New Year's Idea for Kids

Taking a break the past week to spend time with family in PA.  We happened to be there during a snow storm.  Kids had a great time - of course we spent just as much time bundling up to go outside in the snow as we did playing in it. :)  Some fun pictures of our time in the snow!!!

I found this lesson on the Ministry to Children website.  I know as adults we are always looking to start fresh with the New Year (as is true of myself with charts on our pantry door to keep track of workouts!)

I really like this lesson for our children as a way to bring their attention to God and ways they could seek Him more.  If you have a minute over the holiday vacation I encourage you to take  a look at the following link:  New Year's Idea for Kids (Ministry to Children Website)

Sunday Communities and Grace Kids Worship will begin next Sunday, January 6th

Children's worship - We are continuing with the Catechism Question curriculum.  The Ask Me Whooo Cds available at the resource table and are an excellent tool to help your children with learning the catechisms.  

Save the date:  January 26th - Burkwood Swimming: 6:45 PM - 8:15 PM

Please let me know at julie@gcpres.org if you are planning on attending. Feel free to invite friends!!

Grace Kids Update

Children will be listening to a beautiful story, Song of the Stars by Sally Lloyd-Jones at the Christmas Eve Service.  Following the story they will be singing Away in a Manger along with the congregation. This is not something the children need to have memorized.  We did sing it this past Sunday in children's worship and included hand motions to go along with it for the preschool class.  They sounded so sweet singing.  

Away In a Manger (the crossings website) :  Hand motions if you wanted to go over with your children but they will not be using the motions during the singing at church.  I just included as a way to help them with learning the song. 

Final week of Advent:

This past Sunday the pink candle of Joy was shared during the service.  The pink candle ornaments were available on the tree for families. You could use this week to have children share things they are joyful about this Christmas.  Share with the children Luke 2:10 and discuss how everything we do to prepare for Christmas can fill us with joy about Jesus. 

Week 4:   This purple candle is often called the candle of love.  The ornaments will be on the tree this Sunday, December 23rd.  Please have your child take one following the service.  This week read John 3:16 with your children.  A great thing to talk with your children about before they open presents is why they give things to people.  We have been discussing the past few weeks with the children how our best Christmas gift is that God sent Jesus.  

The fifth white candle is to light on Christmas Day as the Christ candle.  

Reminder:   We will not have Sunday Communities or Grace Kids Worship on December 23rd or December 30th.  

For the crafty folks out there, I have included a link to 5 fun crafts to do with your children:  Christmas Crafts (Ministry to children website)

Grace Kids - COMMUNITY

Thank you so much Christy and Pamela for setting up a fun Christmas play date for our kids.  The kids all enjoyed listening to the stories, making ornaments, and eating some yummy treats.  

Thank you Becky for making the "Jingle Bells" for the kids.  They had a fun time playing a version of hot potato and receiving a bell each time the music stopped and they were holding the reindeer.  

The kids were so sweet singing along while John led them in some Christmas carols.  Ben was very excited to bring his toy saxophone.  The group was very kind to sing along to Happy Birthday Jesus while he played his own notes to accompany the singing. 
Take a look:

New Resource: Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing

So excited to share a new resource with you.  I purchased  6 copies from Westminster Bookstore and they will be available for $10 at the Resource Table this Sunday.  I just received a copy today and LOVE it!!  

Check out the following information from desiring God

http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/top-12-books-of-2012

9. Sally Lloyd-Jones, Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing (Zonderkidz). This is the devotional follow-up to the 2007 release The Jesus Storybook Bible, and is every bit its equal in quality of storytelling and visual illustrations. And it may actually be superior in content. In a devotional style, we see again Lloyd-Jones’s excellence in how she skillfully translates complex and abstract theological categories (like glory) through story to young children. But what I have noticed in reading this to my two youngest children (7 and 5) is how incredibly easy it is to finish the story and be led right into a conversation with them about God. There are some really priceless stories in this new book, including one titled “Dance!” that explains to children God’s inter-Trinitarian delight (19), and one called “Glorify!” to essentially introduce Christian Hedonism in 135 words (52). This is another masterpiece from Sally Lloyd-Jones for parents who want to provoke Godward thoughts in the minds and hearts of their children and families.

