namahatta.org - Congregational Development Ministry

I lifted this from the excellent Krishna Kathamrita Bindu eMag:

by Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami

by Mantrini devi dasi

The North American Grihastha Vision Team (GVT) held their annual meeting in Prabhupada Village, North Carolina, the last week of April. The 12-person team reviewed their year's accomplishments and planned for the coming year. The future plans include rolling out a new schedule for the four-day VTE Grihastha Training Course, "Strengthening the Bonds that Free Us" (The next training will be held in Alachua, July 13-15, 2007, contact: gvisionteam108@yahoo.com), the development of one-day "mini" courses on such topics as Parenting, Finding a Worthy Partner, Communication Skills, and Problem Solving Skills; and expanding the organization to include interested persons as Grihastha Vision Team "associates."

Formed four years ago, the GVT is a group of devotees who are either registered counselors or have training in marriage education/preparation. It is the mission of the North American Grihastha Vision Team to support, strengthen, educate and enliven the individuals, couples and families who are or will be involved with the grihastha ashram. The GVT works with ISKCON temples throughout North America.

Most devotees' lives and views on devotional service change as their ashram changes. When several devotees pass through ashram changes at approximately the same time-or even if one respected devotee within a temple changes his ashram-a temple can become affected.

"My parents are hopeless! They will never change. What is the use of associating with them?" Try to remember your own beginning steps in Krsna consciousness. Did you accept everything at once? You were young, curious, and you wanted to join the movement. Your parents are older, more fixed in their ways, and above all, they didn't make a decision to join!

One of the implications or complications of the expansion to the new facility, is the issue of the Krishna Kids Club - our program for children on Sundays. We have this program for a number of reasons:

1. To enable the teaching to go on in the main space without the interruption of children in the audience
2. To enable people to come to hear, even when they have children they are responsible for
3. To enable us to give the children an appropriate experience of Krishna Consciousness, targeted to their needs
4. To encourage children to drag their parents along

It has actually become a very popular program, and part of the drawcard for many parents. I know that for many months Param or I would walk the streets outside with Prahlad during the teaching. Once we got the Loft facility next door to Govinda’s restaurant, where the Sunday feast is held, we had a space to go with Prahlad during the program, and we knew there were many others in the same boat as us. So we launched the Krishna Kids Club program under the leadership of Channell.