FPC-Kingwood Children's Ministry

Here are some scriptures and activities to read and talk about as a family as we move through Palm Sunday and approach Resurrection Sunday.

Palm Sunday
*Scripture: Luke 19:28-40
Talk about it: Have family members each share their favorite way to celebrate a special occasion or event. It might be a party, family time, or going to a favorite restaurant. Talk about how your family will celebrate Easter this week. Tell you kids that because of Easter, we have a reason to celebrate every day.

Monday
*Scripture: Mark 11:15-19
Talk about it: Have family members each share their favorite thing about going to worship at church. If applicable, parents can share a favorite memory of going to church as a child. Talk about other places you go where you feel welcomes and special. brainstorm how your family can help others feel welcomed in you home, in the community and at church.

Tuesday
*Scripture: Mark 12:41-44
Talk about it: Ask family members to each share about a time they've given up something. Ask about how it made them feel and what made it easy or difficult. Then talk about the sacrifice Jesus made for everyone at Easter and what kind of difference it's made in your lives.

Wednesday
*Scripture:Mark 14:3-9
Talk about it: Tell about a time you did something kind for someone else. Talk about how your kindness encourages that person. Have all your family members talk about something they've done for others. As a family, think of a way you can show kindness to someone this week.

Thursday
*Scripture: Mark 14:12-25
Talk about it: Tell about your best friend as a child. Then have family members each talk about their best friend. Talk about the qualities of a good friend. Are there sacrifices you'd make for a friend? Describe one way you could show friends they're important to you; then commit to doing so this week.

Friday
*Scripture: Mark 15:33-41
Talk about it: Talk about a time you admitted a sin to a friend. Explain what happened because of your confession. Ask family members to share a similar story. Encourage each other to admit your sins to Jesus daily and ask for forgiveness.

Saturday
*Scripture: Mark 15:42-16:1
Talk about it: Have family members tell about someone who's died and what they remember most about that person (it could even be a pet). Talk about how you each keep Jesus alive in your lives every day.

Sunday
*Scripture: Mark 16:2-8
Talk about it: Share about a time you received or delivered great news about something or someone. How did that make you and that person feel? Discuss the good news of Jesus' Resurrection and why it's important to share this great news with others.

Advent Lesson for Christmas Day
Reading: Luke 2: 1-20

Re-light all four outer candles. The first one for HOPE, the second for LOVE, the third for JOY and the fourth for PEACE.

“Today, we light the last candle in our Advent Wreath – the Christ Candle. The light of these candles reminds us that Jesus is the light of the world that comes into the darkness of our lives to bring newness, life and hope. It also reminds us that we are called to be a light to the world as we reflect the light of God’s grace to others.”

The Christ candle is white to remind us of Jesus’ purity and sinless life. It is in the center of the Advent wreath to remind us that Jesus is the heart of the season (the reason), giving light to the entire world. He should always be the center of our life.

Pray together
“Lord God, Your love for us is truly amazing, surprising g and wonderful. Christmas is Your miracle and Christ, the gift we don’t deserve. We can never thank You enough, and we ask You to mold us and use us in Your service. Amen.”

We're having special Christmas music this Sunday! Our service times this Sunday will be 9am and 11am, with Sunday school at 10am. There will not be Kids' Church during the 11:05am service - families are encouraged to worship and enjoy the special music together.

Here is a list of helpful hints to help children enjoy the service
• Arrive in time to find a good place to sit. Sitting near the front provides children a better view of the Sanctuary.
• Look over the bulletin, or read announcements on the screen with your child. Inform the child of baptisms, communion or anything special.
• Let your child know what will happen next in the service.
• Help your child look up the scripture/hymns and mark it so it can be read and followed when it is time. (They know the Bible better than you think!)
• Let your child help hold the Hymnal and Bible. Even if they can't read, they feel included.
• Encourage your child to stand up when appropriate and to participate in the service along with the congregation in any way he or she is able.
• Give your child money to drop in the offering plate and let them pass the plate to the next person. Talk about where this money goes.
• If fidgeting sets in, encourage your child to draw pictures of what they hear the pastor say in the service.
• Let your child greet the pastors each week after the service. Knowing the ministers personally will add incentive for the child to pay better attention.
• Talk about worship with your child. Make sure your child knows what they think about the service is important to you.

