“Friend” is common terminology used in preschool environments.  It is the term I use to refer to children in classes.

“How are all my friends doing today?”  “Come over here, friends, and let’s get started with worship.”

Everyone is deemed friend.  I like this because it assumes the best of kids, their relationships and intent.  Everyone starts out being a friend; it’s not an earned status.

This is quite a contrast to my adult life…

It’s more complicated than that, right?  I somehow justify the RIGHT to evaluate, assess, and judge whether people I meet are worthy of relationship with me.  They must meet some list of qualifications to deserve my friendship.  Friend is not an easily won title. 

I’m conflicted by the double standard I’ve established.  The Bible clearly states that God detests double standards of every kind (Proverbs 20).  Yet, I’ve created very distinct differences between child and adult friendships.  Children should all be friends, but adults have to work for relationship.  (Disclaimer: I’m not ignorant to the fact that not everyone should be involved in our lives.)

The Holy Spirit has convicted me.  If I am to preach the Gospel message and share the love of Christ with others (which all believers are called to do), the best example I can provide is through loving people like Jesus.  I should desire to be a friend and one that loves at all times.

My new list for friendship is directed towards me:

• I need to be a better friend.
• I need to seek out friends.
• I need to assume good intent and offer relationship to those I meet.

During the month of April we are teaching preschoolers that Jesus is my good friend.  We want to impact their lives with the amazing grace that Jesus provides through His death and resurrection as we celebrate Easter.  We will talk about how Jesus has prepared a place for us to spend eternity with Him.  We will expound on His faithful, just, consistent, and freely given love.

Friendship with Jesus is our goal for these young hearts.

“A friend loves at all times.” Proverbs 17:17

Hey Parents!  Don't forget you can sign up for the FREE iPhone and iPad app at http://www.trinitytoday.com/parentcue

Simple and powerful words for our humanity to understand.  How could He really love everyone?!?!?  As we try to understand this incredible attribute of God, scripture challenges us to love each other as He has loved us.  It seems nearly impossible to have such perfect love, but Christ left us with His legacy of love as an example of how to show compassion, mercy, care, and hope to others. 

During March, our preschoolers will learn more encouraging and empowering stories of Jesus’ love shown to those during His ministry on earth.  These are true stories of love being shared with those who were “unworthy” of the presence of Christ.  Kind of like the rest of us…

1 John tells us that people will know our love for Christ is real, because we can love like He loved.  I embrace the challenge of loving people, because I’m also one of those sinning, undeserved, difficult, and full of faults people who needs Christ’s love poured out from others. I long to be loved for who I really am and the potential dormant within me – and I think everyone has that desire!

I have purposed with my life to love others with a selfless, patient, unwavering affection that Christ shows me.  All believers should strive for this.  This month we will begin this journey for many preschoolers by focusing on:

Basic Truth: Jesus wants to be my friend forever.

Bottom Line: Jesus loves everyone.

Memory Verse: “Love each other as I have loved you.” John 15:12

I will never forget their smiles, their welcoming hugs, and loving faces. Who knew kids could have ALL these qualities at once? Especially for complete strangers! The result, we saw even bigger smiles, loving hugs, and teary-eyed faces. I am talking about witnessing a special opportunity we were able to give our kids and their families by learning about “HONOR: letting someone know you see how valuable they really are.”

In our midweek service, we like to think of creative ways our kids can work on community projects while emphasizing on our monthly virtue. It’s how we can put hands and feet to what God is teaching us. The very first week of our Honor series, we learned to “Honor those who are overlooked”. The kids and I brainstormed those who may be overlooked in our city and we decided we would honor a very special group of people.

During our Community Project Night, we invited our families to make over 200 chocolate kiss valentine roses, complete with a heart shaped tag that said: “I HONOR YOU” and “WE LOVE YOU” in child’s hand-writing. Some of our elementary students were so passionate about making these roses and what they stood for, that they insisted their parents let them go with me to one of our local nursing homes and personally give their valentine roses to some people whom they thought would feel overlooked on Valentine’s Day…in their words: “The older people, the grandmas and grandpas.”

We had over 10 of our families meet me at one of our nursing home facilities on Valentine’s Day. I distributed the roses to each family and off they went! I observed and my heart smiled. Families went together into the rooms, hugging the residents and visiting with them as a family. The kids would give the rose and say “Happy Valentine’s Day. We Honor you today.” One little kindergarten girl made friends and hugged everyone she saw! Her mother later told me, “She is so proud of what we got to do. She has been telling everyone how we honored those who are overlooked. She said, ‘Mom, we honored the grandmas and grandpas, when can we do it again?!?’”

I had no idea that a virtue called “Honor”, would strike such a chord with our kids. When we talked about Romans 12:10: “Love each other deeply. Honor others more than yourselves,” we decided that this kind of love is not as easy as “loving pizza…”, as one of our 4^th grade boys described, “…It’s like a stronger, deep from within kinda’ love…below the surface!” They honored someone else without thinking of themselves, and are asking: “When? When can we do it again?”

Your kids can visit us each Wednesday Night in KidsMOVE as we go deeper into the Bible with our kids, and experience some great Community Service Projects.  We meet each Wednesday Night from 7pm-8:15pm in the Lower Floor on the main campus of Trinity Church!

We are gearing up for another fantastic Summer Camp Experience for our Kidsplace families.  Sign-ups have begun!  Get a camp application this weekend in Kidsplace and take advantage of our $275 Early Bird Rate today!  The Early Bird price goes away on February 28th, so don't delay!

God never fails to challenge my Faith. He challenges what I say, why I say it, and if I’ll stand by it. And, He does this on a regular basis; I can set my life by it! You know what I mean?

In Kidsplace, we are learning about “Generosity: Making someone’s Day by Giving Something Away.” Just last week, we were drilling into the kid’s heads “People are more important than stuff, PEOPLE are more IMPORTANT than STUFF, PEOPLE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN STUFF…” Yet, when push came to shove, I STILL forgot that people are MORE IMPORTANT.

I was given a Generosity challenge, and it was quite difficult I’m sorry to say…

Someone asked me to give, and I didn’t want to. I was thinking up excuses not to give as they were asking. I was thinking, "Great! Why me? You had to come up to me...I do not have time for this and the sacrifice is too much...probably not worth it…" Then, I was harshly interrupted, and the word "Compassion" would not leave my brain. I was reminded of what Jesus said, "When you give to those in need, you give to me [paraphrase]." (Matthew 25:31-46)

The Lord, once again, was giving me an opportunity to practice what I preach: Believing that PEOPLE are more important than STUFF. My heart was convicted and I was faced with a choice: Obey, Not Obey…

Generosity: making someone's day by giving something away. I made her day. In fact, I shocked her day by giving beyond what she expected. I’m not gonna’ lie, after I gave, there wasn’t some grand moment in my heart with overwhelming feelings and emotions. I obeyed and it was the right thing to do. I even had to keep telling myself as I walked away, “I obeyed. I know the Lord will bless, because He says He will.” As I was reminding myself of these truths, that’s when the grand moment in my heart came! The Holy Spirit revealed: “Is it not better to show compassion and give, then to show none at all? Wouldn’t you rather be THAT person, then one who judges, condemns, and is hardened towards others?” My heart smiled.

What about you? What kind of person do you want to be towards others? Will you answer your challenge with Generosity and Compassion or ignore an opportunity to see God’s love being poured out through you…He gives us these chances, what will you do?

What about you?

“…Suppose I can understand all the secret things of God and know everything about him. And suppose I have enough faith to move mountains. If I don't have love, I am nothing at all.” 1 Corinthians 13:2b

BY: Emily Hart

We can all receive love in a variety of ways: a hug, a gift, a kind word, time spent with someone who cares for us…there really are a million ways to say “I love you.”  Each gesture speaks to our spirit differently.  But the end result is the same: Love fuels us.  It’s the driving force that moves us to be more kind, considerate, sacrificial, and do things we never thought imaginable. 

The most profound message of love we can ever know is the saving love of our Lord Jesus Christ.  A love so great, that God would send His only Son, as a ransom for the world.  A love so perfect, it would defy all the odds.  A love so radical it was rejected by men.  A love so deep it couldn’t be contained by death.  A love so rich it can’t be earned, only freely received. 

Even the youngest hearts can understand this love.  Maybe not to it’s full extent, but they grasp the concept.  To them, love isn’t conditional upon good behavior, but it’s implied.  That’s exactly what scripture tells us – Romans speaks of our sin and how we cannot earn grace, but because of God’s love for us, He made a way.  It’s a free gift of from our heavenly Father.

That’s how we know that God loves us: He gave us Jesus.  During December, our preschoolers will learn about the birth of Jesus, preparing their hearts to receive this gift of love.  Kids will also hear the basic truth that Jesus wants to be our friend forever.  They will memorize Isaiah 9:6 “God has given a son to us.”  This will be a Christmas time to remember as we celebrate the best way to say “I love you” - Jesus.

BY: Deborah Winkler

After giving my 2 year old daughter a special treat, I did something. I did what most parents ask of their children: “What do you say?” I made her stop what she was doing and say: “Tangk-you” (in her own words). This is so important in our house, that refusing to say “thank you” is not acceptable. Then I imagined my Heavenly Father threatening “spankings” every time I refused to stop and say thank you for every “treat” He has given me. God of Grace, pressure and force is not His style. Still, how come I cannot apply the same rule I enforce with my child to myself?

The theme in Kidsplace for this November is taking a “Pitstop”- to remember to take time out of the “big race” we are living and stop, adjust our attitudes, and thank God for what He has done for us.

Isn’t it great that we are dependent creatures? I say that with a hint of sarcasm, because I pride myself in my false sense of independence. I cannot stand to depend on others, but think about it, nothing we receive, do, or accomplish is without God meeting our needs first. It is proven throughout scripture! Not to mention, He humbles me daily with this fact. When I stop, I am grateful…I am grateful that He loves me enough to go before me and see my needs before I do. Even in the happy times, He celebrates with me and brings blessings!

But the Bible also tells us that it’s not enough just to show gratitude to God. We should also use the same gratitude to show our appreciation to all the people who help us every day. We don’t do as much by ourselves as we think we do. Sometimes it’s as simple as remembering to say “Thank you.” Sometimes it’s writing a special note or giving someone a hug. The important thing is that we remember and recognize what others do for us, including God, as we thank them for their help. That is true gratitude.

All month long we will be living by 1 Thess. 5:18 “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” We always have a reason to be grateful, no matter how busy or important we think our tasks might be.

So BEFORE I eat tons of turkey, green bean casserole, and warm, buttery rolls…I’m going to remember the one who brought me this day, this time with the people around me, the NOW. I’m going to remember what He gave (John 3:16), so that I could give to others freely…

Before you enjoy your “treats”, remember to say “Tangk-You” people!

Who can help you?  Children will learn GOD MADE PEOPLE TO HELP ME.  This month’s memory verse is: “Be kind and loving to each other.” Ephesians 4:32

We are doing a special food sorting activity at the end of November in our preschool environments, and we would love you to help!  Can you send in non-perishable food items (cans and boxes preferred) during the month of November for us to use on that last Sunday?  All the items we collect will be donated to the Trinity Outreach Center.  Not only will you be helping your child learn to sort, but you will be helping them learn to help others!

To catch this month’s vision video, watch the video below.

FL Preview : Happy Helpers (November 2011) from Orange on Vimeo.

Every Sunday afternoon, an email goes out with our weekly ParentCUE.  If you aren’t signed up, the time has come!  Register at parents.trinitykidsplace.com.  ParentCUE's include our monthly themes and memory verse from the preschool environment, the weekly Bible story, and a prompt for incorporating this into your everyday rhythms at home.  This card provides potential for fantastic conversations between you and your preschooler.  And, it allows us to partner together to impact your child.

Honoring Noel Short

Over the weekend we lost a faithful and loving volunteer, Noel Short.  For nearly a decade, Noel oversaw our Special Needs class on Sundays.  He was a caring and gentle man who loved his class.  He was dependable and dedicated, serving with a relentless passion for his kids and their families.

Noel was a friend to many and will be greatly missed.  There will be a memorial service held in his honor this Friday, October 21^st at 2:00pm in the Trinity Chapel.  We hope to see all of his church family and friends there.  

In lieu of flowers, support can be directed to Trinity Church Children’s Ministry.

During the month of October, we will be teaching our preschool kids that God loves us so much and that He takes care of us.

We want our preschoolers to learn that they can help people too! Starting on October 9^th and continuing through the entire month, we are going to be talking to our kids about a very specific way that they can help someone else. Your child will learn that there are children who need a nice, warm coat.

The need to be warm when it is cold outside is a physical need to which your preschooler can relate. As you are finding coats to send in with your preschooler, please talk with him about how he is helping to take care of someone who is cold and needs a nice, warm coat. Let him know that he is helping to take care of someone and giving them a very special gift!

Beginning on October 9^th, there will be several Coats for Kids drop off boxes located through out our preschool area. We will collect coats for 4 Sundays, ending on October 30^th. All donations will be given to the Trinity Outreach Center to benefit families in need within our community.

This is a great way for your preschoolers to grow up knowing that they can help someone who needs them!

Something out of Nothing = CREATIVITY

Growing up, I was drawn to anything that involved my imagination. My childhood consisted of making my brothers and sisters play pretend games like “post office”, “house”, and “doctor” (I even wrote out bills and charged for my services), but it wasn’t until we created our own world and TV show: “Time Cop, Time Travel” that our imaginations really got moving! We had a theme song with beginning credits and dramatic poses, “To Be Continued”’s with cliff hanger endings, action, “good guys”, and “bad guys” all acted out by us kids. We created time travel devices that connected to our bikes, special communicator/computer/media player in one handheld device (sound familiar? If only we knew…), and a machine that would shrink the “bad guys” into bottles for imprisonment. We created it all from cardboard, paper, and our imaginations! These were some of the best, most fun times I had as an elementary student, which got me thinking…

I Wonder…Did God have that much fun creating us? And where did my imagination come from? Are their different kinds of creativity? These questions have incredible answers!

That’s why I’m so excited about Kidsplace in October and our journey to explore where true creativity comes from. First, we’re going back to the beginning and it’s no surprise that we discover a very imaginative God. He literally spoke something into nothing! Our bottom line this week: “You were created so you can be creative.”

We will learn what our friend Paul says (in what will be our monthly memory verse): “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10, NIV). We are created by a creative God! Everyone has unique abilities and talents that make them different from everyone else! Can you imagine the thought and excitement that went into creating ALL of us?

In the following weeks, we’ll expand our definition of creativity to include the fact that God can empower us to solve problems and lead in “out-of-the-box” ways. We’ll learn about how we can creatively express ourselves through our words, music, art and more with the intention to point people to God. We’ll study the life of David, who is one of the most creative examples in God’s big story. As my friend said, “Did you know that in one Biblical translation David is described as living his life as a poem back to God? (2 Samuel 23:1-2) David was more than an artist- he used not only his natural creative gifts, but his learned skills and other life experiences to lead others and show God’s goodness.”

