April 9, 2016 - Church at Worship

Sermon: “The Lesson of Character”  - by Randy Roberts

Pastoral Welcome: The Aho Family

Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 6:4–9, TNIV

Children's Feature: Jordan Roddy

Sermon Notes:

I suppose every parent (at least every thoughtful parent) wrestles with this question:
How do I involve myself in my child’s life without becoming a helicopter parent? If
you’ve ever wondered if you’re the only parent (or that you’re part of a community
representing the only parents) that struggles with such things, you are not alone. There
is actually reason to believe that “helicopter parenting” has become something of a
global phenomenon. To quote a European parent speaking in an article published by
The New York Times: “[In Norway] we have brats, child kings, and many of us suffer
from hyper-parenting.” The article continues:
Middle-class Brazilians, Chileans, Germans, Poles, Israelis, Russians and others
have adopted versions of it too. The guilt-ridden, sacrificial mother—fretting
that she’s overdoing it, or not doing enough—has become a global icon. . . .
Scandinavians complain of “curling parents,” a reference to the sport in which
you frantically scrub the ice to let a stone glide across it. (Pamela Druckerman,
“A Cure for Hyper-Parenting,” The New York Times [10-12-14]).
So how do parents respond to such things? Is there a better way? Is there a way to be
empathetic with our kids but to also help them face the realities of life on their own?
I think so. Further, I think the simple wisdom of a brief but ancient proverb can point
us in the right direction. Join me as we consider it.

Randy Roberts

Senior Pastor