We have some big changes coming your way here at the Southland Kids blog. Over the last several months we've realized that we were trying to reach a couple of different audiences with this blog - leaders and parents. We also realized that we had some really specific content that we needed to communicate each group. So, for those of you who haven't heard yet, we have a created a brand-new blog just for our Children's Ministry leaders called "Magnetic Chidren's Ministry."
Just go over to http://www.magneticministry.wordpress.com/ and check it out. The best part is that you can just click the "subscribe" button and get Children's Ministry updates sent right to your e-mail.
For all you parents out there who are checking out the Southland Kids' blog, never fear! We have something really special in store for you as well. Over the next month this blog will get a major overhaul and become more parent-focused in the posts. The Southland Kids' blog will become THE site for Southland parents to get their most up-to-date, in depth information on what's going on with kids and families here at Southland.
So, check out the leadership blog and stay tuned here for the bigger, better version of "Southland Kids."
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
There's Nothing Like a Dream
Victor Hugo said, "There is nothing like a dream to create the future," meaning that our dreams, our aspirations, shape who and what we become. Over the last several years I've been learning that God also has a dream for my life. It's called the kingdom of God. It's the place where His will becomes reality through me. I can't imagine a better dream for my life, for my kids and for the families here at Southland.
That's why over the past several months we have spent hours in prayer and discussion articulating what we think is God 's kingdom dream for Children's Ministry.
Out of all of that process of seeking and praying we believe that God is leading us to help kids discover a God who loves them and a community that connects them to a world that needs them. It's life with Jesus, in community, on mission.
The best part is that you don't have to wait to be a grown up. This is God's dream for kids right now.
The cool thing is that we already see it coming true in the lives of our kids who are really falling in love with Jesus and following Him and reaching out to their friends who don't know God.
As we go into this year we will roll out intentional steps to partner with parents to see this dream become reality. I can't wait to watch the future unfold!
Jason Byerly
Childen's Pastor
That's why over the past several months we have spent hours in prayer and discussion articulating what we think is God 's kingdom dream for Children's Ministry.
Out of all of that process of seeking and praying we believe that God is leading us to help kids discover a God who loves them and a community that connects them to a world that needs them. It's life with Jesus, in community, on mission.
The best part is that you don't have to wait to be a grown up. This is God's dream for kids right now.
The cool thing is that we already see it coming true in the lives of our kids who are really falling in love with Jesus and following Him and reaching out to their friends who don't know God.
As we go into this year we will roll out intentional steps to partner with parents to see this dream become reality. I can't wait to watch the future unfold!
Jason Byerly
Childen's Pastor
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Remember Jesus Moment for Kids
Every weekend, children in our 3rd-5th grade environment have the chance to remember what Jesus did for them on the cross by taking communion. During our large group worship service, our teacher uses kid-friendly language to explain the significance of celebrating the Lord's Supper together. It's such an amazing moment watching young believers worship Jesus simply by stopping and remembering how much He loves them. Yeah, some kids have a hard time focusing, but for many, they are clearly doing serious business with God. Watching them take communion is a total goose bumps moment.
As a children's ministry we don't police who does or doesn't take communion but leave that to the parent's discretion to communicate with their child.
In kindergarten through second grade, we call communion our "remember Jesus moment," a time when we create a quiet moment in the worship service to remember Jesus' love for us, but we do not actuallt offer communion during the service. Instead, children in this age group have the opportunity to take communion together with their family during our check-out time at the end of service. We encourage all parents to talk to their elementary kids about this amazing picture that Jesus has left for us to help us remember what He has done.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Big Brother Parenting
Can you imagine if someone bugged your house with cameras and microphones and recorded every word out of your child’s mouth – and worse yet – recorded your words and the effect they have your kids? Scary, huh?
I just read an article about some scientists who willingly filled their house with recording devices to capture every waking moment of their child’s first two years of life. It’s a part of a massive study to understand how children learn to speak. Get this. They recorded 80,000 hours of video and 120,000 hours of audio.
And I thought I took a lot of video of my kids. Wow! The article says that by the time the child was two he had learned over 400 words, and now they’re trying to figure out how the parents’ baby talk affects what the child learns and how fast he learns it.
What would it be like to parent in that house? What if every word you spoke to your child (or that you spoke around your child) was made public? I imagine most of us would be more than a little embarrassed, maybe by what we said or just how we said it.
