UPCOMING EVENTS

Celebration Station 01.08 Celebrate Recovery isn’t just for adults. Children of all ages will love this night of food, fellowship, games, singing, journaling and art therapy!

Wednesday Night Live 01.14 Bring your kids at 5pm for choir, art, dance or strategy games. After dinner at 6pm, kids will enjoy Bible study, games, and mission projects until 7pm. Adults are encouraged to attend our popular Parenting Class from 6-7pm in room #304.

Take It Home Event 02.08 First and second graders (and their parents) are invited to participate in this event specially crafted for them. We will be exploring ways that even children and families can serve their communities for Christ.

Training the body h

as

some value. But being

Godly has value in

every way.

1 Timothy 4:8

Passage of the Month

PARADISE ISLAND

January 18thFUMC Elementary Newsletter!

GO and BE Good NewsThis month in Kid’s Kingdom, we are focusing on what it means to be Incarnational and how to participate in God’s tangible kingdom. But where should we start? How can we bring our friends and neighbors to Jesus, when they might not want to hear about Jesus? Here’s an excerpt from “The Tangible Kingdom Primer”:

You might have noticed... people don’t like to be “evangelized.” They don’t automatically think our truths are their truths. They won’t show up at our church gatherings to hear our ideas, and they can’t stand it when we push them to accept our concepts. Yet one truth always remains: people tend to be drawn to good news when they see it in action. Though they may not understand everything, Good News is always Good News when it touches down in real life. People respond when we DO, when we GO, and when we live out our faith. The New Testament is full of wild stories that encourage us to live

differently. One word, however, stands as a clarion call to God’s work of transformation in the world.

The word is “Go.” It may take some adjustment on our part to realize this, but nothing of God’s Kingdom happens unless someone is willing to GO. Sometimes GOING will require a 30-second email to encourage a friend, a five-minute walk across the street to help a neighbor, or the willingness to give up a quiet evening with your spouse in exchange for inviting some friends over who don’t know Christ. Other times, GOING may require a week-long commitment, a large chunk of money, or even a lifelong commitment to leave your city or country to serve God. Whatever the case, the word GO will cost you something. It will require that you creatively look for the opportunities that God provides you to leave what’s natural and self-serving in order to extend his love to others.

By Hugh Halter & Matt Smay ©2009 CRM Empowering Leaders. All rights reserved.

Sunday Morning 9:30am Leaders January 25th - Luanne Reitchaid February 1st - Still Needed

Sunday Morning 11am Leaders 1st & 2nd Graders: Todd Seales, Amy Plouf & Karin Kmetz 3rd & 4th Graders: Mike & Gina White 5th Graders: Lois Jablonski & Mandy Houston

“We must be global Christians with a global vision because we serve a global God.”

- John R.W. Stott

The S.S.UPDATEBringing you up-to-the-minute Sunday School info!

This week, weʼre discovering: Talk: we can know God better by talking about Him with others.

But this week isnʼt just about talking to people who donʼt know Him yet. Thereʼs another important element of talking about God. As kids process their growing faith, they will have questions and doubts. We want kids to know they can talk about God and work through their questions with others who also believe in Jesus.

Weʼll spend time in Matthew 16:13-20 and look at the moment when Peter declared what he believed about Jesus in front of all the disciples.

Our Bottom Line is: Practice talking about God.

We can all share our story of faith with confidence knowing that Jesus is who He said He is.

Take-Away Concept: When we commit to practicing our faith and follow through on our plan, weʼll grow in such a big way that it will impact our entire lives.

Games!

Music!

Journaling!

Friends!

Thursdays 5:30-9:30

Ask a kid: What is the biggest thing holding you back from talking about God?

Ask a parent: Whom in your life do you talk to about God?

Parent Cue

Throughout the year, a portion of the children’s offering will be used to fund

the education of a child in Argentina.

1st & 3rd Sundays from 9:30-10:30

A chance to serve God and childrenemail EStrong@fumcsp.org

The kids have committed to pray for Emily, a sweet and talented 14 year old who was recently matched with a family interested in adopting her. Pray that God will open each of their hearts and stitch her and her prospective family together with love!

Key Verse: ”For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.” Philippians 2:13

Theme: We will be looking at The Twelve Steps to see how God often works through this systematic approach to free people from hurts and hangups.

I don’t know about you, but as soon as “checking a bag” meant bruising my checking account, most of my midsize and larger luggage began

collecting cobwebs. But no more!! Donate your lightly used suitcases and duffle bags to the foster children at 4KIDS and the Heart Gallery. These kids are routinely relocated and asked to pack up their belongings at a moments notice. If luggage is unavailable, their belongings are thrown into garbage bags. Let’s make this sad practice unnecessary.

Please Pray For Me!

Donate New and Used Suitcases!

Join Mandy Houston and Michelle Anderson for this class based on Dr. Kevin Leman’s best seller. Class is from 6-7pm in room #304.

Parenting Class and Bible Study

WEDNESDAYNIGHTLIVE5pm - 7pm

Strategy Games Choir Art Dance

Curriculum Materials for K-5th Grades

BIBLE STORYSay My Name (who do you say that I am?) • Matthew 16:13-20

BOTTOM LINEPractice talking about God.

MEMORY VERSE“Training the body has some value. But being godly has value in every way.” 1 Timothy 4:8a, NIrV

BASIC TRUTH: I need to make the wise choice.

PLUG INSMALL GROUP ACTIVITIES TO FOCUS THE ENERGY

• Ideas for Early Arrivers

• Personal Index

POWER UPINTERACTIVE LARGE GROUP EXPERIENCE

TO ENGAGE THE HEART

• Opener

• Worship

• Bible story

• Prayer

• Closer

CATCH ON SMALL GROUP ACTIVITIES TO MAKE THE CONNECTION

(CHOOSE TWO OR MORE OF THESE ACTIVITIES)

• Famous People

• My Story, God’s Story

• 5-6 Challenge: Eight Statements from Jesus

• Velcro® Verse

DISMISSAL• Pray, share and reflect on today’s lesson before

leaving

HERE’S A SNEAK PEEK OF WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING IN 4TH AND 5TH GRADE THIS WEEK:

JANWEEK

3

4

COMMITMENTMaking a plan and putting it into practice.

©2014 The reThink Group, Inc. All rights reserved. www.ThinkOrange.com

SMALLGROUP

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