Fourth Sunday in Advent
Reading: Matthew 2: 1-12

Magi is the name used for the wise men. No one went to college in Jesus’ days. They didn’t have schools for just anybody. Only certain people learned to read and write. So some very special people who learned to read were called wise men.

“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked ‘Where is the One who has been born king of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.’ King Herod sent the Magi to Bethlehem to find the child, telling them to report back to him where the child was, so that he could also go and worship Him. After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with His mother, Mary, and they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.”

Light the candles of HOPE, LOVE, and JOY. Light the candle of PEACE (purple).

“Today we remember the Wise Men who, according the Gospel, came from the east in search of the Christ Child, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Like them, we remember the Christ Child in the giving of gifts”

Pray together
“Dear Father, thank you for the PEACE of knowing You are here for us always and forever. Please use us to help spread the PEACE of this season throughout the year. Amen.”

Third Sunday in Advent
Reading: Luke 2: 8-18

What is a manger? Who are shepherds? Who are heavenly hosts?

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great JOY that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you: He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests. When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.”

Light the candle of HOPE and LOVE. On this the third Sunday of Advent light the JOY candle (pink).

“We remember how the shepherds were filled with the wonder and JOY at God’s great gift, his son.”

Pray Together
“Heavenly Father, thank You for revealing Yourself to us in Your son, so that we might experience the JOY of knowing You as a personal, loving God. Amen.”

The Second Sunday of Advent
Reading: Luke 2: 1-7

A census is when the government counts all of the people. The people needed to go to the town where they were born to be counted. Joseph was living in a town called Nazareth that is in the country of Galilee, but Joseph was born in a town called Bethlehem in the country of Judea. The book of Luke was written by Luke and he tells of when Joseph and Mary had to go to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born.

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.., and everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem, the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

Light the candle of HOPE. Then today, the second Sunday in Advent, we light the candle of LOVE (purple).

Pray together
“Thank you Lord, for sending Jesus to us so that we would know how much You LOVE us. Help us show Your LOVE to everyone we meet.”

Advent marks the start of the Christmas season. It begins on the Sunday nearest November 30, and lasts four Sundays. The date it begins changes from year to year. As a result, so does the length of each Advent season. This year the first Sunday in Advent is Sunday, November 29, 2009. The word advent, from Latin, means "the coming." It is a time of spiritual reflection as well as joy and anticipation.

The children at FPC-Kingwood will do a variety of activities at church throughout the advent season, including lighting an advent wreath during Sunday school. Children will be receiving an advent calendar and activity guide in Sunday school November 30 ( extras available in the church office and CE resource room) to bring home as a resource.

At home, the Advent devotion should include the lighting of candles in the Advent wreath. The candle lighting is progressive from week to week, preparing the way for the coming of Jesus. Often the lighting of the candle(s) is before dinner, but the family or home advent devotion time can be unique to your family’s preferences. Add bible verses, carols, discussions questions, etc. as your family chooses. If your children are older, pick a leader for every week. The leader can select what they want incorporate into the lighting that Sunday.

To make it easier to get started and fit the activities into your schedule, the children’s ministry blog will have suggested bible verses, conversation topics, and activities throughout the Advent season. Use them as a guide only, and tailor the devotionals to fit your family’s needs.
Spend time together in prayer as a family this Advent. May your appreciation deepen for Christ and one another.

A little background...
The Advent wreath started in Germany as a Lutheran family custom. This custom didn’t become popular in churches until the middle of the 20th century. The circle of the wreath reminds us of God Himself, His eternity and endless mercy, which has no beginning or end. The green of the wreath symbolizes the hope that we have in God, hope of newness, renewal, and eternal life. The candles symbolize the light of God coming into the world through the birth of His Son.

