Families of NCC

“Don’t leave your friends or your parents’ friends and run home to your family when things get rough; Better a nearby friend than a distant family.”

(Proverbs 27:10, The Message)

God has established the family to be the primary place in which we demonstrate and experience the relational love and truth of God. And, God has called us to be part of church families in which we come to know His love and truth on an even deeper level.

These days my heart has been heavy in regards to our families. How can we encourage and yet guide our families? How can we build strong and committed marriages so we can best model God to our children? How can we build up the children of our church and community who are watching their parents no longer choose their marriage? I am definitely left with more questions than answers.

I first want to affirm those who are diligently building into their marriages! This is the best thing we can do for our children … to demonstrate a loving and healthy marriage.

I also want to affirm what I see in so many of our parents and grandparents. There is great effort being made to build into our children … to love them and spend time with them, to engage with them where they are at, valuing family time by making special family memories. Keep it up!

But, COVID has changed our church habits, and that is a concern I carry. While some of our families engaged with online services and Sunday School, working through it with their children, others have not. With resuming in-person services, only a few of our families come with any regularity. While I know church attendance is not a stand-alone measurement of a family’s spiritual health, it is a key piece we have been called to … to meet regularly with our church family. And, I would say that it is just as important for our children as for us.

In case you are wondering, children and families are welcome and wanted in our Sunday services! We want you with us. You are not taking someone else’ spot - you are taking your spot, and your children are taking their spot. Our nursery is available for families with littles (being cleaned in between services).

If you have been following our bulletins, you will have noticed our Sunday School is going mid-week come September. We are asking that you work Wednesday “Sunday School” into your Fall plans and consider volunteering.