Tuesday, December 17, 2013

See where we're going in 2014!!!

The Greenhouse is a safe and fun place for kids to discover God! Check out what they will be discovering in 2014! So exciting!!!  
 
 
 
2014 GH Series

January 4 weeks “Choosing God’s Way”

February 4 weeks (Valentine’s Day Feb 14) “True Love” (website)

March 5 weeks “God’s Love through Jesus”

April 4 weeks (Easter 20th) Easter “Jesus Loves You”

May 4 weeks (Mother’s Day 11th) (Memorial Day 26th) “Trust God”

June 5 weeks (Father’s Day 15th) “Crowns”

July 4 weeks (4th of July) “Best of the Bible”

August 5 weeks  “Best of the Bible”

September 4 weeks (Labor Day 1st) “God of the Underdogs”

October 4 weeks (Halloween 31st) ???

November 5 weeks (Veteran’s Day 11th) (Thanksgiving 27th) “Miracles of Jesus” (website)

December 4 weeks (Christmas Eve 24th) (Christmas Day 25th) (New Years Eve 31st) “Birth of Jesus” ‘Jesus is the Reason for the Season’ (website)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

January: Choosing God’s Way

Memory Verse: Your word is a lamp to guide my feet
    and a light for my path. Psalm 119:105

Week 1: Love God Most of All: Adam and Eve Genesis 3 Develop an action plan that helps them obey God   TIL: ‘God wants me to obey Him out of love’ Memory Verse John 14:5

Week 2: Choose Good Friends: Jonathan 1 Sam. 16:14-18:16, 20, 23:15-18 How will they be a good and faithful friend  TIL: ‘God wants me to choose good friends who help me love God’ Memory Verse John 15:12

Week 3: Be Kind and Forgiving: David Spares Saul 1 Sam. 24, 26 Plan to do something nice for someone who has been unkind to them   TIL:‘God wants me to be kind and forgiving to everyone.’ Memory Verse Ephesians 4:32

Week 4: Stand for God: Elijah on Camel 1 Kings 18 How to stand for God even against peer pressure   TIL: ‘God wants me to stand for Him no matter what others do’ Memory Verse Deut. 31:6

February: True Love: (TIL is the title of each week) (website) what-is-love

Lesson 1 - Love is Patient

In this first lesson, children will discover that godly love means we can wait patiently until His blessings are revealed to us.

Lesson 2 - Love is Kind

In this lesson, children will discover how genuine love that comes from God means we will show kindness to all people, even our enemies.

Lesson 3 - Love is Forgiving

In this lesson, the children will learn how to choose love and forgiveness over getting even, through the Old Testament Bible story of Joseph.

Lesson 4 - Love is Everlasting

In this lesson, the children will learn that true love, the kind that comes from God will last forever, no matter what may come.

March: God’s Love Through Jesus 

Week 1: Bible Story God Gives Us Jesus—Matthew 1:18-25; 3; 4:23-25; Luke 1:11-60; 2: 1- 20
TIL: God’s love is shown in Jesus.  Bible Verse “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.” –1 John 4:9

Week 2: Bible Story
Jesus Helps a Young Girl and a Sick Woman—Matthew 9:18-26; Mark 5:21-43; Luke 8:40-56  TIL: God’s love is kind and patient. Bible Verse “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.” –1 Corinthians 13:4

Week 3: Bible Story Jesus Cares for a Samaritan Woman  John 4:1-42 TIL: God’s love is for everyone. Bible Verse
“[Love] is not rude, it is not self-seeking” –1 Corinthians 13:5

Week 4: Bible Story Jesus Forgives Zacchaeus Luke 19:1-10 TIL: God’s love is forgiving. Bible Verse “[Love] is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.” –1 Corinthians 13:5-6

Week 5: Bible Story Jesus Lives Forever Mark 14:27—16:20; Luke 22:47—24:53; John 21:15-17 TIL: God’s love never fails. Bible Verse “[Love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” –1 Corinthians 13:7-8

Jesus Loves You
April: “Jesus Loves You” (TIL is the title of each message)

1. Even when you’re left out…Jesus Loves You! Luke 17:11-19 Jesus heals 10 lepers

2. Even though you’re different… Jesus Loves You! John 4:1-30 Jesus reaches out to a Samaritan Woman

3. Even though you do wrong… Jesus Loves You! Luke 22:47- 24:12 Jesus dies and comes back to life

4. Even when you don’t understand… Jesus Loves You! John 13:1-17 Jesus Washes the disciples’ feet

May: Trust God (TIL is title of each message) 

Week 1: Bible Point: God is with us, so...trust God! Bible Story: The Israelites cross the Red Sea. (Exodus 14:1–15:21) Key Verse: "God answered, 'I will be with you.' " (Exodus 3:12)

Week 2: Bible Point: God gives us what we need, so...trust God! Bible Story: God provides manna and quail. (Exodus 16) Key Verse: "For your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!" (Matthew 6:8)

Week 3: Bible Point: God gives us strength, so...trust God! Bible Story: Israel defeats the Amalekites.  (Exodus 17:8-16) Key Verse: "For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:13)

Week 4: Bible Point: God guides us, so...trust God! Bible Story: God gives the Ten Commandments. (Exodus 20) Key Verse: "I will bless the Lord who guides me." (Psalm 16:7)

