Departments

Family Ministries

About the Department

Family Ministries seeks to recognise that families are the building blocks of community, the church and society. We believe God created families to nurture warm, meaningful, and loving relationships and discover what it is to love and be loved. In families, children develop beliefs, values, and attitudes, which translate into behavioural patterns that shape their future and the future of their communities.

In line with the world church theme "I Will Go", the primary role of the department is to partner with leaders at every level of the church structure to support families in their church and their local communities by: 

  • recognising the great diversity of modern families (including singles)
  • educating and supporting leaders and families to ensure both home and church are safe environments, especially for children
  • training and equipping family life leaders
  • enriching marriages
  • educating and resourcing parents
  • fostering healthy relationships and emotional wellbeing

We solicit your prayers as together we ask God to transform our families for his honour and glory.

Our Department's Objectives

The overall objective of the Family Ministries department is to strengthen families through both seminars and resources that will enable them to grow spiritually and emotionally, and become better equipped to evangelise in their communities. We aim to bring about restoration through relationships and foster a spirit of love and unity amidst diversity, promoting the principles of 1 John 4:7-8,

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love."

Director's Role

  • Supervise the work of the Family Life department
  • Organise and conduct events to promote healthy relationships within families
  • Provide resources to Family Life Leaders in local churches
  • Provide pastors with a programme for premarital counselling
  • Supervise the NEC Counselling Service
  • Provide training for family life leaders in local churches
  • Organise the Family Camp
  • Responsible for Keeping the Church Family Safe training

Policies

  • Safeguarding Policy. The Keeping Our Church Family Safe (KCFS) policy ensures best practices in protecting children and adults at risk. For more information, click here to access the safeguarding policy.

Counselling Service

The Counselling Service is available for all members of the North England Conference – both young and old – who would like support with their mental health. Counselling is available face-to-face, online or by telephone. For more information, click here.

Resources

Family Ministries Pamphlets

We are excited to announce that we have developed a series of high-quality trifold flyers, encompassing a diverse array of subjects. These flyers are designed to offer valuable insights and information on various topics, which include:

  • Taking care of your baby
  • Taking care of each other as well as your baby
  • Bereavement
  • End It Now
  • Faith Steps to Christ
  • Seasons of Marriage
  • Discipline: Nurturing our children as disciples of Jesus
  • Nurturing a Child's Faith
  • Entering Retirement

You can download the Family Ministries Pamphlets electronical for free but if you'd like the printed version, the cost will be as follows:

  • 20 - £15
  • 50 - £29
  • 100 - £45
  • 250 - £65
  • 500 - £100
  • 1000 - £170
  • 2000 - £300

Key dates

  • Christian Home and Marriage Week: February 10th – 17th
  • Family Camp: July 26th – August 4th
  • Family Togetherness Week of Prayer: September 1st – 7th
  • Marriage  Enrichment Weekend: October 25th – 27th

Families Ministries Resource Book

In John 17:20-23, the beloved disciple records one of the last prayers of Jesus, that His followers would be known for their love for each other; that their relationship would look like the kind of harmony He shared with His heavenly Father.

I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe In me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May  they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.” (NLT)

In this prayer Jesus directed His attention to future generations of believers. He was praying for us and for believers who will come after us. His main concern in this prayer was for the unity of His followers, established on His unity with His Father (John 10:30, 38; 14:10, 20). In concert with love (John 15:12-13; 17:26), unity is uppermost in the life of believers because it displays the reconciling power of the ministry of Jesus in the world (John 17:21; cf. v. 23). 

Remarkably, the great commission is about “making disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19);  “every nation and tribe and tongue and people” (Rev. 14:6). Yet, the more differences there are among peoples, the higher the probability of misunderstandings and disagreements. Of course—as disciples of Jesus—it is our privilege to represent Him. However, what represents Jesus to the world is our “love for one another” (John 13:34-35). This kind of love is best modeled in family relationships; especially in the kind of family that has decided to live by the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22, 23), rather than engaging in “the works of the flesh” (Gal. 5:19-21).  

Given the diversity of families in our congregations—married, single, divorced, widowed, never married, older, younger, with children, without children, disabled, neurodivergent and more—there is a high probability for tension, disaffection, apathy, and alienation. Still, “with God all things are possible” (Matt. 19:26; Mk. 10:27), as we trust Him to help us to “be holy as He is holy” (1 Peter 1:15, 16; Lev. 11:45). 

Our prayer is that the 2024 Adventist Family Ministries Resource Book titled Understanding Diverse Families will serve as a valuable resource for pastors, Family Ministries leaders, and disciple-makers dedicated to supporting families navigate the chasm of difference with the heart of Jesus. That by so doing, all will be able to answer the prayer of Jesus to be one with each other, and be able to live out the vision of I Will Go with My Family

Download Understanding Diverse Families here

Helpful Links

Helpful Numbers

  • Childline: 0800 1111
  • Samaritans: 116 123
  • NSPCC Child Protection Helpline: 0808 800 5000
  • Children 1st Helpline: 08000 28 22 33
  • Thirtyone:eight: 0303 003 1111
  • Women's Aid: 0808 2000 247
  • ManKind Initiative: 01823 334 244
  • Men's Advice Line: 0808  801 0327 
  • NEC Counselling Service: 0753 921 1442
  • SEC Counselling Service: 0207 723 8050

Helpful Video Links

Resilience Series

Here are several resources from the Christian home & marriage week:

Christian Home and Marriage Week

Families and Mental Health

John Francis

John Francis

Director

Department: Family Life & Stewardship

22 Zulla Road, NG3 5DB  Nottingham, United Kingdom.

Phone: +44 115 960 6312