10-20-22 This Week in Faith
/For Kids in October
Faith Fall Festival is THIS Sunday, October 23 from 5-7PM. This is a great event for your whole family. Come eat, play games, listen to music, win prizes and more. Kids can dress in costumes. And this is a great opportunity to invite another family to church. Think about who you could bring with you that could enjoy the night and get connected to Faith.
Sunday School EVERY Sunday Sundays from 9:45AM-10:45AM There are classes for 5th grade and under. Check in at the desk in the foyer. This month we are studying:
THIS Sunday: Oct. 23- Ruth; Oct. 30- God Hears Hannah’s Prayers
Scripture Memory: 1 John 4:14
Catechism: Are there more gods than one? There is only one God.; In how many persons does this one God exist? In three persons.; What are they? The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
Children’s Church [8:30AM Service] Children’s Church is available during the 8:30AM service. There’s a kids message in both services. 2nd grade and under will be invited to leave for Children’s Church after that in the 8:30AM service.
* We also have a new Children’s Bulletin that is ideal for 3rd-5th graders. It incorporates the worship bulletin but helps kids track through the service, stay engaged, and worship more fully with us. Look for it on the way into the sanctuary with the other bulletins.
For Students in October
Serve and have fun at the Fall Festival. CLICK HERE to sign up to help at the fall festival. Serve for 1 hour and and hang out for the other. Students can sign up with a friend for a station.
Wednesday Nights for Middle School [6-8PM] This past week we had a great lesson and encouraged students to interview someone older in the faith than them this week.
Sunday Nights for High School [6-8PM] No meeting this Sunday due to the Fall Festival- join us there! We’ll jump back into the Psalms next Sunday.
Sunday School [9:45AM-10:45AM] Students are serving in a kids Sunday school class, attending the MS class [Understanding the Faith] or attending the HS class [New City Catechism]. Serve once a month in Children’s church during the early service. CLICK HERE to sign up to serve.
For Parents in October
Rise and Shine Service Breakfast THIS Saturday, October 22. Dads and their kids can join us for a devotion, breakfast, and a chance to serve our community alongside other men from our church [young and old].
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The Near Unbearable Burden of Making Meaning
What is it that is causing these younger generations to struggle so much with anxiety, mental health, and a lack of direction and purpose. There are less charitable explanations so I’m glad this article encourages us to step into their shoes and see the real challenges that young people face. Between the pressure to create and curate an image, and cultural pressure to make a name for yourself and accomplish big things, they are carrying a lot of weight. They need the promise of the gospel that in Jesus, they are no longer in the business of making a name for themselves. They are not their own, they belong to Jesus, and their life is now about resting in him and reflecting his goodness to the world. This is the news that can truly take the pressure off. Just ask Masters Champion Scottie Scheffler. This is a little bit longer article but it is so important for us to remember, and to teach and model for our kids.
*If you want to learn more about this, the book they mention in the article, You Are Not Your Own, is great.
Click here to read the article by Melissa Morgan Kelley.
How Do Children Make Their Faith Their Own?
As someone with a son in kindergarten and a daughter who is a high school senior [and reminding me she’s an adult regularly], I appreciate how he breaks the faith of our kids into a two-step process. When our kids are young, we should have certain goals for how we communicate faith to them and help them know Jesus. But when our kids get older, teenagers and up, there is a different way they are processing faith. This is a good thing because we don’t want them to just say they believe something because its what they think we want to hear. We want them to truly embrace Jesus and live their lives for his glory. So there is a different way we approach conversations about faith with them. Hopefully this understanding can help shape they way you point your kids to Jesus, no matter their age.
Click here to read the article by Chap Bettis.
How Parents Can Help Teenagers Study Their Bibles
This is a good reminder of the importance of other people being involved in the life and faith development of our kids. The above article talks about the primary role that you have as a parent in helping your kids know Jesus. But there is also a vital part others play in modeling and teaching faith to our kids. Who are the people you are intentionally connecting your kids with so they can see faith lived out in others? How can you make sure that time is a priority?
If you have a middle schooler that came on Wednesday nights this week, their homework is to interview someone older in the faith and ask them a few questions about how their faith has grown over the years. I think this is a great idea from the workbooks we’re using and its something you could encourage any one of your kids to do.
Click here to read the article by Anna Meade Harris.
The Biblical Truths Your Kids Need to Know
This is a great interview that covers a wide range of topics around the idea of discipling your kids. They talk about teaching your kids the Bible, talking to young kids about faith, modeling the faith, and more. As a mom of 6 boys, she has a down to earth perspective that gives me hope for our family.
