Crossing Kids: Sunday, February 12, 2012

 5th Grade, Elementary, Family, Little Ones, Music, Parents, Preschool, Sunday Morning, Volunteers  No Responses »
Feb 122012
 

Little Ones

Monthly Topic: “H” is for Healer

The best solution payday loans

Big Idea: Jesus is Our Greatest Healer

Memory Verse: “He heals the brokenhearted.” – Psalm 147:3

Bible Story Focus: Jesus Heals Two Blind Men | Matthew 9:27-34

Teachable moments

This month, we will talk about Jesus being our greatest healer through the story of two blind men in the book of Matthew. Jesus asked the men if they believe, and when they say “yes”, Jesus healed their eyes. The men were able to see again! But Jesus didn’t just heal their sight; He also healed their hearts!

 Monthly Song

“Gulp” from One Big Gulp

 

Preschool

Monthly Topic: “H” is for Healer

Big Idea: Jesus is Our Greatest Healer

Memory Verse: “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” – Psalm

Bible Story Focus: Jesus Heals a Man Unable to Walk &Forgives His Sins | Matthew 9:1-8 ; Luke 5:17-26

Monthly Songs

“How Great is Our God” from I Believe 

“Powerful” by Phil Joel

Dinner Table Discussion

Discuss the following questions as a family during dinner this week.  They’re meant to prompt further conversation about what was experienced on Sunday morning.

I Wonder Questions:

I wonder…how did Jesus heal the man?

He helped him walk and forgave his sins.

I wonder…why did friends bring the man to Jesus?

They knew Jesus could heal him.

I wonder…what was the best thing Jesus did for the man who didn’t walk? Forgive his sins or help him walk?

Forgive his sins, because now he can be with Jesus forever.

 

Kindergarten – 4th Grade

Topic: People’s Responses to Jesus

Dates: February 12-March 11, 2012

Key Concept: The best way to respond to Jesus is with a transformed heart of faith and humility.

Overview: In this unit, children will learn about five different responses to Jesus in the New Testament: Nicodemus, Peter, Judas, Mary (who anoints Jesus’ feet), and the Pharisees. Through examining these encounters, children will see how our hearts can respond in different ways to the truth of the Gospel. Some people fall at Jesus’ feet in humility and love, while others proudly do not see their need of Him. The best way to respond to Christ is in faith and humility out of a transformed heart given in worship. However, no one can fully respond this way because, in spite of our best efforts, we are all tainted with sin. Christ does not demand a perfect response, but rather asks that we put our faith in Him. A right and biblical response to Christ is: “I do believe! Help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24 NIrV).

Memory Verse: “I do believe, help my unbelief!” Mark 9:24

Objectives:

Children will learn:

  • Five examples in the New Testament of how people responded to Jesus:  Nicodemus, Mary, Judas, Peter, and the Pharisees.
  • We are sinners, and apart of Christ, we are nothing.
  • Jesus is God’s son, the Savior of the world, and the only way to God. In him is eternal life.
  • When we learn about who Jesus is, a right response is humble faith poured out in worship. A right response is a lifelong process.
  • We cannot respond to Jesus rightly all the time and can be thankful for God’s grace.

 

5th Grade

Grapple Question:  What Does God Want From Me?

Kids Learn:  God’s Purpose for My Life

Dig Into the Bible:  Proverbs 3:1-6; Micah 6:6-8; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

You probably established house rules pretty early on: sleeping in late on Saturdays— OK; eating bean dip in the bathtub—not OK. It’s comforting to have boundaries and know what’s expected of us. The Bible sets clear boundaries for us. It also gives us lofty standards to live by. But God has empowered us through his Holy Spirit to do what he asks of us. Show your child how much you believe in him or her by setting rules and goals together. List what you’d like to accomplish in the next couple of days, by the end of the week, two weeks from now. Challenge each other to stick with it.

Hodge Podge for Parents

 Event, Family, Parents, Uncategorized  No Responses »
Feb 102012
 

What do two small kids do during the five minutes their parents try to have an uninterrupted conversation over a late dinner?

Why, bust out four rolls of newly purchased paper towel rolls and decorate the living room, of course!

