FAMILY MINISTRIES

Time to Pray

There’s never been a better time to build your prayer life and help your kids do the same.  Do you feel uncertain of how to pray? Scared to pray out loud?  Here’s good news: prayer is simple, easy, and God is ready to listen and connect with you.  Check this out:

I love the Lord because he hears my voice
and my prayer for mercy.
 Because he bends down to listen,
I will pray as long as I have breath!  Psalm 116:1-2 read more…

Nurture a Habit of Reading God’s Word

So we’re staying home in an unprecedented experience in our lives.  While we pray and do our part to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and care for neighbors in need, I hope this will be a season of your family growing stronger together and in your faith. Last week, I shared about telling stories as a way to build relationships and faith.  This week, let’s think about one of the best possible investments of our time: reading scripture. read more…

Part 1: STORIES

By Scott Parr, Pastor of Family & Mission, Christ Community Covenant Church

I love stories.  I love it when, at a gathering of friends or family, someone tells a good story — and then others chime in with “that makes me think of the time when…”  Before I discovered the power of coffee, I used to fall asleep listening to sermons at church…a lot.  Even though I love God, scripture, and good theology, if I were tired enough, I’d lose focus listening to the sermon. Until the pastor said, “Once upon a time…”  Something about stories captures our attention and sticks in our memories like nothing else.  Children’s brains aren’t wired for abstract thought, but they learn powerfully through stories. In my 17 years in youth ministry, I noticed a marked difference in the teenagers who had grown up listening to their parents’ stories – especially stories of faith, struggle, and trusting God with difficult situations. read more…