2011 CW Playhouse Launch!

As we enter 2011, we look forward to our new 5 month series on the Core Values of Prayer House and the Patriarchs. This series will mark the first time that C.H.R.I.S.T. WORKS Kids ministries has coincided teaching with the adult focus. It is also the first time Pastor Kevin has developed his own curriculum and theme for a subject or series. (Please keep us in prayer as we put it all together.)

The 5 month series is titled: C.O.R.E. - Central Organization for Reviewing Essentials and will feature the J-Team. (Yes, we're revisiting Pastor Kevin's childhood fascination with the A-Team.) Each member of this crack commando unit will have a specialty in spiritual warfare and growth and will take the point on a different month.

We will also continue on our biblical journey through history, picking up where we left off in our Australian series at Chapter 12 of Genesis with Abram. C.O.R.E. will take us through Genesis, exploring the lives of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph!

The series for the kids will begin a couple weeks after the adults (January 16th), however due to this week being family week and the following week, Pastor Kevin and family will be taking their oldest daughter, Nataleigh to college in Missouri. But there will be a special CW Playhouse lesson on the 9th with Neenah & Pepere and their team!

On January 9th, kids will be learning spiritual truths from the new Narnia movie, Voyage of the Dawn Treader complete with movie & audio clips. They will also focus on the biography of Jesus and his encounter with a man named Zacchaeus. So don't wait until the 16th for C.O.R.E. Join the CW Playhouse team next Sunday for LESSONS FROM THE VOYAGE!

Kids Love Heroes

Isn’t it interesting how kids are drawn to heroes? We think kids love heroes for a reason. Heroes are characterized by four things. They do what’s right, deal with wrongs, are honest, and they care about others. Kids love heroes because God has placed a conscience inside each child that prompts them in the same four ways: to do what’s right, deal with wrongs, be honest, and care about others.

That’s why kids love heroes. In fact, kids are heroes in training right now in your family. God uses ordinary people to accomplish his will and it starts in the small things of life.

David was a hero in the Bible when he fought Goliath. But his hero training started much earlier. David was a hero in the small stuff. He took care of sheep and learned responsibility. He fought off a bear and a lion and learned courage. He worked hard to practice his harp so that he could get a job working in the palace.

Right now, your child can be a hero in the small stuff. Heroes practice in daily life by taking initiative. You might try this. Ask your child to see something that needs to be fixed in life. After all, that’s what heroes do. It might be that dishes are left in the living room, a sad baby needs to be cheered up, or help is needed for folding the laundry.

When your child takes initiative, hero qualities are developing.

Pictures from the Christmas S.O.C.C.E.R. Team Musical!

Our team and kids put on a fun show this last weekend and Liz Balli got pictures of some great moments. Check them out! (If you are friends with Liz on Facebook, you can check out a lot more great pictures on her profile.)

Don't Forget to Say Thank You

Gratefulness is an important life quality because it helps us to be thankful for what we have instead of complaining about what we don't have. Gratefulness is a lifestyle but it starts by saying "Thank you" to others who bless us.

Begin now to prepare your children for receiving gifts. Talk about the importance of the giver, not just the gift. Teach children to look at the nametag first so they can be thinking of the person who gave the gift while they open it. Encourage children to express thanks to the giver, even if that person is not in the room at the time. A phone call to extended family or a thank you note to a distant friend can mean a lot.

Gift receiving sometimes provides that awkward moment when we want to ask, "What is this?" or discover that we already have one of these. Play a "What if" game with children to help them anticipate how they might say thank you in those times.

Opening gifts can happen fast and then children are off playing with new toys and games. Helping them to take time to express gratefulness can extend the true meaning of Christmas past the few hours of Christmas Day. And don't forget to take time to thank the Lord for his special gift in Jesus Christ for us.



What are some things you've done to teach your children about gratefulness? Click here to tell us about it.

Gratefulness is a heart quality. To learn more about connecting with your child's heart, consider the book, Parenting is Heart Work, by Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN.

Christmas Musical Performances this Weekend!

