This morning was a real treat for me. All five of us attended church together! This is something we used to do every Sunday, but as the kids have gone off to college, they haven't attended, and we haven't made them attend when they live here in the summer.

But today was different. I felt so blessed having them around for Thanksgiving, that I couldn't stand the thought of us not going to church to thank God for our health and safety, among other things.

So Ross anounced that we would be attending the 10:00 service as a family.

And while we still got the:

"Are you kidding? You're making us go to church?'
"I'm not going."
"There's no way I'm getting up that early."
ETC!

They all got up, showered, dressed, and made it out the door in time. A miracle!

There is nothing better than sitting in church surrounded by loved ones, knowing they are all together, safe and sound, and maybe hearing a little of the gospel. Maybe, even through shut eye.

God is so good.

If you raised your children as church go-ers, and they are now young adults, do they attend church? I'd love to hear.

I did raise them as Christians.My daughter is a church elder and attends on Sunday with me.Yesterday was communion and to see her serve the bread and wine makes me feel deeply glad for her to have this in her life.
The church is her other family.I am so looking forward to Advent and each Sunday seeing the Advent Crown having a candle lit.
Mountain ash

Mountain, I can certainly understand how touching it must be to see her so involved with her faith.

Does you church have any special activites planned? DO they have a Web site?

I am forever planting seeds with my kids. I tell them how I appreciate the way they are using their God-given gifts in their lives. I tell them I pray for them, mention God-incidences as they occur, etc. They are Christians, just not practicing in a church right now.

My daughter's friend lost her father this weekend. Incredibly shocking and terribly sad. She spent two hours with her last night and when I have the chance, I will tell her that she was an angel doing exactly what Jesus would have wanted her to do.

Just because they aren't in church, doesn't mean they aren't practicing Christianity. Know what I mean?

To some degree, my children made the same comments when they were in their teens, Dotsie. Not about attending Mass, however, but with devotions which we do at home like keeping to our daily Holy Rosary. It was a constant negotiation between a favourite TV show or a game or a book or whatever it was that they would be caught up with at the given time. So, as they were only pre-teens, their Dad and I prayed a short rosary with them i.e. three Hail Mary's for each decade instead of the full ten. It was only after my children's confirmation that they finally took to participating fully. They had to be reminded constantly though when their social life got busier and friends were around.

I raised my children the way I was raised and are practising Catholics. My daughter and her husband are raising their children in the same way. My son, who is 26, is still an altar server, as my grandson and my son-in-law. All three belong to the Guild of St Stephens. Our Parish communities are an extension of our family. Whilst I have had no problems with my children, I pray that my grandchildren follow in the same way and remain devoted to the practice of their faith when they grow up.

I raised my sons as churchgoers. We were very active in the church community. I sang in the gospel group and they were alter boys for many years.

Now neither of them attends church. My oldest son says he doesn't even believe in God. My younger son believes deeply, but is not a church goer.

I think it has something to do with the German masses. They are so solemn with heavy, slow, organ music. The priests are so old and unimaginative, and the atmosphere is anything but joyous. I'm not a church goer anymore either. So I can understand my sons.

When my older son has a child, he says he will return to church. Infact both of our sons says they are thankful for their religious upbringing. It gave them a chance to chose if they want to continue or not as adults.

I’ve led them to still waters. It’s up to them if they want to drink from it.

My only child, my daughter, is quite the opposite from most of you. I know exactly why, too. She was raised as a PK (pastor's kid). So often because of that, she was expected to perform, know the bible better than any other kid and just be set apart. This was the church people's expectations but not ours. We wanted her to have a "normal" upbringing but in our position it was anything but normal. I would get so upset in her teen years because she was picked on by adults in the church....i.e. "your skirt is too short", "what?? you don't KNOW the answer?" etc., etc. She was a good teen and relatively easy to raise. She took two 10-week long missions trips at ages 15 and 16...to Australia and India, building churches, etc. At the time they were life changing to her. Still, what we didn't realize was how badly she struggled inside. She chose a liberal, although supposedly Christian college to attend and rebelled heavily. The saddest part is to see how she shudders at the very mention of "praising God" today at age 32. She's reluctantly let her Dad take her daughter to rehearse for this year's Christmas pageant at his church (she lives close to him). So many factors involved but she's very open about it and we have long talks involving it sometimes. She believes still but is not sure what to do with it. Church people, in general, no matter who they are scare her so much. I think it's so sad.

