The Family Table

Dear LEFC Families,

Christ is Risen!
He Is Risen Indeed!

We may have celebrated Easter a week ago, but what joy and hope in remembering that Christ is still risen today! Praise God for the once and for all gift of Christ’s death and resurrection, giving us access to true life in Him.

Graduation Sunday

Graduation Sunday will be on May 25th this year. Do you have a budding graduate in your home? Don’t forget to grab a Graduation Info Sheet from the foyer and return it to Jenni English by May 11th so that all of our grads can be celebrated.

Egg Hunt Stats!

Praise God that we had 91 kids registered at the egg hunt and numerous moms, dads, grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles, etc. attending alongside them! Each child went home with not only the goodies they found in their eggs and their prizes, but also having heard the Good News of Jesus! Join us in praying for those whom we had the joy of welcoming onto our campus last week.

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.

Save the Date for Family Night

Our next family night will be June 6th. Save the date! Keep an eye out for more details coming soon!

Join us for Mom’s Night Out!

On Friday May 16th, moms with children in the home are invited to the church for a Mom’s Night Out! Come at 6:00 to enjoy time out of the house in community with fellow moms. We’ll have fun with various activities, chatting, and plenty of snacks and desserts! Mark your calendars now to attend, and don’t forget to invite fellow mom friends to come with you. Dads, as part of your Mother’s Day gift to mom, consider offering to watch the kids so she can participate! We’re asking moms to register here so we can plan for food and activities. Nursing infants are welcome. We hope you’ll join us!

“Samson and the Philistines” 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 “Samson and the Philistines” (Volume 3: Unit 8: 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 recommendation for family discipleship is a helpful article about how and how NOT to implement family devotions in your home.

We are big proponents of family devotions at The Family Table. The dessert recommendation two weeks ago was a set of short studies on Holy Week. Every Sunday, we provide a link to The Gospel Project at Home for you to take your family deeper into the same truths our Kids Bible Classes are studying. We have a library full of resources for you to use with your kids.

But we also know that it’s not always easy. 

Douglas Sean O’Donnell, author of The Biggest Story Family Devotional, starts with an admission that many parents can relate to:

“In my life I’ve been a parent, a pastor, and a children’s book author, and yet I wouldn’t give myself high marks when it comes to family devotions with my five children. They’re all grown now, and most of them are out (or soon to be out) of the home. But when they were younger, we were inconsistent with family devotions. Devotions were too long or too short. I asked questions that were too easy or too tough. The discussion, when it occurred, was often flat or interrupted by noise, cries, off-topic questions, bathroom breaks, or the need to discipline a stubborn or disobedient offspring from my brood.”

O’Donnell then offers 6 things to avoid–including not biting off more than you can chew, not lecturing, and sometimes skipping devotions if they would be counter-productive. “If you’re in a bad mood, you might be better off skipping until you have worked through your emotions. You don’t want your kids to have a memory of family devotions to be overshadowed by Dad and Mom’s anger or criticism. They will remember how they felt longer than what you taught.”

And then the article concludes with an encouraging list of 10 simple things to be sure to do as you get started with family devotions. One example:

“Eighth, play the long game. On any given night, family devotions might be really short and simple, but remember that each of these moments is just part—and not the whole—of how Jesus, by his Spirit, is feeding and leading your family. Over time, short moments together in Scripture and prayer really start to add up. Don’t expect overnight changes in affection, disposition, interest, or participation, but don’t discount the long-term impact of small acts of faithfulness.”

We encourage you to read the whole thing and keep putting one foot in front of the other with family devotions.

Check out some of the suggested resources on family devotions from the LEFC Church Library:

– The Biggest Story Bible Storybook
– Long Story Short: Ten-Minute Devotions to Draw Your Family to God
– The Action Bible Anytime Devotions
– Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing

We hope your family eats them right up.

Jordyn Skacel, Director of Family Ministry
Matt Mitchell, Pastor