The Lenten Tree

Copies of The Lenten Tree Devotions for Children and Adults to Prepare for Christ's Death and His Resurrection by Dean Meador Smith are available on the resource table for $14. Check out the book at the following link:  http://www.amazon.com/Lenten-Tree-Devotions-Children-Resurrection/dp/0687062799

Ornament Sets:  If you purchase a book from church or on your own please help yourself to a set of the Lenten Tree Symbols/Ornaments which correspond to the book.  You will find the symbol/ornament sets beside the Resource Table with a yellow cover sheet and 4 card stock pages of ornaments. 

Ideas for Lenten Tree:

• Have your children draw a tree on poster board and tape ornaments
• Use a door/wall and tape ornaments
• Take sticks/twigs and place in a glass vase and string ornaments to them (add beads in bottom of vase to help hold sticks in place)

*** If your family chooses to participate in the Lenten Tree Devotions this year and you display the ornaments please send me a picture at the completion.  I would love to see the different ways the Lenten Tree is shared. ***

Devotions begin on Ash Wednesday and continue until the Saturday before Easter.

"Lent is a time that children can learn how much Jesus loves them and the great sacrifice He made for their eternal life.  This book is designed to introduce and bring them to Jesus.  It then shows them how Jesus lived the example they are to follow as Christians.  The adult devotions are intended for realization, reflection, and resolve to walk in His steps." (pg. 11 The Lenten Tree Devotions for Children and Adults to Prepare for Christ's Death and His Resurrection by Dean Meador Smith)

Grace Kids Update

"Loving Our Mission Partners"

During the month of February we will focus on praying for our mission partners weekly at church.  Starting this Sunday there will be a "Loving Our Missions Partners" Display board showing all the mission partners GCPC supports.  Different prayer cards will be available weekly with prayer requests for the mission partners we support internationally, domestically, and through the mercy offering.  This is also a great opportunity to involve your children to pray for our mission partners.  

Don't forget to take a prayer card each week during February as different mission  partners will be highlighted weekly.  A suggestion for extending this at home with your children would be to look up the mission partners online to share a bit more with them about the missionaries we support as a church.

Ten Commandments

Children in the elementary children's worship class have been working on the memorizing the Ten Commandments (a fitting time since Clint is also preaching on them). Check out the following blog for hand motions that go along with learning the commandments.  I liked this memorization tool from www.myblessedhome.net/ since the number of the commandment corresponded with the number of fingers the children use to act it out.  

Hand Motions for 10 Commandments - Making it fun!
Printable Ten Commandment Hand Motions

Join us for a Lenten Service of Worship and Communion and Ash Wednesday Supper

February 13th from 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM at Burkwood.  

Childcare is not provided - I did want to let you know that handouts will be made available for  the 2 and 3 year olds - 4th grade.  The service will be about 30 minutes with dinner following. 

Save the Date:  GCPC Easter Egg Hunt 

Sunday, March 24th 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Egg Hunts by age:  3:30 - 3:45 = 3 years old - Preschool

3:45 - 4:00 = Elementary

4:00 - 4:15 = 2 and under

Location: Chickahominy Oaks Pavilion 

Spring Family Pictures available from 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM

We appreciate your RSVP as it helps up plan accordingly - RSVP by March 20th to Tracy: RSVP2Tracy@yahoo.com

Grace Kids Update

Winter Swimming Opportunity for Grace Kids.  If your kids are interested in swimming this Saturday January 26^th, please let me know at julie@gcpres.org.  All children are welcome to attend and invite their friends.  Time: 6:45 PM − 8:15 PM.  Cost will be $5/family. Children can bring floats and water toys.  Noodles and flippers are available for children to use. Water wings are not allowed. 

Memory Verses - Children will have a chance to say their memory verses this week.  There are a variety of things you can do at home to practice verses.Here are a couple ideas I found while searching Pinterest. :)

Memory Verse Craft Idea (www.daniellesplace.com)

• This is such a cute idea using craft sticks - If you have children that enjoy crafts this one could be for them.  The example on the website lists out the Books of the Bible (which is also a handy tool).