Don't forget to support our kids by attending one of the two performances of this year's Christmas Musical: The Christmas S.O.C.C.E.R. Team. The FREE performances are:

Saturday at 5:30pm

Sunday at 10am

REHEARSAL REMINDERS: If you are in the musical, here are the times for the final rehearsals:

TONIGHT! Thursday, Dec. 16th from 6pm to 8pm or so...

Saturday, Dec. 18th 1pm to 4pm DRESS REHEARSAL! (Pizza will be served at 4pm before 5:30pm performance.)

Caring for Others

One of the great ways to help children think of giving instead of just getting at Christmas is to reach out to others you don't even know. This one activity can do a tremendous amount to help kids focus on others, not just themselves. Here are some ideas:

Pray for missionaries in other parts of the world. Create a care package for a family and mail it off in time to arrive by Christmas Day.

Get involved in your church's gift-giving program. Most churches provide ways to give tangible gifts to those in need. Ask around your community for organizations that are providing gifts for others.

Take some homemade food and crafts to a local rest home or senior citizen center. Sing songs and greet people. Tell them Merry Christmas. Before you go and when you're finished, talk to your kids about the people you are visiting. Sometimes caring for people can be a challenge and a blessing. Discussions help children understand it all in practical terms.

Make sure that children understand that Christmas is a time when we can share the love of Jesus with others. After all, that's what God did for us.

For more practical ideas on honoring others consider the book Say Goodbye to Whining, Complaining, and Bad Attitudes, in You and Your Kids by Dr Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN.

KidZ BlaZt 2011 Registration Deadline!!

REGISTRATION DEADLINE:

THIS WEDNESDAY NIGHT, DEC. 15TH!

FINAL AWANA CLUB NIGHT OF 2010 THIS WEDNESDAY!

Our last Awana club night for the year

This Wednesday night Dec. 15th!
REMEMBER: IT'S CHRISTMAS THEME NIGHT!

Don't miss out on all the Christmas Cheer!

The fun begins at the usual time: 6:30pm!

10 Ways to Keep Your Kids from Doing Dumb Things

Be honest. Your child can be very frustrating. All the things your parents used to say to you are now coming out of your mouth. “Am I talking to a brick wall?” “Don’t make me come back there!” “When I was your age we would never get away with that!” Children, to put it mildly, can do the dumbest things, and rather than advocating buying your kids a shirt like this one, here are a few helpful ideas to hopefully ease your pain.

1.Online Dangers

The whole world is on the Internet. The good and the very bad. A child can get in serious peril in a hurry. By all means, be aware of your child’s online activity. Some filters can be helpful, but they can’t block everything. There is no room for you to bury your head in the sand on this one. Talk to your kids openly about the dangers they could encounter. Then follow that up with eyes like a hawk at all times. Start with making them do their online surfing in the living room, not their bedroom.

2.The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From The Tree

We inherit much from our parents. This includes tendencies. A great deal of the not-so-great ideas you once came up with will be attempted by your child as well. The best way to catch a criminal is to think like one, right? Same thing applies here. Try to remember the world through the eyes of a 12 year old. It will be very beneficial in preventing things before they ever occur.

3.The Famous Money Tree

We all wish it existed. Of course, it certainly does not. Children, especially teenagers, tend to treat money like it can never run out. Sadly, many adults do as well. Teach your children the importance of money management. Give them an allowance that is earned by designated chores. Money falling from trees is never going to happen.

4.Loose Lips Sink Ships

Everyone has said things in their life they would like to take back. Mom was right. “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” Being honest is great. Being straight forward is also great. However, tactfulness and politeness are equally important. Teach your children to control their tongues. This one trait can take a person far in life. It’s called not burning bridges.

5.The Cell Phone Blues

The mobile phone has become a permanent part of our being. It’s like an extra limb. Yes, they are helpful and awesome in so many ways. They are also a great way to get into a lot of trouble for your children. Teachers loathe them. Schools ban them. They go off in the middle of church at the worst possible moments. They are annoying and also potentially dangerous to your child’s welfare. “Sexting” is reaching epidemic levels in our society. It is very important you discuss and monitor the cell phone use of your kids.

