First
Class on the RADIO program
"Homeschooling for Life"
in Chicago
December
29, 2007
8:00 a.m. CST
on
WYLL AM 1160
Listen LIVE or
Click Here to listen via podcast.
Tune
in as Jay and Heidi St. John, Founders of First Class Homeschool
Ministries tell us about the blessings of family involvement in
homeschool co-ops. In their growing national, parachurch network,
families are connecting to one another and the churches in their
communities. Hear all about this wonderful outreach as well as
"Extreme Marriage Makeover-- Homeschool Edition" conferences.
A Mother and daugther at First Class Cenla
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EMM coming to ATLANTA, GEORGIA
Looking for a two day conference that focuses on the unique joys and
challenges of the homeschooling couple?
Extreme Marriage
Makeover--Homeschool Edition
is coming to Atlanta this February. Online registration begins in
January.
You'll get a fresh perspective on your marriage, new vision, and
wonderful resources to help you successfully navigate through the
homeschool years together.
Don't miss it!
February
22 & 23, 2008
Christ Church Presbyterian
Atlanta, GA
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What's Cooking at First Class Clark County West
pictured:
Will & Kelsi Pollard,
FC3W Coordinators
Here is a favorite recipe from the Candee-Cole Cooking Class at First
Class in Vancovuer, WA
"OH
MY!
It is so good!"
So
Easy Fudge
Ingredients:
3 C sugar
7 oz jar marshmallow creme
3/4 C butter
1 c chopped nuts (optional)
2/3 C evap. milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 C chopped semi-sweet chocolate chips
Combine sugar, butter and evaporated milk in
heavy saucepan. Bring to a FULL rolling boil, stirring
constantly. Boil five minutes over medium heat; take off heat and
stir in chocolate until melted. Add marshmallow cream, nuts,
and vanilla; blend well. Pour into greased 9x13 baking pan.
Cool; cut into squares. Makes about 3 pounds of decadence!
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Wrapping Up an Amazing Year for FCHM
 Dear
Friends,
Merry Christmas! Heidi and I want to thank you for your prayerful
support of First Class this year. In 2007, we added 15 new co-ops
to the ministry, from California (new this month) to Maryland.
We're excited about what God is going to do through the ministry of
First Class in 2008!
Because of your prayers and
faithful support, the ministry of First Class is expanding daily.
The exciting and challenging vision of First Class is growing
right along with it! We are grateful to all of our
partners--churches, individuals, and businesses--for coming alongside
us as we serve homeschooling families.
I believe that those who partner with FCHM in these relationships gain
from the ministry as well. Families are being strenghtened
through this ministry. Every day, we have the opportunity to talk
with parents all across the country and even around the world.
Our long-term commitment to planting and growing communities of
Christian homeschoolers strengthens these families in their marriages,
their parenting, and their relationships with the living God.
We have been blessed to personally meet many of the FCHM co-op
directors around the country. First Class co-ops are at work in
every region of the United States now, praise the Lord! These are
truly God-honoring, synergistic relationships.
Please pray for First Class as we seek God's guidance for nurturing
existing ministries and planting new ones in 2008. "Two are
better than one, because they have a good return for their work.
... Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves"
(Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, NIV).
The Spirit of God is moving in the homeschooling community, and FCHM is
blessed to be a part of what God is doing. Thank you for sharing
this vision with us.
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Serving the Savior with You,
Jay & Heidi St.
John
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First Class Cenla Making a Difference in
Louisiana
November was an exciting month for
FCHM. We began by adding new co-ops in South Carolina and
Washington. Then Nov 8-12, we traveled with FCHM Executive Board
members Steve and Jane Lambert to the First Class Co-op
in Pineville, Louisiana for the first-ever
homeschool marriage weekend.
Pictured:
Heidi, Esther and Debbie
Keith and Esther Lasyone are the directors of FC Pineville, and we were
honored to spend a great deal of our time with them. We had
never been to the South, so they made sure to provide us with
great opportunities to sample the local fare. We enjoyed catfish,
hushpuppies, po' boys, and even alligator! When we weren't
eating with new friends, speaking, or at meetings, we took advantage of
the incredible chance to see firsthand what God doing at their local
First Class co-op. On Monday, we visited "Monday School,"
where Jay lead worship! We were blessed as we watched choir,
drama, and band classes rehearse, and we took a peek at some of
the projects that students there were working on. In just three
short months, FC Pineville has made a huge difference in their
local homeschool community. 
God is doing even more amazing things through the ministry of First
Class in Louisiana! In just one semester
they have outgrown their facility and are praying
about starting a new chapter in another location. We had the
opportunity to attend church at Christian Challenge.
