Nov. 10th - I can Help My Friends

Hey Team,

As ministry leaders, we want to be sensitive and aware of the cultural conversations that may be happening in the lives of your kids and students this week. Let’s remember two core values of our culture of belonging:

1) let’s not make assumptions that kids and students are coming into our ministries ready to engage relationally or with the truths of God’s Word and

2) Let’s model a Christ-centered perspective that focuses on God’s truth and love in the midst of change.

Take a minute to pop over here and read more about how to talk with kids during this election season.

For this week in SUNDAY kid-min

Session 2: I Can Help My Friends Read: John 13 Highlight: John 13:12-15

Reflect: How can you serve and help a friend this week?

A)    Spend time talking and listening to my friend.

B)    Offer to help in a specific way.

C)    Speak words of encouragement and affirmation.

Pray: Jesus, You gave me such a great example of what it means to be kind, loving, and helpful to friends. Help me to follow Your example by loving and helping my friends. Amen.

Connect: What are ways you enjoy helping and serving others? 

sprouts + Rooted

Our Get Connected Bible story this week will teach kids I Can Help My Friends. John 13:1-20 tells the story of Jesus washing His disciples’ feet. This was a dirty task reserved for servants. The disciples were shocked that Jesus would lower Himself to that level. However, Jesus taught them that friends show love and care by helping and serving one another. We get to teach kids that in community, we get to help our friends. When we do, we show the love of God.

Seedlings

We’re going to say Hey, Hi, Hello this week as we teach preschoolers that they can help their friends. In John 13:1-20 we learn about how Jesus washed the feet of His disciples the same night He would be betrayed. Jesus shocked His disciples by doing such a lowly job, but in doing so, He was teaching them the manner in which we are to love and serve one another—with humility. We can follow His example in our own relationships. 


For You:

Blog: NextGen Ministry for the Whole Church
Training Video: Connecting Kids Across All Ages
Podcast: Check out the Hyfi Preschool and Kids Weekly Training Podcast. New episodes drop every Tuesday!Sprouts + Rooted





Cultural Conversations for Leaders

As ministry leaders, we want to be sensitive and aware of the cultural conversations that may be happening in the lives of your kids and students this week. Let’s remember two core values of our culture of belonging:

1) let’s not make assumptions that kids and students are coming into our ministries ready to engage relationally or with the truths of God’s Word and

2) Let’s model a Christ-centered perspective that focuses on God’s truth and love in the midst of change.

Here are three ways we as leaders can prepare our hearts and be sensitive to potential cultural conversations in the coming weeks.

Nov. 3rd - Volunteer Updates

Hey Team,

Get ready for fun with friends this November with our

  • Seedlings Big Deal, “Hey, Hi, Hello! God Gives Me Friends!”

  • Sprouts and Rooted Simple truth, “I Am Made for Community,” with our theme Get Connected.

Check out our Month at a Glance to see everything that we will cover this month. And don’t forget about this month’s Just For You section—practical training for your head and heart as you help our kids find their sense of belonging and identity in Christ. 

This month, keep this thought in the forefront of you mind while you interact with the children your ministering to.

By spending time intentionally welcoming every student and child who God has created, we are modeling an identity for this generation that is based on the identity God has designed. This will be in sharp contrast to the pressure and angst that a secular society demanding expressive individualism is offering them.

For You:

Blog: NextGen Ministry for the Whole Church
Training Video: Connecting Kids Across All Ages
Podcast: Check out the Hyfi Preschool and Kids Weekly Training Podcast. New episodes drop every Tuesday!

Coming Up this Weekend

Seedlings

In our first week of Hey, Hi, Hello, we will teach preschoolers that they can pray for their friends. In Acts 12, Jesus’ friend, Peter, was in prison. Peter’s friends were in a house praying for him. Suddenly, an angel came and freed Peter, leading him to safety and to his friends. God loves when we pray for our friends, and we get to teach preschoolers that He hears them when they talk to Him.

Sprouts

This week in Get Connected we will teach kids they can pray for their friends. One of Jesus’ followers named Peter was in jail because of his ministry. While in prison, his friends gathered and prayed for him. God answered their prayers by sending an angel to free Peter and help him escape. Peter went to the house where his friends were praying, and they were amazed! We get to teach kids that when they pray for their friends, they can know God listens. It’s an amazing way we can connect with the friends in our community. 

Highlight of the Week

Session 1: I Can Pray for My Friends

Read: Acts 12:1-17

Highlight: Acts 12:5,16-17a

Reflect: Which friend can you be intentional to pray for this week?

A)    A friend going through a difficult time

B)    A friend I want to grow deeper with

C)    A friend who needs to hear the good news of Jesus

Pray: Thank You, God, that You hear my prayers. Thank You that I can talk to You about the needs of my friends and know that You listen and respond. Help me be consistent in praying for my friends. Amen.

Connect: What is an amazing answer to prayer you’ve heard about or seen? How does that encourage you when it comes to prayer?

Oct. 20th - Session 3: I Can Ask for Forgiveness

Hey Team,

Thanks for all you do!! What you do is so so much more than “JUST” teaching a Sunday lesson. You’re helping kids experience community at age-appropriate levels!

Experiences transform the heart, moving faith beyond the walls of church and into everyday life for years to come. What we experience through relationships and discussion sticks with us much longer than what we simply hear or read.

When we create learning environments filled with grace and foster belonging, we set children free. It’s critical to drop any biases. Give every child a chance, no matter what you’ve heard and no matter what they’ve done. Wipe the slate clean every week. Believe in their best…and don’t be surprised when you get it.

Highlight of the Week

Read: Matthew 6:9-14 - Highlight: Matthew 6:10-11a
Reflect: What can you ask God today?

Ask for His will to be done. + Ask for provision and protection. +    Ask for forgiveness.

Connect: When is it easy to admit that we make mistakes and when is it difficult? How can remembering that we can always talk to God help when we’ve made wrong choices?

Pray: God, I admit that I need Your love and forgiveness. Today, would You forgive me for my wrong choices? Thank You that I can talk to You every day and thank You for always listening. Amen.

For You:

Blog: When Kids Don’t Think They’re Sinners

Training Video: Walking Kids Through Forgiveness with Others

Podcast: Check out the Hyfi Preschool and Kids Weekly Training Podcast. New episodes drop every Tuesday!

SPROUTS

Our Switch It Up Bible Story this week is from Matthew 6:9-14, where Jesus teaches what we call the Lord’s Prayer. Through this prayer, kids will learn that they can ask for forgiveness. We get to teach kids that God listens when we talk to Him to through prayer. We will also teach that when we ask for forgiveness, God always says yes!

SEEDLINGS

This week we get to teach preschoolers that we can ask for forgiveness. In Matthew 6:9-15, Jesus taught what we call The Lord’s Prayer. In it, Jesus said that we can ask God for forgiveness. That amazing truth is still relevant today, no matter where we are or what we’re doing. This week let’s consider how we can model what we are asking of preschoolers by recognizing when we need to ask for forgiveness from others and doing just that.