How
Premiership football clubs are helping men be better dads - CFN newsletter
69
CHRISTIAN FAMILY NETWORK NEWSLETTER 69
> Football, families and God - helping dads and lads
> Magazine:
new Families Together out soon
> News:
> Shock jock joins Chalke to launch church for doubters
> 'Danger' warning for children in churches
> Girl power for Christians in Stoke
> Sites:
> Shopping that gives to your favourite charity
> Flash movies online for Easter
> Events: What's on where and when
> Marriage MOT: You're unique! (And so is s/he!)
> Humour: When dogs pray
> Members' Zone latest
Greetings all!
Our latest issue of Families Together magazine should be with you by the end of next week. Don't miss it!
In the meantime, we've got stacks of interesting stuff for you this week, from what it's like to play Jesus on stage, to new projects to help dads, internet church initiatives and plenty of fun resources, too.
Let us know what you enjoy, what you don't and what you'd like to see in the future.
And enjoy
the goodness and joy of the Lord this Easter!
Russ Bravo
Christian Family Network
info@cfnetwork.co.uk
http://www.cfnetwork.co.uk
RESOURCES
God’s
Match of the Day
- YMCA
England and a former Premier League manager say football has a 'tremendously
positive power' for good. How? KAREN CARTER reports from
the touchline on an initiative kickstarting parenting skills for
dads
Elland
Road, home to Leeds United, is to host a vital fixture next month
when YMCA England celebrates
the success of its Dads and Lads Project.
The conference, on 10 April, will chart the development of the scheme
since its launch two years ago. Plymouth YMCA was the first to get
the ball rolling but the Project – funded by the Home Office
Family Policy Unit – is now running in more than 20 locations
across England and 32 grants have been given to a variety of organisations
keen to follow the Dads and Lads model.
Schools, churches, and sports’ groups have also decided to run
with the scheme, while wading in with big-time backing are Leeds United
and Liverpool Football Clubs. Devised by the Parent Support and Development
Unit of YMCA England and Care for the Family, the project enjoyed
great success at the Liverpool FC Academy where it was aimed at 14
to 16-year-olds.
At the
ground, some 30 people a week had a workout in the Academy’s
gym before listening to a "team talk" by the Rev Bill Bygroves,
of Bridge Chapel, Liverpool. Among the topics covered were communication,
discipline and encouragement.
Academy director, and former Liverpool player, Steve Heighway showed
his practical support by taking the half-hour warm-up before one of
the evening sessions. Liverpool FC’s chief executive, and father
of three boys, Rick Parry, also took part in the course.
Andy Howie, YMCA England’s project worker with Dads and Lads,
said it was great to see Premier League clubs take up the initiative.
"I think football could be a tremendously positive power in things
like this. We will certainly market it to all clubs as something for
their community programmes."
The April conference at Elland Road will use Dads and Lads as a springboard
to discuss the fact that less than 1% of parenting services are specifically
targeted at fathers. Andy Howie added: "We want to look at how
other agencies and organisations can take on board some of these ideas
and develop them in their own way."
How did
former Southampton FC boss Dave Merrington come to faith? For the
rest of this article, head for the Resources section at http://www.cfnetwork.co.uk/members/resources.asp
> THIS WEEK'S NEWS
> Radio 'shock jock' joins Steve Chalke to launch 'church for doubters'
A controversial
new church for "doubters" is being launched this Easter
by TalkSPORT presenter James Whale and TV vicar, the Rev Steve Chalke.
Go to http://www.cfnetwork.co.uk/members/news.asp for the full story
>
Churches must beef up child protection measures
Churches can be "very dangerous places for children" and
need to be at the forefront of child protection, experts have warned.
Go to http://www.cfnetwork.co.uk/members/news.asp for the full story
> Youth ministry to girls offers 'sanctified shoppin' in Stoke
Stoke-on-Trent
is the place to be if you want "sanctified shoppin'" or
"wonder worship, Bible bits, good girl gossip, prayer pushing
and social action".