The four outer candles represent the period of waiting during the four Sundays of Advent. Four Sundays of Advent actually represent the four hundred years of waiting between the prophet Malachi and the birth of Christ. Historically, the candles in the wreath have no more meaning than a countdown (4-3-2-1), but in the church they have the following symbolic meanings:

1st candle – purple – hope; 2nd candle – purple – love; 3rd candle – pink – joy; 4th candle – purple – peace

You may have learned different names for the candles. Some sources say that the candles mean prophets, Bethlehem, shepherds and angels. No one is “wrong”. Different churches do this differently.

The colors of candles can vary also. We use 3 purple and 1 pink; lighting the pink candle on the 3rd Sunday. Some use all purple and some light the pink on the 4th Sunday. The white candle in the center is the Christ Candle and it is lit last, on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Having the Christ Candle in the center of the wreath reminds us that Jesus is the heart of the season, giving light to the world.

As we light the candles each week, we are reminded that Jesus is the light of the world that comes into the darkness of our lives to bring newness, life and hope. We will also remember that we are called to be a light to the world as we reflect the light of God’s grace to others.

The First Sunday of Advent
Show the Advent wreath and talk about how you will be lighting a candle each Sunday. Explain we are waiting for Christ to be born. Talk about how there is another Advent wreath in the sanctuary and those candles will be lit at the beginning of the worship service, just like you are lighting these candles at home.

Reading: Isaiah 7:14
A prophecy tells ahead of time something that will happen in the future. Prophets were people that God used during Old Testament times to give messages to His people. Beginning with the prophet Malachi, 400 years before Jesus was born on earth the Old Testament prophets foretold that God would send a Savior, a Messiah, to save His people and to reign forever. Isaiah was another of these prophets. Here is one of the things Isaiah said:

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign; the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Emmanuel.”

On this, the First Sunday in Advent, we light the HOPE candle (purple).

Place a Bible near the Advent wreath, and say:

“On this first Sunday in Advent, we are grateful that the Good News of Jesus Christ, and the HOPE He brings, has been passed down to us through all the generations.”

Pray together
“Lord Jesus, thank You for the prophets, who brought HOPE to the world by revealing that You would come to us. Amen.”

The Bible says in Psalm 8:2, “ From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise…” Here's a survey of children to get their “kids-eye-view” on Thanksgiving. Enjoy!! [Note: Original spelling is included!]

“Why do we celebrate Thanksgiving?”
“Becuss it is fun” Aidan
“Because Jesus died on the cross” Aaron
“We are thankful for food and stuff and thankful we survived the winter” Emilee
“It’s the day that Calufonu (California?) was made.” Bella
“I have no idea” Anthony
“It’s God’s birthday” Kylie
“Because it’s going to be Christmas” Hunter

“On the first Thanksgiving, the Pilgrims ate…”
“…fruit” Jessica
“…porrige” Kylie
“…with the indins and ate treky” Stephen
“…fish, ducks, bread and soup and cake or cookies maybe.” Autumn

“If I was a turkey on Thanksgiving I’d…”
“…run for my life and grab a rifle” Lloyd
“…I would color myself purpel” Meg
“…starve myself” Clay
“…run in circles” Hannah
“…peck people” Sonora
“…eat donnuts” Jessica
“…run away to the jungle” Emilee

“This is how my mom cooks our turkey…”
“She has my Grandma do it” Arielle
“She stuffs it & cooks it, as far as I know.” Riley
“She puts it in the oven. Does it for 2 minutes. Then puts it on a barbecue then asks Dad to cook it. Then she goes into the house and takes care of everything else.” Emilee
“…just rite.” Lauren
“She takes the guts out and stuffs it with rice.” Lexi
“She spits on it and takes it to the BBQ. Dad does the rest.” No name
“She buys a pizza.” Hunter