What’s Your Family Plan?
Good Wednesday Afternoon,
Have you found yourself P.L.A.Y.ing this week? Last Sunday, we had the joy of worshiping with our former San Diego Interim Presbytery Executive, Pastor John Moser. He was ordained to pastoral ministry over 40 years ago and has served the Church faithfully. He is now retired and enjoying life as a grandparent.
In his message, we were challenged to see our family relationships in light of our relationship with God, our Heavenly Father. Dads and Moms have been planted in our families to have contact with our children, which is life giving—not crushing. The contact we share with our heavenly Father is filled with grace and mercy—so too our relationships in our families need to reflect God's goodness and love.
Many have asked the question, "Where is the instruction book for parents?" The answer is easy: our guide book is God's Word. It teaches us about ourselves, Jesus, and the world we live in. Therefore, guided by God's Word, supported by our family of faith through prayer and encouragement, we draw closer to who God has created us to be.
In order to help us be better fathers, mothers, daughters, and sons, Pastor John Moser gave us a playful acrostic: "P.L.A.Y." P stands for Plan. Write out your parenting plan that is proactive and not reactive. Include in your written plan to pray regularly for your family. L stands for Listen. Parents listen to your children. Children listen to your moms and dads. Learn from each other. Let there be love in your conversations as you are learning and exploring who the Lord created each person in the family to be. A stands for Allowance. At first, I thought (as a parent) we needed to increase our monetary allowance to our children. But, allowance had a much deeper meeting: "to allow for mistakes." Is your family practicing grace? Is the response to flashes of anger met with grace and forgiveness? Do we gently guide and encourage our children. Lastly, Y stands for Yahoo! Create space to play and laugh together. The idiom "Laughter is the best medicine" is real and true. When families play together they are reminded of the joy and pleasure God desires for each one of us.
We announced a new opportunity called Tables of Eight on Sunday. Tables of Eight is an opportunity for families, couples, and singles to share a meal with up to 7 other members of the congregation at least 4 times over the next 4 months. The emphasis of these gatherings is on fellowship, which means there is not necessarily an accompanying bible study, nor is there an expectation of culinary perfection. Our goal is simply to get to know each other across age, stage, in or out of town, 9:00am or 10:30am service, and invite the Holy Spirit to be present among us as we break bread. Tables of Eight is a wonderful way to incorporate P.L.A.Y.ing together. I hope you will seriously consider signing up.
Lastly, it's been nearly three years since we've last "passed the plate" for offering due to COVID restrictions. I've been encouraged by the faithfulness of the Graham family to God first and foremost. Through your generosity, the ministries continue to be supported and moving forward. Over the past several months, the Session at Graham has prayerfully considered providing an opportunity, as an act of worship, to designate time and space to offer God's tithes and our offering in worship again. Through discerning the Holy Spirit's guidance, on Sunday, March 5, we will again begin collecting God’s tithes and our offering in both services.
Blessings,
Pastor John
If you missed this Sunday’s sermon, click here to listen now!