But there’s more! God’s main goal was to create us to reflect Him, to be the type of light that helps others see Him more clearly. (Matthew 5:14-16) Remember God promises that He has big plans for us in the world! (Jeremiah 29:11-12)

In fact, we will take it a step further, and learn that we can make more of an impact when we get creative and share our resources (Acts 2:1-47). We will learn: “Imagine what could happen if everyone used their gifts together.” Finally, the last week of October, we will focus on what worshipping God with your life really looks like.

God created a whole world from His imagination, just for us to interact with Him and live out His adventures! With His own theme songs, characters, action and drama; we were made to share in His love and His stories. We have a creative God! He made us a part of something that once was nothing, and He did it with a smile on His face the whole time.

What does God love about you?  Children will learn GOD LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT ME.  This month’s memory verse is: “I am wonderfully made.” Psalm 139:14

We teach our preschoolers that God made us, God loves us, and God will take care of us. One of the ways He takes care of us is by giving us people to care for us, people to help us. He can also use us to help others. That’s a hard concept for preschoolers, but we want them to begin to grasp it. We want them to learn that we can help others just like God helps us. We want to make a connection between how much God loves and helps us and how He wants us to help others.

We decided to focus on a physical need to which all young children can relate. You see, every child has been cold. And, most children have had the experience of putting on a nice, warm coat and getting toasty warm again.  We thought that this would be an easy connection for young children and that they could feel empathy for another child who might not have a coat to keep them warm.

During the month of October we will be collecting Coats for Kids.  We will have collection bins in our Education 1 and Education 2 buildings for children to drop their donations at.  All coats will be donated to the Trinity Outreach Center.

To catch this month’s vision video, watch the video below.

FL Preview : Fantastically Made (October 2011) from Orange on Vimeo.

Every Sunday afternoon, an email goes out with our weekly ParentCUE.  If you aren’t signed up, the time has come!  Register at parents.trinitykidsplace.com.  ParentCUE's include our monthly themes and memory verse from the preschool environment, the weekly Bible story, and a prompt for incorporating this into your everyday rhythms at home.  This card provides potential for fantastic conversations between you and your preschooler.  And, it allows us to partner together to impact your child.

Dear Parents, 

Over the past year, our Early Childhood ministry has been using a new and inventive curriculum called First Look.  This material has been very successful with our preschoolers and has created age-appropriate ministry environments.  Children hear every week that God made them, God loves them, and Jesus wants to be their friend forever.  The results have been obvious for our teachers and children!

Our curriculum is designed to meet the needs of children aged 3 to 5 years; and it’s spot on!  Consequently, we’ve become increasingly aware that our kindergarteners are ready for the next ministry transition, sooner.  With that in mind, we are excited to announce a new opportunity for kindergarteners at Trinity Church.  We will now have a place just for them with our Elementary students in the Lower Floor.  Our brand new Kindergarten Small Group will begin on Sunday, September 18.  This is a much anticipated moment for our Children’s Ministry team, and we are confident that your child will benefit from this shift.

Our Elementary ministry uses a curriculum called 252 Basics.  It is specifically targeted for children in kindergarten to fifth grade.  It emphasizes a small group setting with live large group teaching.  It’s a fantastic way for your kindergartener to learn: I can trust God no matter what, I need to make the wise choice, and I should treat others the way I want to be treated.

On September 18 you will have the option to for your child to attend Kidsplace with our Elementary students or remain in the 5 and Kindergarten Little Kidsplace class.  It’s important to know:

1. Children will not be required to transition until they are ready or have completed kindergarten. 
2. It is up to you to decide if your child is ready to transition into our Elementary environment. 
3. Once they have transitioned into the Kindergarten Small Group, your child will stay there – there will not be an option to go between the Elementary class and the Early Childhood class.

In case you are unfamiliar with the Elementary environment, the Lower Floor is located directly below the sanctuary and is accessible through a stairwell around the corner from our Connection Booth.  Your child will check in at our electronic kiosks using the last 4 digits of your home phone number.  If you have a child that already attends Elementary Kidsplace, their key fob will work for your entire family.  If this is your only or first child to attend, we will provide you with a key fob after they begin attending.

As a Children’s Ministry team we are very excited about this new option for our kindergarteners!  We believe it’s an innovative solution to fit the needs of the children in our ministry.  At Trinity we want to do everything we can to connect people to God and that includes even our youngest members.  If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact our team – we are always glad to help.

Sincerely,

Deborah Winkler // Nursery & Early Childhood Coordinator                   

Emily Hart // Elementary Ministry Coordinator

During September every preschooler at Trinity Church is going to hear “God loves me.”  We want every child to know and understand the vast love our Savior has for them.

Who can help you?  Children will learn GOD CAN HELP ME DO ANYTHING.  This month’s memory verse is: “I can do all things through Christ.” Philippians 4:13

FL Preview: ANYTHING (September 2011) from Orange on Vimeo.

Every Sunday afternoon, an email goes out with our weekly Small Talk Card.  If you aren’t signed up, the time has come!  Register at parents.trinitykidsplace.com.  Small Talk Cards include our monthly themes and memory verse from the preschool environment, the weekly Bible story, and a prompt for incorporating this into your everyday rhythms at home.  This card provides potential for fantastic conversations between you and your preschooler.  And, it allows us to partner together to impact your child.

What God does doesn’t always make sense…such a TRUE statement!  As I meditate on the faithfulness of God and trusting Him, I’m overwhelmed.  Very overwhelmed.  His love is so great, so deep, so vast.  He cares for us, like no other – yet sometimes we don’t understand His ways.

I was reminded of that a few weekends ago.  

Fridays are family day at the Winkler house.  We start with a slow morning, dancing to the “One Big Gulp” CD, and lots of laughing.  This Friday we decided to go to the park.  We have a park close to our house, but instead we were going to venture over to Legacy Play Village.  Everyone was loaded up in the car, seatbelts buckled, car seats adjusted, ready to go.  Then, the car won’t start.  It doesn’t even turn over when Cody tries again.  We’re stuck.  Probably a battery, starter or alternator – not our first car repair, we’re a bit experienced.

We get everyone out of the car and start with Plan B.  Cody suggests I take the boys in our smaller car, he’ll stay home with Lucy and work on the family car – yes, he’s that good :)  As we discuss further, I remind him that our smaller vehicle was making an odd sound last time we drove it.  Not sure what it was, but didn’t feel right.  (Because that car is used maybe twice a week, we had forgotten about the issue.)  I told Cody that I didn’t want to take Josiah and Joshua in the car until we knew what was wrong with it.  He agreed.

Cody, the mechanic, began diagnosing.  He identified a problem, called his brother to assist (since parts were needed and we were stranded).  They continued working through most of the afternoon.  They were close to a fix, but didn’t have the correct equipment.  We called our auto repair place and they told us to bring the car immediately, and they could work on it.

What was found at the auto shop was a little more intense than we had expected.  There was an issue Cody had not even discovered yet, that could have been devastating had we driven the vehicle – possibly even fatal.  WOW!

There were many emotions that could have overtaken us on that Friday: disappointment and tears from our kids who missed going to the park (Josiah was convinced we could simply get a battery from the house to fix the broken car), frustration from a husband/dad doing everything he could to reconcile the issues with both vehicles, helplessness from me who could do nothing to help.  All of those feelings are from the deceiver, the enemy, who is fighting against us each day.

But truly, the Holy Spirit was guiding us and leading us.  We felt thankful and grateful that God has given us two vehicles and resources to fix them.  We saw God’s timing is perfect, finding a missed repair that could have been detrimental. We were blessed to be stranded at home, not some strange place in 100 degree weather with 3 small children.

What God does doesn’t always make sense, but it is ALWAYS RIGHT.  We can trust Him, and not understand Him in the same breath.  He cares for us in such a magnificent and just way – nothing can compare.  It’s the most amazing relationship we can foster in our own lives and in the lives of those around us, especially children.

Has God said something to you that didn’t make sense?  Has God done something that didn’t make sense to you at the time?  What is your testimony?  I’d love to hear from you, and share with our Kidsplace team.  The Bible tells us that we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony (Revelation 12:11).  YOUR testimony may be the encouragement someone else needs to overcome.

By Deborah Winkler

Deborah is the Nursery and Early Childhood Coordinator at Trinity Church overseeing all that happens in a minsitry environment for babies up through Kindergarten.  If you'd like to learn more about how you could be involved in our ministry to the littlest of hearts at Trinity, I know she'd love to hear from you.  She can be reached at dwinkler@trinitytoday.com

August is here and we want you to know what your preschooler is learning this month at Trinity Kidsplace.  God loves me.  A simple truth, yet it can be difficult to grasp when we don’t fully understand God.

Why should you do what God says?  Children will be taught GOD KNOWS WHAT’S BEST FOR ME!  To catch this month’s vision video, watch the video below.

VISION VIDEO: FIRST LOOK (August 2011) from Orange on Vimeo.

Our sweet children will be memorizing Psalm 18:30 “God’s way is perfect.”

Every Sunday afternoon, an email goes out with our weekly Small Talk Card.  If you aren’t signed up, the time has come!  Register at RIGHT NOW  at parents.trinitykidsplace.com .  Small Talk Cards include our monthly themes and memory verse from the preschool environment, the weekly Bible story, and a prompt for incorporating this into your everyday rhythms at home.  This card provides potential for fantastic conversations between you and your preschooler.  And, it allows us to partner together to impact your child.

Lost and insecure
You found me, you found me
Lyin’ on the floor
Surrounded, surrounded
Why’d you have to wait?
Where were you?
Where were you?
Just a little late
You found me, you found me

These popular song lyrics by The Fray don’t hold a deep, profound spiritual meaning to me; rather they describe a weekly occurrence in our nursery and preschool ministry area.  An all too common situation.  A circumstance that threatens everything in our ministry.

A LOST SECURITY TAG!!

Ok, so you think that’s a bit of a dramatization.  I think it’s spot on.  The harsh reality is a lack of security in our check in/check out process has a profound impact on every child that comes through the doors of Trinity Church.  Safety and security have to be a priority.  This is how the process should work. Drop your child off in their appropriate class. Receive a security tag that matches your child’s name tag.  Retain tag.  When picking your child up, present security tag to volunteer team member.  Your security tag and your child’s name tag match.  Your child is released to you.  Everyone is safe and secure on our campus.

Let me walk you through the song lyrics and how they compare to a lost security tag.

Lost and insecure

The moment you loose your child’s security tag, our security process has been breached, causing an insecure environment.

Lyin’ on the floor

Surrounded, surrounded

I cannot keep up with the number of security tags I find lying on the ground throughout our weekend services.  Some weeks it’s a staggering amount!  But consider this, if a tag is dropped on the ground, surrounded by the feet of thousands of individuals, anyone could pick it up.  Definitely not safe.

Why’d you have to wait?

Where were you?

Where were you?

All it takes is a little time and diligence to keep up with the security tag. If you arrive at your child’s class without the security tag, I guarantee it will delay your exit from church.  It’s easier to always have it with you. 

Just a little late

You found me, you found me

The time you spending locating the security tag in your purse or your spouse’s Bible is insignificant compared to your child’s safety.  If you are intentional to keep up with it, then picking your child up from class will be a smooth process.

Following a time of powerful worship at evening chapel, Pastor Gabe George taught the kids that they can speak the word of God against worry, fear, and sickness.  They can say the word of God out loud, and it's like using a sword against the enemy! This was the final teaching on our verse for the week:  "Greater is He that is in me then he that is in the world." 1 John 4:4.  Be sure and ask your kids to recite the memory verse, and tell you all about what they learned this week!

A special thanks to our adult sponsors: Geoffrey Winkler, Stacey Siemens, Starr Cliff, Nicolel Maddux and Amy Dade. They each had a great time with the kids; be assured your children at camp were prayed for often and loved well this week.

Enjoy some pictures from today, and we'll see you back in Lubbock soon!

You'll also see pictures from the boys taking an afternoon trip to the lake and cove.  The kids are having a great time, and I've already got questions about whether we "have to leave on Sunday" or not.  

In addition to the great day of fun, the kids are experiencing some awesome chapel services.  Listening to our kids worship together at chapel is one of the highlights for all of the day.  We continued the 1 John 4:4 theme, and listened to a great talk tonight about how Christ living inside of us gives us the power to overcome sin.  Be sure and ask your kids about the power God gives us over the things that want to bring sin into our lives.  You should get some great answers!

Enjoy the pictures, and remember you can follow along all day by visiting our facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/trinitykidsplace

Thanks for your prayer, and we all look forward to seeing you on Sunday Evening!

After meeting our camp counselors, eating dinner, and learning the camp song; we enjoyed a great summer evening of nighttime fun!  All the kids had an opportunity to ride the Dry Gulch train, and all of them were thoroughly soaked by fire hoses on the ride. 

Enjoy the pictures, and know that we will have more tomorrow!  For frequent updates throughout the day, visit our Trinity Facebook page at www.facebook.com/trinitykidsplace.

I'm sure that many of the people reading this right now are parents that have sent your kids off to Camp Dry Gulch for a great Summer Experience. 

Congratulations on trusting your kid on such a great adventure, and please know that their safety is of the utmost importance to all of us!  We are going to have a great time at camp this Summer, and we want to share everything we are doing with you while we are away.

Every evening, (Internet Willing) we will be posting pictures and maybe even a few videos of our time at Camp.  It's my hope to have a few pictures of every kid, but I'm sure that will depend on how still they choose to sit when I'm taking pictures!  I will also give you a recap of what our chapel services have been like each night so that you can be prepared to talk about them when your kid returns.

You can follow along each late night (or early morning) and see what we have  to share.  If you'd like to receive an email update of the updates on this blog, then click the image below and follow the instructions to receive updates everytime we update the website.

Thanks again for entrusting us with your children this week!

This month in Kidsplace we are talking all about Forgiveness.  We've defined Forgiveness as "Deciding that someone who has wronged you doesn't have to pay."  I'd like to share a special article taken from www.OrangeParents.org written by Carey Nieuwhof.  Enjoy!

So how do you encourage your kids to forgive?

It might be more difficult than you think. And here’s why: many of us parents have never learned the art. While we might believe that love keeps no record of wrongs, for the most part, we do. And we’re not sure how to let go. In a world filled with ex-spouses, former employers, friendships that didn’t work out and more than a few disappointments, it’s difficult to release the people who have wronged us. And if we don’t know how to do that, how easy will it be for our kids?

We’ve all had to work through forgiveness issues, but here are some primers that, while not exhaustive, have helped me learn to forgive:

Sort out how you feel. The emotions you feel are real. Rather than stuffing them, ignoring them or pretending everything is fine, process what you’re feeling. Write your feelings down. Talk to a friend. Pray about it (honestly).

Own your part. Rarely is the other person 90% of the problem. Take some time to quietly and honestly reflect on how you contributed to the wrong and confess it. It might even help you find some empathy for the person who wronged you.

Make a choice. Forgiveness is a choice. Decide intentionally what you are going to do. Often we don’t forgive because we don’t decide to. We hang onto whatever we won’t release. So make a decision to forgive.

