Nurturing children’s faith to be subject of seminar

Helping parents to nurture their children’s spiritual faith will be the focus of “Nurturing Faith at Home,” a daylong seminar Saturday, March 31, at Columbia Street Baptist Church in Bangor.

According Kevin Lawson, the church’s minister of Christian education, the seminar will teach parents how to nurture their children’s faith, both within the church and the family. Two general sessions and a series of workshops will focus on such topics as teaching children how to pray, dealing with unresponsive children, beginning family traditions that will enhance a child’s spiritual development, and teaching Bible stories to preschool-age children.

The seminar’s keynote speakers will be Dr. Daniel Jessen and his wife, Nancy. An associate professor of family and youth ministry at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Hamilton, Mass., Dr. Jessen conducts Christian-education workshops and marriage seminars throughout New England.

Nancy Jessen maintains a private practice as an educational therapist and learning-disabilities consultant. An adjunct professor at Gordon College, she teaches with her husband a course on marriage and the family at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

The seminar, which starts with registration at 8:30 a.m. and concludes at 3 p.m., will open its educational aspect at 9 a.m. with an hour-long general session called “What Can a Child Understand at this Age?” Three accompanying workshops will concentrate on nurturing children at different age levels, and will present resources for families and parents.

The second general session, “Becoming Partners with Your Church,” will begin at 2 p.m. Led by Dr. Jessen, this session will teach parents how to take full advantage of a church’s educational program and how to reinforce what children learn in church.

The cost for the seminar is $3.50 for a person registering by Monday, March 26, or $5 the day of the seminar; the price includes lunch. Interested parents and other people concerned about encouraging children’s spiritual growth should contact Columbia Street Baptist Church at 945-6616 for information.