Woo hoo!!!!! March is here and we still have snow!!!! I promise I will take down the snowmen and white lights before Easter arrives. I love snow, but I really do love spring and the new birth of flowers popping up out of the ground reminding me of the new birth we are given when we have been made alive in Christ.
I have a couple updates to share with you. Our workshop, Parents as Spiritual Mentors, happened as planned and was attended by 30 parents. We were so appreciative to Steve 
from the Covenant denomination for traveling in very snowy weather to present such an inspiring and informational seminar for us. His heart for children is amazing and very contagious. If you missed this opportunity, hopefully we will be able to offer it again in the near future. I’m hearing parents who attended sharing how they are using some of his ideas with their own children and the kids in Promiseland who they teach each week.
On March 21st, at 10am, RCC’s Outreach Team will provide another opportunity for you and your children to come to the church and decorate bags for the homeless. Inside these bags we will be putting trail mix, cheese/peanut butter crackers, hard candy, and other goodies. Please bring items for stuffing. These bags will be given to Kurt Harker and the Street Team to give to the homeless they encounter. Contact Tina Fleener for additional information at 317-664-0787.
The last Sunday of the month is Palm Sunday and like always the Promiseland kids will bring palm branches into worship upstairs for both services.
Get your calendars out and put June 22 on it for Riverside’s Vacation Bible School. We are
moving from July to June this year and hope this will fit into all of your schedules! Our theme will be Everest, yes the snowy mountain, just what we want hear right now. I predict by the end of June we might be able to get excited about snow again. ?
This month our 3-5 year old kids are learning about the early church and how we are just like them, learning about and worshiping God each week at church. They will also discover we can help others and tell them about Jesus, just like the first church did.
By using several stories from the life of Peter as told in the Gospels and the book of Acts, the k-1st graders are hearing lessons emphasizing God created all people with distinct qualities, and we will focus on three of them: All people are created to be in a relationship with God and with one another; all people are given responsibilities; and all people are given the ability to think and make choices.
Jesus often used stories called “parables” to communicate truths to His listener. In the 2nd-3rd grade, kids will hear five different parables that Illustrate important truths about the sin in our lives. Kids will be challenged to train in order to win against sin, much like an athlete trains his or her body. In the Parable of the Sheep and Goats, the kids will learn God hates the sin of self-centeredness, and He wants us to care for others. In the Parable of the Wedding Feast, they will learn God hates the sin of pride and He wants us to be humble. They will hear the Parable of the Rich Man, learning God hates the sin of greed and He wants us to be generous. In the next Parable they will hear about the Workers in the Vineyard and God hates the sin of envy and wants us to be content with what we have. In the last Parable they will hear about the Unforgiving Servant, learning God hates the sin of not forgiving others, and He wants us to forgive.
Your 4th-5th graders are learning there is a battle between God and Satan. God’s mission is to help as many people in this world as possible believe in and follow Him, and grow Christians into the people He wants them to be. Satan’s mission is to prevent people from believing and following God, and prevent Christians from growing into the people God wants them to be. Kids will have an opportunity to become believers and be on God’s side in the battle. They will learn when they become believers, they have access to the full Armor of God to help them stand firm against the schemes of the devil. Kids will learn to put on the Helmet of Salvation which reminds them they are in God’s family and on His side in the battle. In the 2nd week they will learn the Sword of the Spirit, the Bible, helps children discern right from wrong when they are attacked by Satan. In lesson 3 kids will learn to wear the Belt of Truth which helps them distinguish the difference between God’s truth and Satan’s lies. Next they will learn that putting on the Breastplate of righteousness – righteous actions – protects their heart and character from Satan’s blows. In the next lesson they will hear about putting on the Shield of Faith to defend themselves against Satan’s arrows of attacks on their faith. And finally, the importance of putting on the Shoes of the Gospel of Peace will be taught to the kids. They will learn the importance of being ready to share the good news of Jesus with their lost friends.
Our hope and prayer in Promiseland is to partner with you to “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it”. Proverbs 22:6
Dar Muehlhausen
Children’s Discipleship Director