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Volunteer Spotlight: Marissa Soumokil

 Interviews, Volunteers  No Responses »
Nov 082012
 

One of the best parts of the preschool and elementary teaching teams are all the kids that have come back to Crossing Kids to serve in the ministry they were once a part of.  Last year, I wrote a blog post on a few kids that have begun serving on our preschool large group team.  Not only are all of those kids still serving, but we have added more to the team.  You can read about our young helpers here.

Highlighting the young preschool leaders is fun but I would now like to take a moment to highlight one of our young leaders in elementary large group.

Meet Marissa Soumokil.

Marissa is sixteen years old and has been serving on the elementary worship team longer than me since I just started overseeing this team two years ago.

She is truly one of the most high energy, godly high school students I have ever met and working alongside her to share Christ’s truth is nothing short of a blessing. Her love for the Lord shines through in her ministry and it is evident that she has a heart for Crossing Kids.

I took a moment to ask Marissa a few questions about her time serving on this team; here is what she said about Crossing Kids:

C: How long have you been serving on the elementary large group worship team?

M: I was asked to join the large group team by Rachel Johnson the summer before my sixth grade year. I have been volunteering there for a little more than five years. 

C: Why do you serve at The Crossing, more specifically, why do you serve in Crossing Kids?

M: I serve in the crossing kids because my elementary leaders became role models for me and they made the Bible and Jesus’ story real for me. The Crossing provided an area for me to grow and I wanted to be a part of other kids’ journey through the Bible.

C: What is your favorite thing about being a part of this team?

M: My favorite part about the large group team is that the kids and the leaders all allow me to dance like an insane fool. There are moments when I need to just relax and forget about my stress so that I can just go back to what I was meant to do, worship God. The kids really get excited to follow along and sing which makes it really meaningful for me.

C: How has serving in Crossing Kids impacted your life?

M: I am very self-involved and Crossing Kids gave me the opportunity to just focus on people other than myself. I had to focus on and genuinely care about others which helps me become centered on God.

C: If you could give one piece of advice about serving to other kids your age, what would it be?

M: Be willing to let loose and get out of your comfort zone. Don’t take yourself too seriously! Join an area that needs help, then accept the place for its pros and cons and have fun. 

It has been so fun to watch Marissa go from being a part of this ministry to being a servant in this ministry. God is using Marissa to speak into the lives of kids that aren’t that much younger than her.  I hope God is using Crossing Kids to do the same in your life.

The Problem Solving Appraoch

 Uncategorized  1 Response »
Oct 112012
 

Kids will be kids.  Whether we serve in a public school system or a church, one things is for sure, kids will be kids. Every child struggles with conflict at one point in their life.  If there is a common thread within conversations on Sunday mornings, someone often poses the question “how do I help children that are in conflict with one another?”

In college, I had the opportunity to work with a great organization called Jumpstart.  Within this organization, I was offered several hours every year of extensive training on the early childhood years covering every topic from brain development to appropriate talk.  Through all that training though, a piece of training that has proven to be most helpful and encouraging over the years, even now, is the problem solving approach.

What I love about this approach is that it teaches children how to communicate with each other and it even hits the hearts, helping children understand what the problem is, how we can fix it, why we need to say we are sorry, and how to forgive those that have wronged us.  Without trying, this approach teaches kids to hit the root of conflict and teaches them at an early age how to apologize and forgive those around them.

Our theme this month is that every child is unique and our goal is to equip you as volunteers to feel confident in your role as you work with these young hearts from week to week.  That is why I would like to share with you the problem solving approach.  These six basic steps were taught to me in every child development course I have ever taken and can be found in almost every child development textbook available.  I hope you find it as helpful as I do.

1. Approach calmly
a. Use a calm voice and gentle touch
b. Stop any aggressive behavior
c. Place yourself between children and at their level
d. If needed, take away any object that may be contributing to the conflict.

2. Acknowledge Feelings
a. You may say something like “I see that you are very upset”.
b. Offer no judgements or solutions.