This probably isn’t news to you or much different than many of you, but I find myself thinking a lot about parenting.  With new antics (like the one above) around each corner, it’s hard not to.  So, today is a spew of parenting things to throw your way.  Perhaps a shred of it will be helpful to you.

Legacy Seminar: “God Gave Me a Baby, Now What?
Sunday, February 26 at 11 a.m.

Next Sunday, Nathan and I are teaching a Legacy Seminar called “God Gave Me a Baby, Now What?”.  This course is for parents who are expecting or have a baby or one-year-old.  We’ll share three essentials of godly parenting that can begin during (or even before) your child’s infancy. We hope you’ll walk away motivated by the biblical vision of parenting and armed with lots of practical applications. This is a good refresher course for those of us with multiple kids, as well.  I read through the notes the other day (we taught this two years ago) and thought, “Oh, how I need to hear and grow in these things myself.”  (Teacher, teach thy self!) If you’d like to join us, please sign up online here.

Parenting Talk By Dr. Bruce Ware
Monday, February 13, 6:30-8pm
Evangelical Free Church of Columbia

The author of one of the books in The Crossing’s bookstore and one the Crossing Kids staff loves is called Big Truths for Young Hearts.  The author of this book and one of Keith Simon’s former seminary professors, Dr. Bruce Ware, will speak on “Teaching Children to Know and Love God by Knowing and Loving Theology” this Monday night.

Guest Post from a Mom at The Crossing

Some of you may know Kelly Gilion.  She’s a mom in our church who leads the GracefulWait ministry for women struggling with infertility or loss of a baby.  Kelly shared some great thoughts yesterday as a guest poster at Thriving Home about balancing God’s call to serve our family with the other demands of life.  Check out her post here.

Need a Parenting Laugh? Here You Go…

Reaching Digital Natives

 5th Grade, Elementary, Parents, Preschool, Technology, Volunteers  Comments Off
Feb 072012
 

Our Crossing Kids staff have been grappling with a few questions over the past few years.  How do we best reach kids who use technology everywhere they go? How do we teach lessons that engage our learners rather than tune them out? These are questions a lot of educators are asking as well.

According to an article “Teaching Digital Natives” written by Jennifer Hooks in Children’s Ministry Magazine, a “digital native” is a term coined by Marc Prensky in 2001.  He says a “digital native” is a child to whom a digital world is indigenous and completely natural. They were born into an existence where technology evolves at an ever-increasing rate. They interface with one another and with their world through digital means.

He also defines “digital immigrants” as those who weren’t necessarily born into a digital existence but who must adapt and assimilate to function in such a world.  A digital immigrant is someone who isn’t digital by nature; for instance, one who steadfastly prints hard copies of emails or calls to ensure an email has been received.

You may have seen the new TV’s we installed in our classrooms recently and you may be asking the question, “Why? What’s the purpose?” We have been searching for ways to incorporate more digital media into our Crossing Kids lessons in order to engage the “digital natives” that God brings us every week.  We researched several ideas on how we could make that happen in our current space and allow for the widest possible usage.  Installing these new televisions with dvd players and internet capabilities turned out to be the most cost and space effective way.

Below are a few of the ways we plan to use the new technology in our classrooms.

Workshop lessons in elementary can incorporate:

movie clips

Youtube clips

visuals of art, objects or images

music videos that kids create

games we create that all kids can view at one time (i.e. Sheep/Shepherd Jeopardy)

google images/maps

cultural illustrations

The 5th grade curriculum “Grapple” has several interactive digital teaching elements

Live streaming for Kids Club

Kids Club and Family Events

Showing movies for childcare events in smaller settings

Adult classes (Women’s Bible Study and Night Crossing classes)

Our commitment to excellence in our curriculum and learning will not be narrowed but expanded. Our heart is to use these new digital devices in a way to win children to Christ and help them grow in their faith.  Like Paul, our desire is to do all this for the sake of the gospel.