Paul invited others to follow him as He followed Christ. As parents that’s exactly the boat we’re in whether we like it or not. Our kids are following us for better or for worse. They mimic our words and actions every single day.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist (or an MIT Researcher) to understand that no one has more influence on their child than their parents. That’s why as a children’s ministry we are so excited to partner with you in 2011 to help kids fall in love with Jesus and follow Him. I’m not really into New Year’s Resolutions, but I’m praying that for both our parents and children’s ministry leaders that we would be setting an example worth following as we go into a new year together.
Jason Byerly
Children’s Pastor
I just read an article about some scientists who willingly filled their house with recording devices to capture every waking moment of their child’s first two years of life. It’s a part of a massive study to understand how children learn to speak. Get this. They recorded 80,000 hours of video and 120,000 hours of audio.
And I thought I took a lot of video of my kids. Wow! The article says that by the time the child was two he had learned over 400 words, and now they’re trying to figure out how the parents’ baby talk affects what the child learns and how fast he learns it.
What would it be like to parent in that house? What if every word you spoke to your child (or that you spoke around your child) was made public? I imagine most of us would be more than a little embarrassed, maybe by what we said or just how we said it.
Paul invited others to follow him as He followed Christ. As parents that’s exactly the boat we’re in whether we like it or not. Our kids are following us for better or for worse. They mimic our words and actions every single day.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist (or an MIT Researcher) to understand that no one has more influence on their child than their parents. That’s why as a children’s ministry we are so excited to partner with you in 2011 to help kids fall in love with Jesus and follow Him. I’m not really into New Year’s Resolutions, but I’m praying that for both our parents and children’s ministry leaders that we would be setting an example worth following as we go into a new year together.
Jason Byerly
Children’s Pastor
You can check out the Forbes article at http://www.forbes.com/2010/12/21/human-speechome-mit-media-lab-children-language-acquisition.html
Friday, December 17, 2010
The Shape of Christmas
My mom makes the best Christmas cookies on the planet. Nothing fancy, just straight up sugar cookies with vanilla frosting, but they are amazing. Every year since I was a kid, we would plan a special day to make a huge batch of cookies for our entire family, that is, of course, unless we ate them all first. We call it Cookie Day, and it’s one of the best days of the year. For the past five years, my oldest daughter Emma has been in on the action too, but last year, she gave us a gift that put the day in a whole new light.
A few years ago my aunt and uncle bought us a box of 101 cookie cutters filled with every shape imaginable. It has cutters for all the big holidays - Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving & Halloween - but it also has random shapes like airplanes and footballs, letters and numbers. You name it, we’ve got it.
I told Emma her special job was to go through the box and pick out the ones that looked like Christmas to her, while I went and got some other stuff ready. Emma’s a smart girl. This would be no problem for her. Of course, I expected for her to pull out Christmas trees, reindeer, Santas, all the usual Christmas shapes. But like I said, Emma’s smart, so she found something even better.
The first two cookie cutters she pulled out were a cross and a heart. She looked at me and said, “That’s Christmas, isn’t it, Dad?”
I looked at the cross and heart, a little stunned, and felt tears welling up inside.
“Yeah, babe,” I said, “That’s Christmas.”
I'm praying this Christmas for all of our Southland families that we'll make time to hear God speak in unexpected ways and create traditions that will allow all of us to stop and think about the cross and the heart behind it.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Our Leaders Rock!
This past weekend we had a special Life Group celebration weekend where over 85 elementary and preschool Life Group leaders provided their own snacks, crafts and games for a weekend devoted to celebrating the relationships God has been forming in their groups. As an example of how over-the-top our leaders went this weekend, Rachel, a Saturday night leader in 3rd-5th grade, showed up with pizza, cookies and crafts for every kid in the service that night. One boy in the environment turned to his friend and said, “’Dude, is this not like the best night of church ever?”
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Christmas Music For Kids!
Hey parents,
Here a couple of great Christmas CDs that are fun for all ages to listen to together. Check out these awesome CDs this holiday season.
Click here for "Jingle Jam"
Here a couple of great Christmas CDs that are fun for all ages to listen to together. Check out these awesome CDs this holiday season.
Click here for "Jingle Jam"
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