-=> Quoting Lisa Mcintosh to PAUL SCHLEUSENER <=-
 LM> Thanks for letting me know that I'm not alone. We are members of an
 LM> ELCA Church here in our town but are currently driving over an hour
 LM> one way to get to the nearest Missouri Synod Church. We are praying
 LM> about whether or not we should stay with the ELCA Church. We are not
 LM> life long Lutherans and therefore we didn't know about the ELCA at
 LM> the national level. We are not very happy with the liberal stand of
 LM> the ELCA.
 
 Yep, it can be tough sometimes.  I know that there's quite a variation 
 from congregation to congregation within any denomination, and Lutherans
 seem to be no exception.  While I'd like to have some things different
 in the congregation we're with now, I feel that loyalty calls us on, and
 the problems aren't "show stoppers."  I figure I need a pretty strong
 reason to "move."  But, the family's needs come first...  At least we
 don't have to battle the "Why aren't your children in the church's 
 school?" attitude.  Many churches that support parochial schools are
 a challenge for a home educating family.  People in our church that know
 we're home educating respect us, even if they don't all agree with us.
 
 PS> Seems to me, though, that I've heard of a newsletter by a Missouri 
 PS> Synod couple for home educators.  I've never pursued it, though, and 
 LM> Thank you but I've already subscribed to it. Just got in touch with
 LM> them about a week ago. Very reasonable rate and a nice size
 LM> newsletter with some very good info. They even have a "Conference" in
 LM> August in Indianna somewhere.
 
 So, it sounds like you enjoy the newsletter.  Mostly parent-oriented
 contents, or would an older teen enjoy reading it?  Since I've (at least
 temporarily) "buried" my notes on it, would you please refresh me on the
 address, rate, etc.?  Thanks!
 PS> What sort of curriculum (if any), do you use?  We're enrolled in the 
 PS> Advanced Training Institute, sometimes called ATI.  It's not at all
 PS> Lutheran, but it's working very well for us.
 LM> Is that the Bill Gothard stuff? I've heard that its good. A family I
 LM> know locally (not Lutheran) uses it.  
 
 You've got it right.  We've found both the seminars the ministry offers
 to be helpful.  From there, we moved into the home education program.
 To really follow the curriculum, a family really needs to be willing to
 adopt a "way of life," in many respects.  I think the program is tremen-
 dous, but I don't think it's for everyone.  We're too different for a
 "one curriculum fits all" approach.  There are also some very exciting
 ministry opportunities and "life direction" sorts of opportunities for
 older children.  There are opportunities in Moscow, Taiwan, Chiapas 
 (Mexico), and several U.S. cities, with others pending.  There's even a
 law school via "distance learning."
                
 Looks like you use a pretty eclectic mix of resources.  It's really 
 amazing how one family will thrive on publisher X material, and another 
 will greatly prefer publisher Y.  We use some A Beka and Bob Jones
 materials as support materials.  We've also purchased a number of high
 school level textbooks to function as a sort of encyclopedia.  Mostly
 (entirely?) Bob Jones and A Beka.
 
 LM> My son, Travis, is 8. Andi, my daughter, is 7. Andi just started
 LM> second grade and Travis started third. We began our school year on
 LM> July 1 with the intention of going year round (4 days a week).
 We try to hit 170 - 180 days a year, and follow a somewhat "traditional"
 schedule.  We'll begin August 19, breaking in late December (20? - I 
 don't have the calendar in front of me), resuming the week after January
 1, and trying to "wrap up" at the tail end of May.  The children have 
 significant relationships with others in public and private schools, so
 we'd rather not be *terribly* different from the "standard" schedule.
 
 The ending time is mainly to avoid "spilling over" beyond the annual 
 conference ATI offers us.  It's a great encouragement, and we've only 
 *totally* missed (that is, nobody made it) one time.  Every other year, 
 at least one of us went, and now we want our oldest children to go, too.  
 It's *very* powerful for them to be with three thousand other young 
 people with similar views...
 
 LM> Tell me more about you and yours. Nine years, my hats off to ya. We
 LM> are in our third year.
 Oldest to youngest - Beth Anne (15), Ed (nearly 13), Tim (nearly 10),
 Glenna (7 1/2), Matthew (4 1/2), Jonathan (8 1/2 months).  My wife is
 truly a "saint" - I'm trying to get more involved in active instruction.
 (I've mostly done "oversight" - "superintendent" stuff - so far.)
 We're also trying to learn Spanish as a family.  We got our materials 
 about three weeks ago, and didn't wait for "school" to start - we've 
 already begun.  It should be interesting, although it's a slow start.
 
 LM> Great to hear from you.
 I've enjoyed the discussion.  See ya online.
 LM> Your Sister in Christ,
 And God's blessings to you!
 Paul Schleusener        200-0741@mcimail.com
... He who dies with the most toys is ... DEAD!
--- Blue Wave/DOS v2.20 [NR]
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