1 Corinthians 9: 19-23

19 Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crossing Kids: Sunday, February 5, 2012

 5th Grade, Elementary, Family, Little Ones, Music, Parents, Preschool, Sunday Morning, Volunteers  Comments Off
Feb 052012
 

Little Ones

Monthly Topic: “H” is for Healer

Big Idea: Jesus is Our Greatest Healer

Memory Verse: “He heals the brokenhearted.” – Psalm 147:3

Bible Story Focus: Jesus Heals Two Blind Men | Matthew 9:27-34

Teachable moments

This month, we will talk about Jesus being our greatest healer through the story of two blind men in the book of Matthew. Jesus asked the men if they believe, and when they say “yes”, Jesus healed their eyes. The men were able to see again! But Jesus didn’t just heal their sight; He also healed their hearts!

 Monthly Song

“Gulp” from One Big Gulp

Preschool

Monthly Topic: “H” is for Healer

Big Idea: Jesus is Our Greatest Healer

Memory Verse: “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” – Psalm

Bible Story Focus: Jesus Heals the Leper | Matthew 8:1-4

Monthly Songs

“How Great is Our God” from I Believe 
“Powerful” by Phil Joel

Dinner Table Discussion

Discuss the following questions as a family during dinner this week.  They’re meant to prompt further conversation about what was experienced on Sunday morning.

I Wonder Questions:

I wonder…how did Jesus heal the man?

He touched him.

I wonder…what does Jesus heal besides our bodies?

He heals our hearts.

I wonder…why was the man’s heart broken?

Because no one loved him or wanted to be around him.

 

Kindergarten – 4th Grade

Topic: Miracles of Jesus in the Book of John

Dates: January 8-February 5, 2012

Memory Verse:  But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.  John 20:31

Unit Overview: In this unit, children will study five different miracles recorded in the gospel of John.  Students will learn that these miracles were supernatural events or signs that pointed people to God.  Even more so, students will explore how each miracle tells us about who Jesus is so that we might continue to grow in our faith and relationship with him.

Big Ideas: Children will learn:

*       Jesus’ miracles reveal who He is and what He came to do

*       Jesus’ miracles remind us of our need to be spiritually healed.  God rescued those who believe and trust in him when he died on the cross and rose from the dead. —This is the ultimate miracle!

*       Jesus’ miracles are a sign to all people

*       God gives abundantly and works to a much greater purpose than we can imagine

*       God cares about our concerns

Ways to Follow Up at Home: 

Read the following passages on different nights and ask, “What does this miracles tell us about who Jesus is/what He came to do?”

Miracles:

-       Changing Water to Wine (John 2:1-11)

-       Healing at the Pool (John 4:46-54)

-       Feeding the 5000 (John 5:1-17)

-       Walking on Water (John 6:1-21)

-       Healing the Blind Man (John 9:1-41)

Check out a copy of our family devotional in the Children’s Ministry Registration Area.  This will walk your family through the book of John in 21 weeks.

 Monthly Songs

“Here I am to Worship” by Tim Hughes

“Glory to God Forever” from JUMP

“No One Like You” from Have You Heard? by Promiseland Kids

 

5th Grade

Grapple Question:  Why Didn’t God Make Us Like Robots?

Kids Learn:  Love Without Choice Isn’t Love at All

Dig Into the Bible:  Genesis 2:8-17; 3:1-6; Deuteronomy 30:15-20; 1 Corinthians 9:16-17

It’s difficult as a parent to watch your child make a bad choice or fail in some way. There’s always the temptation to micromanage or live your life through your kids. Finding a balance between protection and dictatorship is tricky! But giving your kids choices is an important part of building a relationship that’s healthy, secure, and loving. Whenever possible, give your kids opportunities to make safe choices they can feel great about.

The Read-Aloud Handbook

 Book Review, Family, Parents, Reading  Comments Off
Feb 032012
 

There have been several recent posts (Readers are made in the laps of parents, Christmas Reading, and Loving the book and the look of words to name a few) that highlight the importance of reading with our children to develop their hearts and minds. When we read together, we help children think through new ideas about the world God has made and our place within it. Reading is essential for many reasons and it is a primary way in which we will leave a legacy with this next generation.

One of my all time favorite books on this topic is The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease.

