Here is a look at what Northgate Kids will be hearing, learning and experiencing in Kids Church in the month of June!
In the Nursery & Preschool Class This month is all about introducing preschoolers to God—the One who loves them with a love that lasts forever. When it comes to preschoolers and what they know about God, there are a few faith skills we want to make sure they have in their little red wagon. We want every child to know that they can hear from God, pray to God, talk about God to others, and live for God. We hope they will pull these faith skills around, wherever they go, for the rest of their lives. Then they can go with confidence because they have the faith skills needed for whatever comes their way.
WEEK 1 Story Focus: I can hear from God. When King Josiah’s workers find scrolls with God’s words on them, he quickly reads the scrolls to hear from God. We want preschoolers to know they can hear from God too. Every time they listen to or read a Bible story, they can hear from God like King Josiah did. The Bible is full of stories and words from God about who God is, how we should live and how much God loves us. The Bible is like a big I LOVE YOU from God!
WEEK 2 Story Focus: I can pray to God. Hannah talks to God when she is sad because she knows she can talk to God anytime, anywhere, and about anything. And after Hannah cries out to God and talks to Him about why she is so sad, she isn’t sad anymore. We want preschoolers to know that they can talk to God too—anytime, anywhere, and about anything—just like Hannah did, because God loves me!
WEEK 3 Story Focus: I can talk about God to others. Jeremiah is a prophet, and he tells God’s people important things like “God loves you with a forever kind of love” and “God has plans for you.” And we want preschoolers to know that they can talk about God to others too. They can tell everyone, everywhere that God loves them and has plans for them, like Jeremiah did.
WEEK 4 Story Focus: I can live for God. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego have a choice to make. Are they going to live for the king and do what the king says OR are they going to live for God and do what God says? Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego choose to live for God. They know that, no matter what happens, God loves them. We can choose to live for God, too, because God loves me and God loves you!
In the Kindergarten through 5th Grade Class
Choose joy! This may be a commonly used phrase you’ve heard, but what does it actually mean? Joy is more than being excited about the good things that happen to us. Joy is an attitude—a decision to trust God no matter what is going on in our lives. From the very beginning, God had a plan for the world. As we dive into the Bible, we’ll discover God’s plan for us and how God has been at work through it all. When we see and celebrate what God is doing, we can find true joy!
CORE INSIGHT: The theological foundation for JOY Jesus never promises that life will be easy or perfect, even when we follow Him. Though we may experience hurt and see pain all around us, God is still at work. Because of Jesus, we can experience a relationship with God and learn how to trust God no matter what. JOY is choosing to celebrate what God is doing.
WEEK 1 We start the month with Luke 15:1-7, where we find Jesus telling a parable about a shepherd who goes to find his lost sheep. Jesus explains that the shepherd cares so much about the missing sheep that he leaves the other 99 sheep to go look for it. After the shepherd finds his sheep, he invites his friends to help him celebrate! Bottom Line: We can have joy because of Jesus. In Jesus’ story, the shepherd is full of joy when he finds his lost sheep. He rejoices with his friends. When we recognize that we are like the lost sheep, we can have joy because we know that God sent Jesus to rescue us! And this joy isn’t just something we keep to ourselves. We can share the good news about Jesus and celebrate when others put their faith in Him too.
WEEK 2 In week 2, we see how God set aside times and rhythms for the Israelite people to reflect on and remember everything God had done for them. In Deuteronomy 16:13-17, we read about one celebration in particular called the Feast of Booths. We see in Scripture how God’s people celebrated this feast on several important occasions throughout their history. Bottom Line: Make a habit of choosing joy. Whether it’s a birthday party, slumber party, or festive holiday, kids love celebrating with their family and friends! Just as those celebrations are a part of our everyday rhythm, we hope that kids will learn how to find moments of celebration throughout their lives that will help them remember what God has done for them.
WEEK 3 For week 3, we head to Ezra 3:10-13. At the time, God’s people were living as captives in Persia, when the new king, Cyrus, allowed them to return home to Jerusalem. However, when they returned, everything was broken down and destroyed. The people got to work rebuilding the temple . . . but before they got far, they stopped to worship God and celebrate the ways that God had helped them. Bottom Line: Celebrate each step of the way. Some tasks seem to take longer to complete than others. Whether kids are learning how to ride a bike, bake a cake, solve a math problem, or talk to new people, they learn that each step is important. The same thing is true about our relationship with God. We can choose to trust God and find joy, even when we can’t see the whole picture. We can celebrate how God is working in our lives with every step we take.
WEEK 4 In week 4, we take a look at some of David’s Psalms— specifically, Psalms 8, 16, and 19. David wrote a lot about the things he observed in nature and the world around him that God had created. Through creation, we notice how God is at work—even if sometimes we struggle to see God’s work in our own lives. Joy is all around us. We just have to look. Bottom Line: Find joy in what you see around you. God has given us the amazing ability to use our senses so we can find joy through the beauty of God’s creation. When kids tap into these senses, they can discover God in a whole new way. Even if not all of our senses work perfectly, we can find ways to see how God is at work in the world around us.
WEEK 5 We finish the month in Habakkuk 3:17-18. Habakkuk wrote these words as God’s people were about to be taken captive. Everything was going wrong in Habakkuk’s world . . . but still, he chose to trust God and choose joy. Habakkuk ultimately found joy because of God’s faithfulness and love that nothing could take away. Bottom Line: There’s always a reason to celebrate. Even when we face tough challenges in life, we can celebrate because we know that God sent Jesus to be our Savior. That doesn’t make our current troubles any less difficult. But it does mean that we can find peace and joy in the midst of them. We can find joy in knowing that God is ALWAYS up to something good—even when we can’t see it.
