Booming Children's Ministry!
I am excited to celebrate the students in third grade receiving the gift of an age appropriate Bible on Sunday as a gift from the congregation. (We have the tradition of doing this since Diane Doughty was the Children’s director.) We have 14 students who are participating. Next fall they will join the Bible Explorers class for 4th and 5th graders on Wednesday nights and learn how to use their Bibles. Each week they will memorize a verse. In each of the Bibles, our Kid’s Director, Linda has highlighted a verse. They are encouraged to hunt for the verse and share it with her for a prize. It’s a little Bible scavenger hunt that helps them be excited about their new Bible.
We also are having so many kids in the nursery that we are hiring additional staff and using three classrooms to divide up the students. This will push us over our budget for nursery staff but what a wonderful problem to have! Every time you give to the general fund, you help provide these trained staff people for our littles. I also want to remind everyone that we will be having a Baby Shower on April 30th for the two staff babies that are expected in June. Pastor Seungrok and his wife Tae Soon are expecting a baby girl. Our young adult minister, DeRon Gabriel and his wife Olivia are expecting a baby boy. PLEASE CLICK ON THEIR NAMES TO VIEW THEIR REGISTRY. Since April 30th is a fifth Sunday we will NOT be having Sunday school and we will be in the great hall for the All Church Breakfast and Baby Shower. If you can bring a breakfast casserole to go with the pancakes, that would be wonderful.
This Sunday is Faith Welcome at noon. We have fourteen people expected but it is not too late to tell me that you would like to attend. We provide lunch, tour the building, present the mission and values of the congregation and let you ask any questions that you may have. Please email me if you would like to attend. Many of the people who have been visiting our church are doing so because we have such wonderful Kid’s Ministry and Youth Ministry.
As many of you know, some churches are choosing to leave the denomination and we are loving those folks who are seeking a new place to worship recognizing that they are in grief. I encourage you to be kind recognizing that these guests come to us angry, hurt and disappointed in their previous congregations. We must temper our enthusiasm for them visiting with the recognition that they are going through something terrible. I tell them all that I want them to find a place that makes their hearts sing. No pressure, just hope that they find what they need. Please pray for them and for us as we offer safe space for them.
Much love,
