Northwood Parents

This week, our preschoolers will be learning from John 17.  They will hear that Jesus taught us to pray for others and ourselves.  This week, your preschooler will learn that he can talk to God about anything.  He will hear how Jesus prayed and how we can pray just the same way.  God cares about us and wants us to talk to Him about what’s going on in our lives.  Sunday night, ask your child who he can pray for?  Take some time before bedtime to pray for those people and their needs with your preschooler.

Elementary kids will finish up their month of focusing on orderliness – arranging things to make your day easier this Sunday!  Kids will learn that it makes more sense to put God first.  We want your child to understand that God is the most important part of their lives.  We want kids to learn that, when we choose to put God first and focus on Him, everything else falls into place.  On the ride home Sunday, talk with your child about ways she can put God first.  Talk with your child about church and how it is more important than practice, homework, or school!  Talk about reading your Bible and how we need to take time everyday to spend with God!  Talk about praying and how Jesus wants us to talk to Him!

I hope you have a great weekend and look forward to this Sunday!

Here’s how you can take what we’re teaching on Sunday and let it make a difference in your child’s life …

This Sunday, preschoolers will continue their month long discussion of how we can love God.  All month, your preschooler has been learning that we can love God just like Jesus did.  All month, preschoolers will take a look at the life of Jesus and learn how they can be like Him.  This week your preschooler will hear about a time when Jesus appeared to a man named Saul and taught him to love God and love other people.  Saul learned that the best way he could love God was to love the people around him.  Sunday night, during bathtime, talk with your preschooler about some ways he can show love to those in his own family.  Use a bathtub crayon and write the names of the people that your preschooler can show love to on the tub.  Before you tuck your preschooler in Sunday night, take some time to pray for the people in your family.

Elementary kids will continue to learn about orderliness this month – arranging things to make your day easier.  This week, your child will learn that one way we can get things done is through the help of others.  Your child will learn that  God gave us other people to help us.  At lunch on Sunday, talk with your child about those who help her get stuff done at home, at school, and at church.  Talk with your child about people God has placed in your life to help you!

A Decade Ago… 

I had just graduated high school 7 months ago. 

I had completed my first semester at North Greenville College, majoring in Broadcast Journalism.  This would be my career and I was so excited to get started.

 I was interning at WYFF 4 periodically and working in radio in preparation for my future. 

Weekends were spent hanging out with Jason, Stuart, Joe, and anyone else who happened to be nearby.  Other people were certainly not a priority of my life.

My heart was determined to never go back to any church that seemed traditional (choir, steeple, and coats and ties made it traditional in my eyes)

 I was serving in children’s ministry at a new church start, never imagining that I would one day lead children in a full-time capacity.

 I had no desire to work in the church as a full-time staff member.  It was mostly filled with stuffy, boring people and who would want to work with them everyday? 

I had never been through the doors of Northwood Baptist Church and had no plans to do so.

 I had never heard of a Pastor named Michael Joe Harvell, who would later become a mentor, friend, and pastor.

 I had no idea that I would lead a change in children’s ministry at Northwood and be part of creating an environment where kids can’t wait to get to church.

Today …

 I still can’t believe that I get to do this.  I am so incapable, unworthy, and unqualified.  There are days when I love what I do and days when I would be willing to do anything else. 

I have no doubt that God called me into ministry and I love serving parents and children. 

I know that there is a church where coats and ties, choir, and steeples are secondary and Jesus is primary. 

I am blessed to serve under a Pastor who sacrificially gives of himself to better the lives of me and his congregation.  I watch it happen everyday.

 I can only imagine what the next ten years will hold.  There will surely be good days and bad days.  There will be days when I rejoice and days when I struggle.  But – as I remember where I came from, I also trust that the best is yet to come!  I can’t wait!

Yes!  It is crazy!  It’s the most busy … I mean wonderful … time of the year!  While you read this, take time right now to breathe!  Sit back!  Chill!  Relax for just a moment and then come back and finish reading…

Isn’t it amazing that, during the most wonderful time of the year, it’s easy to forget why it is?  It’s most wonderful because of our most wonderful Savior!  Emmanuel – God with us!  Christmas is all about celebrating that we are not alone.  God is here!  With us!  Right now!  It doesn’t matter whether I get or give the right gift!  It doesn’t matter how much money I spend!  It doesn’t matter how many Christmas parties I attend!  God loves me!  He is with me!  He will not leave! 

I am so grateful that, while man cannot see my heart - Jesus does!   While man cannot provide constant comfort and companionship– Jesus does!  While man fails – Jesus does not!  While man looks on the outside – Jesus does not!  While man is too busy for me – Jesus is not!  And that’s why I celebrate!  Hope you’ll join me!

This Sunday, preschoolers will hear about a time when Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem.  When they got there, they had to stay in a stable.  Baby Jesus was born in a stable and went to sleep where the animals eat.  Preschoolers will have the opportunity to pretend that they are Mary and Joseph on the way to Bethlehem.  They will experience the story with live drama and storytellers in their age group appropriate environment.  Sunday night, at bath time, let your preschooler take a bubble bath and make fluffy sheep with the bubbles.  Try to herd the sheep into one end of the tub.  Talk with your preschooler about how amazing it must have been for the shepherds to see Baby Jesus!  Take some time before bed to thank God for His greatest gift, Jesus!

Elementary kids will continue learning about compassion this week.  They will hear how John the Baptist was a “preview” of Jesus.  They will hear that God sent His Son, Jesus, to the world to let us know that He is compassionate and cares about us.  We also have the great opportunity to let others know about this incredible gift!  On the ride home Sunday, talk to your child about a time when you did not show compassion in a situation and wish that you would have.  Help your child understand that we need to show compassion to everyone, at all times!

