Family Life Ministry Moment: The Letter
“Can I get the mail?!?” my kids excitedly say as they jump out of the car upon arriving at home after school.
Oh, the possibilities! MAIL! Who am I kidding, I am just as excited as my kids. (Why am I always disappointed when my husband checks it first?)
The joyful expectation of heading to the mailbox, eager to reveal the treasure inside… only to receive….yep, you guessed it, another bill or piece of junk mail.
Why do we eagerly jump out to get the mail? Why do our kids? The simple, but profound act of having someone care about us enough to take the time to sit down and write a letter. We are seen, we are known, we are valued.
We all CRAVE connection. We are seemingly more connected than ever with our access to information and technology at our fingertips but suffer from lack of interpersonal connection.
How can we embrace this in our ministry settings? It can be difficult to build relationships with parents who are busy or with youth who may not seem eager to talk with us.
But what if we simply started with a letter?
Not a letter with a premeditated agenda. Not a letter designed to recruit someone for the next event or program, just a letter for the sake of connection.
I’m thinking about you today.
I’m praying for you today.
It was great seeing you at church on Sunday.
It was great running into you at the grocery store.
You played great on the baseball field last week.
I loved hearing you sing in the choir with the other children at church.
I’m praying for you this week.
You are a loved and redeemed child of God.
At your next event—Bible class, sewing circle, LWML, Men’s group—what if we had a pile of blank cards and a list of addresses of families in our congregation. Write to a mom, a dad, a youth. Start a connection just for the sake of connection. And help those around you feel seen, known, and valued, as the Lord sees, knows, and values us.
Who might be waiting for a letter from you?
Deb Jurchen serves the District as Congregational Consultant for Family Life Ministry. In this role, she will share articles and resources to encourage congregations to connect with and serve the families in their community.