6.The Case of The Clean Underwear

“Always wear clean underwear in case you’re in an accident.” Did this ever actually happen to anyone? Not sure. However, good personal hygiene is not always the best quality of your kids. Just getting them to brush their teeth can take an act of Congress. Kids get verbally abused at school daily for their bad habits. This can all be avoided by developing simple and necessary routines. Brushing and flossing their teeth, combing their hair, using deodorant, wearing clean clothes. You get the picture. What seems like common sense to you seems like a pain in the rear to your child until they see the value of it.

7.The Importance of Choosing Friends

Peer pressure is a mighty thing and talked about often on this site. The people your kids spend their time with have a great deal of influence on them. For instance, if your son spends a lot of time with a buddy whose favorite movie is Jackass, you are going to see that reflected in his behavior. Have the discussion about friend selection with your children. Best to have that talk before you are rushing him to the hospital after breaking his arm. He did so attempting to skateboard off the roof.

8.Manners Aren’t Just For Holidays

“Don’t chew with your mouth full.” “Inside voices!” “The proper term is yes, sir!” Manners. Somewhat of a lost art in our society. It seems there are so many battles to fight that this one gets shoved aside. Then it rears its ugly head at a neighborhood dinner party. You are mortified at the behavior of your kids. A horrible feeling for a parent. Enforce the most basic of manners in your household at all times. Teach them the meaning of respect and keep your kids from looking dumb.

9.The Eye Poking

“You’re going to poke your eye out with that thing!” We all heard it. It’s for certain it actually happened to some kid too. Life in general is full of dangers. We can’t shelter our kids from all of it. We can, however, prevent a lot of unnecessary accidents. If you own guns, make sure they are locked up. If you have lighters in the house, keep them away from a child’s reach. Medicine. Household cleaning products. And yes, pointy things. They all have their place and it’s not in the hands of an unknowing child. Safeguard your home.

10.Lying In The Bed You Made

Consequences. The sure fire way to prevent your kids from doing dumb things. “You made your bed, now lie in it.” The wisdom of Mom never fails. It is imperative that you discipline your children. Yes it is difficult and sometimes heartbreaking to do. It is also the greatest act of love by a parent.

ALL PRO DADS

FINAL PLAYHOUSE SUNDAY OF THE YEAR!!

FINAL

OF THE YEAR!!

Don't forget your Buddy Barrels!
(This is your last chance to give!)

FINAL OUTBACK ADVENTURE...

With Tasmania Jones, Crumpler Kangaroo & friends...

Final Dr. Shrieker Appearance...


Final lesson on the 7 C's of History!
Bushfire: The Final Judgement and Consummation of all things!

FINAL WEEKEND TO SIGN UP FOR KIDZ BLAZT 2011!!

(Deadline is Wednesday night Dec. 15th!)
Registration & $25 Due!

Don't miss the final CW Playhouse

This Sunday at 10am!

Being a Servant at Christmas

Sometimes children believe that the whole world revolves around them. Parents, at times, contribute to a child-centered mentality and further reinforce this misconception. Kids can get the impression that parents, siblings, and even the family pets are there simply to make them happy. The result is demandingness and an unpleasant attitude.

One of the ways to counteract this tendency is to teach children to be servants and Christmas is a great time to start. Planning and giving gifts, preparing food treats for others, setting the table, and cleaning up Christmas messes are all ways to demonstrate servanthood. You might have your children take turns giving out the gifts that are under the tree instead of just finding their own and opening them up.

Listening to others, watching family members open gifts, saying thank you, sharing, and looking for ways to help are all ideas for kids to demonstrate a servant attitude at Christmastime.

Use the word "servant" and teach children about its positive meaning in life. Talk about how being a servant is really a gift to others. After all, Jesus became a servant by becoming a man and coming to earth as our Savior (Philippians 2:5).


Servanthood is one of the honor solutions for sibling conflict. To learn more, consider the book, Say Goodbye to Whining, Complaining, and Bad Attitudes In You and Your Kids, by Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN.

