Keep talking to your children - CFN newsletter 74

CHRISTIAN FAMILY NETWORK NEWSLETTER 74

> Advice: communication is the key with your kids
> News:
> New campaign to focus attention on child poverty
> Dawn gets boost in family break-up work
> Youngsters to discover it's time to re.vive
> Sites:
> Free church website-building help and software
> New friendship community for Christians
> Events: Alive for God 2002
> Humour: Hymns for Seasoned Citizens
> Members' Zone latest

Did you enjoy the Golden Jubilee celebrations? We had a good time as a family, with the four day break providing more opportunities for doing things together than we've had for some time!

We went to see Delirious? in action at a seafront church-run celebration, and enjoyed a few games of Cluedo when the weather turned rainy. Plus of course watching plenty of the celebrations on TV.

What did you get up to? And what does the Golden Jubilee mean to you? Write and tell us and we'll send out prizes for any feedback we use!

God bless

Russ Bravo
Christian Family Network
info@cfnetwork.co.uk
http://www.cfnetwork.co.uk

ADVICE

Keep Talking with Your Children

• Kate, a mum with teenage children and a writer for marriage support website www.2-in-2-1.co.uk has some wise reflections ...
  

What do you think makes a good parent? I had a tip a little while ago from a bright, attractive 16-year-old. Despite her vividly dyed hair, she looked smart and was a pleasure to talk to. She knew what she wanted to aim for in life and I'm sure she will succeed, but it hasn’t all been plain sailing.

She was emerging from a tough 18 months. The rest of her school mates teased her because she enjoyed working and was doing well. She was excluded from the "in-crowd" because she didn't want to drink, smoke or experiment with drugs. Things came to a head for her when her best friend, who had suddenly got involved in a new weird fashion, dropped her overnight. She felt alone and hurt and began to doubt herself and the values that she lived by.

Fortunately for her, she had understanding adults around her at school and in her hobbies outside school. Her family had always been open and encouraged the children to share their concerns and feelings. She told me that many of her classmates felt that they couldn't talk to their parents about anything important. They had no other adults they dared talk to.

"The ones who are surviving the teenage years, the ones who are strong and have some idea where they are going in life," she said, "are the ones who can talk to their parents. The rest don't seem to care whether they do well or what the future holds." How sad!

For the rest of this article - with tips on communicating with your kids - plus more relationship advice, go to our Advice section at http://www.cfnetwork.co.uk/members/advice.asp

> THIS WEEK'S NEWS

> New campaign to focus attention on child poverty

The End Child Poverty campaign is working with faith community leaders to raise awareness of the levels of child poverty in the UK.

Go to http://www.cfnetwork.co.uk/members/news.asp for the full story

> Dawn gets boost in family break-up work

The Dawn Project has been awarded a grant of £195,837 from Sheffield diocese's Community Fund to support its work with adults across South Yorkshire whose relationships have broken down.

Go to http://www.cfnetwork.co.uk/members/news.asp for the full story

> Youngsters to discover it's time to re.vive

New Frontiers International (NFI) has joined forces with Soul Survivor to present a third summer conference week at the Shepton Mallet showground for young people in their teens and twenties.

Go to http://www.cfnetwork.co.uk/members/news.asp for the full story

A CFN MEMBER WRITES ...

As a church, we have become education members of the National Trust. This means we can take schoolchildren to any National Trust property free, if we prebook the visit with the property.

Annual membership starts at £14 per year for a group of up to 50 children. It makes education trips more viable when working with groups of needy children. Contact the National Trust at www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Dave Redfern

> DON'T MISS

Come and get fired up on being a dad!

Great Dads! - Christian Viewpoint for Men's groundbreaking day event which made such an impact in Bath last year - returns this year on 22 June at The King's Church, High Wycombe, with an impressive line-up of speakers.

Organised this year with YMCA and Positive Parenting, the event features pastor, broadcaster, and Oasis Trust founder Steve Chalke, Philo Trust evangelist J John, Geoff Shattock from the WorkNet partnership, and vicar Andy Rimmer, as well as seminar leaders Keith Tondeur of Credit Action, Andy Jones, Dirk Uitterdijk and others.

Tackling key topics from handling teenagers and managing a household to balancing work, family and church and staying on top of your finances, it's a day full of huge encouragement and challenge.

