April 2017 Rejoice in Jesus Resurrection at Easter POWERSOURCE ASK GOD: 1. To bless your family s Easter preparations and celebrations. 2. To help your children know that the Easter message is for them. 3. To keep the joy of Easter in your hearts throughout the year. Reminders of new life and rebirth appear each spring throughout nature. For Christians, the most important celebration of new life is Jesus resurrection from the dead on Easter. Children may associate the holiday with bunnies, baskets, and candy, so it s important to share with them the real reason we rejoice: Jesus empty tomb. Use these creative ideas to share Easter s message with children. Share that Jesus died and came to life again so we can go to heaven and be with him forever. Palm Sunday Make praise shakers to celebrate Jesus entry into Jerusalem. Decorate the bottom sides of two paper plates. Staple the plates together, bottom sides out, leaving space to pour in beads or buttons. Staple the gap. Add streamers, and have a parade. Celebrate Jesus by shaking the instruments and with shouts of praise. Good Friday Insert toothpicks in a small vine wreath to resemble Jesus crown of thorns. Whenever a family member makes a sacrifice for someone else, remove one thorn. The night before Easter, after children are asleep, remove the remaining thorns and decorate the crown with white ribbons and bright flowers. Easter Sunday Using a stamp pad and colored pencils, work together to make thumbprint pictures that retell Easter events. For example, draw a tomb with a rolled-away thumbprint rock and a butterfly with thumbprint wings. 6102 Evard Road Fort Wayne, Indiana 46835 260-485-9665 www.brookside.org
Easter Is for Me! The events of Holy Week and Easter might frighten or confuse younger children. Share the message in age-appropriate ways by using these tips. Ages 2 to 5 Say that people who hated Jesus nailed him to a cross and left him there until he died. Explain that Jesus friends were sad and afraid until Jesus came back to life three days later. Ages 6 to 9 Fairness is a big deal at this age, so explain in simple language that Jesus willingly died in our place because he loves us. Children may be fascinated by crucifixion details. Avoid euphemisms for death such as sleeping. Ages 10 to 12 Preteens who are familiar with details of the Easter account are ready for the why. Share why it was necessary for Jesus to die, referring to the blood sacrifices of the Old Testament. TEACHABLE MOMENTS Resurrection Buns As a family, make edible empty tombs. Wrap a crescent-roll dough triangle around a large marshmallow. Dip the roll in melted butter and then cinnamon and sugar. Cook the rolls according to instructions on the package. The marshmallows disappear, leaving an empty, sweet surprise in the middle. After the rolls have cooled, read aloud Luke 24:1-3. Give each family member a roll and have them take one bite. Ask: What do you see inside your roll? How is that like what the women found? What do you think Jesus empty tomb means? Say: Just as our rolls are empty, Jesus tomb was empty on Easter morning. That s because he died and came back to life for you and for me! Close in prayer. Say: Dear Jesus, thanks for coming back to life and leaving your tomb empty on Easter. We celebrate you today! Amen. New Life Go on a nature walk to collect lots of twigs. Help children use a low-temperature glue gun to attach the twigs to the outside of a clean, empty soup can. Then fill the vase with fresh flowers as you talk about how the twigs are like our lives before Jesus (dead and broken) and how the flowers represent our lives with Jesus (new and alive). Prayer Eggs During Easter week, use a basket of plastic eggs to encourage your family to talk to God. Place slips of paper with prayer topics inside the eggs. Make enough eggs for each person to open one per day during Holy Week. Include praises and gratitude, as well as prayer requests for friends, family, and the community. Open the eggs at meals or bedtime, and pray together for the requests. Place special prayer eggs in the basket on Easter morning to celebrate Jesus resurrection. Cookie Pops Follow your favorite sugar cookie recipe to make crosses on a stick. If you don t have a crossshaped cookie cutter, you can create a template or freehand the shape with a knife. Press a cookie stick (available at craft stores) about 2 inches into each cookie. Bake until edges are golden. Frost when cool. Share the treats with friends and neighbors, along with an Easter card or verse. Jelly Bean Joy Use the colorful candy in children s Easter baskets to remind them of Jesus love. In this poem, each color represents part of the Easter account. Orange is for the sins we ve done. Red is for the blood of God s Son. White is for the grace he gives. Green is for new life in him. Yellow is for your place in heaven. Invite Jesus into your life and be forgiven! Why Jesus Stayed on the Cross Give each family member an ice cube, plus a paper towel. Say: Hold the ice cube in your bare hand while I read from the Bible. Read aloud Matthew 27:27-36, 45-50. Then ask: How did it feel to hold the ice? What did you want to do with it? What do you think it was like for Jesus to be crucified on a cross? Why do you think he stayed up there? Say: I don t think the soldiers or the nails kept Jesus on the cross. I think his love for us is what kept him up there. Jesus died and came back to life so we can live with him in heaven! Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn t here! He is risen from the dead! Luke 24:5-6, NLT
