Grace, Peace, and Babysitting

Improving Your Ministry to Women and Their Families

Pastors and Mothers

•Often underestimated•Experienced mediators•Master multi-taskers•Translate faith into everyday moments

Pastors and Mothers• Highly educated• Lots of gifts and abilities• Sinful and doomed to failure

on their own• God’s grace comes through

the Word and Sacraments• Feel God’s presence in the

members of our church family

Deuteronomy 6:5-9

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and

they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your

gates.”

5 Hardest Things about Being a Mom (and how you can help)

1) FEELING GUILTY

• Things done• Things left undone• Need opportunities to experience forgiveness• Need opportunities to learn new parenting strategies and

what the Bible says about parenting

5 Hardest Things about Being a Mom (and how you can help)

2) FEELING LONELY• Moms feel isolated, especially when they stay home with children all

day.• Need opportunities to gain perspective, reflect, and catch their breath.• Facebook Meet-Up Page could allow connections to be made• Host a MOPS group or similar kind of Bible study group • Host an exercise class or allow other family-friendly organizations to

use space in your building

5 Hardest Things about Being a Mom (and how you can help)

3) FINDING BABYSITTING• Moms need time for reflection, fellowship, and studying the Word without

distraction.• If there is babysitting, moms know you want them there.• Moms want to participate in choir, voters’ meetings, Bible Studies, and

LWML; but don’t have the budget to pay for babysitting.• Ask for volunteers to rotate babysitting or make it a line item in your budget• Be aware of the message you are sending when there is no childcare

provided.

5 Hardest Things about Being a Mom (and how you can help)

4) MAKING IT THROUGH CHURCH• Keep kids in church and out of the nursery.• Provide age-appropriate Christian materials to engage kids during the

service.• The more senses you engage the better.• Invite children to the font for baptisms.• Explain the sanctuary during children’s messages.• Have impromptu processions to celebrate church festivals.• Sit with your own family when you are able.

5 Hardest Things about Being a Mom (and how you can help)

5) FEELING OVERWHELMED• Easy to be frightened and overwhelmed by all the temptations

facing our kids• Need lots of Christian mentors in kids’ lives.• Mix generations• Stock the church library• Have church sports teams for adults• Provide some education for kids outside of Sunday School

5 Greatest Things about Being a Mom (and how you are already helping me)

1) Sharing God’s forgiveness with thepeople I love the most.

5 Greatest Things about Being a Mom (and how you are already helping me)

2) Daily reminders that my children and I are completely in God’shands.

5 Greatest Things about Being a Mom (and how you are already helping me)

3) Sharing God’s Word.

5 Greatest Things about Being a Mom(and how you are already helping me)

4) My kids like going to church!

5 Greatest Things about Being a Mom (and how you are already helping me)

5) I am not alone. I know you will always be there when my family needs you.