The Family Table
Feeding the Faith of LEFC Families
TFT: Parenting with Hope
March 31, 2024
Dear LEFC Parents,
Christ is Risen!
He Is Risen Indeed!
Today, we celebrate the greatest miracle since the creation the world. In His great love, our Lord Jesus Christ died and was buried, but He did not stay dead. On the third day, He rose again, just as He had promised! And that miracle makes all of the difference for our lives today. We hope your family’s holiday is full of joy, peace, and hope.
No Snack and Yack Next Sunday
Due to the church family meal and meeting on April 7th, there will be no Snack and Yack after church this coming Sunday. Kids can still fill out a handout as they listen and discuss the message with their parents afterwards.
Send Pastor Matt Your Kids’ Sports Schedules
Spring sports are here! I (Pastor Matt) 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.
And for dessert…
Our recommendation for family discipleship this week is a brand new book about raising teens for Christ in a secular age, Parenting with Hope.
“Is it possible for my teen to develop a strong faith in God amid a culture that celebrates sin, promotes self, and declares truth to be whatever feels good in the moment?”
Melissa Kruger believes the answer to that question is, “Yes,” and is set to release her newest book this week all about helping parents do just that.
Pastor Matt listened to a Family Discipleship Podcast interview with Kruger and thought it sounded very encouraging and full of wisdom for parents of teens.
Here is how the publisher describes Parenting with Hope:
“As children mature, it’s important for parents to prepare for the unique changes and challenges of adolescence. With so many cultural pressures and influences vying for teens’ attention, parents need a secure foundation for creating an environment where faith can flourish.
Parenting with Hope invites you to anchor your hopes and expectations in Christ—the true source of wisdom, strength, contentment, and fruitful parenting. Integrating sound biblical teaching, insights from developmental experts, and her own experiences as a teacher and mother, Melissa Kruger will wisely guide you through today’s most common concerns. Emphasizing principles over prescriptions, Melissa will help you to understand how you can build up and bless your teens in God-honoring ways.
When you recognize God as the ultimate parent, you’ll begin to truly understand that he is presently at work in the hearts of both parents and teens. This encouraging and practical guide will equip you with the wisdom to cultivate a Christ-centered household, passing on a legacy of faithfulness to your teenage children.”
– Blog Article by Melissa Kruger: You Can Parent Teens with Hope in a Secular Age
– Video Introduction by the Author: Parenting with Hope at Harvest House
– Free Reading Plan: Parenting With Hope: 9 Days of Gospel-Centered Encouragement
– Advanced Offer If Pre-Ordering by April 2: Melissa and Mike Kruger free virtual webinar on parenting teens.
Because Christ is risen, we have every reason to parent in hope!
Matt Mitchell, Pastor
Holly Crumrine, Family Table Editor
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EXPLAINER: THE GOSPEL PROJECT AT HOME
For the last several years, our Children’s Church ministry has utilized The Gospel Project as our Bible study curriculum. The Gospel Project is really excellent–it takes our Little Learners and Bible Explorers chronologically through the whole Bible over the course of three years while always focusing on Jesus as the center of the big story. If your student was in Little Learners or Bible Explorers this morning, they received a coloring page and take-home sheet that corresponds to this lesson. You have also been given a full-color Big Picture Card that you can use to reinforce the lesson with your child, as well.
To reinforce what your kids are learning each week in Children’s Church, you can now access The Gospel Project At Home online. Each week in this email, there will be a link to follow to get this free resource which includes:
1. A guide to using the Gospel Project at Home.
2. Scripture to read and discuss with a recap video of the Bible Story (Preschool and/or Elementary).
3. Scripture memory verses and a song to sing together.
4. Prayer prompts and family activities that correspond to the lesson.
Please consider setting aside at least 10-15 minutes once a week for a family devotional time using this resource as a guide. We are hoping The Gospel Project At Home will help keep all of our LEFC kids “on the same page,” and feed their faith in Jesus.
This might be especially helpful if for some reason your child has to miss a week of Children’s Church. You can show them the Bible story video to keep them up to speed on what the other children are learning.
**Note: The first time you access the link, you will need to register a free account with Lifeway’s Ministry Grid. This will also provide you ongoing access through the “training” tab to many other discipleship resources including the Gospel Project at Home for previous weeks. Many hours of excellent things to absorb for free!