MEDIA MADNESS MOVIE Title: Wonder Genre: Drama Rating: Not yet rated Cast: Jacob Tremblay, Julia Roberts, Mandy Patinkin, Owen Wilson Synopsis: This film is based on R.J. Palacio s 2012 New York Times bestselling novel, now required reading in many middle schools. It features Auggie Pullman, a 10-year-old with a severe facial deformity. After years of surgeries and homeschooling, Auggie enters middle school and deals with friends, bullies, and self-esteem issues. Our Take: Viewers will do some soulsearching about how they view and treat people who look different from them. Because the subject and situations can be intense, this film is best for kids ages 9 and up. Topics for follow-up discussions include appearance, character, and friendship. Games, Sites & Apps 1-2 Switch This game for the new Nintendo Switch console features face-toface play. Instead of staring at a screen, players look at one another to compete in duels, dance-offs, and more. With a portable console and Joy Con wireless controllers, this game will likely be a hit at parties. icivics.org This site, founded by retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O Connor, helps children learn about civics and encourages community involvement. After setting up a free account, kids can try a variety of role-playing games. Activities are geared toward children ages 8 and up. BOOK Title: Heartless Author: Marissa Meyer Synopsis: This young-adult fiction book tells how Catherine, the Queen of Hearts in Alice s Adventures in Wonderland, became evil. Catherine was once an innocent girl who wanted to open a bakery and fall in love on her own terms. But in a world of magic where she s desired by the King of Hearts, things don t turn out as she hopes. Our Take: The main character, described as cold, heartless, ruthless female lead, certainly isn t a positive role model. Although Heartless is recommended for kids as young as 12, it s a dark love story with an unhappy ending, making it inappropriate for preteen readers. Taps to Riches In this simulation game, players build virtual riches by tapping buttons onscreen. The goal is to make money, which players do by buying and investing in homes and businesses. Players can take over towns even towns in outer space. Despite the materialistic message, the game is appropriate for kids. This page is designed to help educate parents and isn t meant to endorse any movie, music, or product. Our goal is to help you make informed decisions about what your children watch, read, listen to, and play. CULTURE & TRENDS Undocumented Students With the recent crackdown on undocumented immigrants, some school districts are denying federal authorities access to students and their records. Almost 4 million K to 12 students in the United States are children of undocumented immigrants. (cnn.com) Oh, Boy! The popular American Girl doll line has introduced its first boy doll. Logan Everett, a drummer, represents an effort to appeal to a broader audience, says a company spokeswoman. A boy character has been a top request from our fans for decades. (USAToday) QUICK STATS So Artificial The number of children who eat or drink artificial sweeteners (such as sucralose and aspartame) nearly tripled from 1999 to 2012, according to a recent study. The rate went from less than 9% of kids to 25% of kids in 13 years. (time.com) On the Fence One-third of parents still don t feel they have enough information to decide whether to get their preteens vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV). But 57% of parents are okay with a law that requires preteens to be vaccinated, as long as there s an opt-out provision. (wfdd.org)
What Does Brookside Children s Ministries Look Like? Here at Brookside, Children s Ministries encompasses all children ages birth through 4 th grade. It is our desire to partner with you to teach God s Word to your children, provide quality care, and allow you the opportunity to attend an Adult Bible Fellowship (ABF) class and worship. As our children grow physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually, our mission is to share Christ so each child may know Him as Savior and live a life to glorify God. We are exited to see what the Lord has in store for each of us! Brookside s Children s Ministries mission is to move kids closer to God through Jesus Christ. Each of our classroom areas are accordingly themed to our mission. Our Beach area exists to Bring the Gospel message to the children of our community, Encourage them to be in fellowship with other Christians, Advance them in spiritual maturity, helping them to Cherish their unique spiritual gifts and to Hand their lives over to God. Our Race area exists to Rejoice in the Lord and Advance in our relationship with Christ. Call our friends to join us, Encourage each other and Serve Jesus as our Lord. Our Space area exists to Obey the great commission of Reaching the children in our community with good news of the Gospel, teaching them Behold Jesus as their personal Savior, encouraging them to Involve themselves with their spiritual gifts and to grow in their love for God Together. Our Construction area exists to Bridge the knowledge of Jesus Christ as the personal Savior of the world with the children of our community, Unite them together with other Christians, Inspire them in their spiritual maturity, Leading them to serve with their spiritual gifts and to create a Desire to surrender their lives to God. Our Wiggly Field (toddler nursery) exists as a Wonderful Investment Glorifying God Through Loving His Young. Our Little League (infant nursery) exists as a Loving Infants Together Through Christ s Loving Example. To further assist children and teachers to make a Sunday morning experience in the classroom a positive experience for all, our Children s Ministries Hand in Hand team is a classroom resource for children with special needs/challenges and their families. All classrooms have age appropriate lessons and activities. Please be assured we will always strive to keep peer groups together to guarantee community and security for our kids. At Brookside, we group our children by school grade as they enter the Space room. Fort Wayne Community Schools uses August 1 as their cut off date for Kindergarten birthdates. Using that same birth date as a guide, we ve grouped our children by birthdates to identify their class grade, so they will be attending Sunday school with the same children simultaneously starting Kindergarten. In addition to special events throughout the year, the majority of our Children s programming occurs on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings.