I am not a church-goer at all nor ever defined myself as Christian at any point in life so far.

However as a child, under my parents encouragement, I did attend Sunday School up to catechism time. Parents thought it was useful to have our moral values taught at home, confirmed elsewhere by another party, like the church. My parents never went to church and knew very little about Christianity except for basic meaning of Christmas and Easter.

It was United Church, which at that time, seemed most accessible. liberal and not mysterious to a bunch of Asian-Canadian children unaccompanied by parents. Church was a 15 min. walk away.

We lived across the street from a (modern) Mennonite church where we knew some neighbours on the street attended (these neighbours were German.). There some of us did attend Bible summer school. It was more of a social thing for us to do for free in summer since my parents didn't have income to take us away on vacation out of town.

Now I seriously question how many young, non-believer adults even understand underlying Christian-Judeo concepts ...that have influenced the English-speaking world in: literature, music, architecture and art. Just as example

I also wonder how young people are taught in this fast-paced life, contemplation in general ..if they have had no exposure to any religion at all. Is it yoga??? I mean it may be laughable, but seriously...I guess it must be.

For myself, since I did my university degree in English literature, then it was helpful to understand some stories in the Bible...which have influenced great works of literature particularily from medieval times to 18th century.

Several of my closest friends are believers, and periodically I have attended church with them. One of them keeps on trying to ply the Word on me but it is discreet and she knows that anything more, might destroy a 25 yr. long friendship. She is Mennonite with white cap over hairbun and dresses to the always, the knee.

I did have some amazing experiences with her...and yes, there are some incredible stories from the Mennonite community. I could never forget the time I went to a Mennonite church school during graduation day and picnic where the 16 old girls wearing their dresses, pantyhose, running shoes and white net hair buns, were playing great softball in 30 degree F humid heat on the diamond.

And 6 different 10-yr. Old Order Mennonite boys all wearing their requisite straw hats were sitting by in a row, staring at me. Probably is rare to see Asians so close up for a long time.

I'm sorry I'm rambling...but for a non-believer I do think it's useful for those who choose to live forever in a society where there was a dominant religion that initially influenced many aspects of life...to understand some basic concepts.

I read all your comments about church and family. Its good to read such connecting and compassionate, emotions, of faith and family. As, daughter of Christian parents. I and my brothers,used to attend church and, but dad does more so than us, he sings in the chorus, even when he is home which is hobbling. Yet through mom and dad they instilled in us morals and values and bibical scripture like 10 commandments for example. As we grew up, living with our parents and we help pull together as family to help each other and mom and dad financically. We always blessed to give what we have to give to others that didn't have alot. As we,give to others in his name. Even, though we are in our 30s we still value the teachings and ministering from our parents. As well, since me and mom health hasn't been not excellent, we keep in his word and praising and give his name sake. Despite, the wrongful,hurting things that has happen in all our lives. We just learn from them and pray for that person. And his reward out weights it all and we know were blessed for it in his time.

As personally note:

I like share with you all, so no other child or person with disability will be take advantage of this but, I also was a person being confronted in a unprofessional way by a pastor and other in my church. And its being a bit since I have been back. However, I also seen things and sense things that were of darkness moving about that maybe no other can see. That's when I rebuke and knew things were not good within the church and had be addressed. So, in private I prayed about it. Soon enough there was new pastor, however, there is still some issue not meant. I always seen Angels or revealed visions related to my life or someone he intend to say something too. I guess you can say my spirit is open to heaven and to God's holy spirit of his reason.

I am looking forward to your comments. And I will do my best to check back.

hi feon wot a butifull name.

i glade as you put it taht your spirite is open to god, heaven and the holie spirite, good for you I know it can be usfull in life.

sdlie some church goers or leaders at times aint the best examples of gods message but we all humane and have to learn stuff, process of evolusion. I go my the person not their position or how manie times they do go to church. The other side of the coin is theirs manie devoite regulare churcgoers or even non church goers that are full of the light and spirite of god and live their life in a god centred way.

luciens a bit young can't sit still and theirs no real place for him to go to not desturbe other members, mabie when he older he can sit still for more than 2 seconds then we go.

I try to keep god in his life anyway. He takes things verie litralie, as you can imagine photos of christ help, statue of marie etc. we had a pray onces outside his bedroom (usulie their) he asked why as their was no photo of god so who we talking too lol. i gess the abstract nature of god will be something we slowlie develop with him lol.

nice to know so manie of your kids follow suite, i gess an example always helps, keep going ladies.