Parenting is one of the most rewarding and challenging journeys of our lives. TLC wants to equip parents with practical encouragement and Biblical wisdom along the way!

From January - May 2025, we will be offering twice-a-month Sunday seminars from 11am - 12:15pm on a variety of parenting topics.

Join us for a chance to connect with other parents who have nursery - 5th grade kids, and to grow as parents through thoughtful, practical and God-focussed teaching. Plus free coffee & pastries and kid's ministry will be offered!

SEMINAR TOPICS

Sun Jan 12:

How to Grow and Thrive as a Family

• In this session, you’ll learn the scientifically verified Townsend Growth Model, a way to identify key areas of growth in your own life and in your children’s lives, helping your family thrive together.
  • Tina Ratliff (Relational & Life Development Coach)
  • Room 8122 (modulars next to Monschke Hall)

Sun Jan 26: 

"Ask Me Anything" Parenting Panel

• We have asked wise and seasoned parents from our own TLC community to share from their own parenting journey: where they’ve succeeded, where they’ve failed and everything in between. Learn from parents of adults, college-aged and teens.
  • Panel: Jim & Susi Jocelyn, Steve & Molly Craig, Yolanda Beaudoin
  • Room 8122 (modulars next to Monschke Hall)

Sun Feb 2: 

Parenting Your Kids Through Tough Questions About Faith

• Your kids have questions about faith—and they’re probably not the same ones you may have had as a kid! Come find out what questions kids are asking today and how you can be someone they want to talk to about their questions.
  • Laurie Schlaepfer (Adjunct Faculty at Western Seminary, M.A. in Christian Theology)
  • Room 9101 (next to Loft Coffee)

Sun Feb 16: 

22 Relational Needs: How to give & receive Relational Nutrients to thrive

• This session will explore "relational nutrients" — the emotional care and support essential for thriving relationships. For young parents, this means learning to recognize and meet their own relational needs, which helps them connect more deeply with their children. By modeling these skills, parents teach their kids how to identify and express their own needs, fostering emotional resilience and stronger family bonds.
  
  • Tina Ratliff (Relational & Life Development Coach)
  • Room 9101 (next to Loft Coffee)

Sun Mar 2:

Adolescence & Spiritual Formation

• Learn some of the biggest questions today's teenagers are asking about life and faith, and how you as a parent can develop some practical and simple rhythms to help your teenagers continue to grow in their faith in middle school, high school, and beyond. This is a great session for parents of 3rd - 7th graders, but parents with kids of any age can benefit. 
  • Steven Johnson (Director of Family Ministries, Mount Hermon)
  • Room 9101 (next to Loft Coffee)

Sun Mar 16:

Boundaries: What are they really? And how do they lead to deeper connections? 

• This session will guide young parents in understanding and setting healthy boundaries for themselves and their families. By learning to establish and model boundaries, parents can create stronger, more respectful relationships while teaching their children how to navigate relationships with confidence and clarity. This essential skill helps build a foundation for lasting connections and equips kids to interact with others in healthy and meaningful ways.
  • Tina Ratliff (Relational & Life Development Coach)
  • Room 8122 (modulars next to Monschke Hall)

Sun Mar 30:

Discipling Your Kids in the Way of Jesus

• What exactly does it mean for us as parents to "disciple" our kids? If we weren't raised in the church, this concept can feel overwhelming and confusing. And if we were raised in the church, we might be seeking to disciple our kids in a way that is different from our own experience. Join us to get the essentials on what discipling our kids means, and how we can bring God-centered rhythms into the everyday life of our families.
  • Yolanda Beaudoin (TLC Director of Children’s Ministry) and Kristin Jensen (Young Families Ministry Associate)
  • Room 9101 (next to Loft Coffee)

Sun April 13:

The Relationship Grid: Understanding out reactions when we are triggered & changing our response 

• This session will help young parents recognize how they respond when feeling overwhelmed or out of balance. By understanding the triggers behind these reactions, they can learn to pause and choose healthier, more thoughtful responses. This not only strengthens their relationships but also sets an example for their children on managing emotions and building meaningful connections, fostering a home environment of grace and growth.
  • Tina Ratliff (Relational & Life Development Coach)
  • Room 9101 (next to Loft Coffee)

Sun May 4:

Formed in the Image of Work: Becoming a God-focused parent in a work-obsessed world

• America’s vision of the good life is almost entirely focussed on building the dream career, which has led us to worship at the altar of workism, “the belief that work is not only necessary to economic production, but also the centerpiece of one’s identity and life’s purpose.” Whether it is intentional or not, we are being “formed in the image of work.” How do we shift out of a work-formed mindset and into God-focused parenting? There are no quick hacks or easy solutions here; instead there is a quiet, steady invitation from God to move toward something more as a parent and follower of Jesus.
  • Teacher: Kristin Jensen (Young Families Ministry Associate)
  • Room 9101 (next to Loft Coffee)

HOW IT WORKS 

TIMING

• We will meet from 11am - 12:15pm on the Sunday dates listed above
• We encourage families to attend the 9am service and then join us for the Seminar after the 9am ends.

KID’S PROGRAM

• You have two options for how your kids can spend the mornings you attend our Seminars:
  1. Your kids can join you in the main auditorium during the 9am service (we will have little activity packs for them at the doors) and then they can check into the Kid’s Ministry program at 10:45am
  2. Kids can join the Kid’s Ministry at 9am, take a break between services at the playground with their family, and check back into Kid’s Ministry at 10:45am

LOCATION

• Parents will join us for the Seminars in either 8122 (portable next to Monschke Hall) or 9101 (large room next to Loft)
• We will have signs on campus to direct you, and each week the TLK newsletter will share the topic and location

COMMITMENT

• You can attend any and all seminars that you’d like
• To develop a sense of community and belonging, we encourage you to come to as many as you can. The more you come, the more people you will meet and begin connecting with!

Questions? Email