There is the African proverb 'It takes a village to raise a child,'" said pastor Adam Swarr, director of family ministries at Mount Joy Church of God. "We want to give parents and other influences around children the tools to be a key part of a child's village."

With that in mind, the church will host "On-Purpose Parenting in Uncertain Times," a talk with Walt Mueller, founder and president of the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding (CPYU). The event will be held from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 21, at the church, 30 E. Main St., Mount Joy.

CPYU is a nonprofit organization serving schools, churches and community organizations across the United States and throughout the world in their efforts to strengthen families by helping those who know and love children and teens to understand today's ever-changing youth culture.

Mueller's background includes more than 40 years of experience working with young people and families, and he has appeared on numerous media outlets internationally to discuss teenagers and their world.

Mueller writes on youth culture and family issues and is the author of 10 books, including his newest book, "A Student's Guide to Navigating Culture." He also regularly contributes to magazines and journals; writes a blog; and provides commentary and analysis on youth culture through CPYU's daily radio program, "Youth Culture Today." That program is available on 700 radio stations across North America. Additionally, Mueller is the host of the "Youth Culture Matters" podcast.

Mueller resides in Elizabethtown, where CPYU is based, and tells audiences that his greatest joys in life have come as a father of four now-grown children and a grandfather of seven.

When he shares his thoughts on parenting, Mueller emphasizes that he is not an expert. Instead, he views himself as a fellow struggler with other parents and grandparents who seek to understand the world of youths in order to provide solid guidance and direction.

Swarr noted that Mount Joy Church of God traditionally holds a community event in February.

"The last several years, it's been focused on marriages," he said. "This year, we wanted to focus on a variety of issues that impact our community. The first topic we wanted to hit is parenting. But it's not just for parents. (It's for) anyone who is regularly around kids, including grandparents, aunts and uncles, teachers, child care workers, future parents, etc."

Swarr said he feels a personal connection to Mueller's program.

"The more my kids got older, the more I realized I didn't know what I was doing as a parent," he said. "I want to give help and resources to the next generation of parents that I didn't have. The world of parenting has changed so much in just the last few years with cellphones, social media, rapidly increasing anxiety, etc., so our church wants to be an asset in helping parents and others around children to better understand how to handle all these modern influences on their kids."

Beyond the February program, Mount Joy Church of God has other events planned throughout the year to provide resources to serve the community, including an end-of-life planning program in April and a Medicare education event in the fall.

Swarr hopes anyone who interacts with young people will consider coming to Mueller's program.

"Too many parents feel overwhelmed and underequipped," he said. "We hope to equip them to raise better kids."

The talk is free, but preregistration is requested, although it is not required. Free child care for children up through high school will be provided. When people register, they will be asked if their children will be in the Nursery program (newborn to 3 years old), Children's Ministry program (age 4 through sixth grade) or Youth Group program (middle-schoolers and high-schoolers). Each age group will have its own activities and leaders.

To learn more about the event or to register, visit http://www.mountjoychurchofgod.org.