Dear City Group Family (Part 2)

One of our hope for City Groups this year is to grow in regards to considering families. To that end we asked a mother to write a letter to help. This is the second half. You can read part one here.Questions For the Hosts:::   Is there a bedroom/nursery or playroom/living room where children can play during discussion? Make sure expectations are understood on both sides.:: Is there a place to store the box of toys & supplies so it doesn’t get forgotten each week?:: Are there toys or pets that need to be put away in order to foster a less-stressful atmosphere? (Drums, electronic toys, etc.)Other Meeting Dynamics::: The transition from mealtime to discussion time could be a great time to pray over the kids and release them to another room/space.:: In the event that sensitive or nitty-gritty topics start coming up, have someone designated ready to scoop up the kids and leave the room. No need to make a big deal about the dynamics. (This is probably most relevant when kids are 5 years and older.):: What works now for the 8 month old will probably not work in the summer when she turns one.:: Reevaluate and keep in check with the parents every few months or as soon as another family starts visiting.On Mission:As parents, we want very much to be the ones who show our kids how to serve their city, love the lost, and find personal mission fields. Encouraging parents with practical ways to reach their neighbors and neighborhood is such a blessing. For example, designate a night where everyone brings the supplies & assembles “homeless gift bags” (bottled water, fruit snacks, mouthwash, $5 gift cards to McDonalds, etc.) to encourage kids to see people on the side of the road and step into the situation. (The bag stays in the car, maybe with a few $1 bills.) When families in a City Group can do this together, it’s really the whole picture of community and mission. Maybe every quarter, the families get together, talk about how mission is going as a family, how it’s being modeled, and then come up with a plan for the coming weeks. Serve at Bingo & Bagels, or group/foster homes, nursing homes, etc.Finally, a Few Other Things to Consider::: Once a child is around 12-18 months old (i.e. mobile) it takes a little more creativity and sensitivity to include a family in social/eating out environments. Squirmy babies in a high chair can be frustrating and once the kids are older and eating off the menu, the financial cost should be taken into consideration. Places with a kids menu or outdoor patio are freakin’ awesome.:: We want to hang out! If you’re nervous about having us over, ask us if you can bring dinner to our place, where high chairs and plastic plates abound. Ask us to join you at Chick-Fil-A for lunch or meet up at a park when the weather is nice. We are social creatures and would probably write a large check just to talk about something other than diapers and sippy cups.:: If you’re asking Mom to be a part of a Discipleship Group, help her find a way to do it without the kids. Parenting and its struggles will probably be the biggest part of her story and she’ll need a place where the kids won’t overhear her confession. Can Dad watch the kids while she grabs dinner? If once a week is too often, give her grace to do it once or twice a month.::   Please ask us how it’s going coming to City Group. We don’t expect you to revolve the group around our schedule and needs but we want to feel like people are on “our side” with the dynamics, not isolating or ostracizing us. Work together with parents and the host family to figure out a situation that works great for your group.:: Thank you for taking the time to consider our kids. When you take time to think of their needs and abilities, it makes us feel like you are partners family.