March 2013 Children s Ministry Newsletter Discipling Children; Encouraging Families From the Desk of Miriam Little Dear Friends, This past Sunday the 252 group watched the lesson DVD as they usually do. The feature was a mime which told the BIG STORY.God s big story from creation to Christ s death on the cross. The mime was powerful in its presentation. It was a clear reminder of how much God loves us, the people of this earth and has offered opportunities for people to have peace with him. Yet over the centuries, human beings have chosen to go their own way, to sin. There is conflict, anger and despair that has shaped life. Then Jesus came and though he was innocent of sin, he was put to death for us, a sacrifice that offers us peace with God. It is not our merit but Jesus Christ that gives us peace. This DVD mime opened up significant discussion in the small group for Grades 4 and 5. Students in this class are asking BIG questions and grappling with what it means to believe in and trust God. Please pray for the leaders in this group and all the classes as they explore faith. I encourage you to take time to use the God Time devotionals for Grades 1 to 5 and Parent Cue for all ages to follow up on the lessons at home. This story of Jesus sacrificial death and resurrection is what we are celebrating at Easter. Two special Sundays include March 24 th which is called Palm Sunday when there is a procession with palm branches and March 31 st which is Easter. On Easter we have the 8:00 a.m. sunrise service, community breakfast, children s egg hunt and crafts and the 11:00 a.m. celebration service. I hope you will be able to join us! This month, in First Look for Preschool and Kindergarten children, we are talking about Jesus wants to be my friend forever. The memory verse is, I am with you always. Matthew 28:20 NIV In 252 Basics for Grades 1 to 5 we are learning about Honesty, choosing to be truthful in whatever you say and do. The monthly memory verse is An honest person has respect for the Lord. Proverbs 14:2a NIrV. See the Parent Cue for each age group for more information. It is emailed out to those on my email list or you can pick up a paper copy at the church. Blessings, Miriam What s Coming? 1. Blown Away Conference (April 5 and 6) for Sunday School leaders. Please talk to Miriam about registration. 2. Palm Sunday (March 24 th ) - please meet in the Friendship Room at 10:45 to pick up palm branches so we can process around the sanctuary on this special morning. Children and adults are welcome to be part of the celebration. 3. Easter - As in past years, children are invited to participate in leading the worship at the Sunrise Service. All the children will be singing a song called, Lord I Life Your Name on High which they have sung many times in their large group worship. Choristers will be singing. Other children are involved in readings. The service is at 8 a.m. in the sanctuary and is a wonderful service of celebration. Please plan on joining us on March 31 st. After the 8 a.m. service there will be a breakfast followed by an egg hunt for kids. At the 11:00 service we will have regular Children s Programs. 4. This year, our SUMMER KID S EVENT is going to be on July 15 to 19 th. If you are beginning to think about what your child(ren) may be involved in during the summer of 2013 you can put this special event into the mix. It runs Monday to Friday from 9 to noon at the church and is for children who are going into Jr. Kindergarten to Grade 5. Miriam Little, Director of Children s Ministries Office 416-922-1361; Cell 289-242-5227; mlittle@yorkminsterpark.com; Office Hrs: Tuesdays & Thursdays
Children s Ministry Edition March 2013 Guiding Your Children s Faith Discoveries POWERSOURCE ASK GOD: 1. How to keep Easter truths close to your family s heart throughout the year as you focus on spiritual growth. 2. For guidance in ensuring your kids understand Easter is about Jesus. 3. For your heart to be refreshed in receiving Jesus love. As you read through the Gospels, one of the most prominent aspects of Jesus ministry is his teaching through parables. With great patience, he took time to put what he was teaching into terms his audience could easily understand. He kept it relevant and relatable. He made lofty, hard-to-wrapyour-head-around spiritual truths easier to comprehend and people grew closer to him and God because of it. Jesus helped guide their faith discoveries so what they learned was cemented in their hearts and minds because they made the discoveries for themselves. Take a moment to think about your personal faith discoveries. Which do you remember most vividly and why? Like Jesus, you can help your kids to grasp some big spiritual concepts and truly own their faith. Stay connected to their world and the things they re interested in. Then, watch for opportunities to draw spiritual parallels between events and aspects of their lives to guide their discoveries about God. When you help your kids engage God in their daily lives (not just at church), you pave the way for genuine spiritual maturity that ll stick with them into adulthood. Keys to Impact Here are keys to include in your faith discovery guidance: Engage in activities that tie into spiritual concepts. Get your kids moving and interacting, with purpose, as they learn. Keep focused on developing the spiritual tie-in to activities. When possible, include sights, sounds, and even smells to fully engage your kids. Stimulating kids senses helps cement truths into their memory and cultivate richer understanding.
