Happy New Year! We ended last year with about forty children participating in an awesome Christmas musical. The sanctuary was full of proud parents and grandparents who enjoyed the program and shared a meal afterwards. A few brave souls went out caroling to our neighbors in very cold weather. It was fun and we hope to do it again next year.
A week later about twenty children enthusiastically played bells at our Family Christmas Eve Service, followed by a children’s message given by Ryan Wellner who, yes, really was wearing candy cane stockings.
It was a beautiful night to celebrate the night before Jesus’ birth. Huge snow flakes fell outside the entire evening and it was truly a Winter Wonderland when we left to go home.
This month our 3-5yr old children will be introduced to Jesus’ interactions with His family and friends as a boy and as an adult; staying behind in the temple, going to a wedding and visiting Mary and Martha.
By following Jesus’ teachings, children in the k-3rd grades will learn they can live their lives in extreme ways, which is the best way. They will learn He asks us to love others by loving our enemies and loving those who hurt us. Through the story of the woman caught in adultery, they will learn Jesus taught us to forgive in extreme ways. Children will also learn about extreme serving. We need to serve others as if we are serving Jesus, to serve just like He did, and to serve quietly, without asking for attention or reward. By the end of this unit, kids will understand what it means to follow Jesus’ teachings in order to live an Extreme Life—the very best possible life.
4th and 5th grades will learn about God’s plan for community, Kids will learn how to do life together in Groups, which is one of the 5-Gs. They will learn that God has given us the Church, as a place for community, to learn and grow closer to Him and to one another. As part of community in Groups, children will also learn the Bible’s teaching on conflict resolution. They will discover that in God’s community, they can get to know each other, pray for and serve each other, and celebrate. Each lesson is designed to lay the foundation so your kids will see the advantages of doing life together with God in the picture.
May God Bless you and your family as you start this new year, keeping Him first in your lives, and praising Him for who He is.
Dar Muehlhausen