3. Gather Information
a. You may ask “What is the problem?”
b. Draw out details, define the problem.
c. Don’t direct questions that could pinpoint blame.

4. Restate the Problem
a. You may say something like “So the problem is…”

5. Ask for Solutions and Choose one together
a. You might say “What can we do to solve this problem?”
b. Let the children think of a solution together.
c. Do no accept solutions that are unsafe or unfair.
d. Do not rush this process, give children the time they need to discuss their ideas and feelings.

6. Follow-Up Support
a. Say something like “You solved the problem!”
b. Stay close by to offer additional follow-up if needed.

While this may seem like a strenuous process, I have found that these conversations can happen in a very short time period and always prove to be helpful.  What a great way to help teach children to problem solve at an early age.  One blog post that I found helpful to help understand how children solve conflict came from Children’s Ministry Magazine this morning.  Take a look for more ideas.

 

 

 

What You Missed on Story Street

 Family, Preschool, Sunday Morning, Videos  No Responses »
Aug 272012
 

Welcome friends!

If you weren’t able to make it to Story Street yesterday, have no fear because my friends decided to make a video for you to keep you up to date!

All month we have been learning that “P” is for Protector and that God protects us.  If you want to catch the story, check out the video below.  Hope to see you back next week!

Video Blog August 26th

 

Kids Club-hitting right where I’m at

 Devotional, Kids Club, Reflection, Volunteers  Comments Off
May 242012
 

Kids Club is my favorite week of the year!  Not only is it high energy and loads of fun, but I feel like I come away learning more and more about our great God and His faithfulness to us.  Somehow, God plans it every year so that the topic of Kids Club directly affects right where I am at in my own life spiritually.

My first year, I was taught how to thirst for the word as we reflected on Psalm 19.  In 2008, Crossing Kids fleshed out the gospel so clearly as we learned of Jesus’ death on the cross and how we can tell the world about how we have been rescued through Him. In 2009, the year of “Quest” I learned to look at Jesus as the true King, the ruler over all of my life.  In 2010, we focused on how God is faithful to all of His promises and last year for Kids Club, my favorite year so far, we looked at this mysterious place called Heaven.  Every year I feel like Kids Club topics just hit me right where I am at in life and this year is no exception.

This year at Kids Club we are focusing on our race of faith, our journey of believing in Jesus.  We will be looking at the life of Paul and how he faced his life of obstacles and persecution and how he was able to persevere by being reminded to fix his eyes on Jesus.  Because of Jesus’ death on the cross, our sin is cancelled out and we are given new life.  This is a message that I have so desparately needed to hear lately.  Through preparing for Kids Club, I am reminded of the gospel once again and God is teaching me to live in freedom of His grace and not in slavery to my own sin.  I am so thankful for Kids Club every year as I learn so much and then have the chance to pour that truth out onto so many other people during the week.  It really is the best week ever!

Treasure in Jars of Clay
But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.-2 Corinthians 4:7-18

Being “Still” in a World that is Constantly Moving

 Devotional, Music, Parents, Volunteers  No Responses »
Apr 122012
 

Have you ever been in a love/hate relationship?  Well, that is what I would use to describe my relationship with Spring. I love the sunshine, I love the warm weather, and I love looking forward to all the events that are held in Crossing Kids.  This time of year is definitely the busiest time of year for our staff.  Christine always uses the metaphor of climbing a mountain when talking about this time of year.  It is hard, tireing, and time consuming…but obviously well worth it!  And that’s exactly what it feels like.  Every year, around this time, our staff begins to work longer hours preparing for multiple events and gearing up for Kids Club.  How do you balance all of this with small group, personal time, time with your friends, and more importantly, where am I even supposed to fit my time with God into the mix?  I often become stressed, everything else around me seems a little bit worse than it actually is, and I lose sight of why this is all happening in the first place.

