LOOKING FOR IDEAS ON STORIES TO SHARE WITH YOUR CHILDREN AT HOME, OR IN CHURCH? WANTING SOME MORE INSPIRATION AS A CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES LEADER? LOOK NO FURTHER! KMI IS THE PLACE FOR YOU!
May--Mental Health Month
May 4th is Children's Mental Health Awareness Day.
Be informed.
Click the links below for some resources and information or visit http://www.ffcmh.org/copy-of-education-resources-3
Day of the Earth!
Aside from being Sabbath, it's Earth Day! Earth Day is an annual event celebrated on April 22nd. A plethora of events are done all over the world to show support for the preservation of our enviorment. 193 countries form the Earth Day Network. These countries are the ones who have made it a point to celebrate this day.
As future citizens of heaven, we should take care of our temporary home... earth.
Earth day is a great day to talk about the story of creation with our children as well as a good day to go out and do something with them that demonstrates our active initiatives to make this world a better place.
If you have any more ideas or want to send us your stories, feel free to write us at childrensministries@nadadventist.org
Happy Earth Day!
Easter is just around the corner!
I don't know about you but I feel like I'm still recovering from all the commotion of Christmas, the New Year & Valentines Day! If you're running behind on what to plan for the children of your church or your kids at home, don't you worry! Children's Ministries at the North American Division has got you covered!
In the next two weeks we are putting together a lot of great resources for you to use! Right here! At your finger tips. We are even working on an object lesson video you can use that's targeted to this special celebration. We also encourage you to follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter for even more ideas!
Here are a few tools you could use:
- Last year, we made an "Empty Tomb" craft video for you. Try that!
- Gracelink has an album of Good Friday/Easter Videos for Kindergarten
- They even have some for Primary too!
- Download this activity idea too!
"As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’ ” Mark 16:5-7
#OurKidsMatter
Pain, sorrow, tears, suffering, death, terrorism, hate, trauma. When we hear these words, negative images encircle our thoughts. Our minds become saddened and the last group of people you think about are "children". Children usually have a certain "joy" in their spirits.
However, what happens when the moment comes that we have explain to our kids about the occurrences of hate that are going on around the world? What happens when there isn't any joy in their spirits?
In the United States, there have been various acts of hate in the last few years and they seem to be growing in number. It's imperative for us, as a family, to help children feel like they have someone to turn to.
Disaster Child Care, a ministry of the Church of the Brethren, gives us some ways of "Helping Children Cope". Here are just some of the ones they suggested:
(Explanation paraphrased)
1. Reassuring Children- "You are not the cause of the bad events that are happening in the world. These ugly feelings and hate are not directed towards you."
2. Acknowledge Feelings- "I understand your fear and your anger. We are also scared and angry. ____ and _____ can be dangerous, but do not dwell on the fear, I will be here with you. ::::offer extra hugs::::"
3. Encourage Expression- "Tell me what you see and hear about what's happening. How does it make you feel?"
4. Monitor TV Viewing
5. Be Honest- "I have done my research and this is what's happening in the world... Do you have any questions?"
6. Let Faith be a Source of Strength- "Asking questions about how God allowed this to happen is normal. However, I assure you that even though we do not understand everything at the moment, one we will. This is a time where we need to pray to God for those hurting, as well as for our own safety. Would you like to pray with me now?"
These are just 6 of the several tips that this brochure offers to help children deal with everything that is happening. For a a copy of their brochure with more in depth information on this matter, please feel free to contact us at childrensministries@nadadventist.org
Over the next few weeks, we want to make resources available to you in order to help you deal with trauma and crisis.
Gnarly Imagination.
--Here’s a note from our Director, Sherri Uhrig. Stay tuned for more great devotionals, advice, and fun articles from her in our Kids Ministry Idea Magazine!
As I was standing at our back windows blankly staring out into the forest suddenly I saw it! I took a quick breath in… yes! There it was looking right back at me. I called my 15-year old granddaughter to come quick and see. We stood side by side and I guided her eyes to see what I was seeing… she found it too! “Doesn’t it look like a snake?,” I asked. She cocked her head from side to side and said, “No, it looks like a squirrel.” We were both silently looking at a big gnarly shaped burl on one of the trees in the forest and were quickly lost in our thoughts. We both felt that wonder and whispered; “isn’t God an amazing artist?”
We are never too old or too young to use our imaginations and wonder about all that God has created for us. After all, He is the God of Wonders! Recently I read a great article by Rachel Carson, author of The Sense of Wonder. In it, she writes,” A child’s world is fresh and new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement. It is our misfortune that for most of us that clear-eyed vision that true instinct for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring, is dimmed and even lost before we reach adulthood.” Carson also concludes that “if a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in.”
My friends, stop what you are doing right now… really! Go to the window. Lift your eyes to the lofty skies and wonder about the shapes of the clouds, the splash of the raindrops, or the dance of the flowers in the breeze. Take a deep breath and reclaim your imagination. Find the wonder and awe as you read God’s Holy word… find the extraordinary in the ordinary.
It may be just an ordinary gnarly hunk of burl on a tree but in my imagination it is a huge snake slithering and winding itself around the tree… or a squirrel.
My prayer for you is that today, you will sense the ‘wonder and awe’ of our amazing God!
To Empower.
To empower.
Children's Ministries in the North American Division have made it their goal to Empower our leaders so that they can impact our kids. A task we don't take lightly.
The definition in Merriam-Webster's Dictionary for the word empower simply means; "to give power to (someone)".
Words like, entitle, entrust, grant, legitimize, permit, vest, accredit, charge & commission all come to mind when thinking about this privilege we have as a team to better serve our purpose.
In such a rapidly-growing world, we have decided to bring our magazine to an easy-to-access platform. Available right at your fingerprints wherever you are, our magazine will be brought to you on a weekly basis with a variety of tools to help empower YOU to lead in your ministry.
These tools will hopefully remain relevant and useful to you in your ministries, churches, homes, schools, and even in your communities as you relate with kids.
If you have an suggestions of topics you wish to learn more about, let us know! We will do our research and find the experts for you!
Welcome & Enjoy.
-The Editor.
COMING SOON. JUNE 2016!
Kid's Ministry Ideas is a children's religious education resource dedicated to bringing teacher/leader growth and continued training to those in the forefront of children's ministry.
KMI will now be published strictly digitally in blog-format and we can't wait to share all the amazing articles with you.
Stay tuned!