Archive for the ‘Children’s Ministries’ Category

Diving Deep With God

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 25, 2012

Wow! I feel we are just on the heels of Easter, and my calendar is already filling up with the details and nitty gritties of Vacation Bible School (VBS). I don’t know how many of you have been part of a VBS – whether as a child, a parent, a volunteer, or a planner. My experience had been quite limited. When I was younger, I went to VBS with my best friend, Jill. I remember making crafts, doing a lot of singing, and hearing the bible stories each day. As a parent, our church didn’t offer VBS, and my children, Paige and Grant, didn’t even know what they were missing.

But then we moved to Phoenix in 2005 and would spend our summers in Florida (why stay in the dry heat when you can escape to the humidity of southern Florida?). Paige and Grant participated in the VBS program at First Presbyterian Church of Bonita Springs, and they loved it! The first year the theme was “Fiesta” and was a perfect match for our new home in the Southwest. We listened to the CD in the car everywhere we drove, and it became a natural part of their church song repertoire. The next year, the theme was the same VBS program we had here at PPC, but our family was in Florida, and learning about God’s love in a different space. Again, the experience was one of high energy, excitement, and joy. I couldn’t believe that the VBS week was just as empowering for my son as it was for my daughter.
(more…)

A New Way of Sharing the Christmas Story

Posted on Wednesday, Dec 7, 2011

Here at PPC, the third Sunday in Advent is earmarked for the Children’s Christmas service – whether it’s a Christmas musical, a retelling of the Nativity, with angels, shepherds, and the wise men, or another story relating to Christmas. This year, we’ll be embarking on a new way of telling the story – through the Advent Jesse Tree. This is a tradition that we had in my church in Glenview, Ill., and I wanted to bring it to our children here in Arizona.

One of the purposes of the Old Testament is to prepare us for the Messiah – that even though God’s people would not always understand many of the events that happened to them, God’s purpose was to be revealed when Jesus came to earth. The Old Testament is filled with stories that provide history, promises, and prophecies, and they frame the reader for what is to come.
(more…)

Connecting Stewardship, Conferences and Children’s Ministries

Posted on Wednesday, Oct 19, 2011

Children's Sabbath 2010

As we gear up for our annual Stewardship Campaign, much of the focus revolves around resources — whether financial, talents, or time.

Certainly, the financial resources are essential for the church to function, providing sound facilities and excellent programs, reaching out to others through mission efforts, and growing in God’s word. However, in the area of Children’s Ministries, the time and talents that workers share with our children is priceless. It is the work of the teens and adults who interact with our children that can truly provide a life-shaping experience for our children, from birth through elementary school.

(more…)