In his book, Trelease outlines many implications and excellent reasons to read aloud with children. Research complied by Trelease establishes that sharing books:

1. Conditions the child to associate reading with pleasure, an association that is necessary in order to maintain reading as a lifelong activity.
2. Contributes to background knowledge for all areas of learning, including science, history, geography, math, social studies, and art.
3. Provides the child with a reading role model.
4. Creates empathy toward other people because literature values humanity and celebrate the human spirit and potential, offering insight into different lifestyles while recognizing we are all human.
5. Increases a child’s vocabulary and grammar, and has the potential to improve writing skills.
6. Improves a child’s probability for staying in school and future employment.
7. Improves critical thinking and problem solving skills that are fundamental and transferable to all other areas of learning.
8. Offers information.
9. Offers laughter and entertainment (and an alternative to television).
10. Improves attention span and stimulates the imagination.

Trelease discusses the importance of reading aloud with children not only at school, but also at home. When parents spend as little as 15 minutes a day reading aloud to their children, the benefits listed above become tangible. But how does reading help us leave a legacy of faith with our children?

In addition to the benefits listed above, I think reading aloud with children provides an even greater benefit. When we read aloud with our children (from any fiction or non-fiction books), we have a platform to talk about God: the world He made, sin and darkness in our fallen world, and the hope of Christ who will one day come to redeem and restore our world for His glory. Reading stories brings these topics to light in a practical way that children can understand.

We also have been given the greatest book of all to read aloud to our children: The Bible. God has given us a book, His inspired word, written so that we will read and think and ponder and reread and grow to know Him more. (Look for an upcoming post on some excellent read aloud story Bible recommendations.)

So tonight, crack open a book with your family, and get reading!

Meet Our Interns, Part 2

 5th Grade, Elementary, Family, Interviews, Parents, Sunday Morning  Comments Off
Feb 032012
 

Last week, Molly introduced you to four special college women who are serving Crossing Kids this semester as interns in Early Childhood.  This week, I’d like for you to get to know our elementary interns.  These ladies do so much behind the scenes to make Sunday mornings a time full of fun and learning for Kindergarten-5th Grade.

Kelly Heins
8:00 Intern for Elementary     

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where are you from?  Concordia, MO

Where do you go to school/what do you do?  University of Missouri

What are you studying?  Elementary Education

What excited you most about being a Crossing Kids intern?  This internship combines two of my very favorite things: God and teaching children.

What do they hope to gain from this internship?  I hope to gain a support system of fabulous people who are wonderful Christian role models and also incredible teachers.

What is a fun/random fact about you?    I like to go antiquing and restore old furniture.

 

Katie Haxel
9:30 Intern for Elementary   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Where are you from?  I’m from St. Louis, MO.

Where do you go to school/what do you do?  I am a Sophomore at Mizzou.

What are you studying?  I am excited to be studying Elementary Education!

What exciting you most about being a Crossing Kids Intern?  I am so excited to become a bigger part of The Crossing by spending time with kids and getting to know families.

What do you hope to get from this internship?  I am hoping to learn more about how ministry works and getting to be a part of the behind the scene things!

What is a fun fact about you?  I have never broken a bone, sprained anything, or had stitches.

 

Haley Phillips
11:00 Intern for Elementary 

Where are you from?  I was born in Spokane, Washington, but have grown up in Columbia most of my life.
Where do you go to school/what do you do?  I am a freshman at Mizzou and I babysit a lot.
What are you studying?  I am studying Early Childhood/Elementary Education.
What excited you most about being a Crossing Kids intern?  I’m most excited about getting to hang out with sweet kids of all ages and getting to help prepare for Sunday mornings!
What do they hope to gain from this internship?  I hope to grow in my relationship with God through serving as well as build relationships with the kiddos. I’m also excited to gain experience that will help me for when I hopefully become a teacher one day!
What is a fun/random fact about you?  A fun fact about me is that I am learning to play guitar. I love it!!
Bethany Jones
Multi-Age Intern 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where are you from? I from Kansas City, Missouri (More specifically, a suburb called Lee’s Summit)

Where do you go to school/what do you do? Last May I received my undergraduate degree in Magazine Journalism at the University of MIssouri. I also received a minor in Art Photography and Business. I currently work for Mizzou Sports Properties, which is a property through Learfield Sports. My official title is Sales Fulfillment Coordinator.  