Don’t just wait for the offender to say sorry. You might wait forever. Forgiveness is as much about your heart as it is theirs. They may never apologize for what they did. Friends can become former friends and even enemies, which is one of the reasons why Jesus taught us to love our enemies. It takes grace, humility and strength to forgive someone who has wronged us.

Don’t let it go until you can wish them well. Real forgiveness is a process. You can’t just say it and be done with it. You know when you’ve truly forgiven someone? When you can wish them well. If you can’t, keep working on it. Eventually you will release them…and in the process realize you’ve also released yourself from bitterness and resentment.

While this isn’t exactly an easy process, it is a powerful one. And here’s where some of its deepest power lies. Your kids learn as much from example as they do from anything you say. When they see you live out forgiveness, it becomes so much easier for them to forgive. And when they’re struggling with it, you can walk them down a path you yourself have walked.

What has helped you forgive? What helps you teach your children about forgiveness?

Posted Originally at http://www.orangeparents.org/how-to-forgive/

Written By: Carey Nieuwhof

© 2010 The reThink Group

Every week your preschooler attends Trinity Church, they are taught very specific truths about God:

                God Made Me

                God Loves Me

                Jesus Wants To Be My Friend Forever

Within these three basic truths, kids take a first look at the character of our loving Savior.  They hear stories of healing, triumph, and forgiveness.  They learn how to trust God and love their friends.  Our kids are sharpening their spiritual sword by learning scripture (with motions, of course J).  It’s actually pretty phenomenal!

In the hustle and bustle of church letting out, picking up multiple children from multiple classrooms in multiple buildings with multiple take home papers and crafts, carrying a purse or diaper bag, holding on to your weekly program, monthly 411, and TLG flyer, you may or may not have a chance to notice what happened in your child’s class.  That’s ok!  We’ve got something just for you.

You see, it’s not just about what your child colored and glued in class or the random sticker they acquired or the musical parade their class put on, it’s about building a spiritual foundation in their young hearts.  Our influence is minimal, but your influence is powerful and creates waves that reach to the depths of your child’s being.  Sounds like a daunting responsibility…but that’s ok!  We’ve got something just for you.

Introducing the Small Talk Card. 

What’s a Small Talk Card? Small Talk Cards include our monthly themes and memory verse from the preschool environment, the weekly Bible story, and a prompt for incorporating this into your everyday rhythms at home.  This card provides potential for great, I mean, fantastic, conversations for you and your preschooler.  And, it allows us to partner together to impact your child.

Every Sunday afternoon, an email goes out with our weekly Small Talk Card.  If you aren’t signed up, the time has come!  Register right now by filling out the form below!

Confession: I lay awake at night and worry about my kids. It’s true. I know that worry is a waste of time. I know that worry shows a lack of faith. But sometimes…I worry.

I have a child about to graduate from high school and is still undecided about where she wants to go to college. I worry. What if she chooses a college that is out of state and I don’t get to see her every weekend? Or what if she doesn’t make friends? Or worse, what if her new friends aren’t good for her? College campuses are dangerous!  You see? I worry!

I could make a similar list for each of my kids. What if they fall and break their arm? What if they don’t pass that test? What if they are hurt? Mistreated? Taken advantage of?

There’s a part of me that would like to create this safe, protected, and controlled environment for my kids…to put locks on all of the doors and keep the bad out. I know this wouldn’t be best for them, but it sure is a tempting thought.

Worry won’t get you very far.

It takes courage to be a good parent.

Next time you need a little courage, try this:

Seek a new perspective.

There are worries in every stage of life. The first time you leave your baby with a sitter is scary. But there are parents who are further down the road than you are. They’ve been there. They’ve seen how things turn out.  They can give you a new point of view. Ask them.

Allow children to learn from their mistakes.

Would I let my child touch a hot stove? No Way! Did my kids scrape their knees when learning to ride their bike? Absolutely. The great things in life come with some risk. There are lessons that your child needs to learn by overcoming obstacles. And when we don’t allow them to face the tough stuff, we cripple them.

Acknowledge that you are not in control.

This is a tough one for me. Sometimes I would like to be in control. After all, my way is obviously the best way! But I can’t keep all drunk drivers off the road. I can’t stop sickness. I can’t build a fence high enough to protect them. I am not able to control every circumstance.

It takes courage to be a good parent. Sometimes I need the advice of those who’ve been there. Sometimes I need to help my child learn all that they can from the worrisome circumstances. And sometimes, I just need to remember to give my fears to one who holds the whole world in His hands.

Posted Originally at http://www.orangeparents.org/parenting-takes-courage/

Written By: Kendra Fleming

© 2010 The reThink Group

Summer Camp is quickly approaching, and we want to remind you that you only have a few weeks to take advantage of our Early Bird camp rate.  

The Early Bird rate for Kidsplace Summer Camp will last until March 30th and is only $249 per camper.  

Starting April 1st, this rate climbs to $279 per camper, so get your registration forms today to take advantage of this special Early Bird Pricing.  Take time today to visit our special Summer Camp Kidsplace page; where you can view slideshows from previous years, download registration forms, and see answers to our most commonly asked questions.

The following is one part in a series of letters to Parents. All of it is meant with the most serious of intentions, and is not directed at any one parent. It is simply the writing of a man that has worked with children and their parents in a church setting for many years now.

Dear Parents,

You attend church, and all of us that work to prepare exciting environments for your children are thrilled that you do.  It’s obvious to us that you value what the Body of Christ can bring to your life, and to your familie’s life by attending together.  For that be commended.  However, please allow me to humbly remind you that church attendance is only the first part of spiritually leading your family.  This letter is written to encourage you to talk about your experience at church with your children.  Do you ever ask what they really learned?   Not just if they had fun (which is an equally valid question, just not the most important information to get from them.)  Do you ever tell your kids what you learned?  Do you ever think to fall back on what your kid has learned when the situation arises during the week?

Here what can happen if you fail to talk about what happened at church this weekend.

1. First, you can communicate that what we do at church is separate from the rest of our lives. // As parents we should be teaching our kids that God is the center of our lives and worthy of organizing all that we do around glorifying Him.  But when we fail to talk about what happens at church, we are quietly telling them that what happens at church stays at church.  This isn’t Vegas;  it’s important to live out what we learn at church outside of the church walls!  Work to destroy the walls between church attendance and real life.
2. Second, you’re telling them that you didn’t learn anything. // You did learn something right?  You are grateful for your experience in worship, right?  You should be learning something, or being encouraged in some way with each encounter (and if you’re not please talk to someone.)  Share with your children what you are learning, and how thankful you are for what God has showed you.
3. Third, to not talk about church is to miss a key step in spiritually leading your children. // That’s a daunting phrase right there, isn’t it? “Spiritually leading your children.”  Throw out all those images of nightly devotionals, and long family prayer services.  You might get to that point eventually, but right now we are talking about just taking a small but deliberate next step toward nurturing their spirituality.  When you fail to ask children what they’ve learned at church you are missing the easiest of easy times to talk to your kid about spiritual things.  Take advantage of the awesome team of volunteers and leaders that teach your kids each weekend, and just use what they’ve already taught your children to start conversations.  I bet some of them will even put things in your hands to help this happen!

It’s not too late to start talking with you kids today about what happened at church. Please don’t miss the opportunity that you have each time you attend church to start spiritual conversations at home with your children.

Sincerely,

Your Friendly Neighborhood Children’s Pastor

he following is one part in a series of letters to parents. All of it is meant with the most serious of intentions, and is not directed at any one parent. It is simply the writing of a man that has worked with children and their parents in a church setting for many years now.

Dear Parents,

You love your kid. That much is obvious by your willingness to set rules and then hold your children to obedience to those rules. As a pastor to children, I commend your commitment to follow-up your parenting rules with consequences for disobedient actions. Consequences are good things.

However, suspending your child from church is not a good consequence. It sets the wrong precedent. Well-meaning as it is, for many reasons it is the wrong consequence. Obviously it’s a different scenario all together if your punishment is to suspend them from a lock-in, extracurricular activity, or other church-related activity. But when the church doors are open to teaching, mentoring, accountability, and the right kind of Godly relationships…please don’t keep your child from this as punishment.

This what I normally hear in the “witholding church as punishment” dialogue:

“[Insert Name] was not obedient at school this week, and so I told him he has to sit with me in the sanctuary. I know he really loves church, and I just couldn’t let him attend with all of this bad behavior recently.”

 What is wrong with this statement? Here is what you are basically saying to them.

You aren’t good enough to go to church, and I will use the adult service as punishment for your crimes.

Why is this bad? It’s bad because you are telling you child a few things when you do this.  You are telling them that:

1. Adult Worship service is boring and is a worthy punishment. // Your adult worship services may indeed be boring, and if they are I hope that you work to make sure that you find a place to worship that isn’t boring. When you this strategy as a punishment, you are telling your kid that church is something to be “suffered through.” Why would you want to make that impression on your kids? That’s right, you wouldn’t.
2. Learning God’s Word is NOT something important. // I know, I know…you think this is crazy and believe that God’s Word is important. But when you deny your child the opportunity to learn God’s Word from godly people who have prepared all this week for the moment that your child would experience on their visit…you are communicating to your child that the lesson he would have learned is not valuable or life-changing.
3. God doesn’t want you when you’re disobedient. // This might be a stretch, but hang in there with me on this one.  When you punish disobedience  by witholding opportunities to learn about God, you are tying obedience/disobedience with God’s acceptance of us.  Our Father in heaven has promised to forgive us of ALL confessed sin, and he has said that nothing will ever separate us from his love, and he has said that he has redeemed us from our past mistakes by sending his Son to pay the price for our sin.  I say all that to say this…please be careful how you represent the most grace-giving, loving heavenly father in your discipline to your children.

I know that you love your kids, and you are trying to do your very best to lead them spiritually.  But from your Children’s Pastor’s to your heart let me please remind you that there are many, many, many more creative consequences for disobedience.  May I suggest suspension from television, video games, sporting events, after-school snacks, and I could go on and on and on?

Sincerely,

Your Friendly Neighborhood Children’s Pastor

Dear Parents,

Thank you so much for coming to church this weekend.  It was a thrill to see you and your entire family worshipping with the rest of your church family.  I know that you had to get up earlier than you might have preferred, fought to get kids ready in their “church clothes”, swigged down some coffee quickly, and rushed to be with us on Sunday.  For that I am greatly appreciative!

However, I noticed something interesting this week.  You didn’t arrive until 30 minutes after church started, and our services are only 60 minutes long.  This can be problematic, which I’m sure you understand.  Let me say that being late isn’t the issue, it’s the consistently being late that is a greater concern.  We all have “those Sundays” when everything that could go wrong does, and you get to church much later than anticipated.  I’m speaking more towards being late every…single…weekend.  Please know that you are communicating the wrong message to your child, those that work with your child, and all the other children attending each weekend.

I can hear it now, “What are you talking about?  This isn’t really any of your business!” And I agree, but please let me ask you to consider what message you might be sending by being late every weekend.

1. First, you’re asking your kid to play major catch-up. // If the service is 60 minutes long, and you arrive to drop off the kid after the first 30 minutes, then they have probably already missed the following: Praise and Worship, Introduction of Bottom Line elements, Bible Story, and many times your arrival corresponds with the most intense and most serious time of the entire morning.  That’s right, by being late your kid has missed everything the kids consider “the good stuff”.  In Kid’s ministry things move fast, and we put a premium on quickly moving from one thing to the next.  We’re always teaching our bottom line; but by missing the first 30 minutes your child will have difficulty grasping and internalizing the message.
2. Second, it’s a distraction. // This is the one that I feel the worst about bothering you about. Apologies as I step on your well-intentioned toes, but here I go…  When you arrive 30 minutes late to a 4 year old class, it means the teacher has to stop what they’re doing to check-in your kid. That might mean stopping the lesson right in the middle of a teaching time, when they’ve already worked hard to capture the gnat-like attention of a class of 4 year olds. It’s quite simply a major distraction to everyone already in the classroom.  It’s also a major distraction to your own child.  There are some major embarrassment and separation issues related to dropping off a child into an environment that isn’t prepped for drop-off and check-in time.  It’s hard on your own child in a way that I know you would never intend.
3. Third,  it’s less than the best. // Everyone wants what’s best for your child.  Everyone on my team at the church wants your child to have the most positive experience possible on a Sunday morning, and I have no doubt that you want the best as well.  When your child arrives late to church, it’s quite simply giving them less than what is best.  My team at the church has planned every minute of our time with your child to help illustrate God’s redemptive plan and His love for your children.  Let us have as much of this time as possible!

So you may be asking, “What can I do to help this not be a problem?” That’s a great question, and here are some solutions.

• If you’re running late, then wait until the next service starts and give your kid the 100% experience at the upcoming later service.  Of course, this only applies if your church has more than one service, and if you were trying to get to the early service.
• If you’re running late, apologize to the people trying to get your child situated into the environment quickly.  A kind word does wonders for a teacher that has to deal with distraction you’ve created.  The fact is that being late happens to all of us, but recognize the burden it is on those leading the classrooms.  Just apologize, and act like it matters.
• If you’re running late, then promise yourself and your family that this will be the last time.  Work hard to be on-time, if for no other reason that because it’s best for your kids.  That’s reason enough isn’t it?

Thanks for bringing your kids to us each weekend, and know that we love, love, love having them with us.  It’s a thrill to minister to all the different parts of your family, and you are to be commended for the intentional effort you make every week to worship as a family.

Sincerely,

Your Friendly Neighborhood Children’s Pastor

he following is one part in a series of letters to Parents. All of it is meant with the most serious of intentions, and is not directed at any one parent. It is simply the writing of a man that has worked with children and their parents in a church setting for many years now.

Dear Parents,

Thank you for coming to church…last month.  Where ya been?  I love seeing you and your family, but it’s been a while.  Don’t lie about how much you attend, because nowadays I can track your kids attendance pretty easy with all the sophisticated software solutions out there.  I’m sure your schedule has been really busy lately, and you feel like you’re having to choose to say no to some things.  And I’m sure that it’s easy to say no to church attendance.  I mean really, you can always go next week, right?  I know that there are weeks that there really are conflicts; soccer tournaments, out-of-town trips, and the occassional sick times.  But in all honesty and with as much sincerity as I can muster, what do you have going on a Sunday morning that takes priority over worship?

Let me be your cheerleader for a moment:  You can get here to church more regularly! You can get there, I know you can!  And I’d like to encourage you to make it more of a priority.  But why should you?

1. The Bible Says So. // That is always a great fall-back, huh?  Seriously, you should read some of what Hebrews, Romans, and James says about the matter.  It’s important to be in church, period.  The church was and is a part of God’s great Rescue Plan to introduce Jesus to the world.  It also exists to helps us grow, learn, and give to a community of people all seeking the same things.  You knew I’d say this one, right?
2. You need to establish good habits with your kid early on. // I’ve rarely met a person that attends church once-a-month that would say that they want their children to grow up and NOT attend church.  It’s quite simple really, if you want your kids to grow up and be a part of a community of believers (church), it’s in your best interest to attend one yourself.  Make it a priority for your family, and your kids will learn that it’s a vital part of their walk with God.
3. Without regular attendance you miss the mentoring and relationship benefit of Children’s Ministry. // This same principle applies to every area of the church, but let’s talk about your kids for right now.  One of the best benefits of taking your kid to a thriving ministry for Children is that they get to know other kids learning about God’s Best for their lives, and the adult leaders leading these areas.  If you attend inconsistently, you are greatly diminishing the chance for one of our fantastic Small Group Leaders or Classroom Teachers to make an impact on your child’s life.  Trust me, it’s so important that your kid hear the same things you tell them coming from a different voice.

