As Christmas made its appearance last Sunday in Promiseland, we experienced the excitement as the kids stepped into the Promiseland hallway. Giant candy canes and twinkling lights greeted them. We also brought out the hand bells for the kids to play to Silent Night. They were remarkably good as we worshiped and praised God through music.
We would like to invite you and your families to our Children’s Christmas Celebration on Sunday, December 16 at 4:30. It will look a little different this year, but will still be a fun time for the whole family as we watch some of your children on video telling the Christmas story. We will sing songs, have some fun activities for everyone, and share a meal and birthday cake for Jesus. We hope you will all join us.
Last Sunday Matt and Sandy Waninger shared in the service how they as a family use a list of Biblical Virtues to pray with their kids each night. If you were not here to receive a copy of the virtues, they will be available at the check-in table in Promiseland. Thank you to the Waningers for helping to equip parents with a tool to use as they pray with their children each night.
This month our 3-5 yr. old kids will hear as the Christmas story comes to life, from the angels and shepherds to Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus. Lessons 1 and 3 focus on the angels and the shepherds, while lesson 2 gives kids an opportunity to act out the story and provides extra time for a special class celebration. The week of Christmas, the wise men will be introduced.
The K-1st grade kids will celebrate God’s unstoppable love, which He showed to us by sending His Son, Jesus, at Christmas. They will learn God sent His angels to announce Jesus’ birth. They will celebrate the birth of Jesus in a music celebration. Kids will hear the Christmas story from two unique perspectives. They will consider what might have happened if people had said, “No Way,” to God’s plan for Jesus’ birth, and they will experience the first Christmas through the eyes of a young shepherd boy. They will hear about God’s unstoppable love for them and be challenged to think about how they can celebrate God’s love this Christmas. Kids will learn that God wants everyone, young and old, to know Jesus. 
To help the 2nd-5th grade kids understand the Christmas story better, they will learn God loves us so much He sent His Son to earth as a baby. His love could not be stopped by any person or circumstance — it was “unstoppable.” They will see a creative narrative showing how many times the Christmas story might have been different based on people’s choices. Next, they will have an opportunity to celebrate Christmas in an extended music time. The last two weeks they will see videos and learn God wouldn’t allow anything to stop His wonderful plan to redeem the world and that they are never too big or too little for Christmas.
This Christmas season, may the retelling of the age old Christmas story move us in a new way, causing us to bow down and worship Jesus.
Joyfully,
Dar Muehlhausen