What excited you most about being a Crossing Kids intern? I had the privilege of being Rachel Johnson’s intern when I was in college. Whenever Beth Pearson came on staff I worked with her as well.  Now I get to work with the Emily Powell and the amazingly talented Multi Age team. What excites me most is over the years, building relationships with Crossing Kids staff members and learning about ministry through great leaders and Christ followers. 

What do they hope to gain from this internship?  I have already gained so much, I hope to give back a little of what I have received. 

What is a fun/random fact about you?  OR  What is your most embarrassing moment. I didn’t go to any Mizzou Football or basketball games while I was in college. I also didn’t buy any apparel or keep up with how any of our teams were doing nationally. Now I get to work every single football and basketball game, am constantly in the middle of conversations about sports and receive tons of sweet Mizzou gear. MIZ!

Valentine for Ernest Mann

 Art, Parents, Reflection  No Responses »
Feb 022012
 

It may not feel like it as you walk out the door, but welcome to February: a month devoted to celebrating ground hogs, deceased Presidents, and Hallmark Cards (or that four letter word all of us long for, depending on how you look at it.)  As a former teacher, I often felt like Valentines Day and the accompanying party felt more like playing Willy Wonka and herding cats than anything else.  Truth be told, sugar, excitement, and pre-adolescent angst often left me a bit on edge and more than a little exhausted by the day’s end.  For me, the most redemptive part of our day came when I shared one of my favorite poems from Naomi Shihab Nye.

Valentine for Ernest Mann 

You can’t order a poem like you order a taco.
Walk up to the counter, say, “I’ll take two”
and expect it to be handed back to you
on a shiny plate.

Still, I like your spirit.
Anyone who says, “Here’s my address,
write me a poem,” deserves something in reply.
So I’ll tell you a secret instead:
poems hide. In the bottoms of our shoes,
they are sleeping. They are the shadows
drifting across our ceilings the moment
before we wake up. What we have to do
is live in a way that lets us find them.

Once I knew a man who gave his wife
two skunks for a valentine.
He couldn’t understand why she was crying.
“I thought they had such beautiful eyes.”
And he was serious. He was a serious man
who lived in a serious way. Nothing was ugly
just because the world said so. He really
liked those skunks. So, he reinvented them
as valentines and they became beautiful.
At least, to him. And the poems that had been hiding
in the eyes of the skunks for centuries
crawled out and curled up at his feet.

Maybe if we reinvent whatever our lives give us
we find poems. Check your garage, the odd sock
in your drawer, the person you almost like, but not quite.
And let me know.

Part of what I loved about sharing this poem with children was the variety of ways they reacted throughout.  The word valentine in the title often led to initial groans that later subsided into a laugh here or there at the the prospect of comparing poetry to Taco Bell. Most importantly, this was all followed by a discussion about where poetry hides for us as well as what makes something beautiful.

So what does any of this have to do with leaving a lasting spiritual legacy in the life of your child?

As Tony Reinke writes in his book Lit!,

“God has given us this higher use of imagination to enable us to create art, make scientific discoveries, further technological progress, and write poetry…We imagine because God imagines.  In fact, before the world began everything merely existed in God’s imagination.  Entire chapters could be devoted to God’s imaginative genius on display in creation…But God’s imaginative genius is also displayed in the gospel…We imagine because our Creator imagines.  And with our imagination we can now “see” eternal reality (2 Cor. 4:18).  This divine imagination, this ability to see the unseen, is a skill God has given us for our spiritual profit” (p. 82-83).  

Children are experts when it comes to viewing their world with a sense of wonder and awe.  They so often naturally reinvent what they see in the world around them from “skunk eyes and odd socks” to so much more.  They imagine because our Creator imagines.  In many ways, children understand what John Calvin embraced about finding beauty even in the most unlikely of places.