I can’t wait to see your child Sunday!  Remember … one hour with us is not enough!  Take some time to reinforce what we teach at church by using these suggestions!  I promise …  it will make a difference!

Here’s what’s happening in children’s ministry this week at Northwood…

During the month of December, preschoolers will learn that God loves us so much that He gave us Jesus.  This week, your preschooler will learn that God sent an angel to tell Mary that she would have a baby.  This was going to be a very special baby.  Mary was going to have Jesus!  Your preschooler will watch during story time has an angel announces the news that Mary’s baby is on the way!  Sometime this week, turn off all the lights in the room except for the Christmas tree lights.  You can substitute a candle or special light for the tree.  Lay on the floor with your preschooler and talk about their favorite things about Christmas as you watch the lights.  Then, pray and thank God for giving us Jesus, the most wonderful gift of the Christmas season.

Elementary kids begin a month of learning about the virtue of Compassion – caring enough to do something about someone else’s need.  This week, kids will learn that we can get so wrapped up in ourselves, that we forget about the needs of others.  God wants us to care about others more than ourselves.  This month, kids will have an opportunity to show compassion through our Compassion in Action.  We will ask kids to bring any of these travel size items:  mouthwash, soap, Band-Aids, lotion, hand sanitizer, and packs of individually wrapped crackers.  We will donate these items to the Salvation Army.  We really want kids to understand that, even in this season of getting, we can also have compassion on others by giving to them … but we need your help!  Encourage your child to look for opportunities this month to care more for others than himself.

It’s going to be a great month and I’m looking forward to seeing your child here this week!

Recently, at FW Friends on Wednesday night, we took green construction paper and markers and created cards for a little boy one of our volunteers had heard about named Noah who had been diagnosed with cancer and wasn’t expected to live until Christmas.  His parents decided to have his Christmas early and asked people to send him Christmas cards.  Our children’s ministry created the cards and mailed them to Noah’s family.

CNN recently did a story on Noah and, in the story, you will notice lots of green paper with kids’ handwriting on them!  That’s us!  Look closely and you will see your child’s card.  Just look for green construction paper.  They all look very familiar.  Here is the link!  Enjoy!

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/living/2009/11/13/boy.early.christmas.wdiv

Tomorrow night, after FW Friends, all parents of elementary kids are invited to join us in the children’s ministry area for FW Friends Sundae Wednesday!  It’ll be an opportunity for parents and kids to enjoy an ice cream sundae on us after worship and learn just what FW Friends is all about.

There are five truths that I believe are from God that shape our midweek ministry to children at Northwood.  Five truths that didn’t come from a curriculum or from a book about children’s ministry, but came from God for this church.  Five truths that shape who we are:

1.  All children want a group of friends that they know and trust.

2.  Children have the greatest opportunity to tell others about Christ than any other people group.

3.  Children deserve to have a safe, exciting, place that offers both variety and stability.

4.  Children need to grow up understanding that life is about serving others.

5.  Parents must understand their role as a parent in the process of reaching their own and other children for Christ.

You see, FW Friends is not just another program to occupy kids while parents are in worship service.  It’s not just another opportunity for kids whose parents choose to bring them to church instead of keeping them at home to do homework.  It’s an opportunity to teach kids what it means to lead other kids to Christ.  It’s an oppportunity for you, as a parent, to make a difference in the lives of other kids!  Join me tomorrow night as I explain how you can make a difference!

Stains on the carpet!  Recently, I was making a list of some “to-do’s” for the children’s ministry area.  As I surveyed the area early last week, one of the areas of improvement that kept coming back again and again was:  This carpet has to be cleaned…or better yet, replaced.  It’s not that the carpet is dirty.  As a matter of fact, I would be totally comfortable eating off of it but, when you look at the carpet, you can’t help but see spots red kool-aid, dark coloring, and stains that stick out like a sore thumb.  At first, I was annoyed thinking to myself, I can’t believe this carpet looks like this!  You would think the kids could keep it clean!

What in the world am I thinking?  I am, as strange as it may sound, proud of those spots!  There’s one huge red spot of kool-aid right up next to the stage.  That spot came from a kid who attended our Sports Camp this summer!  I wonder if that child heard about Jesus for the first time at Sports Camp?  I wonder if he felt a pat on the back that he had never felt before?  I wonder if he understood, for the first time, that Jesus paid an ultimate price for him?  There’s also a big, nice green spot in the center of the large group room!  It came on a Wednesday night when one of our volunteers accidently poured green slime on a child and completely missed the drop cloth!  I wonder if the child, covered in slime, understood maybe for the first time, that church could be a fun place?  I wonder if she learned that children’s ministry can be a relaxed, cool place to learn about the love of Christ?  There’s also a big brown spot on the left side of the large group area.  It came off of the feet of a child with muddy shoes years ago and has yet to come out!  I can still see his face.  I wonder where that child is now?  I wonder if he remembers what he learned in that room?  I wonder if it makes a difference in his life today as he is a teenager? I wonder if he remembers his first Wednesday night and how he learned that he could trust God not matter what happens in his life and the many questions he had that night?

Yeah!  Those stains don’t look too good!  As a matter of fact, new carpet would still be nice …  but …  I have a brand new perspective.  I wouldn’t trade those stains for anything!  Those stains represent ministry.  Those stains are there because of what has been accomplished in that room.  Those stains are why I’m here!  As a matter of fact, I’m hoping we get more stains than I can count!  Stains make all the difference!