JUNE: Learning Objectives:
2 BIG questions to be explored and answered this summer
Who am I? and Why am I here? Both answers will be discovered as we study Genesis 1-2
What do I want them to KNOW . . . I want the kids to know that God created the universe, the cosmos in which we live in. I want them to understand that God has given humankind the responsibility to work and care for his creation/cosmos, and that He created us to be in relationship with Him and one another – people, animals, creation.
(This reflects the 10 commandments: 4 commands were focused on our relationship with God,
6 commands were focused on our relationships within the community)
What do I want them to FEEL . . . I want the kids to feel the incredible awesomeness of God’s creativity, His love through the in which He created our cosmos, His desire and pleasure to be in relationship with his creation [us], particularly with Humans
What do I want them to DO . . . I want the kids to daily respond to God’s invitation to spend time with him, to identify ways they are personally responsible to care for the world/cosmos,live simply so others can simply live.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Man Gave Names to the Animals
Here's some lyrics that the 5-6th graders wrote to the Bob Dylan song:
New verse:
I saw an animal in the grass
No other animal could run so fast
The mane and tail were so coarse
. . . ahhh.. . . think I’ll call it a horse
He saw an animal over the reef
Long gray body with razor sharp teeth
There was no sun, but in the dark
. . . ahhh. . . . think I’ll call it a shark
He saw an animal bright blue and green
He pecks his feathers to keep himself clean
Talking in a way that was kind a fudgie
. . . ahhh . . think I’ll call it a budgie
Aren't they great?
New verse:
I saw an animal in the grass
No other animal could run so fast
The mane and tail were so coarse
. . . ahhh.. . . think I’ll call it a horse
He saw an animal over the reef
Long gray body with razor sharp teeth
There was no sun, but in the dark
. . . ahhh. . . . think I’ll call it a shark
He saw an animal bright blue and green
He pecks his feathers to keep himself clean
Talking in a way that was kind a fudgie
. . . ahhh . . think I’ll call it a budgie
Aren't they great?
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
The Coolest Lesson EVER!
I'm not saying that all the other lessons haven't been cool...this one was just the coolest. Even Jeff said so. He said to me, "Jen, wasn't church today the COOLEST???" Yep, it was! Where else would you:
1. Decorate grocery bags with things God has made
2. Recycle!
3. Brush your teeth
4. Put your hand in a "blind box" with animal furs
5. Play Plinko
6. Make Earth bracelets
Westwinds is the only place where all of this would come together in a cohesive lesson on creation, and caring for God's earth. The kids looked so cute when they were brushing their teeth...all foamy! I took some pictures but they are on Lori's camera, so I'll post them if I can. Suffice to say, Sunday was awesome!
1. Decorate grocery bags with things God has made
2. Recycle!
3. Brush your teeth
4. Put your hand in a "blind box" with animal furs
5. Play Plinko
6. Make Earth bracelets
Westwinds is the only place where all of this would come together in a cohesive lesson on creation, and caring for God's earth. The kids looked so cute when they were brushing their teeth...all foamy! I took some pictures but they are on Lori's camera, so I'll post them if I can. Suffice to say, Sunday was awesome!
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Creation!
Hey there readers! I know it's been awhile since I've written any personal reflections here. I've been busy moving!
Last Sunday was our first official week of our summer curriculum, and we're starting at the beginning. Genesis, that is. Creation. One of my absolute favorite passages of the Bible. Here I see my God moving and creating, loving us and everything else into being. It's incredible. I'd encourage everyone right now to pick up your Bible, turn to Genesis 1-2, and absorb it slowly. Read and reread. Sit with it. Think about it, as Allie would command. Because here in this passage we find answers to many of life's greatest questions:
Who are we? Where did we come from? Why are we here?
People spend their lives wrestling with these questions, our society constantly discusses these publicly. But here, in the first chapters of the Bible, we read that we are God's children and treasured creation. God created us to be in relationship with him, and to take care of the rest of God's creation. It's fascinating, it's beautiful.
So in class, to help teach this passage, we made a collage showing what God made on each day. Then we read the book "In The Beginning There Was No Sky" by Walter Wangerin and Lee Steadman. Highly recommend this book!
Last Sunday was our first official week of our summer curriculum, and we're starting at the beginning. Genesis, that is. Creation. One of my absolute favorite passages of the Bible. Here I see my God moving and creating, loving us and everything else into being. It's incredible. I'd encourage everyone right now to pick up your Bible, turn to Genesis 1-2, and absorb it slowly. Read and reread. Sit with it. Think about it, as Allie would command. Because here in this passage we find answers to many of life's greatest questions:
Who are we? Where did we come from? Why are we here?
People spend their lives wrestling with these questions, our society constantly discusses these publicly. But here, in the first chapters of the Bible, we read that we are God's children and treasured creation. God created us to be in relationship with him, and to take care of the rest of God's creation. It's fascinating, it's beautiful.
So in class, to help teach this passage, we made a collage showing what God made on each day. Then we read the book "In The Beginning There Was No Sky" by Walter Wangerin and Lee Steadman. Highly recommend this book!