You can also see more about the book at Amazon: Thoughts to make your heart sing

In addition to this resource there are many other books and cds available to purchase for a reasonable price at the resource table.  

Check out some fun songs from the same group that sings Bible Book Bop: 
 Go Fish Christmas Songs

Grace Kids Update

Advent Wreath:

picture from: www.sharefaith.com

This past week the second candle was lit on the Advent wreath.  Ornaments were available for each family on the tree.  If you did not have an opportunity to pick up an ornament here is the information listed on the candle:

Week 2:  A week of Preparation - As a family, you can brainstorm a list of things you do to get ready for visitors.  Talk with your children about things you would do differently if Jesus were coming to stay at your house.  Then light the first 2 purple candles on your Advent wreath.  Pray that God will bless your preparations for His Son's arrival.  

Other information to share about the second candle on the Advent wreath.  This is a purple candle representing preparation.  Discuss how just as we get our homes and churches ready for Christmas, we also get our hearts ready for baby Jesus.  Read Mark 1:3-4.  One way of preparation for Christmas is to let other people know that Christmas is all about the birth of our Savior.

 Following the service each week during the Advent Season, families are encouraged to take one ornament from the tree. This coming week there will be pink candles symbolizing Joy.

Grace Kids Worship

The children all did a great job on Sunday singing Bible Book Bop and I'm Gonna Shout 

 Way to go Kids!  Keep on singing God's Word!

Look for new songs soon that the children will be learning.  Continued reinforcement of the Bible Book Bop will help your child with learning the books of the Bible in order. Another good resource to help your children with learning the New Testament Books of the Bible is from a Seeds CD:  New Testament Song

Sunday Communities  

On December 16th, children will have an opportunity to say their memory verses.  Then we will be taking 2 weeks off for Christmas Break.  

Reminder of Memory Verses for December can be found at the following link:  November/December Newsletter

Teaching Children How to Pray

I am excited about two things we are going to be using during our Sunday Community time for preschool - 6th grade classes.

The first idea is a prayer pail:  Preschool - 1st grade.  Please check out the following link from Joy's Hope blog to see an example:  Prayer Pail

I used the example on this blog posting to list out various things for the children to pray for during our time together:  friends, family, praise Him, thank Him, their choice, school, missionaries, church, our city,etc.  The children will each pick a popsicle stick and then pray for that item during prayer time. 

The second idea is Prayer cards (Praise, Thanks, and Request) - 2nd grade - 6th grade.  This idea is from the ministry to children blog:  Teaching Sunday School Students How to Pray I have written a handful of prayers for each prayer card category.  Each week the children can select  from one of the three categories (Praise, Thanks, and Request) and use the prayer on the back of the card to guide their prayer time. 

Children will also be able to share their own prayer requests

 in addition to the suggested ideas.  

Article - Guarding Sabbath

I would encourage you to take a few minutes to read over the following article from the Gospel Coalition Blog.  On any given Sunday I know I can feel frazzled and just go about my busy day.  This is a good reminder of our need for rest and to reconnect as a family.  I hope you find this as encouraging as I did when I read it: 

 How to Guard Sabbath for your children

Reminder for Children's Worship:  This Sunday the PRESCHOOL class will have an opportunity to say their catechism answers.  

Memory Verses/Advent

This past Sunday the Advent Wreaths were handed out at church.  This is a simple craft for your children to assemble.  The first candle added to the wreath was a purple candle.  This is called the candle of hope.  Here is a link to further talk with children about hope because we know Jesus:

 impressyourkids.org/the-indescribable-gift/

Memory Verses for December:

Please work with your children on their memory work.  Teachers will check with the children on 12/16.  You can begin by having your child use the Bible to find the verse.  

Critters:  James 1:17 "Every ...gift is from above."

Sprouts (Preschool): Luke 2:11 "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord."

Explorers (Kindergarten & 1st Grade) and Seekers (2nd & 3rd Grade)

Matthew 1:21 "She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

 Adventurers (4th - 6th Grade) 

Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."

We will not have Sunday Community classes on 12/23 or 12/30.

Reminder - This coming Sunday children will be singing the Bible Book Bop at the end of the service.