Children's Worship Update

Preschool

Today your children worked on catechism question 9, but spent time reviewing questions 1 - 9.  Today the lesson emphasized that God gives us everything we need.  They discussed different ways that God takes care of us.  

 They sang "Three in One" (tune of Frere Jacques)

God the Father, (God the Father),

God the Son, (God the Son),

God the Holy Spirit, (God the Holy Spirit),

Three in One, (Three in One).

Next week the preschool class will have an opportunity to say their catechism answers.                                                                                              

Elementary

The Elementary class had a chance to say their catechism answers today.  Please check for the catechism slip indicating the number they learned in class.  This way your child can keep track in his/her catechism booklet at home with stickers.  Children worked on learning catechism questions 41 and 42.  We discussed the word regeneration (catechism question 41) and how it is the Holy Spirit's work in our hearts.  When discussing catechism question 42,  (Who can change a sinner's heart? The Holy Spirit alone.) we talked about when the Holy Spirit regenerates our hearts he gives us the power to turn away from sin and love God. The scripture passage shared today was from Acts 9:1-31.  (Saul's Conversion and Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem)

Memory Verses for November

Critters (2yr olds – 3 yr olds):

Nov & Dec: Romans 3:23 All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Sprouts & Seekers (Preschool – 1^st Grade): 

Nov: John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Adventurers (2^nd – 5^th  Grade):

Nov: Isaiah 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

Fall Play date fun

The kids had a great time parading around the park for some yummy treats!  

Upcoming Events for Preschool and Elementary Children:

PRESCHOOL

Thursday, November 3^rd from 9:30-11:30 AM: Service Play Date – Thanksgiving Bags for MCEF.  This fall we are going to have a service play date to help those in need during the Thanksgiving holiday.  We will be decorating and stuffing bags with Thanksgiving dinner items for MCEF.  We will be meeting at Laura Longmire’s house at 9:30.  If you are able to attend, please RSVP to Christy Villhauer (cvillhauer@gmail.com or 703-577-7657).

ELEMENTARY

 Grace Kids Club hosted by John and Ruthie Best:  Saturday, November 5^th from 3:30 - 5:00 PM.  (Kindergarten - 5th grade).  Join us for a Game Event at 9419 Wild Rose Court.  Kids will have a chance to choose a few events from the following to participate in during our time:  foosball, charades, basketball or football, kickball, crafts. If they would rather not participate, they are still welcome to come and cheer for their friends! Snacks will be provided.  Hope your kids can join us! Feel free to have them invite friends to come too.  RSVP to julie@gcpres.org.

Pumpkin Patch Pictures

We had a great time at Hanover Vegetable Farm for our Pumpkin Picking trip!  A little too windy for smores, but no one seemed too upset about eating chocolate bars and marshmallows.  

Children's Worship Update

Preschool

 On Sunday your children worked on catechism questions 6-8 (The Trinity).  Their lesson today was on Matthew 14: 22 - 32.  Children participated in an action activity pretending they were boats on the sea to help act out the story.  They were rocking gently and then fiercely with a lot of wind.  Children ended the lesson with placing stickers around a triangle in their journals (The stickers placed on the triangle were: Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and Trinity was placed in the middle.The journals stay at church, but feel free to take a look at them anytime!)                                                                                                 Next week the preschool class will have an opportunity to say their catechism answers!! 

Elementary

The Elementary class had a chance to say their catechism answers on Sunday.  Please check for the catechism slip indicating the number they learned in class.  This way your child can keep track in his/her catechism booklet at home with stickers.  This past Sunday, children worked on learning catechism questions 36 -40.  During the lesson, children heard how without the Holy Spirit's work in our hearts, we could never know or love God.  Children heard a Bible story from Genesis 4:1-16 to help teach the catechisms this week. This is a familiar Bible study to many of the children, but it is helpful when discussing the questions.  Making the connection to the Bible story will help your child better understand what they are saying and avoid rote memorization of the questions and answers. 

Children's Worship - Excellent Resources Available!!

Ask Me Whooo cd's (Volume 1 and Volume 2) available at resource table for $10.  

Volume 1 has catechism questions 1 - 53 and Volume 2 has catechism questions 54 - 108.  This is an excellent resource to have for your children.  My children LOVE listening to them and the cds are a great reinforcement to our lessons on Sunday morning!! The questions and answers are stated exactly from the booklet we use during children's worship:  First Catechism Teaching Children Bible Truths

Check out the following link for more information regarding Ask Me Whooo:  www.askmewhooo.com

Grace Kids Service Opportunity

Please see below for an opportunity for your children to participate in a service opportunity with MCEF (Mechanicsville Churches Emergency Functions)

The holidays are coming up soon and MCEF will be giving out extra food to patrons during the month of November.  Along with their regular bags of groceries, our pantry patrons will receive a pre-packed grocery bag (no turkey this year) containing the following items for Thanksgiving dinner:  

1 box stuffing mix

1 can or envelope gray mix

13 oz. box instant potatoes

2 cans green beans

1 can (reduced sodium) mushroom soup

1 can french fried onions

1 box roll mix

1 box pie crust mix

1 can pumpkin pie filling (or any type of pie filling)

1 can yams

1 can cranberry sauce
Thanksgiving pre-packed grocery bags will be handed out to families visiting the pantry, from the last week of October through the end of November.  Each family can visit the pantry once a month and we want to be sure everyone receives a holiday bag before Thanksgiving. 

If you would like to participate in this service opportunity please plan to bring bags to church on Sunday, October 23rd.  You could partner with another family to fill a bag as well.  I will deliver the bags and food items to the Pantry the following week.  Encourage your children to add a decoration to the bag.  We are planning on incorporating this service opportunity into a preschool play date early in November.

Sunday Community Memory Verses - October

Adventurers: 2nd - 5th grade class

Isaiah 53:4  “Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.

Sprouts (Preschool) and Seekers (Kindergarten - 1st grade) have the same memory verse: 

Psalm 100:4 “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.”

Check out the video below for hand motions to accompany the verse. 

Critters (2 year olds & 3 year olds) - Just a reminder that our youngest Sunday Community class will be working on the same verse for 2 months.  Their verse for September and October is: 

Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." 
Check out September 12th post for hand motions for Critters memory verse.