Summer Kids
AMAZING THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN OUR CHILDREN'S MINISTRY!
One of the areas of ministry in our church that I am most excited about is Children's Ministry! Of course, as Children's Pastor, I should be, but I really am excited about it! Working with children is an opportunity to get to know kids better and teach them about God's love so that they can make a difference in the world. Those of us who get to serve in this way get to help form God's love in these kids and make a difference for their whole lives!
Speaking of serving kids, what a blessing it's been to see more and more kids coming back to Sunday School after a year of the pandemic. Seeing them in person learning about the Bible, sharing with each other, and worshipping together is awesome. To help all that happen, we have implemented a few changes to serve our young families better: We have moved our kids' check-in system to the foyer to make it accessible and more convenient for parents. The beginning of worship now includes family time in the sanctuary of song and prayer. The kids then go downstairs for Sunday School, where the kids are separated by class for social distancing and are asked to share a happy experience from the week and then hear a Bible story and message.
Even though everyone is wearing masks downstairs at all times, I love to watch the kids' expressions with their eyes open wide as our amazing Sunday School teacher, Don Ray, tells Bible stories intricately and passionately. Recently the kids were amazed as he told the story of the Apostle Paul and how he endured many oppositions as he shared the message of hope. They have all experienced struggles this past year, as we all have, and the message of hope despite difficulty really connected with them!
And the stories are only part of the reason for Sunday School. I love to see kids excited to be together and learn about Jesus as they reconnect with their friends. We added birthday celebrations for the classes on the last Sunday of each month to celebrate the kids who had birthdays that month. The little birthday gift and cupcakes are a hit, but, really, the best part is watching the kids feel noticed and celebrated.
As for celebrating the kids, June 13th is Move Up Sunday when we celebrate those kids who are moving from elementary to middle school and from the younger grades into elementary. It's always fun to celebrate them taking the next step, growing into life, and doing something new. This year, we could use your help in a small way with celebrating this! We ask the 5th graders moving up to middle school to help create a short video for the ones moving up behind them. We will record them sharing their advice for the younger kids moving up this coming week so we can put it all together. Please let me know if we can include your child in the video so we can find a time to connect!
Beyond Sunday School, I am also excited about another way for kids to connect this summer: we are offering a summer camp experience in July for Kindergarten through 5th grade! The camp will be on the Hillspring campus and is scheduled for July 14-16 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm each day. The theme will be Discovery on Adventure Island: The Quest for God's Great Light! Here again, we would love your help because we need volunteers to help with classroom decorations, crafts, leading a group, storytelling, helping with outdoor games, and preparing sack lunches. If you are open to helping out with Children's Ministry but are worried about the summer busyness, this would be a great place to start. There will even be a fun celebration on the last day with water games and obstacle courses. Keep in mind, due to restrictions, camp attendance is limited, and spots will fill up fast. Please let us know if your kids can join us or you are interested in helping out ASAP!
Through this letter, I hope you can see a few reasons why I am excited about our Children's Ministry here! This past year has been hard, but together we can help the kids celebrate being together and learn about Jesus in new ways. You are definitely part of that, and we ask for your prayers for our awesome Sunday School and summer camp. We are praying for kids to connect with God on a deeper level and celebrate his goodness together. Of course, beyond prayer, if God is nudging your heart to volunteer in Children's Ministry, please let me know. There are many opportunities to serve, and, with your help, we can make it a fun, memorable, God-focused summer for the kids. Hillspring's Children's Ministry is a celebration! I would love to talk with you about whatever ways you can join the party!
Thanks for your love and support!
Blessings,
Grimelda Sanchez