Welcome Parents

Welcome to our Kids Ministry Newsletter! We are so happy you are here! This newsletter the source for you to "be in the know" about all things Kids Min. Check in for updates on Events, Kids Sunday Series, and Parent Support.

Kids Ministry for ages birth-5th grade is available at 9:00AM and 10:40AM. Our volunteer team is ready to connect with your kids 15 minutes prior to the service start. 

Upcoming Event: Parent Playbook

Parenting is hard, and it doesn’t come with a manual — but what if you had a playbook to help you pass on your faith to your children? Join us on February 2nd, from 12:15 PM to 2:00 PM, for a parenting workshop where you’ll gain practical tools and strategies to equip you for every season of the parenting journey. Click the button below to sign up and let us know you're coming!

New 4th and 5th Grade Gathering:

Starting January 5th, your 4th or 5th grade child will check in, receive a name tag, and join their leaders in the worship center for the music portion of our service. Afterward, they'll head to the FLC for exciting group games and community time then head downstairs to their classroom for snacks and a small group experience.

Throughout this time, we’ll also provide intentional opportunities to learn about and practice key elements of our main Sunday gathering, such as prayer, communion, engaging with the sermon, and service opportunities.

Calendar

Family Room is Open!

Welcome to our Family Room! This space is designed for families with young children who need to wiggle, move, and play during our Sunday gathering. Feel free to enjoy this area with your child—it’s a safe and welcoming spot for little ones to explore while you stay connected!

Current Elementary Series

Live Out Loud:

Telling a great story is exciting, but when you get to add your own noises, things get…well… (insert Kaboom sound) explosively fun! That’s exactly what kids will be doing during the “Live Out Loud” series. Using their mouths, bodies, and just about anything else they can find, kids will help make the early stories of Jesus’ life come alive with sound effects. The sounds of the story won’t be the only thing making noise, though. As kids hear about the wisdom, love and compassion that Jesus showed, they’ll learn that following his example will help them to “Live Out Loud” so that other people take notice and wonder who or what made them so extraordinary

Jan 5 Jesus in the Temple: 1 Kings 12:1-24; Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; 53

Big Idea: God gives us hope through the promise of Jesus.

Jan Jesus is Baptized: Luke 3; Matthew 3; Mark 1:29-34

Big Idea: Baptism gives us a picture of Jesus’ amazing sacrifice

Jan 19 Jesus is Tempted in the Desert: Luke 4:1-13

Big Idea: Jesus said “no” to sin, and so can we

Jan 26 Jesus is Rejected in Nazareth: Luke 4:16-30

Big Idea: Jesus was rejected for saying unpopular things.

PARENTING FROM THE EXPERTS

How Can We Make This Year Better?

Parent Cue: Leah Jennings

I love a good fresh start. 

I’m a sucker for Mondays. I dutifully write New Year resolutions every year. There’s nothing like breaking in a brand-new notebook. And Spring cleaning? That is my jam.

If you’re anything like me, you are charmed by the magic of new beginnings too. And after the year we’ve all had, we could use some hope, good news, and a bit of normalcy—especially when it comes to our family’s rhythm and the kids’ upcoming school year.

But even though we may feel ready for a change of pace, that doesn’t mean we aren’t without all of the normal feelings associated with the start of a new school year—the anxiety, the worry, and the sense that nothing is quite within our control are all still there. Maybe even more so. We have absolutely no idea what to expect, and that makes us nervous because if there’s anything the last year taught us, it’s that we must expect the unexpected to happen. And if we think we’re anxious, just think about how the kids are feeling. Happy? Sure. But uncertain too.

But friend, before we spiral into all of the “what ifs,” let’s think about what is within our control for the upcoming year:

We can start by being hopeful. We have no idea what this year will look like. But guess what? You’re here right now reading this blog post so that means up to this point, you have survived your worst days. Your kids too. If that doesn’t add a little razzle dazzle to your mood, I don’t know what will.

We can focus on all the things that can go right this year. We can all make a list of the things that can go wrong in a school year. There’s bullying. There’s peer pressure. There’s academic pressure. There are all the things. It’s easy to think of ways the year will go wrong. I’m asking you to do the more difficult thing and to start thinking constantly about all the things that can be really great about the school year. Make a list of all of your hopes for the new year and put it somewhere the whole family can see.

We can establish brand-spankin’-new rhythms. We often fall into the habit of doing what we’ve always done. But maybe this season requires something different of us. This year, we might need to establish new routines instead of fitting into our old ones. We’re different now. So maybe the rhythm of our family needs to be different too.

We can expect to fall apart at least once. Meltdowns may be on the horizon . . . for you, not your kids. Why? Because even though this year may be better than the last, it will still be hard. There will still be challenges, heartache, misunderstandings, and confusion. And sometimes, those situations warrant some emotional releases. And that’s okay—if we expect a breakdown of some kind, then maybe we won’t beat ourselves up about it when it happens. 

We may not know what lies ahead of us this school year, but we do know last year made us stronger, more capable versions of our former selves. After a year like 2020, we’d be hard-pressed to find something we cannot tackle in 2021. 

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