It’s obvious, in that you sometimes attend, that you do indeed value what church means in your life, and what it can mean to your kids as you are walking this journey of parenting them.  Now it’s time to make it more of a priority, and start getting involved.  It starts with being here consistently, then we can happily start finding places for you to serve in this wonderful family called “The Body of Christ.”

Sincerely,

Your Friendly Neighborhood Children’s Pastor

In the next couple of weeks I’m going to release four blog posts that have been stored up in my draft folder for weeks. I wrote four letters as an open confrontation to parents that I’ve worked in a church setting with over the years. I’ve been a Children’s Pastor for a while, and everywhere I’ve ever been I see many of the same things. Let me say that each letter I hit “Publish” on will link back to this post so I wanted to put it this way.

Why did I write these letters?

Easy.  To get something off my chest.

The better question would be, “Why did you Publish these?”

That’s the harder one.  I felt it necessary to release this out there as a common sounding board at the Trinity Kidsplace Ministry Parent’s Blog.  I would love to hear any response out there from parents here at Trinity, or those reading from other churches.

What else would you add?

I love parents.  I love that they bring their kids to church, I love that they all do little things to connect with their kids in a spiritual way, and I love it that they trust me to help them raise Spiritual Champions.  But I need more help, and these letters are an expression of my heart towards parents.

I only ask that you assume the best of my intentions and with as much grace and humility as I can gather…I present to you…”Dear Parents.”

Go read the first letter today:

Dear Parents // Attend Church Regularly

I wanted to share a great resource with all our Trinity Parents.  If you are looking or something online that will challenge you to live out this journey of parenting with integrity, then I'd like to introduce you to www.epicparent.tv.  EpicParent.tv is authored by Chris Spradling, somebody that isn't interested in sharing the perfect way to do parenting; but instead shares creative parenting ideas and stories from his own home.

I read it often, and thought it should be passed along to you!

When I was in high school, I remember more than a few conversations with older adults that contained the words “when you get in into the real world…” Those conversations always frustrated me, and to some extent they still do.

It seems to me that most of us who are somewhere past our 25^th birthdays spend at least some time and energy trying to convince people who haven’t hit their 25^th birthday yet that their dreams aren’t realistic. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a role for realism.

But last year, I couldn’t help but imagine…what if…?  We were in Orlando and spent two days at Disney.  I remember (as a dad) thinking about how much the day in the park cost, and at the same time how much my family loved it.  And as I looked around I noticed we weren’t alone.  Even though it was chilly that week, tens of thousands flooded the park daily.

I imagined Walt Disney himself standing on hundreds of acres of swamp land outside of Orlando in the 1960s (and a decade earlier, in California) and imagining a park where families would come to make dreams come true.  I mean, no one had really done a theme park. Would people come?  Would thousands of people come, day after day and spend hundreds of dollars, decade after decade? Really?  Where was the value?  What would they take away from the day except a shared experience, some memories and some pictures?

Almost forty years after the park was opened, I was astounded that his vision actually worked. I mean – seriously.  I think I would have told him he had lost his mind and should stick to making films.

I wonder what I’ve done to stifle the dreams of my children that should have been let loose. Even if the idea doesn’t land where a nine year old thinks it’s going to land, it might still end up producing something remarkable. I wonder if when we use certain phrases, we stifle whatcould be:

• That will never happen.
• How would you ever make a living at that?
• People just don’t do that.
• That’s impossible.
• It’s just so unrealistic.

Parents have a responsibility to help our kids flourish in the real world. But we should never do it in a way that limits their potential to transform the real world. Innovation transforms reality…and innovation is hatched in the imagination.  The real innovators dreamed about what wasn’t until it became what is.

What if Walt Disney were your son? What would you have said?  In light of all this, what might you say now?

Posted Originally at http://www.orangeparents.org/just-a-dream/

Written By: CAREY NIEUWHOF

© 2010 The reThink Group

Every week the Kidsplace Blog will be featuring a post offered from OrangeParents.com.  Visit www.orangeparents.com for more valuable parenting topics and online conversations.

If you’re really going to help your kids value determination, you’re going to be swimming against the cultural tide.  When it’s easy to quit, easy to change and there are a thousand other options at our fingertips, sticking it out to the very end is just difficult no matter how old you are.

That’s why it’s so important to redefine the win for your kids.  If you want to encourage them to stay determined for the long term, create some short term wins.

When I joined a gym a while back, I knew I was in for a life-style overhaul. How do you keep someone motivated when the change is permanent?  I was determined, but not that determined.

Fortunately, my trainer is smart.  He always sets short term goals.  He helped me track my diet daily. He checked my progress weekly and did thorough assessments monthly.

And he kept showing me that the small steps were adding up.  A turning point for me happened this way: like the rest of the free world, I first joined the gym in January.  One September afternoon, I asked him what percentage of people who began in January endured all the way to September.  He said in his best estimate, only about 5% were still left.  That stopped me in my tracks.  I hadn’t made all of my long term goals (still working on them), but somehow knowing that I was in the top 5% of people who endured made me realize I could keep up this kind of change for life.  He helped me see I had made some short term steps toward long term progress.

To really help you kids endure, try to find ways to encourage them in what they’re doing today.

• Maybe the entire project isn’t done,but you can celebrate the two steps they’ve completed.
• Their room might not be fully cleaned, but if tonight they got the closet cleared out, cheer them on.
• If they’re not reading their Bible as often as you’d like, encourage them for what they have read and tell them it’s a great step in the right direction.

Helping your kids see they’ve won in some small way today might help them stay determined to win in a very significant way tomorrow.   We can all use some encouragement.  Who better than a parent to give it?

Posted Originally at http://www.orangeparents.org/think-short-term/

Written By: CAREY NIEUWHOF

© 2010 The reThink Group

During January we’re focusing on the virtue of Determination at studio252.  I’m a big believer in Determination.  I think it’s a key ingredient in:

• marriages that make it
• faith that lasts
• maintaining healthy relationships with kids during the teen years
• a lasting and productive career or calling
• academic excellence
• self-control

As much as I value determination,  I must admit I have a tension at play in my life. Like many people, every year I take steps to make my life more convenient.  I’m writing this blog post on my laptop on my living room couch.  I have a cordless phone and cell phone nearby so if someone calls me, I don’t need to get up.  My microwave can heat my lunch in 90 seconds. I recently got a universal remote control so I no longer have to use three remotes to watch TV, just one.

I think you might sense where this is going.  How do you teach kids that value of determination in a culture that’s increasingly focused on convenience?

If convenience truly frees up time for more important things, then it’s an excellent addition to life.  But in a culture where everything is instantaneous, convient and easy, what if, unintentionally, we’re subtly communicating that convenience is the point, not a means to a greater end?

We’ll continue the conversation this week, but here are some ideas to help kids fight the tension:

• Open a great cookbook and cook dinner from scratch and involve the family.  We’ve been doing that in the last while.  The kids love it.
• Do the dishes by hand one night.  Don’t stop till they are dried and put away.
• If you live in the snowbelt like me, put the snowblower away and shovel it by hand.
• Start school projects early and have kids set their own deadlines to complete the various phases of it.  Hand it in early.
• Leave the car at home and walk somewhere.
• Take them to a local historic site and see life as it was generations or centuries ago.  Talk about what kind of determination it would have taken to survive.
• Read their favourite bible stories through the lens of determination.  Very few stories in scripture would have happened without it.

How does convenience compete with determination in your home and how do you manage that tension? What do you do to help your kids learn the virtue of determination?

Posted Originally at http://www.orangeparents.org/a-inconvenient-tension/

Written By: CAREY NIEUWHOF

© 2010 The reThink Group

All month long we are challenging kids to the four bottom lines:

• Keep doing what God says because He is God.
• Keep doing what you should do, so you don't miss something really good.
• Keep doing what you should do because God says you can.
• Keep doing what you should do even if it's hard.

To help kids use Determination at home we have a special Challenge for the month of January.  Your kids came home with a special Challenge from their Small Group Leader, and we are asking you to challenge your own kid to the memorization challenges!  That's right...can you keep up with your kids?  Each week we will be seeing how many of the challenges they can do in their small groups.  And don't forget that you can get weekly activities to do with your kid at home by signing up for GodTime cards at http://parents.trinitykidsplace.com  

The Challenges are unique to each grade, so look closely to make sure you grab the right one from the below images: 

Today we'd like to introduce OrangeParents.com.  It is a site that connects families to a wider community of parents and leaders.  It's a great tool for expanding upon ideas, skills and influences you have as a parent.  Many of the post will correspond with what our children are learning each weekend at Trinity Church.  So grab a comfortable chair, sit back, and let's learn together from OrangeParents.com

© 2010 The reThink Group

Don't miss our very special Christmas Eve Services on Friday at 3pm and 5pm at Trinity Church.  

You will want to be a part of this special time together, and we hope that you'll make every effort to be there!

Nursery is available for children 3 and under.

This week, it’s all about the Christmas story.

You know, I love the simple telling from Charlie Brown’s Christmas. Linus goes to center stage and simply quotes Luke 2.

I love how he ends that clip: “That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”

That’s what Christmas is all about. So simple, yet so profound.

We read this story year after year. Mary, Joseph, the shepherds and angels. We literally could recite every verse in that Scripture passage. Yet often the most familiar becomes the most lost.

The incarnation is miraculous.  God sending his Son to earth to become one of us. It was the rescue plan from the beginning. Jesus was promised for generations. He was the only way we could be made right with God again. One night, he came into world who had a very different idea of how this event would happen.

Mary and Joseph probably never guessed they’d end up in a stable and use a feed trough for a bed.
The angels probably scared those shepherds speechless, but how honored they must have felt to be the first to know!
And NO ONE would have guessed the hope of the world would be a baby born to poor family with no clout whatsoever.

Yet the unexpected was exactly God’s plan. The baby born in a lowly stable would grow into the man who would take away the sins of the world.

This Christmas, let’s not allow the familiar to be come forgotten. Stand in awe of his love and have JOY because God sent his Son… for us!  Don't forget that you can continue to have conversations at home from what your kids learn each week by signing up for the weekly God Time cards at http://parents.trinitykidsplace.com.

Eva and her family

1.  What are your plans for Christmas?  

If you ask my kiddos what we are going to do for the Christmas Holiday they would say "SLEEP LATE!"  Me and the women in my family get together a couple days prior and make tamales for Christmas lunch and dinner.  It's a full day of work and well worth the effort we put in!  My kitchen becomes an assembly line, and the fellowship is great.  These are not your traditional tamales - these are stuffed with chicken, green chile, and monterey cheese!  However, on Christmas night I will be PACKING!  My husband has a business meeting in Florida, and we are staying a few extra days for a family vacation.

2.  What do you enjoy about working with the 4 year old class each Sunday morning?  

I have absolutely fallen in love with my 4 year old friends. It makes me so happy when new friends who were initially hesitant to stay are walking in smiling over the course of just a few weeks!  I absolutely love when hugs are initiated by them - that is a rewarding feeling.  Seeing them jump, dance, and sing during praise and worship has got to be my favorite time with them.  

I might see them outside of the church, at the gym or grocery store, and hearing "Hi teacher!" or "Hi Ms. Eva!" always makes my day.  

I read that TIME is the best gift you can give someone.  So thank you, parents, for letting me have an hour or so each week with your children; I am learning so much from them.

Eva's two amazing kiddos

3.  Have you learned anything about yourself working as a member of the Kidsplace Team?

I asked God to help me in the area of patience...and soon after I became a part of the Kidsplace Team! He have me an opportunity that requires me to REALLY learn and practice patience.  I am learning to be fully present, listent intently, and follow through on my word.

The biggest thing I've learned is that these children are a link to the families that walk the hallways every Sunday.  Needs that are unmet and prayers that are unspoken can all met by us The Body, through these kids!  

Eva - you're amazing!  Thank you for your insight in this post, and thank you for your obvious love for the children of Trinity.  We appreciate you.

We begin a new Kidsplace theme this month: JOY! Finding a way to be happy, even when things don’t go your way.

You and I both know that Joy is sometimes very difficult to find. Life comes at us at a million miles an hour and sometimes what is coming at us isn’t very fun. But that’s what makes JOY so important. Joy is something we find in who God is and what he’s done for us throughout our lives. We can’t conjure it up on our own. Joy is what comes from trusting that God will be true to who he says he is. When we trust, the result is a peace that passes all understanding and a contentment that our circumstance doesn’t dictate. We can rejoice in God, the creator of the universe who knows number of hairs on our head and cares for us with that detail.

This week’s bottom line is this:

We’ll be taking a look at the story of Zechariah and Elisabeth and the birth of John the Baptist. Back in Jesus time, if a couple was unable to have children, people often suspected that God wasn’t blessing them, that either the husband or the wife was living in sin and had fallen out of God’s favor.

Zechariah was a priest. I can’t even imagine the water cooler conversations around the temple each day, the stares, and the snide remarks under people’s breaths. This was not the life that Zechariah and Elisabeth planned, yet this was the life they lived.

And then an angel shows up with an announcement that John would be born.

We can hardly fault Zechariah for his unbelief. Yet, then again. Isn’t this God’s way? God shows up with a miracle that is only explained by the fact that he is God. And nine months later, John is bouncing on his daddy’s lap.

God keeps his promises. He may not keep them in the way that we’d like or imagine. He will keep them in a way that shows us that He cares and loves us deeply. We can trust God no matter what because God is true to his word and will blow us a way every time!

This week, rethink what Joy looks like in your own life. Are you living from the knowledge that God keeps his promises and will be true to his word in your own life? I know that I don’t always live from that place of Joy, which gives me the feeling that I’m going to need the lessons this month as much as the kids. Isn’t kid’s ministry cool like that?

1.  What do you enjoy about spending an hour or so with the babies in your class every Sunday morning?

From rocking them to sleep, praying over each one, to cleaning dirty noses; I really enjoy being able to serve in this capacity.  I recall when my daughter was an infant, and the church I attended at the time was not equipped with a nursery.  I would struggle through most services, and often times would leave early in order to change, feed, or console her.

We first attended Trinity when my daughter five, and I was so at ease leaving her in Kidsplace with the two amazing volunteers in her five year old class.  I wanted to be able to give back what had been given to me - a safe loving environment for my precious child!  

2.  How do you plan to spend your Thanksgiving?

I will be ASSISTING my Aunt in the kitchen for our extended family dinner.  This is major, since I have never really cooked for Thanksgiving!  And...I want the recipe for her stuffing. I am going to take notes!  Also because I am a full time student, while school is out I plan on completing a few major assignments.   

Ingrid with her beautiful daughter Courtney

Thank you so much Ingrid, for serving the youngest members of Trinity!  We appreciate your love for the babies and their families.  