June: “Crowns” (TIL: I can get a –title of each message)

Memory Verse “Those who look to Him are radiant” psalm 34:5

1. Crown of Victory 1 Cor 9:25 Given to those who work hard for God, not themselves.

2. Crown of Life James 1:12 Given to those who trust God during difficult times of trial.

3. Crown of Rejoicing 1 Thess 2:19 Given to those who tell others about Jesus.

4. Crown of Glory 1 Peter 5:4 Given to those who are humble servant leaders.

5. Crown of Righteousness 2 Tim 4:8 Given to those who are actively preparing for Jesus’ return.

July and August: Best of the Bible (TIL about –then title of message)

Week 1: Noahs Ark

Week 2: Birth of Moses and Moses Parts Red Sea

Week 3: Sacrifice of Isaac

Week 4: Burning Bush

Week 5: Battle of Jericho

Week 6: David and Goliath

Week 7: Shad, Mesh, Abed

Week 8: Daniel and Lions Den

Week 9: Jonah and Whale

September: God of the Underdogs: God Of The Underdogs

1) What is an underdog?, 2) Gideon, 3) David, 4) Paul

TIL: God created me on purpose, for a purpose!

October: ???

John 6:1-15 banner image
November: Miracles of Jesus: (check website) (TIL:Jesus did great things and I can do!)

Week  1 - Water Into Wine In this lesson, children learn that the Lord cares about all of our needs, however seemingly insignificant, when He turns the ordinary into the exceptional for His glory.
Week  2 - The Great Catch Through this lesson children learn that we can accomplish so much more in life when we include God in everything we do. The Holy Spirit, prayer, and Bible reading empower both our physical and spiritual lives.
Week  3 - Jesus Heals a Paralytic Through this lesson, children learn that Jesus is more concerned with our spiritual condition than He is with our physical well being.
Week 4 - Jesus Feeds Five Thousand Through this lesson, children learn that Jesus is able and willing to supply both our physical and spiritual needs. We need to be careful not to waste the blessings the Lord provides and utilize these gifts to the best of our abilities.
Week 5 - Jesus Walks on Water Through this lesson, children will learn that there will be times in life when our faith is tested. Life will not always be easy, and we will need to let our faith in God help keep us afloat during the difficult times in our lives.


 

December: Birth of Christ ‘Jesus is the Reason for the Season’: (Website) (TIL: Jesus is the Reason for the Season!)  

Week 1 - Gabriel Visits Mary After completing this Christmas lesson, children will learn that God has great things in store for all of us as we live lives that are pleasing to Him.
Week 2 - Joseph's Dream This Christmas lesson will teach the children the importance of living a righteous life and how we must always allow God to lead us through the difficult times we will encounter.

Week  3 - Journey to Bethlehem This Christmas lesson will teach the children that although many things have changed throughout the ages one thing has not changed during all of this time. The good news that Jesus came into this world because God loves us.
Week 4 - Visit of the Magi This Christmas lesson teaches children that it is natural and expected to worship Jesus. Wise men and women throughout the ages have made Jesus their Lord and Savior.




Monday, December 9, 2013

Tuesday with Tiff: 20 Ways to Make Kids Laugh at Church














I love hearing kids laugh.  There's nothing more precious than the laughter of a child...especially at church.  Over the years, I've found ways to get kids laughing.  Here's 20...

1. Tell a joke. (they love knock-knock jokes) (Here's my newest one from a laffy taffy candy: what teeth can you buy for a dollar? BUCK TEETH!)

2. Ask their name and then start saying it back to them wrong. (example - if it's Jake, say, "Nice to meet you Justin") The more times they correct you, the more they'll get tickled.

3. Get something dumped on you like water, slime, pudding, etc.

4. Fake a fall, trip, run into something, etc.

5. Sing a funny song.

6. Talk in a funny voice.

7. Whoopee cushion app on your phone. (make sure it's the app...not you)

8. Sing way off key. (that's easy for me)

9. Wear a crazy costume.

10. Make a funny face.

11. Have a burping contest.

12. Guess their age outrageously high. (example - if they're 6, ask them if they're 60, then keep saying it back to them wrong as they correct you - 36? 16?)

13. Show a picture or video of an animal doing something funny.

14. Boogers and snot. (they love to laugh at gross stuff)

15. Say a word or state a fact wrong and let them correct you.  Say it wrong several times before you finally "get" it.  (examples - everyone sit down in your "bears" instead of "chairs",  Noah built a motorcycle to put all the animals in)

16. Have someone pull a prank on you in front of the kids.

17. Impersonate an animal or well-known person.  The worse you do, the better.

18. Tell them something really funny that happened to you.

19. Put a big mark or smudge on your face ahead of time and when they start pointing at it, act like you don't know it's there.

20. Laugh uncontrollably.  It's contagious.

If kids laughed more at church, maybe they wouldn't grow up to say it was boring and they were "made" to go.  You don't have to "make" someone go where they enjoy being.

We tell kids to sit still and be quiet and then wander why they grow up and are sitting still and being quiet...if they even come at all.

Your turn.  How do you make kids laugh at church?  Share in the comment section below.