There’s something freeing about being at the park. The sun on your skin, the breeze in the air. Go to any park in the Nocatee community and you’ll likely find a group of moms enjoying the outdoors with their preschoolers.

It’s part of the culture of the community. Beth Chin said it only made sense to start a ministry to reach out to those moms.

Parks and Rec began as a way to give moms an opportunity to talk about relevant topics relating to raising their preschoolers at a place where they were already hanging out each week… the parks. It quickly became a tool for forming lasting friendships and encouraging one other.

Each week moms would get together to discuss topics like childhood development, discipline, and healthy relationships. They shared their struggles and their successes with each other.

At the park they found community. Not because they were all moms at a park who lived in the same area but because they were investing in each other’s lives. And because Jesus was at the center of it all.

While the moms met and talked, the kids played. They bounced balloons, chased bubbles, read books, hung out on the slide, and were cared for by adult volunteers. The moms were able to relax and have real conversations knowing their kids were being taken care of. “It was really nice to talk with other women and know that the kids were having fun too,” said Lauren Gonzalez.

Although Parks and Rec officially ended last week, the moms decided they’re going to continue meeting all summer. Those lasting friendships made over just a few weeks made an impact on them and they want others to experience the same joy they did.

Beth Chin said, “the biggest win is that they’re continuing to meet up.” And that’s the biggest win for anything we do in ministry that it continues to happen even when the minister walks away.