Go to http://www.cfnetwork.co.uk/members/news.asp for the full story - and news of new online resources for churches
>
MARRIAGE MOT
Continuing our partnership with marriage resource site 2-in-2-1.co.uk,
here's the regular marriage tip from their resident writer Kate. This
week:
Uniqueness
Do you think in pictures or in words? Trees blowing in the wind ...
Did you see them in your mind's eye or did you see the words on the
page of a book or wonder: "What sort of trees?"
Do you see or hear the world around you? When someone's speaking,
do you see their face, their mannerisms or do you find a conversation
going on in your head?
Within a marriage, the way you see life can be so different. I had
some friends who designed and built their own house. He knew exactly
what their new home would look like, before the foundations were begun.
She had to ask questions, to look at the plans, to try and describe
what it would be like in words.
When it came to making decisions about the house, they found it very
difficult because they operated differently.
It's so easy for something that simple to be a barrier to us. One
of you might say about a situation: "How do you see things?"
while the other would say: "What do you think about it?"
or "How does that sound to you?". The 'words person' might
expect a logical reasoned comment, the 'visual person' might come
out with something simple and intuitive. Neither is being unreasonable,
they are just being themselves.
One of the wonders of marriage can be discovering how different you
are and valuing those differences. When you value each others uniqueness,
you become more aware of how your unique gifts help you complement
one another.
What quality in your partner do you really appreciate, because you
haven't got it? Why not tell them? What can you uniquely bring to
your marriage?
>
Check out the full range of Kate's advice, plus stacks more marriage
resources at http://www.2-in-2-1.co.uk
. There's also an archive of Kate's tips in our Members' Zone.
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> EVENTS
New this week: Godspell tour, The Mysteries, The Call prayer gathering,
Seize the Day for over 40s, Life of Christ, plus more top family events.
Check out our Events guide in the Members' Zone at http://www.cfnetwork.co.uk/members/resources.asp
Send your family/church event to info@cfnetwork.co.uk
for a free listing.
> SITES WORTH SEEING
Shopping centre website www.UshopUgive.com
helps all your online buying benefit the charity of your choice. Half
the site's commission from retailers like Amazon, Argos and lastminute.com
goes to your nominated good cause, and those signed up to receive
funds include Tearfund, Christian Viewpoint for Men, Jubilee Action
and YWAM.
A new addition to the Dayspring.com website offers visitors some Easter-themed inspiration in the form of several new online movies! These six short Flash movies focus on the life of Jesus and the message of Easter, depicting the Gospel theme of salvation as well as the Lord's Prayer and Psalm 23. Each movie can be viewed online or downloaded as a screensaver; the movies are also available on CD. http://www.dayspring.com/movies/
> YOU'VE GOT TO LAUGH
Dog
Prayers
Dear God,
When we get to Heaven, can we sit on your couch? Or is it the same
old story?
Dear God,
Excuse me, but why are there cars named after the jaguar, the cougar,
the mustang, the colt, the stingray,
and the rabbit, but not one named for a dog? How often do you see
a cougar riding around? We dogs love a nice ride! I know every breed
cannot have its own model, but it would be easy to rename the Chrysler
Eagle the Chrysler Beagle!
Dear God,
If a dog barks his head off in the forest and no human hears him,
is he still a bad dog?
From
free family humour, via e-mail
>
CHRISTIAN FAMILY NETWORK THIS WEEK
(MEMBERS' ZONE) - http://www.cfnetwork.co.uk/members/default.asp
> Resources: Football clubs help men be better dads
>
Hungarian Internet church starts broadcasting English services
> Playing Jesus: stars of Godspell and The Mysteries talk about
their awesome stage roles
> Be encouraged - an uplifting message to preach to yourself!
>
Fun: Short sermons - and the Easter Bunny joke
> Reviews: Godspell and The Mysteries given the CFN critical
once-over
>
Top sites this week:
>
Charity site where your shopping helps your chosen charity
> Easter Flash movies to uplift and encourage
> Christian outreach to net porn addicts
> Sites for seekers, and youth resources
> Events: family happenings near you
> Webwatch Index: more than 400 sites at your fingertips
> Site Search Engine: the easy way to trawl our 450-page
plus archives
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