 
Here at Trinity Church we work hard to provide materials that help you continue the conversation at home about what your children are learning at Trinity Kidsplace.  We work to help you take the Spiritual next steps necessary for you to spiritually lead your families at home.  You can visit parents.trinitykidsplace.com to find out more about this opportunity. 

We've also introduced the Cue Box last week as we've strive to put things into your hands to help you parent as effectively as possible.  Part of our effort is to also encourage you to make Christmas an intentional time of your year to connect your children with the true meaning of Christmas.  We want to help you consider the real meaning of Christmas, and best of all...do it together as a family!  Starting this Sunday in Kidsplace, we will be selling the Countdown to Christmas box for only $10 per family.

Why would you want to spend $10 this Christmas on something to do with your children?  It's easy. 

This time of year children always ask, "How many days until Christmas?" 

This year we want to help you take their excitement and anticipation and point them to the true meaning of Christmas.  Countdown to Christmas contains 30 self-fastening devotionals that form a colorful Christmas chain.  Each day will bring a new link, a new lesson, and new laughs as you and your family Countdown to Christmas together!  Don't forget to pick up your Countdown to Christmas box this weekend in all month long in Kidsplace.  Buy them quick, it's a first-come first-served offer available only for purchase on Sunday Mornings!

I'd like to let all our Kidsplace Parents know about a new tool that can help parents really, really, really continue the spiritual conversations started at Trinity Kidsplace with their family.

Cue Boxes can be purchased at www.studio252.tv, and a select few people may receive a free cue box if they sign-up at http://parents.trinitykidsplace.com.  

Sit down and let my 1st grader, Dylan and my 3rd grader, Ryan explain what the Cue Box is all about!

Dear Parents,

Now that your child has learned what it means to practice “Initiative: Seeing what needs to be done and doing it,” this month, we are challenging your family to take Initiative to the next level!

Because of your great response to meet the needs of our community, KidsPlace has partnered with the Trinity Outreach Center to “FILL THEIR PANTRY!” The Trinity Outreach Center is frequently and consistently providing food for families all over Lubbock, and they are CONSTANTLY in NEED of FOOD.

To get your kids excited about looking for ways they can help and GIVE to OTHERS, we have created a competition between each small group to bring a particular food item ALL MONTH. The small group who gathers and brings the most food items will win their small group an all you-can-eat DONUT PARTY or a PIZZA PARTY for the Saturday Night small group!

Here is a list of items your child, depending on their small group, will be responsible for bringing:

1^st grade Girls: Cereal/oatmeal 1^st grade Boys: Macaroni & Cheese

2^nd grade Girls: Chunky Soups 2^nd grade Boys: Canned Pasta (ex: Chef Boyardee, Spaghetti O’s)

3^rd grade Girls: Canned Tuna 3^rd grade Boys: Canned Chicken

4^th grade Girls: Fruit Cocktail 4^th grade Boys: Dried Pasta (spaghetti, rigatoni, etc.)

5^th grade Girls: Boxed Dinners 5^th grade Boys: Spaghetti Sauce (pref. with meat)

Saturday Night Small Group: Boxed Dinners (ex: Hamburger helper, etc.)

Please continue to help us teach your children the importance of showing God’s love by GIVING to other families what we often take for granted. We want to encourage you and your family to make this a personal ministry opportunity for you to grow closer to each other and the Lord by serving, and then watching in expectation of how He will bless us. Let’s Fill that Pantry!

Each month, we'll feature a member of the Kidsplace Team; nursery, early childhood, and elementary leaders.  We're excited for parents and blog readers to get to know members of the incredible Kidsplace team, and to get a small glimpse of the way they serve the Trinity kids each and every week.  We hope you enjoy, and we hope you'll leave your encouraging comments after reading! 

First up is Kenn Ruckey.  Kenn is a small group leader at our 11:30 Elementary Kidsplace service.  Each Sunday morning before and after the Elementary Large Group Experience, Kenn leads a group of 1st grade girls. He interacts with the girls, plays games and fun activities, and engages them in questions to help solidify what they've learned in large group, and help make it applicable to their lives.   Introducing Kenn Ruckey: 

1. Describe what your time at church: Who do you work with? What's the experience like? 

I attend church during the 10:00 service, and listen to Pastor Toti's message.  Then, I the walk down the stairs filling myself with the joy of the Holy Spirit,  getting ready to greet my 1st Grade Girls! Most of them are always full of energy and happy to be there; yet, some are a bit apprehensive. I feel so blessed when I am able to welcome a tearful first time visitor, and then after a great service and small group time return her to her parents with a smile on her face. Then I know I've accomplished something! 

On Wednesdays, I pick up my daughters (and a couple of their friends), take them to dinner, and then to Missionettes. (I'd pickup more kids if I had a van!) I work with the teachers of the Missionettes classes: make photo copies, prepare the snacks, run errands. I also take some time to make sure the girls are paying attention to their teachers, standing straight for the pledges, and just plain behaving. I provide a little bit of Fatherly discipline in their classes! 

2. What is your favorite part of being a part of the Kidsplace team and working with kids? 

I know I'm not Christ or even close, but if I can be an example of a part of His Glory I feel blessed. Just like the rest of us, these 1st grade girls have fears, confusion, and apprehension. I want them to know that I will be there to encourage them and talk about their questions. I'll be there to greet them with a smile each and every week. Earning the trust of these young ladies is humbling. It's an incredible responsibility, honor, and joy! 

3. What would you say to someone considering becoming a part of the Kidsplace team? 

If you have a love for children, and believe you have a calling to present Christ's Love, but wonder if you have the energy.... Come and join us! The energy will be given to you in doses far greater than you can ever imagine! Christ's Love will flow through you in amazing ways, and your love for the kids will grow each week! 

4. What do you think makes you a good fit for your small group of 1st grade girls? 

I am the only brother with two sisters, several aunts and a multitude of female cousins... If I didn't learn to empathize with girls I never would have survived my childhood! When my two daughters were born, I felt they were right for me; who needed a son with these two incredible young ladies!?! After the divorce from their mom, I knew I had to be the best example of a Godly man and Father that I could be. I knew I was saved; I needed for them to want that for themselves one day. My desire to be that example for my daughters just over flowed my cup so that now I have plenty for my daughters... all the girls in the Missionettes class.... as well as my 1st grade small group! 

Kenn with his two beautiful daughters

Many thanks to Kenn for his commitment to Trinity Kidsplace, and for agreeing to be the first out of the gate for our new "Meet the Leader" feature.

Dear Parents,

This month, we are focusing on the virtue of: ”INITIATIVE-seeing what needs to be done and doing it.” We are encouraging your children to be CSI: “Can See It, Can Do It!” investigators: by searching for a need or problem and doing something about it.

To provide an opportunity for the children to practice what they are learning, we are challenging them to give a large donation from our Children’s Ministry to the Trinity Church Outreach Center in response to the needs of our community.

But we need your help! We are asking you to partner with us in teaching your child the importance of taking initiative by:

• Encouraging the kids to look for and gather GENTLY used, clean shoes or clothing for the first three weeks of October.
• Make sure that they put all that they find in shoe boxes or boxes no bigger than what YOUR CHILD CAN CARRY.

Then, ON SATURDAY OCTOBER 23^rd and SUNDAY OCTOBER 24^th,

•  REMIND your child to BRING their box(es) to KIDSPLACE (lower floor), where they will dump the contents of their boxes with their small group, during large group service, into our donation bins. 

I know this challenge will have lasting affects on their lives, as they experience the satisfaction of working hard to take care of a need for someone else. Imagine how exciting it will be, to be apart of 200 other kids and their family’s efforts in actively serving God by taking the initiative to SEE a need and DOING something about it!

Our hope is that you would take advantage of this opportunity to make this your family’s personal ministry for this month. Take the initiative to discuss with your child other ways you can find, as a family, to serve God with your actions.

We challenge the whole family to become CSI investigators!

Many Blessings,

The Kidsplace Ministry Team

As a parent, and a reader of this blog you can do a few things to show your appreciation:

1. Say "Thank You!"  Many of our volunteers put in extra time each weekend, just to get to know your child in a special way.  Many of them have families of their own, and make an important sacrifice for your kids.  Don't underestimate the power of gratitude!
   
   
2. Join the team!  We are always training and preparing a new generation or Kidsplace volunteers.  By serving you can help transform the life of a child, but you are also joining a community of believers working and living life together.  If you will visit http://volunteer.trinitykidsplace.com you can have many of your questions answered, and even sign-up to have somebody contact you about finding a place on our team for you.

The activities tickle all the senses making mastering the concepts a blast.  Crazy fun activities from crafts to large group Bible story and worship time to small group Bible time, it's all part of the plan to help a child believe three things by age five:

1. God Made Me.
2. God Love Me.
3. Jesus Wants to be My Friend Forever.

Over the next few weeks we will begin to share more about how you can reinforce the things learned at church when you are home with your family.  Stay tuned for more exciting developments in the next few months!

We have some exciting changes happening at Trinity Kidsplace this next weekend and beyond and I wanted to help you know what to expect as you take your elementary students to Kidsplace this weekend.  In order to not bore you with a long email that you may or may not read, I'd like to invite you to view a special edition of Kidsplace Unscripted!  Please take the time to watch this video, so you can know what to expect as you visit Kidsplace this weekend.

 Thank you so much for entrusting your children to us at Trinity Church.  We are excited about what the new changes will mean for us as we work and strive to create a place for kids where it's easy to hear God's voice!

1. I Need to Make the Wise Choice.
   
   
2. I Can Trust God No Matter What.
   
   
3. I Should Treat Others the Way I Want to be Treated. 

Over the next few weeks, we will begin sharing more and more from our new Strategy!  Stay tuned for more ways that you as a parent can connect with us at Trinity to help your child take the next step towards God!

We would like to invite you to consider helping to shape and influence the next generation of believers by leading an Elementary Small Group this school year!  We will provide all the training in advance, and you can even choose the ONE training date that fits your schedule best.  

Leave us a comment, send us an email at kidsplace@trinitytoday.com, or call the church office at 806.792.3363 x300 to get more information! 

http://bit.ly/KidsplaceInvite

We had a full day at Dry Gulch with the boys and girls both spending time at the lake, riding go-carts, and the girls finally got their chance to ride horses.  

Chapel tonight had the Big Answer of "I will live for Jesus RIGHT NOW."  The kids were challenged to live a life that will honor Christ, and make a choice everyday to follow Jesus!  Our entire week has been fantastic, and I'm so grateful that you've allowed me and the other sponsors such a great opportunity to be with your kids.  

I'd like to make a special thanks to Tiffany Kenton, Emily Hart, and Kenn Ruckey (our official photographer) for all their hard work with Starr and I this week.  If you've found the pictures to be a fun part of your evening, then please take some time to leave us a comment!

After lunch the boys spent some time in the stables getting ready for their horseback riding, and the girls hit the General store and Main Street Arcade.

Chapel tonight was fantastic again, as we talked about "Jesus Rescues Right Now."  The kids learned that Jesus can rescue us from our fears, our doubts, and can heal our sickness.  The kids were really challenged to fill their minds with God's Word and to speak blessings and not curses over themselves!

Enjoy the pictures from our entire day, and remember to follow us all day long at www.facebook.com/trinitykidsplace

Chapel was a special day as we talked about how "Jesus Gives Right Now."  It was a great large group conversation about choosing Life, and what makes us often choose the wrong thing.  We spoke about how Jesus helps correct our mistakes, and points us back to him!

Remember that you can follow along all day with mini-updates at www.facebook.com/trinitykidsplace.

Here are the pics from our bus ride, and our short time at Dry Gulch.  We are all looking forward to a fun week at camp.  Thanks for giving us a chance to be with your children.

Remember that you can follow along all day with mini-updates at www.facebook.com/trinitykidsplace.

You can also follow along with more regular updates, and even a few bonus pics at www.facebook.com/trinitykidsplace.  You don't even have to have a Facebook account to see what's happening!

Take some time to enjoy our video from last year!

I'm really looking forward to a great week at Dry Gulch USA, and I know your kids are too!

Dry Gulch 2009 from Jonathan Cliff on Vimeo.

Our entire team would love to hear what Kidsplace has meant to you and your family, leave us a note on the Facebook Wall!

We have three great Summer StoryTimes lined up for your little ones!  If your child is 6 or younger, make plans to attend StoryTime on the first Thursday of each month. We meet at 10:30 in the lower floor.  

On June 3rd, we'll be taking a "Camping Trip", complete with tents and s'mores.  Get ready for an outdoor adventure! 

On July 1st, don't forget to pack your swimsuit for "Beach Vacation!"  We'll be digging in the sand and playing in the water, so be ready to get wet!

And finally on August 5th we'll wrap up the summer with a "Carnival!"  Complete with carnival games and cotton candy - you don't want to miss it!

Did you know that Kid's Night Out has special extended hours this Summer?  It's true!  We've listened to our parent's feedback and offered it for an additional hour this year.  Kid's Night Out will be THIS Friday Night, May 28th from 6pm-10pm at the Trinity Activity Center at 6701 University Avenue.  The total cost is only $5 per child for 4 whole hours!  

You won't find a better place for your kid all summer long.  Go out on the town with your sweetie, finish up that housework, or go home an catch up on the last season of 24 on the Tivo!  

Best of all it's a super good time for your kids.  The May Kid's Night Out has a special camping theme, with hot dogs for dinner, s'mores for dessert and topped off topped off with a late-night family friendly G-rated movie experience.

For more information about Kid's Night Out or Trinity Story Time Hour, please email kidsplace@trinitytoday.com or call the Children's Ministry offices at 806.792.3363 x300.

We have a limited amount of spots available, and they are going super fast.  All Registrations must be turned in by Sunday, May 23rd! 

We've even extended the original "Early Bird Rate" of $290 until we fill all our spots up!
 

It's super easy to sign-up your child for Summer Camp!  Pick up a Registration pack in the lower floor this weekend or at the Guest Connections Booth in the West Foyer.  After you get this packet of information, just fill out the registration form for your camper, and turn in the registration form with the full payment of $290 by this Sunday, May 23rd. (Registration Forms can also be downloaded and printed from HERE.) Registration Forms and payment will be accepted on Sunday Mornings in the Lower Floor, or during normal office hours in the Children's Ministry Offices. 

We are attending camp from Monday, June 21st through Friday June 25th.  This means we will leave early in the morning on Monday the 21st and return late in the evening on Friday the 25th.
 
The registration fee gets admission to the best Summer Camp in America at Camp Dry Gulch U.S.A.  It also pays for transportation, meals, all activities at camp, and a camp T-Shirt that every camper gets on their last day.  The only additional monies needed may be spending money for your camper to buy snacks and/or souvenirs. 

Take the time to visit the Kidsplace Summer Camp Parents Blog from last Summer at http://camp.trinitykidsplace.com.  It's stuffed full of pictures, videos, and recaps from an awesome Summer Camp in 2009! If you have any questions please call the Children's Ministry office at 806.792.3363 x.300 or email us at kidsplace@trinitytoday.com.