Printable's for reviewing Memory Verses (www.homeschoolcreations.net) 

This is a good tool to introduce to Elementary age children.

Children's Worship (Preschool - 2nd grade)

• This coming Sunday the Elementary class will have a chance to answer catechism questions.  Thank you so much for your continued review at home with the children.  Each week we review previously taught catechism questions as well as teach a lesson for new catechism questions. 
• The preschool class has been instructed on questions 1 - 18.  The elementary class has just completed a lesson on questions 73- 75.  Each child has an individual catechism journal in order to work at his/her own pace for answering questions. 
• I was in the elementary class this week and was so encouraged with how well the children did reviewing questions.  We explain the catechism questions with the aim of helping children understand each question and answer rather than just memorizing them to move on to the next number. 

Sunday Community Classes:

• The Sprouts class(preschool) is doing a wonderful job working on memorizing Psalm 23 (NKJV).  This past week their lesson included picture review cards which they put in order while they said the verse that corresponded to it. The picture review cards will stay at church until the conclusion of learning the verse in May. Check out the following link for a handout on helping to teach young children the Psalm:  Psalm 23 Hand Motions
• The Explorers class(Kindergarten - 1st grade) is finishing up the curriculum He Has Spoken By His Son - Part 2 and will begin studying the Ten Commandments on Sunday, Feb. 17th. This past week there lesson was on God Hears Cornelius' Prayers - Acts 10. The aim was to teach that God has no favorites and that He loves everyone. 
• The Seekers class (2nd and 3rd grade) had a lesson on Matthew 9:9-13 - Jesus is a friend of the shunned. They are using the book Telling God's Story Year 1: Meeting Jesus by Peter Enns.  A parent's guide to teaching the Bible is included with the resources and I am happy to lend out if anyone would like to borrow it:  Telling God's Story - Parent's Guide.
• The Adventurers class (4th - 6th grade) has started a new curriculum To Be Like Jesus by Chidlren Desiring God:  Short summary of curriculum. Their lesson this week was on Jesus, God's Holy and Righteous Son.
• Application question: "Because Jesus was a perfect law keeper, did He fulfill God's demands for gaining eternal life? Is that important for you and me?  Why? Read Romans 5:19. What does this verse mean? Who is the one man who will make many righteous? How can He do that?" (pg 19 - To Be Like Jesus: Children Desiring God Curriculum)

Grace Kids Update

So much to share with all of you!!

*I am very excited about a recent book I purchased called The Lenten Tree: Devotions for Children and Adults to prepare for Christ's Death and His Resurrection by Dean Meador Smith.  This book is from the same author as The Jesse Tree book we use at church during Advent and follows the same format.  

"The Lenten Tree book is designed for use during the 40 days of Lent.  The devotions will begin on Ash Wednesday and continue  each day (excluding Sundays) until the Saturday night before Easter morning. There is also a 41st devotion to celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord on Easter Sunday." (pg 10 - The Lenten Tree)

"The devotions in the book center around symbols which represent areas of Jesus Christ and His life.  Each symbol is explained with scriptures, devotions,questions, prayers, memory verses, and songs." (pg. 10 - The Lenten Tree)

Copies of The Lenten Tree will be available on the Resource Table beginning this Sunday for $14.  I personally am looking forward to using this book with our family this year. Ash Wednesday is on February 13th. 

* Children's Bible Reading Plan: If you would like your children to participate in the Bible Reading plan too, then check out the following blog (Head Heart Hand Blog) for a kids printable plan on Genesis. - Bible Reading Plan Handouts - You will need to scroll down this page to the middle and there will be a list of Old Testament and New Testament books.  Click on the link for Genesis and there will be a printable Bible Reading plan. 

Explanation to Children's Bible Reading Plan (Head Heart Hand Blog)

* Baby Bottle Campaign:  Great opportunity to have children involved in giving!