What is Happening for Kids at Brookside... Early Childhood (Infant-PreK) NURSERY We are blessed with two nursery areas on Sunday mornings. Little League, where our newborn babies begin their Brookside journey in children s ministries, and Wiggly Field, which is dedicated to children walking steady to 2 years old. We offer these nursery programs at both the 9:30 and 11:00 service times. Nursery Promotions In Little League infants stay here until the baby is walking very steady. Our Early Childhood Administrator, along with the nursery staff will help parents decide when their baby is ready to move to the next nursery, Wiggly Field. In Wiggly Field, your child will stay until you are contacted by our Early Childhood Administrator to promote them into our preschool programs. PRESCHOOL We have three preschool classrooms Construction, Space, and Race. In each of these areas, we offer a double hour of spiritual development that includes a Bible story and age appropriate, hands on activities to create an environment for curiosity, creativity, and fun learning experiences. Preschool Promotions By referencing the Indiana public schools age guidelines for entering Kindergarten, we determine which classroom your child is assigned. Thus, when your child enters Space after they have turned 3 years old, he will be in a class of his peers, as they will all start kindergarten the same year. Annual Preschool promotions happen in August. Elementary (Grades K-4) Sundays: Sunday School at The Beach & Lodge 34 The Beach Room area is for children in Kindergarten through 2nd grade. Lodge 34 is for children in grades 3 and 4. During the school year, children are encouraged to attend the 9:30 and/or 11:00 hours while you attend Worship, an ABF and or serve in ministry at Brookside. For the months of June, July, and August, children are encouraged to attend Worship Service with their family during the 9:30 or 11:00 hours and attend Sunday School the opposite hour. Wednesdays: Brookside Midweek We welcome all kids grades K-4 th to join us for a great time at on Wednesday evenings during the months of September through March. Childcare (infant thru prek) is also provided for a child of any adult attending a Brookside class or serving at Brookside on Wednesday evening. Childcare follows the Brookside Midweek schedule. Kings Court Basketball Program King's Court is a basketball program for boys and girls, grades K-5, to develop basketball skills in a safe environment under the supervision of caring adults. We will help your children prepare for life by giving them the opportunity to develop physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Registration is open during October and November with Leagues running the following January through February. During leagues, children practice one evening each week for one hour and play games one hour on Saturday mornings. At the end of the season, a banquet is held to recognize each player's accomplishments. For further information, registration, or to be placed on the mailing list, contact the church office at 485-9665 or www.brookside.org.
Sunday Mornings ELEMENTARY Grades K- 4 Beach Room: Grades K - 2 Drop off & Pickup @ Beach Room Lodge 34: Grades 3-4 Drop off & Pickup @ Gym Children hear of God s true Word and learn that the Bible is not just a collection of stories, but one unified story God s story of redemption. Children gather together for worship and prayer. During this time, students are given developmentally appropriate Bibles in which they hear the story for the day s lesson told by our storyteller volunteer (9:30 hour) or through a short video (11:00 hour). By facilitating the same Bible story in two different ways, we are able to reach the children both by auditory means as well as visual. Students also separate into small groups by age and rotate through two to three different rotations where they can discuss the story and truths at a deeper level. Afterwards, the storyteller reiterates the three truths for the lesson and discuss any questions the children may have. Where are we NOW in God s Story? We have enjoyed learning God s story of redemption, beginning with Adam and Eve and continuing to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Now the students are in the thick of hearing God s plan to rescue his people from Pharaoh, Egypt, and ultimately from their sinful nature. Be Sure to Check Out Each Sunday we post three truths in the hallway outside the Beach Room doors from the lesson: Main Point What did we learn today? Christ Connection How does the story connect to Christ? Kid Connection How does this story apply to me? Take Homes It is our desire to partner with parents in their children s spiritual formation. Devotions, activities, discussion starters and summaries of the Bible Truths shared in the classrooms on Sunday mornings are provided to extend the Christ-Centered classroom time into a resource for you as a parent. Reference weekly newsletters at https://brookside.org/sunday-morning-resources.