On Sunday, May 9th Trinity Church will hold a very special event for parents to make a commitment to dedicate their child to God.  This weekend will be extra special, as it is also Mother's Day!  Our service is called a Child Dedication, but it could just as easily be called a Parent Dedication. In this service, you are coming forward to declare that, as the parent, you take your responsibility seriously and commit yourself to raising your children in a God-honoring manner.

Prior to the May 9th service, all parents wishing to dedicate their children need to attend a special parenting class designed just for them. 

Registration is required for the class at www.trinitytoday.com/childdedication.  Take the time to visit our Child Dedication website to find out all that we have for our parents as they dedicate their children to the Lord.

If you know of any families with new children, or parents who might be interested in dedicating their children at Trinity, please send this information  along to them.  If you have any questions about our Child Dedication process, please call 806.792.3363 x300 or email kidsplace@trinitytoday.com.

We had a complete blast at our Spring Break Kid's Night Out on March 12th!  Enjoy the pictures from such an epic event!

I love this entry from the Jesus Storybook Bible.  May we remember God's Big Surprise for us this weekend and beyond.

Matthew 28:6 "He is not here; for he is risen, even as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay."

Ephesians 1:7 "in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,"

Do not miss this upcoming weekend at Trinity Church, as Pastor Carl shares the vision and future for Trinity.  It is an exciting time, and it will be a weekend like no other.  You will NOT want to miss this exciting announcement!

I promise you will leave excited for what the future holds at Trinity Church, and for the city of Lubbock!

Don't forget to spring those clocks forward one hour this Saturday Night.  Consider this your friendly reminder!

You won't find a better place for your kid all week long.  Go out on the town with your sweetie, finish up that housework, or go home an catch up on the last season of 24 on the Tivo!  

Best of all it's a super good time for your kids.  We'll fill that 4 hours with the most fun we can legally put into a 4 hour window.  There will be many different bounce house games, a special paint-your-own T-shirt factory, a few large group games (that have a history of embarassing. our special Kidsplace volunteers), and the entire night will be topped off with snacks and a late-night family friendly G-rated movie.

We'll see you there this Friday Night!  If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact the Children's Ministry Offices at kidsplace@trinitytoday.com

In Elementary Kidsplace We Will Take A Look At Great Structures Of The Bible

 Whether it's huge towers, strong walls or even gigantic boats, the Bible is full of incredible stories about construction projects. In this new series, The Great Skybridge Showdown, we will learn about some of those projects as we join Ike Ironsides and Caleb Cade on the job site. Each week we will be learning about such things as: how to follow God's plan for your life, how to obey God in all you do, why we should praise God instead of ourselves, and why we should never give up doing good. We will also learn to wisely use what God gives us, to be kind to others, that as Christians we are the church, and that we should have perseverance while serving God. So, put on your hard hat and tool belt and let's get ready to build a life that is pleasing to God!

In our Early Childhood areas we will be grabbing our tool belt to join Newton, Dot and Spike at the construction yard! The Great SkyBridge Showdown Jr. is not just about building a bridge, you'll also use the stories of Exodus to build trust for God.

If your house is anything like mine, then I bet your children spend time on the Internet.  The Internet is a great resource for connecting with out-of-town grandparents, updating your Webkinz information, doing school homework, and don't forget just having fun.  But the Internet also brings dangers that I know we as parents want to keep from our children.

In my house, we limit computer games to only being played in the dining room.  We also only allow games that we are familiar with, and wandering into other games or websites will help my children lose the privileges of being on the computer.  We also make them wear headphones or turn the sound off, but that's beside the point. :)

As a family we also use X3 Watch software, which reports questionable web usage to the email account of my wife and their mother.  It's just safer this way, everyone in the house needs to be accountable.

I've ran across a few sites recently that can help you as parents feel safer in having your kids on the internet. (I mean OTHER than not allowing them on it at all.) Here they are:

We've got some very exciting news for Parents of kids that attend Trinity Kidsplace.  The Kidsplace team has created two valuable resources to help you talk to your child about some very important steps in their spiritual journey.  Please visit http://baptism.trinitykidsplace.com to watch a short video explaining these new tools, and to find out what you need to do to get your child baptized. The tools provided on this site will help you to answer the following questions:

• Is my child ready to make Jesus Lord of their life?
  
  
• Is the next step baptism?

I know that many times parents struggle to know how to talk to their kids about such important topics, so I wanted to share these two resources with you.  I believe that nobody has a greater potential for influencing a childs spirituality than a parent, and I want to help you become the best Spiritual Leader that you can be for your family. If you have any questions about anything you see at http://baptism.trinitykidsplace.com then please email me at kidsplace@trinitytoday.com.

Be Blessed!

At Trinity, we take the commitment to raise children in the instruction of the Lord very seriously. Each parent is commanded to exemplify and live out the Word of God every day and bring up their children to follow Him.  Our service is called a Child Dedication, but it could be called a Parent Dedication. In this service, you are coming forward to declare that, as the parent, you take your responsibility seriously and commit yourself to raising your children in a God-honoring manner.

On Sunday, February 7th during the 11:30 service we will be dedicating children to the Lord.  However, this time we are asking that all parents wishing to dedicate their children attend a very special parenting class designed just for them. 

The Essence of Family: At the heart of every family is a primary calling to lead a generation to the heart of a perfect, loving God.  No other passage in the Bible defines the family role as clearly as Deuteronomy 6, and in this study we will challenge parents to Imagine the End in order to stay focused on the big picture, Fight for the Heart of their families by loving God with all their hearts, Make it Personal and let kids see what God is doing in their parents, Create a Rhythm so time together as a family will nurture everyday faith, and Widen the Circle and make sure kids have additional influences to guide them.

The class is a pre-requisite for Child Dedication and will be offered on Wednesday, February 3rd at 6:30pm in the Chapel.  Registration is required for the class at www.trinitytoday.com/childdedication.  Take the time to visit our Child Dedication page at www.trinitytoday.com/childdedication to find out all that we have for our parents as they dedicate their children to the Lord.

If you know of any families with new children, or might be interested in dedicating their children at Trinity, please send this information  along to them.  If you have any questions about our Child Dedication process, please call 806.792.3363 x300 or email kidsplace@trinitytoday.com. 

Come Experience Kidsplace with your 5th Grader. 

Why are you doing this?

What a great question, and I am so glad that you asked.  We want you to see what your kid sees every Sunday Morning.  Have you ever heard about the things we do in the Lower Floor?  Well now is your turn to see it first-hand.  We have worked very hard to present for our parents what we do each and every Sunday Mornings.  There is no bait and switch.  What you will experience is what we experience every Sunday Morning.  With only one exception; your presence!

What will I have to do?

Another great question, you are on a roll!  We ask that you check-in at the Parent Registration table when you arrive in the lower floor.  We want to give you a name tag, and give you a small gift for you and your child (you read that correctly, we have gifts for the parents that attend!)  After checking in at the Parent Table, we want you to be with your kids.  Pick out a chair for the large group service, participate in worship time, listen intently during large group speaking, and get involved in your child's small group.  It's easy really, just hang out with your kid!

What's the catch?

There is no catch.  We will not be gathering phone numbers to ask you to work in Children's Ministry (although you could visit, http://volunteer.trinitykidsplace.com if you're interested in signing up to help!)  We will not have you working on anything but being with your child.  You will not be asked to control other kids, pass out papers, or be on stage for any reason.  We just want you to Experience Kidsplace with your child from their point-of-view.

We are only promoting it via the Trinity Kidsplace Parents Blog, Kidsplace Fan Page on Facebook, and through the special Parent Email List; and you will not hear about it anywhere else. 

For the month of January ONLY the rate for Summer Camp at Dry Gulch U.S.A. is only $269. 

We will close early registration on January 31st, and will open up regular camp registration on April 1st.  The rate in April will be $290 per camper for the normal Early Bird rate and then jumps to $320 per camper after May 1st. 

So what do you have to do to take advantage of this special rate?

It's easy.  Just fill out the registration form for your camper, and turn in the registration form with the full payment of $269 by January 31st.  Registration Forms can be downloaded and printed from HERE, or picked up in the Lower Floor on Sunday Mornings throughout the month of January.  Registration Forms and payment will be accepted on Sunday Mornings in the Lower Floor, or during normal office hours in the Children's Ministry Offices. 

When is Camp this year?

Another great question!  We are attending camp from Monday, June 21st through Friday June 25th.  This means we will leave early in the morning on Monday the 21st and return late in the evening on Friday the 25th.

What in included in my camp registration fee?

You're on a roll, three great questions in a row!  The registration fee gets admission to the best Summer Camp in America at Camp Dry Gulch U.S.A.  It also pays for transportation, meals, all activities at camp, and a camp T-Shirt that every camper gets on their last day.  The only additional monies needed may be spending money for your camper to buy snacks and/or souvenirs. 

Take the time to visit the Kidsplace Summer Camp Parents Blog from last Summer at http://camp.trinitykidsplace.com.  It's stuffed full of pictures, videos, and recaps from an awesome Summer Camp in 2009! If you have any questions please call the Children's Ministry office at 806.792.3363 x.300 or email us at kidsplace@trinitytoday.com.

Now what are you waiting for?  Get busy and sign up your kid for Summer Camp 2010 as soon as possible before this Super Early Early Bird rate expires! :)

Dad needs…

1. a plan for the holidays to ensure his family is loved and memories are made. Dad, what’s your plan?

2. to check the local guides for what’s going on to make fun holiday plans for the family.

3. to carve out time for sacred events and experiences to build family traditions that are fun and point to Jesus. Dad, is your calendar ready for December?

4. to not let the stress of the holidays, including money, cause him to be grumpy with Mom or the kids. Dad, how’s your joy?

5. to give experiences and not just gifts. Dad, what special memories can you make this holiday season?

6. to manage the extended family and friends during the holidays. Dad, who or what do you need to say “no” to?

7. to ensure his family is giving generously during the holidays. Dad, who in need is your family going to adopt and bless?

8. to schedule a big Christmas daddy date with his daughter. Dad, what’s your big plan for the fancy daddy date?

9. to schedule guy time with his son. Dad, what are you and your son going to do that is active, outdoors, and fun?

10. to help Mom get the house decorated. Dad, are you really a big help to Mom with getting things ready?

11. to ensure some holiday smells and sounds. Dad, is Christmas music on the iPod, is the tree up, and can you smell cookies and cider in your house?

12. to snuggle up and watch some fun shows with the kids, especially the little ones. Dad, is the DVR set?

13. to take the family on a drive to see Christmas lights while listening to music and sipping cider. Dad, is it mapped out?

14. to help Mom get the kids’ rooms decorated. Dad, do the little kids get lights or a small tree in their room?

15. to read about Jesus and pray over his kids. Dad, how’s your pastoral work going with each of your kids?

16. to repent of being lazy, selfish, grumpy, or just dumping the holidays on Mom. Dad, are you a servant like Jesus to your family?

HT: Mark Driscoll | TheResurgence.

These Bibles are wonderful (as are all Bibles...) but today I'd like to introduce you to the Jesus Story Book Bible.  This is the most fantastical, amazing Bible for reading to children from the youngest of ages.  It is truly a breathtaking experience to read it to my own children, and I know you'll love it to.  When you read it for yourself, you will know I'm not overstating this enough.  It is a wonderful tool for parents.  The words and the illustrations work perfectly on each and every page.  Your kids will love it!

A "Story Bible" is great for kids because it gets away from chapter and verse restrictions, and introduces your children to the great stories of scripture.  What makes The Jesus Storybook Bible so wonderful, is that it ties Jesus into each and every story.

The Jesus Storybook Bible tells the Story beneath all the stories in the Bible. From Noah to Moses to the great King David, every story points to a Child, every story whispers his name...

   “It’s like an adventure story about a young Hero who came from a far country to win back his lost treasure. It’s a love story about a brave Prince who leaves his palace, his throne, everything to rescue the one he loves. It’s like the most wonderful of fairy tales that have come true in real life.

    You see, the best thing about this story is—it’s true.

    It takes the whole Bible to tell this story. And at the center of the Story there is a baby. Every story in the Bible whispers his name. He is like the missing piece in a  puzzle—the piece that makes all the other pieces fit together and suddenly you can see a beautiful picture.

    And this is no ordinary baby. This is the Child upon whom everything would depend. This is the baby that would one day—but wait, our story starts where all good stories start. Right at the very beginning...”

Watch the videos for a more few examples of the readings.  This particular reading is fun, because it's the Christmas story.  And with this book the Christmas Story is the answer!:

As a father who reads to his own children, I cannot more highly recommend this wonderful addition to your families library.  I know that my wife and I cried tears during the first few stories, and I know that you will too.

Enjoy!

John Piper encourages parenting inside of a Gospel framework.  This is such a fascinating thought for us as parents, "Children must experience the sweetness of the forgiveness of all their sins."

For more John Piper resources visit http://www.desiringgod.org/

1. Goal set first.  Proverbs 29:17 says, “Discipline your son, and he will give you peace; he will bring delight to your soul.”  You should understand the reason behind discipline.  You are taking your children somewhere they need to go.
2. You should never discipline in anger. You will say things you do not mean and do things you should not do. Discipline done is anger is rarely productive and usually harmful long-term.
3. At the time of need for discipline, remember this 3-step process: Stop/Think/Proceed.  The older your child gets the longer you can and may need to take with each step.
4. Be consistent in your discipline plan.  It will mean nothing to the child otherwise.

To continue reading the rest of this great list, click HERE.

What methods do you use as a parent? How can you help other parents maintain effective discipline at home?

Come Experience Kidsplace with your 4th Grader. 

Why are you doing this?

What a great question, and I am so glad that you asked.  We want you to see what your kid sees every Sunday Morning.  Have you ever heard about the things we do in the Lower Floor?  Well now is your turn to see it first-hand.  We have worked very hard to present for our parents what we do each and every Sunday Mornings.  There is no bait and switch.  What you will experience is what we experience every Sunday Morning.  With only one exception; your presence!

What will I have to do?

Another great question, you are on a roll!  We ask that you check-in at the Parent Registration table when you arrive in the lower floor.  We want to give you a name tag, and give you a small gift for you and your child (you read that correctly, we have gifts for the parents that attend!)  After checking in at the Parent Table, we want you to be with your kids.  Pick out a chair for the large group service, participate in worship time, listen intently during large group speaking, and get involved in your child's small group.  It's easy really, just hang out with your kid!

What's the catch?

There is no catch.  We will not be gathering phone numbers to ask you to work in Children's Ministry (although you could visit, http://volunteer.trinitykidsplace.com if you're interested in signing up to help!)  We will not have you working on anything but being with your child.  You will not be asked to control other kids, pass out papers, or be on stage for any reason.  We just want you to Experience Kidsplace with your child from their point-of-view.

The Trinity Fall Festival is coming up this Saturday Night at 6pm.  If you've ever attended the Trinity Fall Festival then you already know that it's a fantastic event for families to spend time together on October 31st.  It will be safe, secure, and best of all it will be warm.  Almost 90% of everything at the Fall Festival is inside the Trinity Activity Center, so don't spend Saturday Night freezing in the cold.  Instead, come visit us on Saturday Night from 6pm to 8pm at the Trinity Activity Center (6701 University) for the 2009 Trinity Fall Festival.

