Active Listening Improves Faith

​​Yahoo, a new year of faith formation has begun!  Last week, our Confirmation classes, had a very interesting conversation with a panel of church people.  A great big THANK YOU to the adults who shared their faith stories about their life experiences with our 7-9 grade students, table guides and teachers.  It was a lively conversation that shared a lot of laughter as well as some very real and difficult life lessons.  We went from high to lows and back to highs learning how God is present and an important force in our lives.  God’s love was revealed and came to life through the sharing of our adult panel.  More importantly it came through our 7th grade class who demonstrated good listening from their weekly faith question answers.  Here are some of their responses:

• I learned that patience is important!  I need to practice forgiveness of my sister more often.
• I thought this was important to try not to get “HALT” (Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired)
• I am happy to hear, God listens and God answers prayer!
• I heard you should go to church when you are in need.
• The stories I heard sound like my life.  I would like to know more about each person.
• Asking questions is okay.
• It was cool to see the many people of our church and how God helps them.
• They all had very different stories, yet all of them could see how God was with them.
• Positive things and negative things happened in their lives.  No matter if it was + or – each person ended up growing in their faith.

 
Good listening is “active” listening.  Active listening is important, and our youth are learning that skill.  Especially listening about how God loves them.  Thank you, parents, table guides, teachers and everyone who continues to support our young people in making faith their own.
Christ’s Blessings & Peace,
Pastor Nate

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