This fall, St. Peter's is excited to launch a new opportunity for parents to gather, learn, and encourage one another as they seek to raise faithful children in today's world. Beginning Sunday, September 13, the new Family Forum will meet each week from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. in the Elliot Room, providing a dedicated space for conversation, prayer, and practical wisdom for family life.

The Family Forum will take place 9:15 a.m. - 10:15 a.m., between services. While the Rector's Forum meets in the Parish Hall, parents will have the opportunity to gather in a setting specifically focused on the joys and challenges of raising children in the Christian faith. Together, participants will learn from one another, discuss real-life parenting experiences, and pray for their families and our parish community.

To begin this new ministry, the forum will work through Jonathan Haidt's bestselling book The Anxious Generation. Each week, participants will discuss two chapters, reflecting on the book's insights and exploring how they intersect with our faith and our calling as parents. Whether you have already read the book or are encountering it for the first time, you are warmly invited to join the conversation. Extra copies of the book will be available through the church for those who need one.

The discussion schedule for September and October is:

• September 13: Chapters 1 & 2
• September 20: Chapters 3 & 4
• September 27: Chapters 5 & 6
• October 4: Break
• October 11: Chapters 7 & 8
• October 18: Chapters 9 & 10
• October 25: Chapters 11 & 12

The goal is not perfect attendance or perfect preparation. We understand that family schedules can be busy and that not everyone will be able to attend every week or complete every assigned reading. Parents are encouraged to join whenever they can and to participate in the discussion regardless of how much of the book they have completed.

To make participation easier for families, St. Peter's is also expanding Sunday morning opportunities for children. Childcare will be available beginning at 9:00 a.m., with the nursery open for younger children, arts and crafts activities available for kindergarten through first grade, and the Youth Room open for games and fellowship. This additional hour will provide children with more opportunities to play, build friendships, and grow in community with other young parishioners. Breakfast sandwiches will also be available for family members to grab and enjoy as they move between activities. It's one more way we hope to serve our families in body, mind, and spirit.

The Family Forum will conclude in time for parents and children to reunite before Children's Chapel at 10:15 a.m., after which children will return to their classrooms for Sunday School.

We hope you'll make plans now to join us for this exciting new chapter in family ministry at St. Peter's. Bring your questions, your experiences, and your desire to grow alongside other parents as we learn together what it means to raise faithful children in a rapidly changing world. We look forward to kicking off the Family Forum on September 13.