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Brandi The Dog Walks On Water
From LisaMarie, Kindergarden shepherd:
As you know, we went camping this weekend in our new camper.
We had a blast ! I wanted to share with you a little story that made me cry.
My son Ethan was drawing his mommie a picture, which he loves to do and
when I asked what it was he said it was a sailboat on the water. I asked what
the drawing next to the sailboat was and he said it was Brandi, our dog. It was
then that Austin blurted out, "Its Jesus's dog, walking on water!"
We all just about busted a seam laughing. The people behind us heard the whole
thing and were laughing just as loud. Before they left, they came up and said that
we should be proud parents, raising our kids to know GOD's stories.
As you know, we went camping this weekend in our new camper.
We had a blast ! I wanted to share with you a little story that made me cry.
My son Ethan was drawing his mommie a picture, which he loves to do and
when I asked what it was he said it was a sailboat on the water. I asked what
the drawing next to the sailboat was and he said it was Brandi, our dog. It was
then that Austin blurted out, "Its Jesus's dog, walking on water!"
We all just about busted a seam laughing. The people behind us heard the whole
thing and were laughing just as loud. Before they left, they came up and said that
we should be proud parents, raising our kids to know GOD's stories.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
I already heard this story...
...so says a little girl in class this morning. Yes, yes you have! Aha! Now you're starting to get it!
The kids were refreshed on the story of Bartimaeus, and then we cast them for the skit. We had our usual disagreements over who got to be who, but I can honestly say that the lines of the characters were delivered with more enthusiasm than I've ever heard before! So well did the skit progress that we recast the kids and did it again! What a hit!
Lately I've been looking into different outreach opportunities for the kids to do in the upcoming school year. From the beginning, one of our main objectives in kids' ministry has been to develop within the children a servant's heart. I'm hoping that through some of the activities that I'm researching that the kids will come to understand and experience Jesus' directive to us to serve one another. Please be praying for these opportunities, the planning process, and the details. Please pray that God would be preparing our kids for these experiences next year.
Remember: next week we go to 2 services, 9 and 11am!
The kids were refreshed on the story of Bartimaeus, and then we cast them for the skit. We had our usual disagreements over who got to be who, but I can honestly say that the lines of the characters were delivered with more enthusiasm than I've ever heard before! So well did the skit progress that we recast the kids and did it again! What a hit!
Lately I've been looking into different outreach opportunities for the kids to do in the upcoming school year. From the beginning, one of our main objectives in kids' ministry has been to develop within the children a servant's heart. I'm hoping that through some of the activities that I'm researching that the kids will come to understand and experience Jesus' directive to us to serve one another. Please be praying for these opportunities, the planning process, and the details. Please pray that God would be preparing our kids for these experiences next year.
Remember: next week we go to 2 services, 9 and 11am!
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Blind Drawing Fun!
I wish, I wish, I wish I had remembered to bring my camera! I had made up my mind that I would bring my camera from now on so as not to miss any kodak-moments, but I forgot! The kids were so cute in their felt blindfolds, but more on that in a little bit!
This was my first weekend of the month, since I had last Sunday off, and thus my first week with Bart (Bartimaeus). We were in the art room, so we listened to Cheryl teach us on the floor. We talked about how it must feel to be blind-how it must be frustrating to not be able to see, to feel excluded when other people can see (and thus experience in a way you can't), to have to rely upon your other senses in order to get around. Cheryl began to draw on the board while blindfolded, while the kids shouted out things for her to draw. It was hilarious, and the kids got really excited to try out blind-drawing for themselves.
The best part of the day for me, was blind drawing with Emily and Olivia. These are two girls that are regulars, and even though we've technically known each other for more than a year, we haven't connected a whole lot. Recently, I have seen my relationships with some of the kids transform. I think they've really come to see me as a constant figure in their life, and come to realize that even though I am not there every single week, I'll be there the next or the next. It's cool to see this evolve and with it a deeper level of trust. It has taken more than a year, but it is finally happening and it's wonderful!
This was my first weekend of the month, since I had last Sunday off, and thus my first week with Bart (Bartimaeus). We were in the art room, so we listened to Cheryl teach us on the floor. We talked about how it must feel to be blind-how it must be frustrating to not be able to see, to feel excluded when other people can see (and thus experience in a way you can't), to have to rely upon your other senses in order to get around. Cheryl began to draw on the board while blindfolded, while the kids shouted out things for her to draw. It was hilarious, and the kids got really excited to try out blind-drawing for themselves.
The best part of the day for me, was blind drawing with Emily and Olivia. These are two girls that are regulars, and even though we've technically known each other for more than a year, we haven't connected a whole lot. Recently, I have seen my relationships with some of the kids transform. I think they've really come to see me as a constant figure in their life, and come to realize that even though I am not there every single week, I'll be there the next or the next. It's cool to see this evolve and with it a deeper level of trust. It has taken more than a year, but it is finally happening and it's wonderful!
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