Usually my head is so full of “to-do’s” that I have a hard time stopping and waiting before the Lord.  I struggle to “be still”.  As I have been going through the scripture memory program that The Crossing has been doing, I have enjoyed learning not just the verses but also looking up the passages and learning the context from which they came.  Last month, the memory verse came from Psalm 46:1 “The Lord is my refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble”.  While this entire passage is incredibly comforting in seasons like this,  one particular verse has consistently stuck out to me while reading further.

“Be still and know that I am God.  I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” – Psalm 46:10

“Be still”.  What does that even look like, to be still before the Lord? I think this passage is reminding us that this world is not ours to worry about.  This world belongs to God, it always has and always will.  Every moment, every person, every event (good or bad) is used to exalt the name of the Lord.  This past week, since reading this passage, I have found my moments of “being still” before God to be precious.  Beginning my day, reflecting on His goodness, the things that I am thankful for, and being able to give my burdens over to Him so that He can carry them for me has been refreshing. As I write this and continue to learn more about how to “be still” before God, this song (rearranged and recorded by Page CXVI) comes to mind.

Be Still My Soul

 

Hi, I’m Annie (a blog for preschoolers)

 Family, Little Ones, Parents, Preschool, Preschool Pen Pals, Sunday Morning  1 Response »
Mar 082012
 

guest blogger: Annie from Story Street

Boy, oh boy, I am so excited to write to all of my friends this morning!  Daniel told me that Ms. Candace came and asked him all kinds of questions a long time ago and then he got to write about them on the computer to all of our Story Street friends.  He even said some of you wrote back!  I have been wanting to do that too cause I just love Story Street and I wanted to meet all of our friends too.  Today, it’s my turn to tell you all about me!

Hi, my name is Annie and I live at 789 Story Street too, with Daniel!  He’s my big brother.  I am four years old but my birthday is soon and then I’ll be five! Story Street is my favorite place to be!  See….

There are so many things I like to do!  I love to build with the blocks in my big girl classroom.  Pink is my favorite color so I try to build with all the pink blocks.  But I don’t want to hurt the other blocks feelings so I build with the other colors too.

I love to play dress-up with my friends.  My favorite thing to play in is my Tiger costume!  I love tigers, mostly because I am a big mizzou tiger fan.  What is your favorite sport team? My mommy and daddy take us to the football games and to the basketball games. Have you ever been to a game before?  They are so fun!  I like to watch the cheerleaders and the band members and I love to cheer when they score.  And we always get a snack. I wear my tiger costume to the games and my mommy even brades my hair for me!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I am at home, I love to color.  I like to color pictures of fish because I have a goldfish named Pirate. Do you have any pets at home?  I like to color pictures of other fish for him so he doesn’t get lonely.

I like to play with my babies too.  First, I read them a night, night story about fish because Pirate listens too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then, I like to put them to bed. Shh, don’t wake the babies!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At snack time, I like to eat the chocolate bunnies and apple juice.  My favorite is when mommy gives me apple juice from a box.  I like to squeeze the juice into my mouth.  But sometimes I make a mess and mommy doesn’t like that.  Pirate and I think it is funny though!

I can’t wait to hear back from you about your favorite things to do! Will you be my writing friend? Write back and tell me all about you!  I can’t wait to see you on Sunday at Story Street.  We love it when you visit!

Love, Annie

Hi, I’m Daniel (a blog for preschoolers)

 Family, Little Ones, Preschool, Preschool Pen Pals, Sunday Morning  4 Responses »
Feb 092012
 

guest blogger: Daniel, from Story Street

Last week, I saw a blog post about all the Crossing Kids interns.  They are real neat and so much fun to hang around with.  I think its super cool that you got to meet them and learn all about them. But, then I got to thinking “hey, what about all of us that live on Story Street?”.  I think its important that you meet us too because we live on Story Street, learn awesome Bible stories with all of our friends, and we love them a lot times infinity.  So, I decided to write a little blog about myself so that you can get to know me.  Look out for the next couple of weeks because I will introduce you to my other Story Street friends too.  Let’s get started!