There will be dozens of carnival games for your children to play and win candy and other prizes.  We will also have a Rock Climbing wall and the Spider Crawl at the front door to the festival.  There will also be tons of inflatable bouncers for the kids in many different varieties, and even a Cash Cube that Moms and Dads can play inside of!  We've changed one BIG thing for this year, and it's FREE addition.  There will be FREE Hotdogs, Lemonade, and Kettle Corn for everyone.  If you're a parent, then I'm speaking your language now, right?  FREE is good!

We will have everything you need to have a great time with your family.  Games, Inflatables, Candy (and bags to carry the candy in), FREE Food, Kettle Corn, and Face Painting will all be available for your families enjoyment!

Come Experience Kidsplace with your 3rd Grader. 

Why are you doing this?

What a great question, and I am so glad that you asked.  We want you to see what your kid sees every Sunday Morning.  Have you ever heard about the things we do in the Lower Floor?  Well now is your turn to see it first-hand.  We have worked very hard to present for our parents what we do each and every Sunday Mornings.  There is no bait and switch.  What you will experience is what we experience every Sunday Morning.  With only one exception; your presence!

What will I have to do?

Another great question, you are on a roll!  We ask that you check-in at the Parent Registration table when you arrive in the lower floor.  We want to give you a name tag, and give you a small gift for you and your child (you read that correctly, we have gifts for the parents that attend!)  After checking in at the Parent Table, we want you to be with your kids.  Pick out a chair for the large group service, participate in worship time, listen intently during large group speaking, and get involved in your child's small group.  It's easy really, just hang out with your kid!

What if I have kids in more than one grade?

No worries.  We will be having a 4th, & 5th Grade Parent Sundays in the coming weeks, and you can come back each time to be with each kid.

What's the catch?

There is no catch.  We will not be gathering phone numbers to ask you to work in Children's Ministry (although you could visit, http://volunteer.trinitykidsplace.com if you're interested in signing up to help!)  We will not have you working on anything but being with your child.  You will not be asked to control other kids, pass out papers, or be on stage for any reason.  We just want you to Experience Kidsplace with your child from their point-of-view.

Dear Parents,
 

Come Experience Kidsplace with your 2nd Grader. 

Why are you doing this?

What a great question, and I am so glad that you asked.  We want you to see what your kid sees every Sunday Morning.  Have you ever heard about the things we do in the Lower Floor?  Well now is your turn to see it first-hand.  We have worked very hard to present for our parents what we do each and every Sunday Mornings.  There is no bait and switch.  What you will experience is what we experience every Sunday Morning.  With only one exception; your presence!

What will I have to do?

Another great question, you are on a roll!  We ask that you check-in at the Parent Registration table when you arrive in the lower floor.  We want to give you a name tag, and give you a small gift for you and your child (you read that correctly, we have gifts for the parents that attend!)  After checking in at the Parent Table, we want you to be with your kids.  Pick out a chair for the large group service, participate in worship time, listen intently during large group speaking, and get involved in your child's small group.  It's easy really, just hang out with your kid!

What if I have kids in more than one grade?

No worries.  We will be having a3rd, 4th, & 5th Grade Parent Sundays in the coming weeks, and you can come back each time to be with each kid.

What's the catch?

There is no catch.  We will not be gathering phone numbers to ask you to work in Children's Ministry (although you could visit, http://volunteer.trinitykidsplace.com if you're interested in signing up to help!)  We will not have you working on anything but being with your child.  You will not be asked to control other kids, pass out papers, or be on stage for any reason.  We just want you to Experience Kidsplace with your child from their point-of-view.

Here are some links that you might find useful as a parent.

ParentUnity.com

Are two wage earners really better than one?

PayJr.com Money management tool for kids.

Free custom Chore charts.

Focus on the family – Classic they were talking family before it was cool.

Family Devotions

Shepherd serve

Family Devotions with object lessons. Very cool.

Great article with practical stuff for doing family devo’s

10 tips for doing family devotions.

Family night resources

101 evening family activities

Family night ideas

The whys and hows of family night

Familyfirst.com

Familytime.com

Did I miss any?  Share what you use, and I'll add them to a post for next time!

Come Experience Kidsplace at the First Ever Parent Sunday with your 1st Grader. 

Why are you doing this?

What a great question, and I am so glad that you asked.  We want you to see what your kid sees every Sunday Morning.  Have you ever heard about the things we do in the Lower Floor?  Well now is your turn to see it first-hand.  We have worked very hard to present for our parents what we do each and every Sunday Mornings.  There is no bait and switch.  What you will experience is what we experience every Sunday Morning.  With only one exception; your presence!

What will I have to do?

Another great question, you are on a roll!  We ask that you check-in at the Parent Registration table when you arrive in the lower floor.  We want to give you a name tag, and give you a small gift for you and your child (you read that correctly, we have gifts for the parents that attend!)  After checking in at the Parent Table, we want you to be with your kids.  Pick out a chair for the large group service, participate in worship time, listen intently during large group speaking, and get involved in your child's small group.  It's easy really, just hang out with your kid!

What if I have kids in more than one grade?

No worries.  We will be having a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, & 5th Grade Parent Sundays in the coming weeks, and you can come back each time to be with each kid.

What's the catch?

There is no catch.  We will not be gathering phone numbers to ask you to work in Children's Ministry (although you could visit, http://volunteer.trinitykidsplace.com if you're interested in signing up to help!)  We will not have you working on anything but being with your child.  You will not be asked to control other kids, pass out papers, or be on stage for any reason.  We just want you to Experience Kidsplace with your child from their point-of-view.

We are growing tremendously at Trinity Church.  With all these new children coming into our Kidsplace environments, it's very important to keep growing our ministry team!

We are now expanding the Kidsplace Ministry Team and would like to formally invite you to join us.  We strive to create an exciting environment that empowers children to live out God-Centered lives, to inspire children to be active Christ followers, and to create opportunities for parents to spiritually lead their families. 

However, I’m sure you have some questions.  Head over to the Kidsplace Opportunity page for the answers to many of the most asked questions.

http://volunteer.trinitykidsplace.com

We've got some very exciting news for Parents of kids that attend Trinity Kidsplace.  The Kidsplace team has created two valuable resources to help you talk to your child about some very important steps in their spiritual journey.  Please visit http://baptism.trinitykidsplace.com to watch a short video explaining these new tools, and to find out what you need to do to get your child baptized. The tools provided on this site will help you to answer the following questions:

• Is my child ready to make Jesus Lord of their life?
  
  
• Is the next step baptism?

I know that many times parents struggle to know how to talk to their kids about such important topics, so I wanted to share these two resources with you.  I believe that nobody has a greater potential for influencing a childs spirituality than a parent, and I want to help you become the best Spiritual Leader that you can be for your family. If you have any questions about anything you see at http://baptism.trinitykidsplace.com then please email me at kidsplace@trinitytoday.com.

Be Blessed!

At Trinity, we take the commitment to raise children in the instruction of the Lord very seriously. Each parent is commanded to exemplify and live out the Word of God every day and bring up their children to follow Him.  Our service is called a Child Dedication, but it could be called a Parent Dedication. In this service, you are coming forward to declare that, as the parent, you take your responsibility seriously and commit yourself to raising your children in a God-honoring manner.

On Sunday, October 11th during the 11:30 service we will be dedicating children to the Lord.  However, this time we are asking that all parents wishing to dedicate their children attend a very special parenting class designed just for them. 

The Essence of Family: At the heart of every family is a primary calling to lead a generation to the heart of a perfect, loving God.  No other passage in the Bible defines the family role as clearly as Deuteronomy 6, and in this study we will challenge parents to Imagine the End in order to stay focused on the big picture, Fight for the Heart of their families by loving God with all their hearts, Make it Personal and let kids see what God is doing in their parents, Create a Rhythm so time together as a family will nurture everyday faith, and Widen the Circle and make sure kids have additional influences to guide them.

The class is a pre-requisite for Child Dedication and will be offered on Wednesday, September 30th at 6:30pm in the Chapel.  Registration is required for the class at www.trinitytoday.com/childdedication.  Take the time to visit our Child Dedication page at www.trinitytoday.com/childdedication to find out all that we have for our parents as they dedicate their children to the Lord.

If you know of any families with new children, or might be interested in dedicating their children at Trinity, please send this information  along to them.  If you have any questions about our Child Dedication process, please call 806.792.3363 x300 or email kidsplace@trinitytoday.com. 

Follow the link to become a Kidsplace Fan on Facebook.  You'll be able to keep up with all upcoming events, sign-up for the parent newsletter, and will be the first to know what's new and happening with your children in Kidsplace!

5. Widen the Circle

Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel.

Let's back up to Deuteronomy 6:4, for a second. Have you ever noticed this? Moses isn't talking to just one family. He's talking to an entire nation of people. He's talking to families! This is where the Children's Pastor in me gets real excited. It is clear in Moses' language that he is challenging the entire nation with these principles.

Over time your little cute 3 year old will begin to listen to you less and less. After only a few more years, that same child will begin to listen to others and give them more respect than they will their own parents. It's only natural. While we want to continue to speak into our kid's lives, we also need to prepare them to hear from others that support what we believe. I'm constantly shocked at the amount of parents that come to me with teenage children and tell me how they struggle with them constantly to live Godly lives, then I find out that those same parents have done NOTHING to ensure that their teenagers have Godly influences in their lives.

What can you do? Take in a Christ following college student to live in your home, make them attend youth services (of their choice if needed), introduce them to your spiritual mentors and encourage them to talk to people besides you about the things that puzzle them. Parents need to become intentional about finding spiritual leaders and mentors for their kids.

We need to be intentional about finding the right spiritual influences for our children, where they are hearing what their parents tell them, but in a different way and from a different voice.

I choose to Widen the Circle and make sure my kids have additional influences to guide them.

-----------------

Disclaimer: All these thoughts originated from my study of Orange. They are specifically taken from the Essence of Family teaching given by Reggie Joiner, and can be found in his book, "Think Orange." This is a fantastic book, and if you work with churches to reach kids then this should be your Manifesto!

4. Create a Rhythm

Deuteronomy 6:7 Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

As parents we need to be more conscious, more deliberate, and more innovative with our children. I can't drag them to occasional church services, pop in the random Veggie Tales video, and expect them to grow up to be spiritual champions. It doesn't work that way. We know that, but we struggle to live it out. Here is where the Five Essential Skills can become easily applicable. (The ReThink Group has created some great resources for driving home these 4 Family Times along with their curriculum resources.) It doesn't get any more practical than these Four Family Times, as laid out in Deuteronomy 6:7:

1. "When you sit at home." This is meal time. What a novel idea, huh? Families eating together and interacting on a daily basis. This is the time that we as parents can take an opportunity to be a teacher to our kids. My family has tried some sort of a nightly devotional time before, but I've found it hard to be consistent. But making meal times a priority, I've found it to be a super easy way to answer questions about God's Word, and to rehash things our kids have learned at church.
   
2. "When you walk along the road." This is drive time. I know that DVD players in the car have revolutionized the way we travel as families. I know that I would hate making the 8 hour trek from Lubbock to Tulsa a couple of times a year without one. However, my family has turned them off permanently when driving around town. Why miss the unique time to have my child's full attention? This is my opportunity to be my kids friend, and just talk. We talk about school, soccer, girls (or boys), the lack of trees outside, how the wind always blows, and sometimes we've debated whether Sponge Bob is cooler than Patrick Starfish.
   
3. "When you lie down." This is bedtime. When we enter our kid's bedrooms, we are really entering their world. We're entering sacred space, and as our kids get older and older this space will become more sacred. This is the time to be my kid's counselor, and listener. Bedtime gives me a unique chance to listen, and to pray for the things on my kid's heart.
   
4. "When you get up." This is morning time. Ok, time for me to be really, really honest. This is the hard one for me. I'm that guy that needs about 45 minutes alone to gather my thoughts, and fight off my weariness before diving into conversations of any kind. However, morning is the time that I have the best opportunity to coach my kids. I've reserved morning drive time as my coaching time. It's when waiting in line to drop off my 1st grader at school that I tell him, "Ryan, you were born for this day. You were made for this time. God created and made you to do the things that you are going to do today. Ryan, you are more than just a somebody. You are a child of the living God!"

I will choose to Create a Rhythm so time together as a family will nurture our everyday faith.

__________________

Disclaimer: All these thoughts originated from my study of Orange. They are specifically taken from the Essence of Family teaching given by Reggie Joiner, and can be found in his book, "Think Orange." This is a fantastic book, and if you work with churches to reach kids then this should be your Manifesto!

3. Make It Personal

Deuteronomy 6:6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.

These commandments have to be in my heart, before I can hand them off to my children. It has to be in me, before it can be in them. Consider this free wisdom from someone that has worked with kids for years: You must never try to impress your kids with who you want them to think you are. You can only fool them for so long. And when they find out that you're a fraud, they'll only resent you for it.

It's okay for my kid to see who I really am. Especially if I want them to see the difference God is making in my life. Do your children know what your weaknesses are? If you say they don't, then you're only fooling yourself. What you're bad at is obvious to everyone. I struggle with a bad temper, and can become easily frustrated when things don't work out as I planned. Do you really think my family doesn't already know this? They've probably known it longer than I have. When I decide to make my weaknesses a point of teaching my children, then I can create a new parenting strength. Every time I mess up and fail to keep my word, or fail to control my anger; I then have the opportunity to ask my children to forgive me. I don't often miss the chance to ask my children to forgive me.

Kids need to see their parents:

Struggle with answers.

Face their weaknesses.

Deal with real problems.

Admit when they are wrong.

Fight for their marriage.

Resolve personal conflict.

My kids need to see me make relational, emotional,and spiritual growth a priority.

I choose to Make It Personal and let my kids see what God is doing in my life.

--------------------

Disclaimer: All these thoughts originated from my study of Orange. They are specifically taken from the Essence of Family teaching given by Reggie Joiner, and can be found in his book, "Think Orange." This is a fantastic book, and if you work with churches to reach kids then this should be your Manifesto!

2. Fight for the Heart

Deuteronomy 6:5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

The only thing that separates a living faith from a ritualistic orthodoxy is one word, one idea, and one compelling force: LOVE. I know this is true, but I also know that it's not as easily demonstrated. I have often enough put my frustration, disappointment, anger, and inadequacy on full display for my kids to see.

My tendency is to always want to explain the "Why?" behind the rules, instead pointing my kids toward a loving God that seeks to protect them. The problem with reasons for the "Why?" is that you can debate them. What you cannot debate is a trusted relationship.

Moses knew that respect for the rules is a by-product of trust. In Deuteronomy 6:20-25, he addressed the very response they were to give to their children when they questioned the meaning behind the laws. Moses instructed them to remind their children of what God had done. He wanted the children to know the God behind the laws. He knew that only obedience motivated by love stood a chance to succeed.

