This weeks RCL Gospel reading is Mark 10:2-16. In my NRSV, they carry the headings, Teaching about Divorce and Jesus Blesses the Little Children.
For most in Children and Family Ministry it is another bonanza weekend, not just the lovely child relatable verses on Jesus and the teacher, but the verses on Divorce.
Now many will be tempted I suspect to treat this reading as two distinct readings, erring, probably to the last 3 verses, rather than dealing with the first 11 on divorce or the whole 14.
Divorce, is not a topic any self respecting Child and Family minister can avoid. It happens, it is legal, and some people who have a literal faith find the issue difficult to speak about except in absolutes and complicated grief. Walking with anyone in the messiness of life, especially with children during these occasions, is not just a calling, but a faith response.
As I said in my Tuesday’s blog, taken as a whole this reading speaks to me of the Kingdom of God, where everything is permanent and thus secure and all, including the children are not turned away. (Look at the form and structure of the readings from Mark 8:33 to understand how I’ve reached this conclusion).
Helping families to find secure welcoming environments is the definition of Child and Family Ministry.
This is an occasion when all my “hats” come out, the Grief and Couples Counselling, the theologian, the child and family work, the teacher, and not just in healing broken lives but in helping families stay whole and supported.
To that aim I’m going to share some resources that I have found useful for helping create stable environments. This list is not definitive and I encourage anyone with other resources to share them with others by adding them in to comments this week.
https://www.relationshipsvictoria.com.au
http://www.togethernessproject.org
https://au.reachout.com/tough-times/addiction
https://www.rachelsvineyard.org.au/index.html
https://www.max7.org/en/resource/7waysfamilies
https://parentingforfaith.org/about
https://1for50share.net/filecat/families-parenting/
Blessings
Wendy L.
The Cross in My Backyard 