The Sharing Vitality Grants, created by the Vitality Ministry Council of the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches, are designed to help congregations explore creative and meaningful ways to gain, sustain, and recapture vitality. These $2,500 grants support new or expanding ministries that encourage churches to be ambitious, collaborative, and generative, while also creating opportunities to share what they’re learning with others across the NACCC.
At North Shore Congregational Church in Fox Point, Wisconsin, a desire to support families and strengthen community connections inspired an impactful new outreach effort made possible through a Sharing Vitality Grant from the NACCC.
Through their “Power Up Parenting Speaker Series,” North Shore Congregational Church created opportunities for parents, caregivers, and children to engage with respected experts on some of the most pressing issues facing families today: technology use, friendships and emotions, and teen anxiety and mental health.
The series featured nationally recognized speakers who offered practical guidance, encouragement, and research-based insight. Erin Walsh, cofounder of the Spark and Stitch Institute in Minneapolis and author of It’s Their World…Teens, Screens and the Science of Adolescence, spoke about parenting in the digital age, helping families understand how to set healthy boundaries around technology while remaining flexible, firm, and consistent.
Clinical psychologist and author Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore engaged children ages 6–12 in a thoughtful and interactive discussion about friendship and emotions. Drawing from questions submitted ahead of time by youth in the community, her presentation helped children better understand relationships, social challenges, and emotional growth.
The series concluded with Dr. Charlene Gaebler-Uhing, who spoke about the teenage brain, the importance of healthy lifestyles, and the warning signs that indicate when professional support may be needed for teen anxiety or depression.
All three events were hosted in the church’s welcoming Friendship Lounge, intentionally chosen to create a warm and inviting atmosphere for conversation and learning, while also allowing flexibility to move into the sanctuary if attendance required additional space.
Before launching the series, North Shore Congregational Church carefully researched topics of greatest interest and concern to families by connecting with local schools and librarians. Their outreach helped shape a program that was timely, relevant, and deeply responsive to community needs.
The initiative also marked the beginning of a broader vision. North Shore Congregational Church’s Church Growth Committee designated the speaker series as the first of several planned “Neighbor to Neighbor Initiatives,” designed to strengthen ties between the church and the surrounding community through meaningful programs and support.
A significant amount of energy was devoted to ensuring the series reached as many families as possible. Church members distributed more than 100 posters to schools, libraries, and houses of worship throughout the surrounding area. Advertisements were placed in local publications, a large banner promoted the series, and information was shared through social media, neighborhood flyers, email reminders, and even an information table at the local farmer’s market.
The church family also played a vital role in the success of the events. Members volunteered their time and talents by providing childcare, preparing refreshments, assisting with book sales, and warmly welcoming attendees throughout the series.
Feedback from participants affirmed the impact of the program. One attendee who participated in all three sessions described the series as “pertinent and relevant” and noted how many pages of notes she had taken. Following the first event, another participant shared, “Yesterday was enriching, powerful, entertaining, humorous, serious, and overall absolutely wonderful.” At a later board meeting, one attendee summarized the experience simply: “It was not a waste of anyone’s time.”
Through this initiative, North Shore Congregational Church successfully fulfilled its goal of reaching out to parents and families in the community and offering practical support for the everyday challenges surrounding technology, emotions, and anxiety. With the help of a Sharing Vitality Grant, the church created a meaningful space for learning, connection, encouragement, and community care.