Great Plains Daily Devotional for 1/7/2023: Faith practices -- family 'homework'

Taud Boatman

Parsons: Wesley UMC

Parsons District

Ryong Jae Jung

Pittsburg: College Heights UMC

Pittsburg: Korean Love UMC

Parsons District

Jin Cho

Pittsburg: First UMC

Parsons District

Linda Stotler

Pittsburg: Grace UMC

Parsons District

Since children spend much more time at home than in church, author Rachel Turner ("It Takes a Church to Raise a Parent") says, home is the perfect place for parenting for faith to occur.

Turner gives examples of family "homework" that empowers parents and identifies the home as the focal point in faith development:

• Reading the Bible as a family and encouraging children to read the Bible regularly
• Eating together as a family
• Praying together as a family (more than just before meals and bedtime)
• Serving people in need as a family and supporting service activities initiated by children
• Providing moral instruction
• Having family conversations about faith
• Ritualizing important family moments and milestone experiences throughout the year
• Talking about faith, religious issues, including difficult questions and doubts
• Celebrating holidays and church year seasons (liturgical seasons) at home
• Participating regularly in Sunday worship as a family, and being actively involved in the faith community throughout the week