FAMILY WEEK - Christmas Caroling this Wednesday night

There will be no Awana Clubs this Wednesday as it is Family Week, but as is our Church Family Tradition, this Wednesday we will be joining our families together for a special Family Week event: CHRISTMAS CAROLING! Join with other families this week and spread Christmas cheer to our neighbors. There will be hot chocolate and treats as well! Check the Church bulletin/calendar or call the office for the time.

Family Week - Special Christmas Musical Preview Song this Sunday!

This Sunday, the kids will perform one of the songs from our upcoming Christmas musical, The Christmas S.O.C.C.E.R. Team, during our Family Service! There will be no CW Playhouse this weekend, of course. If your children are involved in this production, please try to get them to church by 9:30am this Sunday for final instruction and sound check.

Also, we now have tickets for the musical to hand out to family and friends. Tickets are not necessary, but serve as a nice reminder to put in the hands of those you wish to invite. See Pastor Kevin or Aimee to get some.

Christmas: A Time to Teach Generosity

Christmas is a highlight in the life of most children, but much of the benefit is focused on what they get. Of course one of the blessings of Christmas is giving, so look for ways to teach children generosity this year. Here are some ideas:

Involves kids in your gift giving strategy or help them develop their own. Planning, shopping, and wrapping can each provide ways for children to think about blessing others.

Anticipate with your children the delight others will experience when the gifts are opened. Help your child enjoy the fun others will have when receiving gifts.

Ask children the question, "What are you doing this year to make Christmas special for others?" This question alone can help teens think of others instead of just themselves. A short discussion can help move kids from selfish tendencies to generosity.

And most importantly, remind children of the generosity of God by sending us a special gift in his Son.

For more practical ideas for helping children develop character visit our web site at biblicalparenting.org.

Honor is a great gift for kids to give. Use the Kids Honor Club, by Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN to teach it.

It is NOT Family Week!! AWANA is GOIN' ON!

This is NOT Family Week!

Awana Clubs tomorrow night at 6:30pm!

Sign up for KidZ BlaZt 2011!

Kidz Blazt 2011 is coming Feb. 25th & 26th!

Kidz Blazt is a conference for 3rd-6th grade boys and girls who want to know God better and learn to share Jesus with friends in fun ways. Kidz Blazt will take place at the Kalahari in Wisconsin Dells and will feature guest speaker, Pastor Brian Dollar (a.k.a. “Skittles”).

We will leave early Friday morning to enjoy a full day at the in-door water park and then attend the conference kick-off at 7:30pm followed by all the Saturday conference activities, returning home by 9pm Saturday night. Besides the sessions with Brian Dollar, there will be powerful worship and prayer time, small group time, and a choice of three workshops from a schedule of about 35 subjects/activities.

The cost will be $110 per child and includes gas, meals, registration, housing, & T-shirt. Registration & $25 is due by Dec. 15th with the balance due by Jan. 23rd.

See Pastor Kevin or Aimee for registration forms and questions.

Be Careful How You Handle Your Child's Pain

When children get hurt they need love and compassion. They need to know that they can come to Mom or Dad for comfort. But sometimes parents, in an attempt to show love to their children, end up compensating for the pain by withholding discipline.

When children experience pain or disappointment, they often become self-focused. That can be normal and healthy so that they seek help. However, some children overdo it and become demanding and even hurtful. Parents sometimes don't know how to respond. On the one hand they would normally discipline for this kind of behavior, but on the other hand, they want to be sensitive to the child and not heap on any more pain.

Jimmy doesn't get picked for a project at school and because he is disappointed, he starts treating his mom unkindly. Charissa sprains her ankle in soccer and becomes demanding, ordering people around to serve her. Children in these kinds of situations need comfort but they also need firm discipline to deal with the way they're relating to others.

This reminds me (Joanne) of what happens in the hospital with children who are seriously ill or who have been sick for a long time. Sometimes parents spoil their kids. They say to themselves, "This child has been through so much, I just can't discipline him." And that parent gives and gives and overlooks and overlooks and the child becomes more and more demanding and unhappy. That's not productive and it contributes to unhappy, unhealthy kids.