Hi, my name is Daniel and I am five years old. I live on 789 Story Street.  This is my favorite place to be!

If you don’t know where Story Street is, you can read all about it here.  It’s way cool! It’s a super awesome place where all my friends come every Sunday morning to hear from God’s word, the Bible!  I love when my friends come to Story Street to play and hear the Bible Story.  Here are some things I like to do.  Maybe, if we like the same stuff, we can play some time!

I love to play with cars.  I make them crash and they go “BOOM”!  Do you like to play with cars too?

 

 

 

 

I love to go down the slide.  My friends and I take turns.
We go “weee” all the way down!  I like to race back to the top! I can’t wait to get there so I can go down the slide all over again!

 

 

 

 

 

My favorite color is orange!  I love it when we eat Cheddar Bunnies at church because they are orange.  I like to make them hop, hop, hop!  Sometimes, if I ask really nice, my mom let’s me have a little bit of orange drink too cause it doesn’t have caffiene.  But it still has sugar so I can only have a little. It’s so yummy, and guess what…it’s orange too!

 

 

 

 

My favorite thing in the whole world is reading!  The Bible is the bestest book in the whole world, it’s God’s true and special word to us and so has so much cool stories and pictures! What is your favorite book?  I also like to read about the friends on Sesame Street.  Do you like that show?  For some reason, I just feel like they would be my friends.

The best part about being five is that I get to be a big boy helper!  I like to help Mr. Andrew at the church.  He does lots of jobs and he is my friend.  Here I am helping him set out my favorite orange drink!

After I work real hard to help Mr. Andrew, I am super thirsty.  And guess what, I am big enough to drink out of the water fountain all by myself now!  I love getting big!

Hey, will you be my friend?  Have your mommy or daddy help you write me back and tell me all about your favorite things to do in the comment section below!  I hope I get to see you on Story Street soon!

Love, Daniel!

 

January Worship Songs

 Elementary, Family, Music, Parents, Preschool, Sunday Morning  No Responses »
Jan 262012
 

It doesn’t happen very often but both elementary and preschool are focusing on the same topic for the month of January in Crossing Kids: miracles.  Kids are learning that Jesus is miraculous and can do things that we can’t do.  They are learning that Jesus performed so many miracles that not even all of them are written down, but the ones that have been recorded are there so that we will know that Jesus is God. It has been fun to witness both ages learning about the topic, preschoolers learning so that they can gain knowledge of who God is and elementary taking it even a step further and applying these truths to their own lives.

When we worship through songs on Sunday mornings, we sing songs that help reinforce what the kids are learning in their classroom or large group time.  This month, preschool is singing a song called “Powerful” by Phil Joel.  A song that talks about many of the miracles we are covering on Sunday mornings. Take a look at the lyrics below.

You are so poweful, you are so strong and mighty.  You are so wonderful you are the prince of peace

You parted the red sea, the enemy drowned
Your cloud and your fire led them to the promiseland
Daniel in the den with the lions
You shut their mouths tight
David with a slingshot, you brought Goliath down

Jesus, He walked on the water, out on lake Galilee
He fed five thousand people with five loaves and two fish see
The blind man, the sick and the leper, healed by His mighty hand
Jesus, He rose from the dead, He took the enemy down

You are the living God, the rock on which I stand.
You are the living God, yesterday, today, and forever the same. 

I love this song not only because it reinforces what we are learning in our lessons but it reminds us that Jesus is powerful and that the miracles He performed were amazing.  For elementary this month, we are singing “Here I am to Worship” by Tim Hughes. This song is an older song but a song that emphasizes that our God is a God that is wonderful and that deserves our worship.  Jesus performed miracles to show us that “He is the Son of God, so that by believing, we may have eternal life” – John 20:31. That is why we sing a song of worship.

Light of the world you stepped down into darkness
Opened my eyes let me see.
Beauty that made this heart adore you
Hope of a life spent with you.

