Greetings from Neema!

Hello and thank you for stopping to check out the Around the Table blog! Made possible by a grant from the Lily Endowment Inc., and the Office of Christian Formation of the PCUSA, Around the Table is a Christian Parenting initiative engaging faith leaders, parents, and caregivers in practices of sharing our stories and God’s story with the children and youth we live with and/or support. My name is Rev. Neema Cyrus-Franklin, and I serve as this initiative’s Project Coordinator forwarding our efforts to nurture and promote Christian faith formation in the household. I hope to get to meet and know many of you in the coming months and season ahead as we prepare to launch an effort to resource caregivers, parents and yes, grandparents too!  

We’ve heard from so many who care for children and youth how difficult and ill-equipped they felt during the pandemic as we became in-home teachers, counselors, recreation leaders and pastoral care providers. As a parent of two teens, a PCUSA ordained Teaching Elder and decades of experience as a youth leader – and with a spouse who is a parish clergyperson – we too, felt overwhelmed and under resourced to navigate those unchartered waters. Around the Table is an effort to further equip and support parents/caregivers passing on faith in God through Jesus Christ in post-pandemic realities. 

Faith formation leaders, parents, caregivers are invited to develop intentional ways to practice faith at home – and in homes of all kinds. The project initiative will last for 12-18 months in two waves of cohorts. Professional coaches will help to strengthen cohort participants as topics are covered ranging from celebrating milestones, talking to kids about mental health/trauma, peacemaking in the home and discovering ways to live faithfully as a family.    

We’re looking for cohort participants, content writers and coaches to join us as we learn to share our stories of faith together. Stay tuned for more details to come in early May 2024!