“Calvin understood that God created human beings to hunt and gather truth, and that, as a matter of fact, the capacity for doing so amounts to one feature of the image of God in them (Col. 3:10).  So Calvin fed on knowledge as gladly as a deer on sweet corn…And why not?  The Holy Spirit authors all truth, as Calvin wrote, and we should therefore embrace it no matter where it shows up”  (Cornelius Plantinga, Engaging in God’s World).

Take some time together as a family to do a little hunting and gathering for truth.  Look for places poetry hides and celebrate what it means to be made in the image of a creative God.

The Pull of Technology

 Family, Parents, Technology  No Responses »
Jan 312012
 

Rachel Johnson raised a great issue in her recent blog Alive Enough about how much time we spend “plugged in” and not engaging with our children.

I must admit that I struggle to find the right balance in our home. With four children ages 9 to 16, all of us are constantly on some form of digital device (computers, cell phones, Itouch, kindle – you name it). It’s how we read our books; it’s how we communicate with each other; it’s how we stay connected to the world.  Even as I write this blog on my computer, one child is writing a paper on another computer while texting her friends, one is playing games on his Ipad and the other two are playing Xbox all while watching the Mizzou basketball game.  So how much is too much and when do you say “turn it off” and let’s talk?

Now just an hour ago, our family was sitting around the dinner table talking about our day  without a single “tech toy” in our hands. We laughed together, shared stories and just enjoyed being with each other. Interestingly, children still prefer talking in person over communicating via some digital media.  Read about a survey taken in the UK here that shows just that fact.  But we all feel the pull that technology has on our family. How do we as parents think about it and how do we lead our kids to think about it?

I’ve read several other blogs recently that have given me some good perspectives on how to stay engaged as a family with all your technology and yet also find ways to “unplug” and relate to one another.

Here are a few of my favorite links written by Carey Nieuwhof on a blog for parents:

Is Technology Killing Your Family?

Preparing Your Kids for Life Online

Disconnect to Reconnect Your Family

I’d love to know how your family handles technology in your home.  Do you find it a struggle to put down the electronics and just be together?  What ideas have worked for you?

Crossing Kids: Sunday, January 29, 2012

 5th Grade, Elementary, Little Ones, Parents, Preschool, Sunday Morning  No Responses »
Jan 292012
 

Little Ones

Monthly Topic:  “M” is for Miraculous

Big Idea:  Jesus performed many miracles, proving He was God. He is Mmm, Mmm, Miraculous!

Memory Verse:  “With God, all things are possible.” – Matthew 19:26

Bible Story Focus:  Jesus calms a storm  (Mark 4:35-41; Matt. 8:23-27)

Teachable Moments:  
Jesus is so amazing! He stopped a raging storm with just a few words! Make your own storm this week and see how fast you can stop it. Get an empty water bottle and fill it halfway with water. Add two drops of blue food coloring and then fill the rest of the bottle with cooking oil. Put the top back on tightly. You can even hot glue or duct tape it. Now, give the bottle to your little one and let her make a storm by shaking the bottle. Shout “Stop!” See how long it takes the storm to calm down. Retell the Bible story using your storm bottle, your Bible, or the Jesus Storybook Bible (236-243).

Monthly Song

“Oh Yea He Can” from I Count on You 

Preschool

Monthly Topic: “M” is for Miraculous

 Big Idea: Jesus performed many miracles, proving He was God. He is Mmm, Mmm, Miraculous!

Memory Verse: “With God, all things are possible.” – Matthew 19:26

Bible Story Focus: Jesus Walks on Water | Matthew 14:22-36

 Monthly Songs

“How Great is Our God” from I Believe

“Powerful” from Phil Joel, Deliberate Kids

Dinner Table Discussion

Discuss the following questions as a family during dinner this week.  They’re meant to prompt further conversation about what was experienced on Sunday morning.

I Wonder Questions:

I wonder…what miracle did Jesus perform as he was getting to his disciples in the boat?

Jesus walked on top of the water without sinking to reach the disciples already out in the boat.

I wonder…how did Jesus look when he began walking across the top of the water?

The disciples said he looked like a ghost – floating across the top of the water instead of sinking.

I wonder…how did the disciples feel when they saw Jesus walking toward them?

            They were very afraid.