This church has been a huge blessing to the homeschool community in
Pineville! Bro. Nathan Martin (pictured here with his wife,
Lori) told us how excited they are to have a First
Class co-op in their church, and they are amazed at how much the
ministry has grown in just a few short months.
It is wonderful to see
churches embracing ministry to homeschooling families. With an
estimated 3 million children now being educated at home, there has
never been a more crucial time to reach out and connect
these familes.
We got a taste of this connection during Monday School
when two of our co-ops traded video greetings. First Class in
Vancouver, Washington sent a "hello" to the students and parents
of First Class in Louisiana. Cenla responded with their own
recorded message to the families at First Class in Vancouver:
"Hello First
Class Clark County
from First Class Louisiana!"
Ya'll Come Back Now, Ya Hear?
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Become a Friend
of First Class and Receive Our New Podcast!
 We are
excited to announce a new podcast from First Class Homeschool
Ministries! It's our way of saying "THANK YOU" to the many
families who financially support First Class.
A Friend of First Class is
someone who gives monthly to the ministry. For a recurring gift
of any amount,
you will receive our monthly podcast featuring beloved speakers and
homeschool advocates from across the country. Podcasts will begin
in January 2008, and will include:
- Updates on the ministry
- Encouragement
- Ideas and inspiration
- Academics
- Parenting/Marriage
- Organization
If you have ideas for podcast topics, please e-mail them to us! If you are not
familiar with the term "podcast", we'll bring you up to speed...
A Podcast is defined as:
A digital recording of a radio broadcast or similar program made on the
internet for downloading to a computer or personal audio player such as
an iPod.
(iPOD broadCAST)
PARTNERS IN THE
HARVEST
We recognize that those who "go" and those who "send" are equally
important to the success of the vision that God has given us. By
financially supporting FCHM, you enable this ministry to continue.
If you would like to  join in the work of
FCHM and become a Friend of First Class, please click here or to the
link at the left.
First Class Homeschool Ministries is a federally recognized non-profit
organization. Each gift is tax-deductible.
Click here to learn more
about how you can help support FCHM through prayer,
volunteering and giving.
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Vision for
Homeschool Co-op Spreads Overseas; FCHM Logs its 400th Request for
Information
Years ago, we had a vision for the
FCHM Logo--the image of the tree from Psalm 1--"And he shall be like a
tree firmly planted by streams of water; which yields its fruit in
season and its leaf does not wither. Whatever he does, prospers."
First Class is like that tree, branching out to many parts of
the United States as we remain rooted in the "river" of God's word and
committed to following Him.
Recently our "branches" have begun to grow and reach around the
world. We now have information requests from New Zealand, the
Netherlands, Japan and Panama.
First Class has also received requests many times over from every state
in the country...with more coming in each week. Pray for these
churches and the families they repreesnt. Each one matters to God.
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Blessings
Overflow at First Class in Fox Valley, WI
New
co-op enters its second semester
(Pictured left: Troy and Stacy
Weyenberg, FCFV Directors; below: Bill & Nikki Gaigg Family, Co-op
Class Coordinators)
Hey homeschoolers! First Class in Fox Valley, Wisconsin just
finished our very first session of Friday School. It was a lot of
fun. What a blessing to see our kids interacting and always
looking forward to the next week. A highlight for my older kids
was their "Wacky Weather" class. They had a blast making a
volcano and simulating other weird weather patterns. The
kindergartners sang songs and did some really great crafts. My kids are already asking when the next session begins.
 It's
really awesome to see what is possible
when we come together and offer our strengths, our talents, and a
willingness to step outside of our comfort zone and be stretched.
God is knitting hearts and developing friendships that I hope last a
lifetime.
 This fall, we took a
field trip to The Little Farmer, a local apple orchard, which included
a hayride, the picking of an apple and a pumpkin. After
the New Year we are planning trips to the Barlow Planetarium, a local
art studio to learn about pottery and the firing process, and a trip
out to the Vandermause's farm to learn about horse grooming.
We have many ideas and a
vision for where we would like to go as a group. A
great part of this vision includes other families coming alongside us
in this ministry and joining us in our efforts. "Many
hands make the load light." It is going to take
many hands working together to accomplish all that we desire to do and
offer as a co-op. Please pray that God would open
doors for us to connect even more with our homeschooling community and
that they they would find
opportunity a nd encouragement in the
ministry of First Class Fox Valley.
Stacy
Weyenberg, Director
First Class Fox Valley Wisconsin
The Zemple
Family
Membership Coordinators FCFV
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