Starting this Sunday, January 20th (Sanctity of Life Sunday) through February 17th. Bottles will be located at the Welcome Table.  This is a fun and easy way to support the Richmond Pregnancy Resource Center.  Grab a baby bottle from the Welcome table and fill it with change over the next month.  There are inserts located in the baby bottles that let you know how your change helps, provides some fun ways to collect change, and includes scripture readings you can share as a family.  There will be a collection basket beside the Welcome Table for filled bottles.  Regardless of the amount filled please return all bottles by February 21st.  

* Don't forget if you are running the Monument Avenue 10K please consider joining the Boaz and Ruth 10K Team (One of our Mercy Missions Partners) - Monument Avenue 10K

Psalm 23

We have one of our youngest Sunday Community Classes memorizing Psalm 23.  This blog posting from Kingdom Life Publishing was passed along to me and I found it a good reminder to the importance of helping our children with scripture memory.  

American Idol (The last paragraph highlights Psalm 23)

Psalm 23:1 "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." 

GCPC Olympics - Date Change

Please note that there has been a date change for our 6th annual 

GCPC Olympics and Picnic

The date listed in the Winter/Spring Brochure is Sunday May 19th but we are moving the GCPC Olympics & Picnic to Sunday, May 5th.  The picnic will begin following the service around 11:30 AM.  Mark your calendars for this fun event coming up later this spring!!

Memory Verses

Memory Verse Cards

Thank you so much to Becky for putting together the memory verse cards for all Sunday Community Classes.  Each month your child will receive an index card covered in contact paper with the memory verse written on it.  The teachers discussed with the children keeping their memory verse cards in a place where they could frequently refer to it on a daily basis.  They will have a chance to share the memory verse at the end of the month.  If your child was absent from class on Sunday, he/she will receive a card this coming week. The Sprouts (preschool) class received their memory verse on a brightly colored sheet of card stock. They will not be receiving a new one monthly as their copy includes all of Psalm 23 which they will be learning through the end of the school year.  Thank you for working on these verses with your children.  The following link is a strategy to help kids stop and reflect on the Bible verse:  Memory Verse Strategy.

Explorers Sunday Community Class saying their verse with hand motions.  

Check out the January/February Newsletter (The Scoop) for their memory verses.

Why Memorize Scripture? by John Piper (Desiring God)

Upcoming Events

 * Winter Swimming Opportunity  

 If your kids are interested in swimming, please let me know at julie@gcpres.org. 

Date:  Saturday January 26^th.  Invite your friends to this event. 

 Location: Burkwood, Time: 6:45 PM − 8:15 PM.  Cost will be $5/family. 

This will be a fun time for all!!!  You are allowed to bring floats and water toys.  There is a net in the pool so a game of volleyball or some variation of it can be played.  

Noodles and flippers are available to use. Water wings are not allowed.

* Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 16th.

Parenting Discussion:  Talking about family issues and faith with your children.  Some topics we will discuss include:  body, family, sex, and how to handle technology and sexuality.  We will have different people leading the discussions during the time.

Location:  New Hanover Presbyterian Church

Time: 9:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Childcare will be available 

 Please rsvp to julie@gcpres.org

* Children's Worship - This coming Sunday the PRESCHOOL class will have an opportunity to answer catechism questions. 

* We will start again this week with Sunday Communities and Grace Kids Worship. Children will continue working on the Bible Book Bop (focusing on learning the New Testament songs in order) and learn another new song too.  Some copies of the Snazzy CD are still available on the resource table.  This cd includes the Bible Book Bop song.  

* Sign Out - Parents of Preschool Children through 3rd Grade please come over to the tables to pick up your child at dismissal (12:00).  In order to help prevent children from running around the cafeteria we keep the children by class at the round tables until parents come over to sign out with teacher. The 4th - 6th grade group is dismissed from their class.  

* Safety reminder - Please keep children away from the Music equipment in the front of the cafeteria.  There are many cords and materials that could fall and we do not want anyone to get hurt. There are spaces available in the cafeteria for children to fellowship as well as the adults following the service.  Please help me in reminding the children to walk in the cafeteria.  Just looking out for the safety of everyone. :) Thank you for your help and cooperation.