Here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that You’re my God
You’re altogether lovely
Altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me

King of all days oh so highly exalted
Glorious in heaven above.
Humbly you came to the earth you created,
All for love’s sake became poor.

You never know how much it cost to sin my sin upon that cross

For this song, elementary learned sign language to worship along with this song.  Have them show you and worship together at home!

Welcome to Story Street…

 Family, Little Ones, Parents, Preschool, Sunday Morning  No Responses »
Jan 102012
 

If you have a preschooler or little one, you have noticed a few changes taking place on Sunday mornings.  Beginning January 1st, Crossing Kids introduced Story Street; a mock of Sesame Street that teaches kids about God’s word.  The Story Street curriculum was created by our new preschool writing team (a blog on that coming later) and will be used for the entire 2012 year.

On the first Sunday of each month, kids are met by a mailman in their large group time that will bring a package containing the new letter of the month.  Each letter is the beginning to a word that we will focus on for the entire month, a word that describes God. This month (January), the mailman brought us the leter “M” because we are learning that Jesus is Mmm, Mmm, Miraculous.  We will spend this month focusing on five of Jesus’ miracles through out the Bible while we learn that Jesus can do things we can’t do because He is God. Check the take home sheets and blog to keep up with what letter we are learning about each month.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kids will be meeting lots of new friends on Story Street.  Fredward, our man in the can, has been with us since the Funky Bunk days and has agreed to a new home on Story Street.  He helps us remember our large group rules every Sunday.

We are also met with several other friends that live on Story Street.  These puppets are the “same age” as our preschoolers and learn alongside them every week.

When your kids leave their classrooms on Sunday morning, you will notice a sticker that says “Ask Me: the word on the street”.  During our lessons, kids will be memorizing scripture.  On Story Street, we say that this is “the word on the street”. This month, the word on the street is “With God, all things are possible” Matthew 19:26.  Help your kids memorize scripture by asking them to tell you the word on the street. You can also continue coversations at home by picking up a Take Home sheet that will not only inform you deeper on your child’s morning, but will also give you some “I wonder…” questions for your family to discuss during the week.

Story Street if formatted to, in some ways, mirror the big worship service.  We wants kids to grasp what it is like to attend a worship service, but in an age appropriate way.  They will be taking an offering, hearing a Bible Story, and worshipping with music.  We hope kids come to church on Sunday mornings, excited to learn from God’s word, the Bible.

 

A New Resource for Your Family

 Family, Music, Parents  No Responses »
Dec 232011
 

Each week, hundreds of kids flood the hallways and classrooms at The Crossing and each week, we strive to make Sunday morning a memorable experience; an opportunity for them to encounter God.  One way we do this is by worshipping through song.  Wether your child is in preschool or elementary, he/she is engaging in worship during a large group period.  They sing songs to help reinforce what they are learning in their classrooms and that, hopefully, teach them about the wonderful grace and love of our Heavenly Father.

Our Crossing Kids mission statement is: To partner with families to help kids develop a lifetime relationship with Jesus.  Which means we don’t want your children’s worship to happen only on Sunday mornings and then to stop there.  We want to partner with you so that you and your family can worship Christ all week long.  One easy way to do that is by singing worship songs together at home that they are either singing on Sunday mornings or have sung in the past and have grown to love.

That is why, starting January 1st, Crossing Kids will have an online itunes playlist for your families to easily access any music your kids are singing each week. When you recieve your parent emails or Sunday morning blogs, you will also get a link, taking you to the playlist where you can preview and purchase the song.

Our hope in doing this, is that your family would have quick and easy access to the songs kids are singing on Sunday morning.  But more than that, we are hoping that your family will download these songs and sing them together or in your spare time at home.  What an easy and fun way to grow your kids in their faith all while teaching them that God is to be worshipped always.

“Rejoice in the Lord always, again, I will say rejoice”. – Philippians 4:4

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