First United Methodist Church and First United Methodist Cooperative Nursery preschool have been collaborating for over 40 years, but not quite like this. This Saturday morning, March 26, they will co-host a workshop called "Building a Better Family: A Workshop for Parents."

This educational event, where parents can be in the company of other like-minded parents, will provide learning opportunities about topics ranging from raising compassionate kids to helping parents recharge their marriage.

The keynote speaker, Michelle Schrag, will kick off the workshop by sharing with parents how to be their best selves as parents while still caring themselves — something many busy parents find easy to agree with but hard to practice.

Michelle is a licensed spiritual counselor/religious science practitioner through United Centers for Spiritual Living. She hosts workshops and classes, sees private clients in her home, and is the author of "A Mothers Manual for Self-Love."

To enable as many parents as possible to attend, the suggested donation is cheaper than going to the movies and paying a sitter: $10 per person or $15 per couple.

The idea for the workshop came to Director of Children's Ministries Beth Pascoe while at a church leadership conference in Kansas City. The church hosting the conference was planning a parenting summit in the spring.

After discussing it with Colleen Burroughs, FUMCN's Parent Education chairperson, who had just enlisted Michelle Schrag to give a talk to its parents, the workshop began to gain momentum.

"We decided that co-sponsoring an event in which we would offer multiple workshops that would appeal to a wide range of parent interests would be a wonderful endeavor to take on if both First United Methodist Church and FUMCN could share resources (people, publicity, ideas, planning time). It would also serve a need where parents seem hungry for opportunities to learn about, and discuss with other parents, topics related to raising children," Pascoe wrote.

As the idea was presented to more members of the church and the preschool, topics and presenters with ties to FUMCN began to emerge. Presenters include teachers at FUMCN, alumni, parents, and colleagues of parents. In the end it became a great way to share the expertise available to the community from within the social network of the church and the preschool.

Adult walk-in registration are welcome! Additional information is available on the church website.

Building a Better Family: A Workshop for Parents
Saturday, March 26
First United Methodist Church
120 S. State St.
Ann Arbor, MI
734-662-4536

Co-sponsored by FUMCN Preschool and Children’s Ministries of First United Methodist Church of Ann Arbor.

8:45-9 a.m. — Check-in/Walk-in Registrations

9-9:15 a.m. — Refreshments

9:15-9:55 a.m. — Keynote Session, "Being Your Best Self as a Parent" by Michelle Schrag

10-10:55 a.m. — (three concurrent sessions)
(A) Will & Estate Planning
(B) Organizing for Kids
(C) Raising Compassionate Kids: A Guide to Service With Your Kids

11-11:55 a.m. — (three concurrent sessions)
(D) Education Savings: Which Option Is Best for My Family?
(E) Eight Great Dates — An award-winning marriage education program
(F) Enjoying the Family Dinner

11:55-Noon — Evaluation and drawing for parenting books related to session topics

First United Methodist Cooperative Nursery School (FUMCN) website: http://www.fumcn.org.
First United Methodist Church of Ann Arbor website: http://www.fumc-a2.org.

Adele Roy is an administrative assistant at First United Methodist Church of Ann Arbor. Adele may be reached at adele@fumc-a2.org.