TCC Offers Talk On 'Growing Generous Children'

(Editor's note: The following information was submitted by the Tewksbury Congregational Church.)

In our commercialized society, youth have limited opportunity to learn the joy of giving and helping others.  In an effort to help parents raise generous and loving kids, is holding a talk entitled “Growing Generous Children” on March 11th, from 11-12 pm at the church located at 10 East Street.   All in the community are invited to participate free of charge and childcare will be provided by a CORI’d adult and a teen assistant during the presentation.

The Creating Generous Children workshop will be presented by Leslie Hastings, a long time educator, youth ministry pastor, and former director of Christian Education at the Wilmington Methodist Church.  Her talk will present ideas and ways that we can move our focus and our children's attention away from a “me and mine” outlook to taking in the perspective of others. 

Creating giving and caring children has been a focus of Tewksbury Congregational Church over the last few years, leading to national recognition in a Californian published periodical, Outreach Magazine, for their program “Missionaries in Training”.  This Missionaries in Training Program gives Sunday School youth a chance to earn “bible bucks” which are used to purchase items locally or globally for those in need.  Just last month, the more than 170 youth enrolled in Sunday School at Tewksbury Congregational Church spent $998 of their hard-earned Bible Bucks to purchase items for various charities.  Bible Bucks are converted into real money through the church’s Missions Committee.

Unfortunately, other than the occasional outpouring of generosity after a major natural disaster, we can't depend on our society to teach the spirit of giving.  With commercials that bombard kids with “must-have” toys and a society that seems to pride itself on collecting objects, it is difficult to teach our children about being giving and helping others.  In an effort to help parents encourage youth to think beyond themselves, Tewksbury Congregational Church is offering an hour long seminar on Growing Generous Children this Sunday, March 11th. 

While registration for the lecture is not necessary, contacting TCC via e-mail at education.tewksburycc@verizon.net or at (978) 851-9411 will allow preparation of the correct amount of materials and provide adequate childcare staff and activities.  Any questions can be directed to the Tewksbury Congregational Church office at the above number.