.

Our parenting focus has shifted, as well. We’re now leading them through conflict resolution, helping them show kindness, compassion and empathy, and teaching them personal responsibility. We’re shaping their character. We’re preparing warriors who will be asked to choose between following God’s law and following culture. In order to prepare warriors, we have to become a warrior ourselves. And if our intention is to raise up a generation of kids who will know the One who created them, we need to be intentional in getting to know God’s word.

We’re not going to do it perfectly. But if we’re going to become who God wants us to be, we need to embrace His perfection. Our kids don’t need perfect, they need us to be present. To lead them, to teach them, to guide them into the amazing people God created them to be.

Each season of motherhood comes with it’s own joys and challenges but amidst it all I want to remember these words: “Becoming MomStrong isn’t just about raising strong, confident, godly kids. It’s also about discovering what God has set in His heart for you to do with the time you’ve been given – no matter what season you’re in.”

We hope our families eat it right up!

Jordyn Skacel, Director of Family Ministry
Matt Mitchell, Pastor