Our Family Life Class, aimed at adults of a younger age and their families, we is studying new course, Alpha for Families. This is the well-known Alpha Course designed to encourage family conversations with your spouse or children about some of the ‘big’ questions of faith.

Every Sunday, we will watch a 15-20 minute video about a big question (e.g. “How do I have faith?” or “Does God heal today?”). You can watch alone or with your spouse, kids or friends! There’ll be a few ‘pauses’ in the message for you to think about what you believe and discuss it with whomever you’re watching.

For younger children, you will find a conversation starter guide in the email and on the website. So, after you watch the teaching, you can start having deeper faith conversations with your younger kids who might not sit through the video.

The Rev. Dr. Suse E. McBay
Associate for Adult Christian Education and Prayer Ministries

The Rev. Alex D. Graham III
Associate for Children and Family Ministries
Please do not reply to this email.
To respond to this Bible study, please email
the Rev. Jane Ferguson at jferguson@stmartinsepiscopal.org.
A Guide for Discussion with Younger Children

Welcome!

We encourage you to use this guide to have a conversation with your children. Maybe over dinner, before bed or on a drive somewhere, there are always opportunities to start talking with our kids about some of these basic beliefs of Christians, and to help them think it through for themselves. You, as their parents, have an important role to play in giving them permission to ask these questions, and you do not have to have all of the answers!

What Does the Holy Spirit Do?

Since you now understand a bit more about what the Holy Spirit is, let’s discuss these questions to learn more about what the Holy Spirit does. The Bible says that the Holy Spirit is the power for the job of living as a Christian–reassuring us we’re forgiven and loved by God, helping us make everyday decisions, deal with challenges and, most importantly, making us more like Jesus from the inside out. If you know there’s a job for the Holy Spirit to do in your life, what could that be?

  • Have you ever had a huge problem? If so, has your struggle with that problem made you feel like a “bad” Christian? How can the Holy Spirit help you?
  • Do you understand the Holy Spirit’s role in your life? Does it make sense to you to talk about God’s Spirit living in you? Is there someone who could pray with you about that?
  • Is there somewhere in your life you’re trying really hard but getting nowhere? Could you ask the Holy Spirit to help you?