Issue 39 March 2026

Parish life

A blessed Family Retreat

We are truly thankful to the Lord for such a blessed St John's Family Retreat! May God bless all the servants who poured countless hours into preparing this weekend, and may God reward you and your families abundantly.

Family retreat

11 steps to repentance

Fr Paul Fanous

These steps were originally shared with families who attended the St John's annual family trip. They offered simple but powerful guidance on living a life of repentance, especially within the home. We've repurposed them here so the entire congregation can reflect on and benefit from Fr Paul's wisdom.

As a general principle: children see everything. It's not just about teaching; it's about living the word of God.

While we are often taught not to let "your right hand know what your left hand is doing," with children it's different. They should see these acts lived out:

1. Fasting without complaining: embrace it with humility and quiet strength.
2. Giving: be generous and let them witness a giving heart.
3. Tears: true repentance comes with a softened, contrite heart.
4. Love: cover and forgive the sins of others.
5. Confession: practise honesty and accountability before God.
6. Asceticism: deny yourself; live with discipline and self-control.
7. Amending your life: actively strive to change; be intentional and even radical in avoiding sin.
8. Intercession of the saints: build a relationship with holy people and ask for their prayers.
9. Attaining the virtue of compassion and faith: if nothing else, be gentle with others. This alone can be enough before God. Be soft toward others, but strict with yourself.
10. Helping others be saved: consider how your actions guide others (for example, setting boundaries for children during Lent by reducing screen time, and modelling that for them too).
11. Forgiveness: let things go; judge not, and you will not be judged.

Family retreat

How to bring Christ into our homes

Mark Sidhom

This talk was shared by Mark Sidhom at the St John's Family Camp and has been republished here for the benefit of all families in our congregation. It offers practical and deeply spiritual guidance on building Christ-centred homes.

Working on ourselves

Humanity was created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 5). Just as our children inherit our physical traits, they also reflect our spiritual lives. If we grow in God's likeness, our children, who are in our image, will naturally be drawn to do the same.

As children grow, many parents worry: will they make the right choices? Will they choose Christ over the world?

The empowering message is this: focus on yourself first.

• If you are repentant, your children will learn repentance.
• If you pursue holiness, they will follow.
• If your life is centred on loving and serving God, theirs will be too.

Often, when we see struggles in our children, it is an invitation to look inward. Their challenges can reflect areas where we ourselves need to grow.

God, the ultimate Father, gave us earthly fatherhood so we might understand Him. Our children come to know God through us. As parents, we should ask: how am I reflecting my Heavenly Father in my home?

As Scripture says in Exodus: "The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth…"

Mothers, too, reflect the nature of the Church: nurturing, protecting and sustaining.

Marriage itself is an image of Christ and the Church. In the home, children should see Christ-like love, sacrifice and care, along with honour, respect and unity.

Ultimately, our actions, not our words, shape our children most. They learn who we are by how we live and respond.

Raising kids

1. Immerse your children in Christ through the Bible. They should come to know and love it as their daily bread. It is the Lord speaking to them, and where they will find answers to life's questions. Read the Bible every day. Children should not go to bed without it. Bring the stories to life, and as they grow, deepen their understanding with more detail and meaning. This requires intentional effort.

2. A life of prayer. Children need to see and hear prayer in the home. Parents should pray openly and regularly, even taking turns alongside the children. This shows that prayer is not occasional, but a natural and essential part of daily life.

3. A home of praise. Fill the home with hymns and praise. Play worship music in the house and in the car so that praise becomes part of the environment children grow up in.

4. Faith-filled learning. Use resources that reinforce faith, such as audio Bibles and programs like Adventures in Odyssey. These help bring spiritual teachings to life in engaging and accessible ways.

5. Bringing the saints to life. Help children build a relationship with the saints. Attend church feasts, venerate the saints, and read their stories. This makes the lives of the saints real and present in their spiritual journey.

6. Commitment to church life. Be deeply involved in the life of the Church. Weekly Liturgy is critical. Children should grow up knowing that Sunday is the day for church: it is not optional. Attend consistently and as early as possible, showing its importance through your actions.

7. A life of service. Service should be a natural part of the home. Children should see their parents serving constantly, recognising needs and responding with love. This teaches them that serving God and others is part of everyday life.

8. Wise use of technology. Limit children's access to digital technology as much as possible. While it may sometimes be necessary, intentional limits are important. When watching something, do it together and make it meaningful family time. The more entertainment is restricted, the more it supports their long-term spiritual growth.

Creating a Christ-centred home begins with us. When Christ is at the centre of our own lives, He will naturally become the centre of our homes, and in turn, the lives of our children.

Service spotlight

Serve with us

We currently have a number of opportunities to serve across different areas of our church, and we'd love for you to be part of it. Serving is a meaningful way to grow in your faith and build deeper connections within our community. Take a moment to explore the available services and see where you might like to get involved.

• Kids Liturgy (Sundays, rotational): supervise and direct children during the Kids Liturgy.
• Library (Sundays): listen to children tell you about the book they read for the week, organise books to re-borrow, and update their points.
• Light and Life (Thursday nights): an outreach service open to the wider community. Help set up and supervise kids karate, or help with English lessons.
• Shepherd's Table (Sundays, rotational): help prepare and serve food in the church kitchen.
• Brunch Box (rotational): help make the brunch boxes offered on the menu on Sundays. They can be prepared the day before or on the day, arriving Sunday morning.
• Chapter Six (Sundays, rotational): the church coffee shop.
• Juice Bar (Sundays, rotational): help prepare fruit or serve at the juice bar.

If something stands out to you, ask at the church office or through the St John's app to be added to a service roster. And don't forget to encourage your children to borrow books from the library after Sunday School.

Notices

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