Cost is just £25 including all materials, lunch and snacks, and the day runs from 9.30am-6pm. Arrange your own accommodation (the Wycliffe Centre just up the road has special deals for delegates - 01494 682 266/200, e-mail: res_serv_mgr_UK@wycliffe.org and quote Great Dads 2002).

For those able to be around on 21 June, some support events are available:
9am - 4pm Time Out for Dads - a one-day workshop by Positive Parenting (call 02392 528 787 for details)
4.15pm - 6pm YMCA - Dads & Lads workshop - just turn up or contact dirk@parenting.ymca.org.uk
7.30pm - 9.30pm Men of Might - come and join an evening for men: worship, ministry and teaching by Mark Greene of the LICC

To book: e-mail greatdads@parenting.org.uk, fax 01225 835 966 or post a cheque for £25 payable to CVM Great Dads to Great Dads 2002, Christian Viewpoint for Men, Isabella House, The Avenue, Combe Down, Bath BA2 5EH.

Pray for the nation!

On 13 July 2002 thousands of Christians from all generations, denominations and races, are expected to gather at Reading's Madejski football stadium for a day of prayer, fasting, repentance and worship, to see the hearts of this nation turned back to God.

Much more information on this gathering, its background, how to get involved, and details of the Christian leaders supporting The Call England can be found at http://thecallengland.com

> MARRIAGE MOT

> Check out our archived marriage tips in the Members' Zone, plus stacks more marriage resources at http://www.2-in-2-1.co.uk .

.......................................................................
Please rate this Ezine at the Cumuli Ezine Finder
http://www.cumuli.com/ezines/ra20836.rate
.......................................................................

> EVENTS

• Christine Thomas, St Paul's Church Centre, 15 Northey Avenue, Cheam, Surrey SM2 7HL (020 8224 9838)
  
• Wesley Owen Bookshop, 5 Grove Road, Sutton, Surrey SM1 1BB (020 8642 6511; sutton@wesley-owen.com) or
  
• For credit card bookings (and further info): Nicky Sue Leonard at CWR on 01252 784712

More events are planned for later this year. Watch this space for details ...

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

There's a new church website template-editing system. And it's free. Developed by Darren Jones and friends, you'll find it at www.chweb.org. Church domains come in the form http://churchname.chweb.org or http://www.chweb.org/churchname. Darren explains: "Users choose from a list of template styles, choose which pages they want on their site, and enter their own text. Once their site is up and running, they can go back and change the template, update text, add or remove pages, or even add an image of their church building or pastor. All of this is very easy, and free.

"I am confident that this will be of benefit to those many smaller churches who lack the resources, skills, or funds to generate a website in any other way."

2 Be Friends Christian Community - where friends matter.

> YOU'VE GOT TO LAUGH

Hymns for Seasoned Citizens

The Old Rugged Face
Precious Lord, Take My Hand, And Help Me Up
It is Well With My Soul, But My Knees Hurt
Nobody Knows the Trouble I Have Seeing
Amazing Grace, Considering My Age
Just a Slower Walk With Thee
Count Your Many Birthdays, Name Them One by One
Go Tell It On The Mountain, But Speak Up
Give Me That Old Timers' Religion
Blessed Insurance
Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah, I've Forgotten Where I Parked

(forwarded to Mikey's Funnies by Sue Miholer)

> CHRISTIAN FAMILY NETWORK THIS WEEK
(MEMBERS' ZONE) - http://www.cfnetwork.co.uk/members/default.asp


> Advice:

> Keep talking to your kids!
> J John on handling conflict in marriage - Part 3> No interfering - Liz Hansford on hands-off parenting

> Resources:

> The second 10 Commandments
> A story of grace
> Learning from the tale of the cracked pot

> Reviews:

> No Ordinary Child – A Christian Mother’s Acceptance of her Gay Son, by Jacqueline Ley.

> Top sites this week:
> New, free church website-building software
> Christian friendship site
> Help for mission agencies in keeping their long-term workers

> Events: More of what's on near you, plus the guide to 2002's festivals and Bible weeks

> Webwatch Index: more than 450 sites at your fingertips
> Site Search Engine: the easy way to trawl our 450-page plus archives

HOW TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS NEWSLETTER

Just send an e-mail to leave-cfn-newsletter@cfnetwork.co.uk

© Christian Family Network
is run by CPO, supported by
Care for the Family, Marriage Resource, Positive Parenting,
Care, Women Alive, Christian Herald and many others.