As parents we have to demonstrate to our kids that we have rules and standards of behavior that we expect of them. But more importantly, we need to demonstrate to our kids that we love them. We need to show them that we can be trusted. But how? It's easy really. Does your kid ever mess up? Do they ever let you down with their actions? Do they every deliberately disobey the things that you tell them to do? If they don't then write that "How To" book, and I'll be first in line to purchase it.

If they do screw up occasionally, then there you have it. The unpredictable and rebellious actions of my kids provide the perfect opportunity for me to demonstrate a consistent message to them. The message that I will forgive them over and over and over again. The message that I can be trusted. That I love them. When I fight for the hearts of my children, I establish a lifestyle of proving that I can be trusted.

I choose to Fight For the Heart of my family by loving God with all of my heart.

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Disclaimer: All these thoughts originated from my study of Orange. They are specifically taken from the Essence of Family teaching given by Reggie Joiner, and can be found in his book, "Think Orange." This is a fantastic book, and if you work with churches to reach kids then this should be your Manifesto!

1. Imagine the End

Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.

This is one of the more recited passages in all the annuals of time. It's frequently recited, because remembering that the LORD is God helps us to gain perspective. Isn't it true that we naturally have a predisposition to lose focus because of our limited human perspective? I know that as a parent I can get bogged down in the day-to-day of raising my kids and I rarely take the time to imagine what the outcome of all this parenting work could bring.

I love to ask parents of adult children if they have any parenting regrets. The #1 response that I get is that things went by too fast. They usually lament that if they had only known what a uniquely short time they had with their children, that they would have done so many things differently. Knowing that the time is short, we need to quickly gain some perspective. What is it that I really want my children to become? What values do I want them to hold as adults? What are my dreams and hopes for them?

Reminding myself frequently that God is God, doesn't cause me to stress more. It actually causes me to trust God more. He is writing the narrative of their life, and I am a part of their story. I'm one of the more important pieces of their story, but I'm not writing the outcome. God is.

My prayer is that I will learn to allow God to use me as the tool he needs to help my children grow into spiritual champions. But God can't use me until I know what the end-game is.

I choose to Imagine the End in order to stay focused on the big picture.

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Disclaimer: All these thoughts originated from my study of Orange. They are specifically taken from the Essence of Family teaching given by Reggie Joiner, and can be found in his book, "Think Orange." This is a fantastic book, and if you work with churches to reach kids then this should be your Manifesto!

I'm going to be posting a series of posts covering the Five Essential Parenting Skills that I will be teaching in our upcoming Parent/Child Dedication gatherings at Trinity Church. These ideas are NOT mine. They are culled from the book Think Orange and from Deuteronomy 6:4-7, which is every Family and Children pastors' bread and butter passage, right?! The next 5 posts will be a mixture of material taken from "Think Orange" and my own thoughts as a parent and a pastor that works alongside parents. Take from it what you will, and please consider making yourself a part of the discussion! 1. Imagine the End

2. Fight for the Heart

3. Make It Personal

4. Create a Rhythm

5. Widen the Circle

Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

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Disclaimer: All these thoughts originated from my study of Orange. They are specifically taken from the Essence of Family teaching given by Reggie Joiner, and can be found in his book, "Think Orange." This is a fantastic book, and if you work with churches to reach kids then this should be your Manifesto!

The buses will leave Trinity Church at 8:00am on Tuesday.  After arriving in Amarillo we will spend 4 hours at Wonderland Amusement Park,and then make a quick visit to the Amarillo Zoo before arriving back to Trinity Church at 6:00pm. 

The entire event is only $20 per kid, and includes the bus ride, admission to the park, drinks, lunch, snacks, and even a drive back to Lubbock!  If you would like to send your child, please register on Sunday Morning at the Kidsplace Registration table in the Lower Floor.  It is very important that you register in advance so that we can have an accurate count as we plan for the out-of-town details.  Remember to bring $20 to pay, and sign-up this Sunday Morning!

Any parents wanting to attend with their child will also have to pay the $20 fee and are being asked to ride the bus and assist throughout the day with the children.  All parents in attendance must submit to and pass a background check.  Parents can only register on Sunday.

Call the Children's Ministry offices at 806.792.3363 x300 or email kidsplace@trinitytoday.com for any additional details.

Enjoy!

• Did you know that this Sunday Night is the last night of IGNITE at Trinity Church?  We've had a great time with all our kids on Sunday Nights in June, and this night we're gonna end it with a BANG!  This Sunday Night, June 28th, the Elementary Kidsplace will be having a special Pizza Party.  We've spent the past 3 weeks having a blast with the kids.  If you have kids, don't miss IGNITE.  We start at 6:00pm on Sunday Night!
  

• Did you know that we have complete Children's Ministry on Saturday Nights?  In April, Trinity Church added a regular Saturday Night service and you're entire family is invited!  Every Saturday Night at 6:30pm Kidsplace begins.  Where should you take your kids on Saturday Night?  Elementary kids meet in the Lower floor, the Preschoolers are in the Education 2 building, and the nursery is open and available in the Education 1 building.  Not sure where these places are?  Then check out the campus map, and visit our "What to Expect" page at trinitykidsplace.com.
  

• Did you know that the upcoming Kidsplace Special Events are found online?  Visit events.trinitykidpslace.com to stay up to date with everything happening at Trinity Kidsplace.  Can you see what's happening next?
  

• Did you know that we have a very special event every month just for our Preschoolers and Kindergartners?  Trinity Story Time hour is held the first Thursday of ever month at 10:30 in the lower floor.  The next event is coming up on July 2nd!  It's open to children 6 and under, with their caregivers. We'll see you there!
  

I invite you to get to know us at Trinity Kidsplace, by continuing to look around www.trinitykidsplace.com!  If you have any questions about anything happening in Trinity Kidsplace, then please contact us at kidsplace@trinitytoday.com

Thank you Trinity Families for making Family Fun Day so much fun!  It was a great time had by every man, woman, and child in attendance!  If you missed Family Fun Day, have no worries.  There will be another on Tuesday, August 18th!

Keep an eye on http://events.trinitykidsplace.com for all of our Summer Events at Trinity Church.

You won't find a better place for your kid all summer long.  Go out on the town with your sweetie, finish up that housework, or go home an catch up on the last season of 24 on the Tivo! 

Best of all it's a super good time for your kids.  We'll fill that 4 hours with the most fun we can legally put into a 4 hour window.  There will be many different bounce house games, a special make-it-yourself craft area, a few large group games (that have a history of embarassing our special Kidsplace volunteers), and the entire night will be topped off with snacks and a late-night family friendly G-rated movie experience.

For more information about Kid's Night Out or Trinity Story Time Hour, please email kidsplace@trinitytoday.com or call the Children's Ministry offices at 806.792.3363 x300.

We meet in the lower floor from 10:30 to 12:00, the first Thursday of each month. Don't miss it, and don't forget your camera!  There's sure to be plenty of cute photo opportunities of your lil' wrangler on their pony ride! 

Email kidsplace@trinitytoday.com or call the Children's Ministry Offices at 806.792.3363 x300 for more information

Below you will see the entire schedule of activities happening this Summer in Kidsplace.  We are trying to create new opportunities for families to spend time together, and we hope that you will make the effort to invest in this special time with your children. 

We have a special Story Time event each month this summer for our Preschoolers and Kindergartners, two very special evenings of Kid's Night Out, two Family Fun Day's at Joyland where the entire family is invited for an afternoon for only $5 per person, and we've planned a special Kidsplace Day Trip for elementary kids to the Wonderland Amusement Park in Amarillo and a quick visit to the Amarillo Zoo.

Take the time to regularly visit our Upcoming Events page at www.trinitykidsplace.com so that you can always know what's happening all summer long!

The big story last week and this week continues to be about the swine flu. The United States declared a health emergency regarding the outbreak and the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is encouraging everyone to take precautions. Through the midst of all of this, Lubbock has not had any reported cases and we pray that it stays that way.  We can and have taken steps of precaution to help reduce the spread. 

We’ve had some parents ask questions about children’s services in response to the swine flu.  At this point we will be offering all of our weekend programs. During the week and between services, toys and facilities are cleaned to prevent the spread of illness. Our well-child policy states that we do not allow children to participate in our programs if they have displayed any symptoms of illness within the last 24 hours. In light of the swine flu, we do ask that if your child is sick, please don’t bring them to Kidsplace.  Let us assure you that we are cleaning bathrooms thoroughly, wiping down door handles, public phones and other communal surfaces, and have disabled all public drinking faucets.  In addition, we will work to ensure that you have access to hand sanitizer, paper towels and/or tissues during this time. 

We don’t want to create panic, but we do want to create awareness and re-emphasize the appropriate procedures for maintaining a healthy environment.  Should you want more information, the CDC web site is the best place for credible health information. www.cdc.gov/swineflu.

And remember, the best way “to Catch the flu – kiss the pig!”

One of the things I'd like to use our Kidsplace Blog to do for the families of Trinity Church is to encourage and inspire you to reach out to your own families in new and creative ways.

Have you ever considered a family night?  In our house we have family night each Tuesday, since that happens to be a t-ball, soccer, and church-free evening around the Cliff house!  We've had camping night with a tent in the living room and s'mores for dessert, superhero night where we all wore capes and saved the princess from the terrible villian (who was me!), Dog night where we watched the movie Bolt! and made puppy chow snack mix for a movie snack.

It can be done!  And it can be done on a tiny, tiny budget; sometimes using the things you already have around the house.  I know many of you are looking for ways to connect to your kids in new ways, and I'd encourage you to give Family Night a try!

I've included some links to help give you ideas and to spur on those creative thoughts already deep within you!  Please share some of you you may already do with your family in the comment section if you have ideas you'd like to share.

• Cliff Family Night Ideas (yep, this is my family!)
• 101 evening family activities
• Family night ideas
• The whys and hows of family night
• Familyfirst.com
• Familytime.com

Please come be a part of the exciting and new things happening at Trinity Church and with Trinity Kidsplace.  We are also expecting a super-good time with all our Children for Easter Morning during all three services, with some exciting environments planned for all ages.  Please bring your children and family to celebrate the greatness of what Jesus did for us on the original Easter morning!

Trinity Summer Camp 2009.

There are only a few days left to lock in the lowest possible rate for Summer Camp at Dry Gulch USA with Trinity Kidsplace. Monday, April 6th is the last day you can pay with the early bird rate of $239. After this it jumps up to $269! The cost for camp is now $269!

You may be asking yourself, "Why have I waited this long?" Or maybe, "Is it too late?" I don't know why you waited this long, but NO! it's not too late. We still have 15 spots available as of today, and they are going quick. There are 35 kids already signed-up to come to camp, and I want your kid to join them! There are only 7 spots OPEN for camp, hurry and reserve your spot NOW!  It's is only $50 to reserve a spot for Summer Camp.

Summer Camp is July 5th through July 9th, and I believe it will be the best week of the entire summer for the kids that you love! To sign up your child, or for more information please come to the Children Ministry offices during the week, or pick up an application in the Lower Floor this Sunday Morning. Don't delay, do it today!

Check out some pictures from last year!

Last Sunday during the 11:15am service we started a special new series in Kidsplace, and for the next several weeks we will be enjoying a Super Sport Spectacular with the Elementary students.

Learning to play on God's Team requires Discipline, Teamwork, Trust, and Integrity. These are the values that the greatest sports heroes in Sportsland hold true. To their find inspiration, we will look at one of the greatest teams in the Bible, the Apostles of Christ.

Here is a small sample of one of the teaching videos that are worked into the live-action dramatic skit performed each week in Kidsplace.

In our current series "Johnny Stratosphere", we’ll explore the deepest of life’s questions with Johnny, and his six-legged sidekick, Fuzzbucket,, aboard the delivery Starship Squish! Johnny’s, on a mission and looking for answers to questions like: IS GOD REAL? WHAT IS GOD LIKE? HOW DID WE GET HERE? WHY DID GOD CREATE ME? And WHAT IS MY MISSION? , Finding answers on this mission isn’t easy. Especially with Mortimer Yellsalot, and Demeano Debbie, trying to knock us off course. Fortunately, the encouraging voice of Captain Gigabob, reminds us to keep our focus and direction. The laughs are many, the surprises frequent and the answers profound, so lets get in our rockets and head for the stars! 

Check out this video from last weeks lesson!

If you haven't yet had your kid join us for the greatness of KIDMO, consider yourself invited to the lower floor for this special time!

Trinity StoryTime is a great way to spend a fun morning once a month with your little one!

Open to children up to six years old and their caregiver.  (Older siblings are welcome.)  StoryTime is always held the first Thursday of each month in the Trinity Church Chapel at 10:30am.

Each month features a different theme with new stories, exciting songs, adorable crafts, and a fun snack. 

Please join us!  We have a great time each month, and we want many more friends to come be a part of the fun.  For more info email starr@lostinlaundry.com or call the church offices at 806.792.3363 x300.


Upcoming StoryTime Dates:

March 5th
April 2nd
May 7th
June 4th
July 2nd

I could tell you more and more about Jelly Telly, but I'll let the creator fill you in on all the details.

Remember, it's a totally FREE online service.  Many of the video segments on Jelly Telly are materials that we use on Sunday Mornings.  So go buy your kids some headphones, they'll think it's cool; and let them visit JellyTelly.com on your computer today!

Welcome to the Kidsplace blog! I figured it was time that I explained why we started a blog. Actually, there are many reasons.

1. It can be an active source for information. My intention is that the Kidsplace staff will actively update the blog with information that parents need. Those who seriously want to be connected can subscribe to the blog and receive every post in their email or feed reader.
   
2. It can be a passive source for information. The nice thing about a blog is that you don’t “have” to subscribe. You can just visit it whenever you want. If that’s the way you roll, then you come whenever you’re looking for the answer to your question… no pressure!
   
3. Information sticks around and is easy to find. Rather than dig through your email for the message we sent you two months ago, you can just click through past blog posts.
   
4. Coming soon will be a parent newsletter that will be delivered twice a month to all the Parents of children in Kidsplace.  This blog will work in conjunction with the newsletter, allowing me to not have to send 1k word emails to our parents. If you haven't yet signed up for the parent newsletter, then email us your email HERE.
   
5. Last of all. I just love blogs.

I hope all of that makes sense.  We will be posting on the blog at least once a week. As we get into the busy summer months, the blog will be updated much more often to give you a recap of our Summer Activities. 

Feel free to interact with the blog. You can post a comment on every post… and we love comments! So if you have questions, comments or suggestions, don’t be shy. Not only do we love it, but you may be asking what others are thinking… so it helps everyone.

Well, I think that’s it. Please let us know if there is any way we can better serve the parents of Kidsplace!

If you brought your kids to Kidsplace this past Sunday, then you experienced the new Check-In Kiosks.  It was new and fast...but only for some of us.  We're working hard this week to get it working perfectly in the weeks to come, so thanks in advance for your understanding as we work out the kinks.

Please turn in an updated information form on your child if you haven't already.  If you need another one, you can pick one up at the Visitor desk this Sunday.  If you'd like to sign up for the new Kidsplace Parent email newsletter, please email your name, your child's name, and your email address to kidsplace@trinitytoday.com.

 Thank you again for the privilege of serving your family and children!  God Bless!

http://www.trinitykidsplace.com