Sunday Morning Early Childhood Right Now Media It is our desire to partner with parents in their children s spiritual formation. Devotions, activities, discussion starters and summaries of the Bible Truths shared in the classrooms on Sunday mornings are provided to extend the Christ-Centered classroom time into a resource for you as a parent. Reference the following newsletters at https:// brookside.org/sunday-morning-resources The Space and Race News - For parents of 3-5 year olds The Construction Chronicle For parents of toddlers 2 year olds rightnow MEDIA For All Ages Everyone at Brookside has free unlimited access to rightnow Media (www.rightnowmedia.org), a web based library of Biblical video content for Brookside church. It allows everyone to stream their favorite Bible studies, videos and cartoons in their living rooms, church classrooms and mobile devices. There are over 6,000 resources to equip people in areas like marriage, Biblical finance, raising children and over 2,000 Christian cartoons and discipleship videos for the kids. There is also a leadership events library and customizable training platform that streams the best of top leadership conferences like Catalyst, Verge, Passion, RightNow, Leadership Network and SEND. Whether at church, at home or in the back seat on a long drive, families with children of all ages now have unlimited access to an enormous library of entertaining and educational Bible-based content JUST FOR KIDS!
What is Happening for Kids at Brookside... Brookside Market Place SpringHill Day Camp Spring Hill Day Camp is five full days fantastic fun on the campus of Brookside Church. Camp includes high-adventure activities, cool skits and songs, and high-energy large group sessions. Kids will have a blast, hang out with old friends, make new friends, and learn a few new things about themselves and God. Dates: June 12-16, 2017 Daily: Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm Cost: $189 per week for each child $179 per week for each additional sibling $25 additional per week for extended hours (4:00pm-5:30pm) for each child Ages: Any child who has completed grade K, 1, 2, 3, or 4 this year. Location: Brookside Church, 6102 Evard Road, Fort Wayne IN 46835. 260-485-9665. REGISTRATION Online registration opens February 14, 2017 at: https://www.springhillcamps.com/experiences/ day-camps/locations/brookside-church-fortwayne-in Market Money The mission of Brookside Church s Children s Ministry is to move children closer to God through Jesus Christ. We envision Brookside Children s Ministries to partner with parents to train and equip children to desire God. We want kids to love coming to church to learn about God, His Son Jesus Christ, the Bible and the church family. Market Money is a positive incentive system to encourage kids to develop personal discipleship habits that will stay with them in their teenage years and beyond, even after the age is reached when rewards are no longer needed. Our hope is that this type of reward system will encourage them to dive into their Bibles on a regular basis and increase Biblical literacy as they experience the changing power of the Holy Spirit through His Word. Ways that Brookside Children in Kindergarten through 4th Grades can earn Market Money each week at Brookside: Attendance Sunday morning = $1 Attendance Wednesday evening MidWeek = $1 Bring Bible to church = $1 Child bring a First Time Friend = $5 Complete Individual or Family Devotions (3 times per week)= $10 (Your child will need a note from a parent stating that this was completed) * Complete Wednesday evening MidWeek Homework = $3 * Memorize the Sunday Morning Unit Key Passage (Bible Verse) = $10 (Child can earn this once per unit) * Memorize Wednesday evening MidWeek Verse = $3 (once per verse) * Learn Wednesday evening MidWeek topic of the semester = $20 (Fruits of the Spirit, Ten Commandments, based on what is studied that semester; Child can earn once per semester) Recite a previous Wednesday evening MidWeek topic of the semester = $10 (Fruits of the Spirit from Winter 2016, Hebrew Names of God from Winter 2015, Armor of God from Fall 2014; Child can earn once per year) * Memorize the Old Testament Books of the Bible = $30 Memorize the New Testament Books of the Bible = $20 Memorize the Lord s Prayer = $20 Memorize the 23rd Psalm = $20 Memorize the 10 Commandments = $20 Memorize Psalm 100 = $20 Each child is issued a Money Market Card. As each child earns dollars, the card will be credited with that amount. Account balances can be view online at https://brookside.org/market-money. Brookside Church 6102 Evard Road Fort Wayne, Indiana 46835 260-485-9665 www.brookside.org
April 2017 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 1 Sunday School 9:30 & 11:00 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Palm Sunday Sunday School 9:30 & 11:00 9 16 Easter Sunday Sunday School 9:30 or 11:30 for ONLY infant PreK Sunday School 9:30 & 11:00 10 11 Passover Begins 17 18 Passover Ends 12 13 Maundy Thursday 14 Good Friday Worship Service 6:30-7:45pm. Children s for infant 4 years 19 20 21 22 Earth Day 23 24 25 26 27 28 Arbor Day 30 15 29 June 12-16, 2017 Registration Opens 2/14/17 6102 Evard Road Fort Wayne, Indiana 46835 260-485-9665 www.brookside.org