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many. Matthew 20:28 Teachable Moment Key Verse: Come to me, all you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 Jesus Attraction Read aloud Matthew 11:28 until you can say it by yourself. Jesus wants us to come to him. Here s an experiment to show what that s like: 1) Slide several O-shaped cereal pieces to the end of a piece of string with a knot in the end that keeps the cereal from falling off. 2) Rub a plastic comb on a wool sweater or your hair so the comb s full of static electricity. 3) Carefully move the comb toward the cereal hanging on the string. Parenting Insights Help your children build strong, lasting friendships with Jesus: 1. Show kids how your relationship with God works. In ageappropriate words, talk to children about times you ve felt really close to God. 2. Model a prayer life for children. Let kids overhear your daily talks with God. Also, frequently discuss ways that God answers your prayers. 3. Emphasize that the Bible is relevant. Apply a specific biblical message to a child s situation. For example, if your children are afraid, explain that the Bible says God will never leave them. 4. Encourage children to trust Jesus during tough times. Remind kids that their best friend, Jesus, has a plan for their lives. (Parents Guide to the Spiritual Growth of Children) What happens? The cereal moves toward the comb, just like Jesus wants us to move toward him! What is it about Jesus that draws us to him? Why is it important to stay close to Jesus? (Adapted from an activity in My Hands-On Bible; Group Publishing)
MEDIA MADNESS MOVIES Title: Oz the Great and Powerful (Releases 3/8/2013) Genre: Fantasy/Action/Adventure Rating: PG Cast: James Franco, Michelle Williams, Rachel Weisz, Mila Kunis Synopsis: A prequel to the adventure of beloved Dorothy from Kansas in the classic Wizard of Oz. Our Take: Though Disney produced this movie, the trailers reveal dark and scary elements that may frighten young children, as well as some sensuality. Rating details include scary images and brief, mild language. If possible, preview (or have a friend preview) this movie before taking your kids to see it. GAMES, SITES & APPS BOOKS Title: The Donkey Who Carried a King Author: R.C. Sproul Publisher: Reformation Trust Publishing (2012) Summary: A young boy, hurt by always being picked last for games at school, learns the most important lesson of all from the donkey who carried Jesus into Jerusalem. Our Take: Sproul offers a unique and age-appropriate angle on Jesus arrival into Jerusalem, his crucifixion, and his return after death. A contemplative book for the family to read together on Easter or any other day. Best for ages 7 to 11. CULTURE & TRENDS Are you a Pinner? In the realm of social media, a fairly new website has been making waves and grabbing the attention of millions pinterest.com. If you re part of the pinning team (or even if you aren t), visit pinterest.com/childrensminmag for fantastic, pinteresting ideas for Easter and more. Did you know... Title Animal Crossing: New Leaf Poptropica.com Meegenius! Content The next installment of the Animal Crossing open world games. Kids get to govern and live in virtual towns inhabited by talking animals. A popular website designed by Family Education Network. Kids reading and comprehension skills get challenged through the activities and games. A very popular e-book app for kids. Meegenius! dictates books for your kids and helps them with word recognition. This page is designed to help educate parents and isn t meant to endorse any movie, music, or product. Our prayer is that you ll make informed decisions about what your children watch, listen to, and play. Rating & Platform Not yet rated; other games in the series received an E for Everyone. For Nintendo platforms; $39.99. Kid-friendly and safe. Basic account is free but advanced features require a monthly fee. Available at itunes. The app is free and most books range from $1.99 to $2.99 each. More than 200 languages were reported in the 2011 Canadian Census of Population as a home language or mother tongue. In 2011, 17.5% of the Canadian population, or 5.8 million persons, reported speaking at least two languages at home. In 2006, 14.2% did so (nearly 4.5 million persons)