I wonder…if God can do miracles, can He help me with the things I am afraid of?

Yes!  Jesus is your friend and any time you are afraid, you can pray and talk to Him and ask for his peace and courage instead of that afraid feeling.

Kindergarten – 4th Grade

Topic: Miracles of Jesus in the Book of John

Dates: January 8-February 5, 2012

Memory Verse:  But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.  John 20:31

Unit Overview: In this unit, children will study five different miracles recorded in the gospel of John.  Students will learn that these miracles were supernatural events or signs that pointed people to God.  Even more so, students will explore how each miracle tells us about who Jesus is so that we might continue to grow in our faith and relationship with him.

Big Ideas: Children will learn:

*       Jesus’ miracles reveal who He is and what He came to do

*       Jesus’ miracles remind us of our need to be spiritually healed.  God rescued those who believe and trust in him when he died on the cross and rose from the dead. —This is the ultimate miracle!

*       Jesus’ miracles are a sign to all people

*       God gives abundantly and works to a much greater purpose than we can imagine

*       God cares about our concerns

Ways to Follow Up at Home: 

Read the following passages on different nights and ask, “What does this miracles tell us about who Jesus is/what He came to do?”

Miracles:

-       Changing Water to Wine (John 2:1-11)

-       Healing at the Pool (John 4:46-54)

-       Feeding the 5000 (John 5:1-17)

-       Walking on Water (John 6:1-21)

-       Healing the Blind Man (John 9:1-41)

Check out a copy of our family devotional in the Children’s Ministry Registration Area.  This will walk your family through the book of John in 21 weeks.

 Monthly Songs

“Here I am to Worship” by Tim Hughes

“Glory to God Forever” from JUMP

“No One Like You” from Have You Heard? by Promiseland Kids

5th Grade

Grapple Question:  How Come I’m Not Perfect?

Kids Learn:  Self-Acceptance and God’s Unconditional Love

Dig Into the Bible:  Genesis 1:26-27, 31; Psalm139:13-16; Romans 8:35-39

Now is a great time to drag out those ridiculous junior high pictures you vowed would never again see the light of day. Encourage your son or daughter by sharing a laugh over your huge glasses or that Space Age mullet. Your preteen may not look like a movie star, but that’s OK. Continually remind your child that you’re crazy about him or her—and so is God.

 

On the Job Meditations for Moms

 Parents  Comments Off
Jan 282012
 

A dark, short silhouette hovers over you and whispers “Mommy. Why are you still asleep?” You mutter a dry throat grunt in response, while your hand searches the end table for your glasses forged in 1999. Once your sight is restored, you eye the glowing green numbers of the clock…6:05. It’s no use sending him back to bed. He’ll just wake up his sister at this point. Then, you hear the baby through the monitor. And, so the day begins.

What about that “time before the kids get up” you were going to spend reading your Bible? Remember, you were going to get perspective and grace and patience and wisdom for the day ahead. Oh that? Ha, ha, ha, my young mom friend. Long gone.

I’ve had more days begin like this than I can count for the past few years. Good intentions of getting up early to read and pray turn into changing diapers, nursing a baby, making breakfast, and brewing coffee before I know it. Thankfully, I’ve had some dear friends advise me to get creative in meeting with God during these “little years” of parenting. They’ve encouraged me to fit in Bible reading, praying, and worshiping in sneaky ways if needed. (Hmm, strangely sounds like my theory of exercising right now too.)

One way to commune with God that has worked for me has been to write out a Bible verse or two that I need to impress on my heart at the moment. Then, I place it in a highly visible spot. Below is the one over my kitchen sink currently (pay no attention the grime caked on my walls). As I wash my hands and dishes throughout the day, I find myself praying these words and simultaneously renewing my heart and mind with truth. Truth that helps me get the grace I need to parent and serve my family well.

I have several mom friends that I look up to and who are trying to serve God and their families. I thought it would be cool to see what they were meditating on during their days of parenting. Perhaps you can find a few moments for a few on the job meditations on some of these verses or your own today. It amazes me how one minute of looking up instead of down (at the dirty floors or fighting kids) can change your whole perspective.

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