Dear Homeschooling Parents, 
Ahh, Fall! This is my favorite time of the year. The weather here in the Pacific Northwest is at it's most beautiful- the rain has returned (but not too much, yet), the trees are bursting with orange, red, yellow and brown and we've started our wood stove up again. I love the smell of the wood as it crackles and warms the house. Even the sound of the fire burning brings a certain comfort that can only be eclipsed by the warmth of a toddler in my lap and a cup of hot chocolate within my reach. How blessed we are to be able to educate our children at home!
As you gather with your family and friends to give thanks this year, we pray that you will grasp the depth of the gift you have been given in this season of your life. Homeschooling is a privilege.
We also consider it a great privilege and honor to be partnering with you to build up a community of Christian homeschooling families through First Class Homeschool Co-ops. You strengthen and encourage many who are quietly observing your family to see what this "homeschooling thing" looks like.
There has never been a more crucial time to share the homeschool vision than now. As the public schools continue to erode morally, educationally and spiritually, homeschooling has become a beacon of hope for parents who are searching for a better way. Each week, FCHM receives dozens of calls from parents who want to be involved in a homeschool cooperative. They are asking how their children can meet other homeschooled kids and so that they can find support and encouragement as homeschooling parents.
Do you sense the watchful eyes of others? I say,let them watch! Why? Because just by letting others observe your lives--your everyday, messy, ordinary, sometimes painful, committed and wonderful homeschool lives--you make a difference. It is okay to be real. No, it's not always easy and sometimes it's downright difficult. I've learned that following God is like that. Parenting is like that. Homeschooling, too.
Give thanks. Why? Because the sacrificial effort is worth it. Knowing that our children are walking in the Truth is the reward. As Jay and I watch our teenagers interacting with our toddlers, we are reminded that the choice we made to homeschool our children many years ago has given us time--precious time that we redeem with each book we read, each math problem we solve, each child we train, every conversation we make and each meal that we share, Thanksgiving's a great time to say it! It's a blessing worth sharing.
Happy Thanksgiving from Our House to Yours,
Heidi St. John, for Jay and everyone at FCHM
| | Partner with First Class Homeschool Ministries
| | Are you excited about the ministry of FCHM? If you believe in what First Class is doin g, please keep reading. As you know, First Class is a non-profit ministry. What you may not know, is that over 80% of our operating costs must be raised through support from faithful families who see the vision of FCHM and partner with us to sustain it. FCHM only charges a nominal fee to each co-op that begins a homeschooling ministry with us, and we offer scholarships as well. FCHM has never turned anyone away for inability to pay. Our vision is to grow homeschooling and to build a national network of independent Christian homeschool cooperatives. To continue to do this, we need your help.
One of the most effective monthly stewardship tools is consistent electronic giving. Monthly support pledges assure us of the income necessary to plan, staff, focus and accomplish the goals of FCHM. Monthly support is what allows us to plant new co-ops, give scholarships, develop and print materials and maintain the websites of each co-op. It is also the sole source of income for the St. John family, who have stepped out in faith to pursue full time ministry with FCHM.
This is a crucial time financially for FCHM. If you have been blessed by this ministry and would like to see it continue and grow, please prayerfully consider giving monthly to the ministry. Whether your gift is large or small- we believe God will multiply each gift that is given as only He can do. Even gifts of five or ten dollars a month will help us greatly. Your monthly support grows homeschooling.
Please click here to be directed to our secure, online giving page. Thank you! Together, we can make a difference in the lives of thousands of homeschooling families just like yours!
| | Marriage Retreat Weekend for Homeschooling Couples |  EMM: Homeschool Edition’s mission is to help restore balance and revitalize your marriage through a weekend filled with Christ-centered workshops, general sessions and personal time designed specifically for homeschooling parents. We believe that God’s word still has the best advice
for restoring hope and rekindling the passion of the one-flesh relationship.
Next Event:
November 9-10, 2007
Location:
Pineville, LA (sponsored by First Class Cenla)
Register Today! Contact Esther Lasyone to register for the Louisiana event.
Want to bring EMM: Homeschool Edition to your area?
Contact EMM
| | Connect & Reach Out: A Vision for Connecting Homeschoolers & Churches
| 
Volume 77, Program 24
9/27/2007
| Support the growth of homeschooling! Listen as Jay St. John of First Class Homeschool Ministries discusses this topic on today’s Home School Heartbeat with Mike Smith, President of HSLDA.
Mike Smith:
Jay and Heidi St. John are working on a national level to build up the homeschool community. Jay, why is it important for churches to get involved in the homeschool community and why is a network so valuable? Jay St. John:
When a parent decides to homeschool their children, they make a monumental commitment. It can seem scary and overwhelming, especially if a parent does not know where to go for support and encouragement. The church has an incredible opportunity to reach out to this new generation of parents who are choosing to homeschool their children. This is an opportunity for evangelism that is exploding along with a growing number of homeschoolers. Our commitment is to be a resource center for churches in helping them start ministries for homeschoolers, and also to the parents through this network of co-ops. We have this vision for Christian churches in the United States that they would become lighthouses for homeschool families. Parents should be able to look to their local church, and at the very least, find information on homeschooling. And ideally find programs to help them raise their kids as God intended. The network of co-ops offered through First Class is important because it allows co-op members to become connected to a larger group of homeschooling families. First Class offers encouragement, homeschool help, co-op class ideas and leadership training materials. We believe that most churches can have a homeschool ministry. It’s about having a heart for homeschoolers and a desire to reach out to them for support and encouragement. Mike:
Well, thank you very much, Jay, for that valuable insight. Tune in next time to hear more on this topic. And until then, I’m Mike Smith. | | | |
