The Family Table

Dear LEFC Parents,

Here are some key items to set the table for disciple-making in your family in the week ahead:

Contacting Jordyn

Jordyn Skacel is mobile! Our brand new Director of Family Ministry says, “I am happy to meet with you at the church, in my home, in your home, or in public, with or without kids! Catch me at church or contact me via phone, text, or email, 814-592-9280 or [email protected] to schedule a time to meet. I’d love to hear your ideas, how you’d like to be involved, and to be a resource for your family.”

See You at the Pole

Parents are invited to join West Branch’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes for a time of prayer at the school’s flagpole. Students will meet at 7:15am on Wednesday, September 25th. Parents should park at Gethsemane, walk to the flagpole, and join the kids as they pray for their school.

New Beginnings in Kids Bible Classes

KBC have recently started a new series of lessons in the book of Genesis. Over the next three years, they will trek through the entire big story of the Bible! This is a great time to make sure your child is involved. Little Learners are age 3 to kindergarten. Bible Explorers are 1st grade to 3rd/4th grade. See Vicky Albert with any questions.

Did you know that 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 “Sin Entered the World” (Volume 1: Unit 1: Session 2), and the devotional can be found at this link.

Scroll down to the bottom of this email for more information about how to access The Gospel Project at Home.

Snack and Yack

For kids who have outgrown KBC, we have Snack and Yack. When the auditorium empties after worship, girls and boys (grades 3ish-7ish) who listened to the sermon (remember to fill out a handout!) are invited to Pastor Matt’s office for a tasty treat and a brief discussion with an LEFC elder couple about the message.

When Children Experience Trauma – Free Minibook

In light of the tragic events in Georgia this week, New Growth Press is making Darby Strickland’s minibook, When Children Experience Trauma, available as a free download for a limited time. They write, “We live in a scary world, and as much as we wish we could, we can’t protect our children from everything that may happen. Whether a traumatic event happens next door or across the country, it can still affect our children as they ask questions about why things happen and if it could happen to them.” Read When Children Experience Trauma for wisdom on how a parent can play a vital role in their child’s healing [free download].

Relating to Adult Children

Are your kids growing older and getting ready to fly out of the nest? Focus on the Family recently published a short article with some wisdom on 3 ways to effectively parent adult children.

LEFC Fall Retreat

Join your LEFC church family for a weekend getaway on October 18-20! The Family Ministries Team is excited to invite you to our Fall Retreat, where we will hear teaching and grow spiritually, build community, experience rich fellowship, share meals, and have lots of fun! All ages are encouraged to attend and will have a place to engage during age-specific breakouts. You’ll have opportunities to play games, eat a s’more around the campfire, chat with old friends and get to know new ones!

The camp is just one hour away and transportation can be provided if needed. The cost is $25 for an individual and $50 for couples and families, which covers housing, food, and activities for the weekend. We’ll even be back in time for church on Sunday! See Jordyn Skacel, Holly Crumrine, or Vicky Albert with questions. Registration information is online or on the table in the foyer.

And for dessert… 

Our recommendation for family discipleship this week is a hope-filled book about the challenges of parenting children with special needs.

Andrew and Rachel Wilson begin The Life We Never Expected with these words:

“This is a book about surviving, and thriving, spiritually when something goes horribly wrong. In our case, that ‘something’ was discovering that both of our children had regressive autism. This book, then, is a mixture of our story and God’s story, and the way in which his shapes ours.”

As their world was rocked, the Wilsons searched for helpful resources to get their spiritual bearings, and didn’t find much that really helped them. So they decided to write the thing they were looking for.

The book is uniquely structured with five “cycles” of reflection, each with 5 steps: (1) weeping, (2) worshipping, (3) waiting, (4) witnessing, (5) “And Breathe.” It is both deeply theological and easy to read at the same time. In addition to writing for the parents in their struggles, the Wilsons also tried to write for family and friends of parents of children with special needs. You may find it helpful even if your child doesn’t currently have those particular challenges. We need to support each other!

The publisher describes the book this way:

“Andrew and Rachel Wilson know what it means to live a life they never expected. As the parents of two children with special needs, their story mingles deep pain with deep joy in unexpected places. With raw honesty, they share about the challenges they face on a daily basis—all the while teaching what it means to weep, worship, wait, and hope in the Lord. Offering encouragement rooted in God’s Word, this book will help you cling to Jesus and fight for joy when faced with a life you never expected.”

The foreword by Russell Moore ends with these words:

“…as honest as this book is about the hardships, it is brimming with hope and laughter. Andrew and Rachel need to know Jesus is with them, and indeed he is. This book doesn’t tell you to try harder or to be more heroic. The book shows you how to come to Jesus, just as you are, for everything you need. That’s good news.”

More:

– Read the first chapter online.
– Listen to an interview with the Wilsons on the Mere Fidelity Podcast.
– Read an insightful interview with the authors at The Gospel Coalition website.
– Access an encouraging review of the book with an interview with Andrew Wilson at Minno.

The Life We Never Expected is available for check-out from our church library.

We hope your family eats it right up!

Matt Mitchell, Pastor
Holly Crumrine, Family Table Editor
Jordyn Skacel, Director of Family Ministry