The Family Table
Feeding the Faith of LEFC Families
TFT: Concrete Conversations
May 19, 2024
Dear LEFC Parents,
Here are some items to set the table for disciple-making in your family in the week ahead:
Challenge “Thrift Store” Now Open!
The Challenge Crew’s free “Thrift Store” is officially open for “business!” Stop by the rooms on the northeast wing of the church building to see what you might want to take home with you (and leave a donation to get our teens to Challenge 2024!).
Baccalaureate Service
Pastor Matt will be speaking at the West Branch Baccalaureate service on Tuesday May 28th at 6:00pm at the West Branch Auditorium. Please pray for Pastor Matt as he prepares to share a message about Jesus with the graduating seniors and their families. This event is open to the public.
No Snack and Yack Next Sunday
Due to the Graduation Sunday celebration, there will be no Snack and Yack on May 26th. Students are encouraged to fill out a handout and discuss the sermon with their parents at home.
The Gospel Project at Home
Today’s Bible Study is “Paul Became a Missionary” (Volume 11: Unit 33: Session 2). Ask your kids what they learned in Kids Bible Class this morning and/or do the family devotional you can find at this link.
And for dessert…
Our recommendation for family discipleship this week is a new “game” to foster great family conversations.
On a recent episode of the Family Discipleship Podcast, the hosts brought their kids on the program and demonstrated a new “game” from Concreate Conversations.
The idea is simple. Pick a card from the pile and read it out to the family. Everybody answer it! (It’s really just high quality conversation starters).
Examples:
– What family story makes you laugh the hardest?
– What is your favorite place to go to as a family?
– Who is the most faithful person you know? What do you admire about them?
– What does Proverbs 3:5-6 have to do with faith?
– If you could tame one wild animal and have it as a pet, what would you have?
– Say something encouraging to the person on your left.
– How can we improve the way we serve one another?
This could end up being a fun evening, a meaningful car-ride, or a daily practice to take one question during or after family dinner. The folks at Concrete Conversations have several versions of this game, but this specific one was created with Christian family discipleship in mind.
And, of course, you can always come up with your own. However you do it, the point is to have good family conversations centered around Jesus.
It is really good to hear the kids interact with the questions with their families on the podcast, especially because they are not scripted or polished. It’s real families, at different stages, having a real conversation.
We hope your family eats it right up.
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!