Remember that love doesn't just give but it also sets limits so that others can grow. When your child is feeling hurt or disappointed, empathize with and comfort your child. Comfort is important, but don't allow your child to be demanding or manipulative in the process. Point out the unacceptable behaviors and encourage a more helpful response such as gratefulness and peace.


Today's tip is from the CD series called Single Parenting: Bringing hope and practical help to single, blended, and reconstructed families by Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN.

Thanksgiving Theme Night at Awana Clubs Tomorrow Night!!

REMINDER: This Wednesday we WILL have Awana clubs to make up for the week we missed last month because of the Missions Event. But to make it a special club night, we're having a THANKSGIVING THEME NIGHT! Help your kids to dress up as Pilgrims or Native Americans, or even turkeys for some fun (though remember that they still need to be able to play during game time so don't dress to restrictive). ALSO: EVERY CLUBBER WHO BRINGS A NOTE OF THANKSGIVING to give Ms. Aimee at check-in will earn an extra 100 points for their color team as well!

See you tomorrow night!

The World-Wide Flood has Gone and the Ice Age has Begun!

Did you know that the Ice Age was a result of the Catastrophic World-Wide Flood that was God's judgement on the World? Did you know that man was not given meat to eat until after the flood? Did you know that the flood was probably the cause of changed weather patterns, ocean temperatures, continental shifting, mountain ranges & canyons, and most of the fossil record that we see today? Have you ever connected the Ice Age with the time of the Patriarchs and realized that mammoths roamed the earth at that time and probably dinosaurs too?

Well if not, you should ask your kids to tell you what they learned this last weekend in the CW Playhouse:Outback Adventure! Not only did they learn about Thanksgiving after the storms in life, but all of that great apologetics stuff too! So sit down with them this week and review their Road Map Take-home sheets with them. You should have some interesting discussion and open up a time of thanksgiving as well leading perfectly into the Holiday this weekend!

10 Things to Be Thankful For

In our life, we sometimes spend too much time complaining about the things we do not like or have. Today and every day we need to take time to be thankful for the blessings we do have. Take a look at this list of 10 things we are should be thankful for:

1.Thankful for family that raised us

We are all where we are today because our parents or guardians raised us. Hopefully, we have taken all the positive lessons from them and are applying them to our lives.

2.Thankful for the families we have

If you are married and have children, be thankful for the blessing of your family. If you are single, be thankful for your parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents.

3.Be thankful for friends

True friends encourage us, motivate us and push us to do better. Take time to call them and thank them for all the great things they have done. Show your gratitude by also being a great friend to others.

4.Be thankful for a roof over your head

If you have home, be thankful you have a place to rest and relax. Hopefully your home is also a place of safety and encouragement. Truly show you are thankful for your home by helping organizations who help those who have no homes.

5.Be thankful for laughter

Laughter is a gift from God which can bring great joy. Be thankful for the laughter of children, a spouse or friends.

6.Be thankful for a job

A job is a great blessing, whether we are happy in the job we are in or not. Take the time to list out reasons you are thankful for your job. If you find this hard, don’t look at your job just as a means to make money, but look at it as a way to help people.

7.Be thankful for the freedoms you have

We have so many freedoms other countries do not have and it has cost some men and women their lives. This freedom continues to cost others time away from family and bodily injuries. Take time today to say “thank you” to someone who helped or is helping protect those freedoms

8.Be thankful for those who have made a positive impact in your life

All of us have had people in our lives that have made a positive impact. It may be a teacher, coach, pastor, youth worker, Sunday school teacher, and, hopefully, family members. Be thankful these people were placed in your life and give to others as they have given to you.

9.Be thankful for nourishment

We should be thankful we have the opportunity to eat on a daily basis. If you have plenty, please show your thanks by helping to support agencies who try to care for the hungry.

10.Be thankful for your health

If you are reading this, you are probably a person in good health. Be thankful for that. However, there are probably people in your family and community not as fortunate. So take time to help them sometime this week.

