Rehearsing for Youth Impact Sunday

Rehearsing on stage in preparation for next week's Youth Impact Sunday (Oct 30, 9:30am)

Beatitudes: ME Attitudes vs BEE Attitudes

Demonstrating ME attitudes

Dropping our ME attitudes and putting on our BEE Attitudes

Living our Beatitudes

-- serious focus, standing in a straight line (shoulder to shoulder), eyes on Miss Jessica, and prepared to work

Because who are we? I'm a Bethelite, of Bethel AME, I go to church to learn about the God in me...

and because Jesus Loves Me, This I Know...

Next Sunday, October 30, there is NO CHILDREN'S WORSHIP because it's YOUTH IMPACT SUNDAY (youth led worship at Bethel...ALL kids in the sanctuary).

Please bring your children to the Fellowship Hall DURING Altar Call (immediately after the sermon ends) for a brief rehearsal. King's Kidz sing just before offering. After they sing, children immediately return to their parents.

KIDS SHOULD WEAR BLACK, YELLOW OR WHITE (Bee colors). They can wear the colors any combination i.e. a yellow dress or black dress, yellow tie, yellow shoes or accessories (just like the Bethel's Praise Team does on Sunday mornings).

Just before going on stage, the children will be given sunglasses and bee antennae headbands to wear (which must be returned).

Practice at home:

• The Bethel Chant and Jesus Loves Me
• Say the word ME (kids put on sunglasses and act inappropriately for singing in church)
• Say the word BEE (kids immediately take off glasses, arms at their sides, and are focused ready to sing)
• Reminder: it doesn't matter what color sunglasses they get on stage...it's not about them, it's about God!
• Reminder: It doesn't matter who is in front of the microphone, or who stands in front or in back, it's about God!
• Parental reminder: at their developmental stages, we don't aim for perfection on stage as it's not a show performance, it's education and ministry. King's Kidz experiences help the children to see themselves as contributing parts of the Bethel community while stimulating parts of their brains that control things like emotional control, memorization, motor functions, elocution, etc. Kids forget lyrics. They wiggle. They cry. They stand still (and nothing else). They follow directions. They sing. Standing before a congregation of a few hundred people is a learning process. We aim for progress, not perfection.

On Sunday

• Dress your children in BLACK, YELLOW OR WHITE (Bee colors)
• Bring your child to the Fellowship Hall during Altar Call (immediately after the sermon) for rehearsal
• The King's Kidz sing just before offering
• Your children will remain with you before and after they sing

After

• Email us your pictures and videos to post on our blog!

Elijah Helps a Widow ( Recap of Oct 23)

We read Elijah Helps a Widow and reflected on Matthew 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Teacher: "Can you tell me about a time when you were sad?"

(A three year raises her hands.)

Child: "I cry when I have to take a bath."

Teacher: "Do you feel better when your bath is over?"

Child: "Yes."

Teacher: "See, we mourn for only a for a short time, and then we feel better."

Psalm 30:5 "...Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning."

Hannah's Prayer (Oct 16)

Today we read Hannah's Prayer and continued discussing the Beatitudes. We reflected on Matthew 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted and noted how God comforted Hannah and answered her prayer to have a baby.

Praise and worship

Morning prayer: reciting The Lord's Prayer from memory.

Our BEES for our BEATITUDES.

The Red Sea (Oct 9)

...and they walked out on dry land.

Today we read and discussed the story about the Red Sea in the Beginner's Bible as part of our Beatitudes: "Me" Attitudes vs "Bee" Attitudes yearly theme.

After reading and discussing the story, we decided to do an activity that would make real the difference between mes vs the bees in the story.

The children help set up a make believe sea that they would each get a chance to walk through both as an ancient Israelite and as an ancient Egyptian.

We asked: What do you think the Israelites did before they began to go towards the water?

The children responded:

"I think they prayed."

"I think they were afraid."

...and so they [the kids] did. They kneeled or stood quietly, acted nervous, prayed, had faith, and then began to slowly walk into the sea but noticed that our interactive sea (powered by little hands) parted allowing them to safely walk out on dry land.

We even got to go through a second time with a little silliness singing and dancing "Pharoah, Pharoah" which has the important lyrics "Listen to God if you won't listen to me."

Then we learned the difference between the Egyptians' "Me" Attitudes vs the Israelites' "Bee" Attitudes when the kids walked through again, this time as the Egyptians in the story we read...and noticed that the sea did not part and therefore they got wet! (sea water powered by their teachers splashing water on they as they ran through screaming, giggling and not listening after previously being giving permission to demonstrate some inappropriate Me attitudes].

Communion Sunday Oct 2 Recap

We read The Last Supper in The Beginner's Bible (something we will do every first Sunday) and spoke about communion.

We did a quick attitude check, and listed things that exemplified good (bee) attitudes vs bad or not so good (me) attitudes.

Checking our behaviors and attitude are things everyone in the church does (or should do) before receiving communion. We will do an attitude check-in every first Sunday, too.

Some sample quotes from the kids:

Bad attitudes

• Slinging your brother
• Hitting
• Not listening
• Not going to bed

Good attitudes

• Listening to your parents
• Being nice
• Giving hugs when someone is sad
• Keeping personal space
• Being gentle with a baby

Then the children went into the main sanctuary and got to participate in their own offering (using the Children's Ministry's offering treasure box) then watched or participated in communion before returning to the Fellowship Hall for dismissal.

Sunday, September 25 Recap

Our second Sunday of the year was a great success. The students were once again well behaved, and as the team has become organized, the kids are getting used to our new weekly routine.

As the children arrive at 9:30 they color in their own personal coloring books, and play together. It is a wonderful time of fellowship for them.

One of the things we begin with is the Lord's Prayer. It is our hope that every child growing up at Bethel will know this part of scripture. 

 The children are learning about and experiencing worship as well as getting ready to lead the adults in worship at the end of October. 

If your family has not received the very important worship packet for the entire year, be sure to see Jessica Huber, or one of the front children's helpers at the table to get one. 

We are asking for a practice commitment from every family.


We also want to be sure that your family has filled our your child's information form, and that you have signed the parent covenant. These are very important elements this year to unifying our ministry, and keeping you involved with your child's spiritual growth. Once again, if you have not done either of these things then please see a greeter/helper at the table in front of the fellowship hall.

This week we began our year long study of The Beatitudes. We had an overview this week and we will dive in deeper all year long.