The Parents of Older Teens and Young Adults (POTYA) Life-stage Discipleship group exists to connect parents in a growing, caring community that is learning to know, worship, and proclaim Jesus as Lord. Parenting teens and young adults offers challenges, to say the least. We are here to assist you in overcoming obstacles and provide support as you practice the art of teen parenting in order to take your children from dependents to independent adults. Here you will find many Christian resources to assist you in family parenting. Welcome!
Please join us! Sundays at 9:50 AM, The Lighthouse Room. (Upstairs at the end of the wide hallway in the main sanctuary building.)
Journey to Pentecost. A season of renewel around the presence and work of the Third Person of the Trinity is our current topic.
Please join us!
9:50 AM, Sunday Mornings, in the "Lighthouse" room, Community Presbyterian Church, Ventura, California. Ask for directions at the Information Center or the Life-stage table on the church patio.
Upcoming group events:
To be announced.
Other upcoming events of interest:
New class topic, "Jesus as Lord" (Book of Acts) with Jim McClurkin starts May 30.
Congratulations!
Congratulations to Sheila R. on winning the coveted Silver Spatula award on Revolution Celebration sunday for her great pie. Congratulations also to Kirk H. for getting "all fired up" and winning the Hottest Chili award!
What to expect from fellowship with the POTYA group:
Teaching:
Our Sunday morning group time is centered on teaching. As with all the Life-stage groups at Community Presbyterian Church, we operate on the quarter system. The Life-stage Discipleship program provides core courses that are taught in each of the various Life-stage groups. The POTYA group teacher modifies this standard course content to fit the needs of our group.
Every other quarter POTYA has an elective course, which is often specifically geared to issues our group is facing in life. We have had numerous elective classes on parenting teens and young adults. We have also looked at developing positive mental health, parenting our parents, and many other topics of interest. Periodically, we are able to bring in "name" teachers such as authors or specialists in their field, to teach our elective topics.
Prayer Support:
One of the most important, or possibly the most important, aspects of the POTYA group is our prayer support system. Each Sunday every group member has the opportunity to submit written blessings or burdens ("B&Bs") to the group. Prayer requests of any type are welcome, in addition to issues of parenting teens. These requests can be anonymous, if desired. At the end of our time together, our prayer team leads the group in prayer for these items. The B&B items are then transcribed, and copies of the requests are emailed to all members of the group who wish to receive them by means of our weekly prayer guide "The Prayer POT." Any B&B can easily be opted out of the Prayer POT, if desired. Your privacy is respected to the greatest degree possible, while still allowing us to pray for you. Throughout the week, our leadership team and group members continue to pray over these requests. God has been generous and faithful in answering the prayers of the POTYA group. We have seen many miracles in the form of answered prayer!
Emotional Support for Family Parenting:
Let's face it, teen parenting is tough at times! The POTYA group is a close-knit community who offers you the emotional support you need. Group members have a genuine love of one another and concern for the joys and hurts of others. At the start of our Sunday morning fellowship time, we typically have a brief, open-sharing time. You have an opportunity to share with the group your joys, frustrations, grief, or just a cute or funny story about something that happened this week! We maintain a policy of strict confidentiality on things shared during this time. We will laugh, weep, or praise the Lord with you! We try to make family parenting easier for you through the support of others.
Advice or Assistance for Parenting Teens and other issues:
While our purpose at POTYA is not to provide counseling, you will find our group members have a wealth of experience and knowledge in almost every problem related to family parenting. We have seen teen drug abuse, anorexia, rebellion, and almost all the other common teen/parent problems. It is likely you will find someone here who has walked in your shoes and lived to tell about it! If you are open to advice and ask, you will find that the group is willing and ready to help you. Someone may share how they dealt with a similar situation, and often will recommend a book, tape, another christian resource, or even a counselor who they have found helpful. This group is your network for help in Christian parenting.
Fun:
Everything is not uptight or dead serious at POTYA. In fact, this is a light-hearted group. If you visit, expect to hear a few jokes and wisecracks in the course of our fellowship and even during our study time. In addition, we plan periodic social events. Regular events include bowling nights, mystery dinner presentations, and progressive dinners. We also get together for service projects, such as cleanup work around the church or helping out a local mission organization.
Our POTYA class Shepherds are members of the class who serve as leadership for the group. Each has an assigned area of responsibility, noted after their name.
The POTYA Shepherds are:
Steve Stiles (leadership, outreach)
Cheryl Hopkins (supplication-prayer -Prayer Pot editor, outreach)
The following are some of the books and other Christian resources we have used in the POTYA group that you may find helpful. Most of the books are available from our church library.
"Active Parenting of Teens" by Michael H. Popkin, Ph.D. (Topic: parenting.) Dr. Popkin provides clear insight in effectively handling family problems through clear, honest communication and respectful discipline.
"Age of Opportunity: A Biblical Guide to Parenting Teens" by Paul David Tripp. (Topic: parenting.) The classic guidebook to parenting Christian teens. When the POTYA group was formed in 2002, this was the book we selected to start off our study on parenting teens.
"Blah, Blah, Blah" by Bayard Taylor. (Topic: world views.) Making sense of the world's spiritual chatter. Not everyone has a religion but everyone has a worldview. Do you really know what you believe? This book presents the various worldviews in clear, easy to understand language. A must read for teenagers before going off to college or career. Bayard is a member of the POTYA group. http://www.blahblahbook.com/
"Getting Tax Help to Care for your Parents" by Kay Bell
"How to help your aging parents with finances" By Jean Chatzky
"Parenting Your Adult Child" by Ross Campbell, M.D. & Gary Chapman. (Topic: parenting.) How to help your grown kids succeed in their careers, marriage and families.
"Traveling Light" by Max Lucado. (Topic: mental health for Christians.) Guilt, discontent, anxiety, grief, perfectionism, loneliness, and fear. Where do we turn for help? Max Lucado uses the Twenty-third Psalm as a guideline to work through releasing our burdens.
"Winning at a Losing Game" by Tom Prinz. (Topic: mental health for Christians.) All adults are currently playing a losing game in some areas of their lives. Winning at a Losing Game will help you to identify your losing game and encourage you to change your game so your life and the lives of those around you will be enriched. We are privileged to have Tom Prinz join us periodically as a POTYA teacher.
Helpline of Ventura County. Central information source for food, shelter, health, parenting, mental health & financial assistance. For information dial 211 at any time, from any phone in Ventura County. Note: this is a secular organization.
Photo by Jess Stryker Webpage design for POTYA by Jess Stryker
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