After the Rain: The Post-Flood World & the Ice Age!

This week we wrap up our mini-series on Noah's Ark by taking a look at the POST-flood world and how a world-wide catastrophe with water would effect weather, animal life, life spans, rock-layers, even continental shifting! That means we'll be exploring the Ice Age this weekend as well as discussing how we should live spiritually AFTER THE RAIN, looking at the meaning of the Rainbow and God's new covenant with man.

Join Tasmania Jones and the History Hunters this weekend for more apologetics teaching in our Outback Adventure, Saturday night at 5:30pm and Sunday morning at 10am! (And don't forget that there is Sunday School for kids starting at 9am!)

Give Thanks

Age-specific ways to help your kids experience the meaning behind the celebration on Thanksgiving Day.

by Lynne M. Thompson

Sometimes it's a challenge to convince children that Thanksgiving Day is really not all about the food. Sure there's turkey, stuffing, gravy, cranberries, and pie. Oh yeah, don't forget the pie! But hidden inside this palate-driven holiday is an opportunity to teach the meaning behind the celebration. It is, after all, a day to remember God and give thanks.

The scriptures are filled with passages calling us to maintain a thankful heart. From Psalm 106:1, "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good," to Paul's letter to the Thessalonians urging them to "give thanks in all circumstances" (5:18). It was this latter verse that sustained the Pilgrims, venturing to the New World, who ushered in the Thanksgiving Day celebration.

In the winter of 1620, Pilgrims, traveling by sea, settled at Plymouth, Massachusetts. They came for religious freedom — a desire to worship God and live according to Holy Scripture. But the country they found was bleak and uninviting, with several inches of snow already on the ground. Of the 102 passengers aboard the ship, the Mayflower, nearly half died during the first winter of the "great sickness." Yet, according to settler Edward Winslow, they were grateful to God for his provision in their lives. A year later, the group celebrated with a feast of thanksgiving.

So, this year as the guests arrive, in addition to a bountiful meal, try these fun-filled age-appropriate activities that will direct children, and adults, back to the true meaning of the holiday, and also create Thanksgiving Day memories that will last a lifetime.

Ages 0-3
For the very young, holidays are about the nurturing and extra attention received from grandparents and other close family and friends. Try to provide time for fun interaction, with songs and hymns that celebrate the season. Provide toddlers with some crayons and color books, and invite grandparents to color along. Be sure to include The Pumpkin Patch Parable, a picture book by Liz Curtis Higgs, for an after supper story time.

Ages 4-7
Make your young guests feel special when Thanksgiving dinner is served atop a custom-made tablecloth they designed. Break out the color crayons, or markers, and allow each child to draw their own artwork depicting a thankful day. Later, play a game of "Alphabet Thanks," where children draw from a bowl of letters, and then tell God thanks for something that begins with the letter they picked.

Ages 8-12
This age group is ready to put the spirit of thanksgiving into practice by canvassing their neighborhood, collecting canned food items for those in need. For fun on Thanksgiving Day, have this age group use a video camera to film their own home movie about giving thanks. Guests can be entertained as they view the finished work on the TV during dessert. Or, for the more musically minded, have the kids borrow the tune from their favorite pop or rap song and replace the lyrics with a seasonal message.

Age 13-18
This age is perfect for hands-on community service. Visit the local rescue mission or nearby retirement home, and have them pitch in by serving the holiday meal. Another fun idea is to invite these teens to compete in a pie-baking contest, with Gram and Gramps deciding the winning recipe.

All Ages
Ice Breakers are a fun way to get everyone talking. Write something to be thankful for on a small sheet of paper and tape it to the back of everyone who comes in the door. They must ask yes or no questions from other guests to guess what is written on the paper.

Pictures from Passport to Compassion

Passport to Compassion was powerful this past Missions Weekend! If you missed it, you were spared a very eye-opening and convicting, hands-on event! Here are some pictures from it:

A video presentation about Milwaukee inner city ministry.

In the Bible Verse room a shepherd asks the kids to help him find his lost sheep.

Then the kids illustrate the story of Boaz's workers and the gleaners.