Beloved Friends and Families with Kids,
As we continue with our series on prayer, we are excited to spend time exploring creative ways to pray with your kids. Last week they looked at singing as prayer, and if your family is like mine, then singing and dancing are features of our time playing at home. I love the way our everyday routines are also holy opportunities to experience God's joy and presence. I came across a version of the nightly examen prayer in Richard Rohr's weekly email and thought I would share it here as another prayer practice you might engage with, as a family or individually (you can find it toward the bottom of the page). It's a simple but profound practice to review your day and invite God to show you what you might have missed in some of the seemingly mundane moments. May we be encouraged to become a people who pray without ceasing.
Peaceful Parenting Discussion
Our own Iris Chen will be hosting a parent discussion at Crowell Public Library in San Marino on Tuesday, September 19th at 6pm. She'll be talking about recognizing the stress, pressure, and negative outcomes of traditional definitions of success and cultivating a new mindset towards success that is rooted in connection, competence, choice, and consent. We are so thankful for her work in parenting and the wisdom she has to share! You can check out more information here.
Parent Webinar on Child Anxiety
On Wednesday, September 20th, at 12pm our own Allyson Self-Stoico will be part of a free webinar for parents around the topic of child and teen anxiety. As a leading pediatrician, she will offer some tips for helping your child navigate worry and understanding the kinds of support that could help with anxiety. The event is being hosted by the Institute for Girls Development, where our own Grace Goodman works. You can find out more and register for this free event here.
We are so thankful for the wisdom and expertise in our community!
SUNDAY
KIDS
Our nursery room is open this Sunday for babies and toddlers four years old and under. Childcare will be open starting at 8:50 AM for those who are attending Sunday School before service.
Our kids five to ten years old will join us in the sanctuary for the start of worship and then be dismissed to head to their classrooms together. They can begin service with their families or sit with Pastor Mary and me in the front pews. If they are coming early with parents who are in a Sunday School class, they can be dropped off upstairs at 8:50 AM. This week we will continue to explore prayer with our kids with a focus on counting as a form of prayer. We'll look at the things Jesus counted and what we would be wise not to count. Cynthia will also be teaching our kids a song for the Lord's Prayer, which will be a wonderful way for our kids to know those words by heart. We hope that families will spend time talking about prayer at home and all the ways we were created to communicate with God, both in speaking to God and in listening to God's voice in our lives.
Discussion Questions for the Table at Home:
What are ten things you are thankful for today?
Is there anyone you need help to forgive? Start by asking God to help you forgive that person—then see where that prayer takes you.
Choose three people to pray for as a family, and commit to pray for them once a week.
YOUTH
This week our youth are invited to join our regular gathering after worship. We will also be exploring prayer practices this month together. We love our youth and are so thankful for their presence in our church family!
Have a wonderful weekend, and thanks for being such a special community of families!
With deep affection for you,
Pastor Lindsay