Life is full of meaningful moments. Celebrating milestones helps bring an awareness of God’s presence into the home and highlights the rituals of daily life experiences.This milestone is intended for single adults or couples who no longer have children living with them as a way of acknowledging feelings they may have and to recognize this as an important time in their lives.

Our goal is to help participants recognize this stage in their lives as “life changing” and to honor this transition in the lives of both parent and child. The empty-nest stage of life may surprise some parents as life is focused on the needs, activities, and achievements of the child as he/she graduates, chooses a college, prepares for marriage or military service, etc. Some parents may not be prepared for the sense of emptiness and quietness that now surrounds them, especially as the last child leaves home.This milestone includes the Four Keys for practicing faith outline which encourages the connection between home and congregation. A simple five-step structure is also included to intentionally invite the faith community to recognize the milestone and celebrate it together to establish a solid base for community outreach.