Hello parents, I was just ready to add some Springiness to our Promiseland hallway,since Easter is just a few Sun
days away, and then came the SNOW!! I couldn’t bring myself to put away the lighted snowflakes just yet…maybe next week.
This past Sunday, about 40 kids and parents enjoyed the Family Skate Night. As far as I know there were no serious injuries, just a few bumps and bruised egos by those of us that only skate once a year. It was a fun time to laugh and spend time getting to know the Riverside Family better.
Here are a few thoughts about the upcoming Sundays to remember. The kids will bring in palms again this year on Palm Sunday and we also are going to celebrate upstairs on Easter Sunday, leading the congregation in “He Arose”. Our kids learned this song in VBS this past summer. It will be important to get the children here on time, if you want them to participate, as these two events will be at the beginning of the service.
Starting in the Spring Quarter our 3-5yr. kids will hear the story of the widow who gave her last two coins, the Good Samaritan, how the first church grew because more and more people told others about God, the story of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and how Jesus died and rose again after three days
Our K-1grade will focus on the Growth “G” by using several stories from the life of Peter as told in the Gospels and the book of Acts. These lessons emphasize that God created all people with distinct qualities, and they 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.
In the 2nd-3rd grade, the 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 lesson 1, the Parable of the Sheep and Goats, children 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. In lesson 3, kids will hear the Parable of the Rich Man, learning God hates the sin of greed and He wants us to be generous. Lesson 4 introduces kids to the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard, and they will learn God hate the sin of envy and He wants us to be content with what we have. Lesson 5 is a celebration of Easter. Kids will take a break from the parables, learning Jesus died and rose from the dead to take the punishment for our sins.
The battle is between God and Satan, is what the 4th-5th graders will be tackling this quarter. God’s mission is to help as many people in this world as possible choose to believe in and follow Him, and grow Christians into the people He wants them to be. Satan’s mission is to prevent people from choosing to believe in and follow God, and prevent Christians from growing into the people God wants them to be. Kids will have an opportunity to choose 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. They will be taught to put on the Helmet of Salvation which reminds them they are in God’s family and on His side in the battle. They will hear the Sword of the Spirit, the Bible, helps them discern right from wrong when they are attacked by Satan. They will learn the Belt of Truth helps them distinguish the difference between God’s truth and Satan’s lies. Putting on the Breastplate of Righteousness (righteous actions) protects their heart and character from Satan’s blows. The week of Easter they will hear the Easter story, telling the amazing lengths God went to make sure nothing would stop His love from being expressed to them.
My prayer, this Easter season for the families of Riverside, is that you are able to ponder and appreciate what God did for each one of us by sending His Son to die for our sins.
Partnering with you,
Dar Muehlhausen